As they make their transformation from the primordial soup that caterpillars morph into on their way to mature adults, sometimes things go wrong.

I don't think you can help it.

nature is amazing!

will be watching others in case there is a similar problem with them. Likely this one was intended to be gecko food...

I had this happen when I reared some monarchs from purchased eggs a few years ago. They called them "walkers," but I found it so sad. Since then I do conservation by placing row cover over milkweed plants that have monarch eggs so the wasps don't eat them. It's working out much better.

interesting...letting nature take its course around these parts...

Monarch populations have plummeted on VA's Blue Ridge, but there are as many predators as when populations were much higher only a few years ago. If I can protect the newly hatched larvae for 3 weeks, the yellow jackets and other predators tend to leave the caterpillars alone. Lots of milkweeds here, but a big imbalance with predator species including Asian preying mantids.

I am not privy to the issues here in the Virgin Islands- seems we see more butterflies than in past years, and unsure of the predator issues, I never see the 'pillars being harmed by anything. am awaiting another emergence to see if it is also damaged in any way

thanks for your comments. I enjoy the nature surrounding us here, was taught to be observant by my grands..doing what i can every day in our little corner of the world.