In my beginning is my end. — T.S. Eliot
[Note: While photographing this Monarch caterpillar, it noticed the camera and suddenly went from high activity and movement to total stillness. More of us would be better off by letting total stillness — of the mind — occur more often (even though it is not merely an occurrence and has nothing to do with time or effort).]
Monarch Caterpillar … Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2019
Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog 
Even the caterpillar is beautiful!
Definitely Yes! 🙂
Guess he wanted to be sure you caught every detail of his amazing profile? I wish the anoles would hold still when I turn my camera their way!!
Actually, it’s a wonderful species-preservation tactic! 🙂
I had four on my parsley on our back deck. There are two “shells” left and the parsley is all eaten. I am thinking the birds may have eaten two of the caterpillars and two became butterflies, perhaps? Any thoughts?
Well they couldn’t have been Monarchs, since Monarchs primarily lay on Milkweed. But they may well have been some other beautiful species! 🙂
They looked exactly like the ones in your photo!
Many Swallowtail Butterfly caterpillars look quite similar. 🙂
Very nice Tom😊
Appreciated at this end, or beginning. 🙂
Beauty for self preservation. Perfect!
Yes, it was amazing how she instinctively froze, Peter! I backed off and then took some other photos in the area and when i came back — at a safe distance — she could be observed moving a lot and munching away like crazy. 🙂
What a perfect quotation from Eliot! My guess is that the caterpillar’s head is at the bottom of the photo. I think I see its prolegs at the top, even though I can’t find its true legs. This is a wonderful photo. It reminds me of those days when I don’t know if I’m coming or going!
I’m glad that someone saw some perfection in that part of one of Eliot’s poems! 🙂
Sorry, but you guessed it wrong. The bottom, with the longer antennae, is the head.
Wonderful! I see an occasional Monarch come through, but never the caterpillars.
They like to lay their eggs on Milkweed plants in areas that are somewhat surrounded by trees, it seems. Must help the cats in some way… like maybe desiccation prevention.
We have a lot of milkweed around here. The plant contains a toxin that makes both the caterpillar and adult toxic as well. Birds and other predators know to avoid them and their look-allies as well.
Yes, when photographing it eating, one thought, “Keep getting those toxins in.” 🙂
Bright in colour but you can see how it also a camouflage nature at its best.
Yes, Andy, and as Eilene mentioned, they are toxic. 🙂
Amazing the bright colors of this Monarch caterpillar. One day they will flit on by and say “remember me?” One thing I enjoy about walking early in the morning is starting each day with a clean slate – not a thought in my mind and it is wonderful.
Yes, a clean slate in the morning! See if the mind can — throughout the rest of the day, each and every day — not interfere with that continuing on; in other words, do not merely give the habit of thought/thinking a lot of energy (when it is unnecessary). 🙂
I love the clean slate brain reboot in the morning … I hate when there are people at the Park who want to walk along and talk about world events and politics. I listen to the news all day long so I don’t want to hear about what is going on “out there” … it disgusts me. There is a woman at the Park who loves Trump – one time I made a remark and she got all fired up about it. I shut my mouth and said I don’t, as a general rule, discuss politics as I can’t vote as I’m a Canadian citizen, albeit living here in the U.S. since 1966. I’ve had a brutal work schedule the last six weeks – my boss wanted me to work weekends and I said I needed my “me time” and opted to work late every night. That was to my detriment as it’s cut into my own time, time that I write posts, sort out pictures and interact with others here on WP on their blogs … but I preserved my weekend time in parks and for that I’m grateful. I’ve had all these “house things” going on, didn’t help my peace either. I walked 8 miles yesterday in two parks and all afternoon at the Ford Fairlane Estate where Henry and Clara Ford lived for many years – it was 1,300 acres and I’ve never seen so many gardens in my life –
the place is being renovated (year no. 5 of that) and the gardens are maintained just like they were when they lived there. Exquisite wildflowers with butterflies, bees and I saw a few goldfinch flitting around. I took a lot of pictures … that is my idea of just getting away. In the morning I went to a nature preserve … mulch trails, birdsong, not a person on the trail, just inhaling the mulch they had laid in some spots as they had ground up some large fallen trees. It was peaceful. I wish I could maintain that peace and serenity throughout the day – I have two dogs nearby that bark and whine … next door it whines from the minute she leaves the house, and a Doberman on the corner. Because I work from home, I end up plugging my ears sometimes. All the house and work things that have gone wrong this Summer and hampered my “me time” have it difficult for me to maintain that nice feeling all day … but I’m working on it. 🙂 Now I’m off to my regular park while it is cool, then unfortunately have to spend time doing yard and house work the rest of the day.
Those “house things” get to me too… neverending some of the time! 🙂
One can do yard work and housework and still have, all along, a meditative mind (a rather silently aware mind), even with dogs barking and cats moaning. The only thing i do not appreciate much of is a lot of radio music and such (going on for long periods, day after day), as that can help cause repetitive patterns in the mind (that are pretty mindless). The mind can be silent and holistically aware while walking to the restroom, washing dishes, or during many things. Too many people sit on a yoga mat for a calculated session and, during the rest of the day, they continue to live in disorder and fallacious illusion.