cats and eggs

Yes it's true the Monarch is loving my swamp butterfly weed plant.   Most are first ( an eighth of an inch long!!) or second instar, but one looks like its a 3rd instar

I actually saw one of the caterpillar's extend its 'scent horn' briefly when his leaf was disturbed by me.  Last evening I saw a newly hatched cat eating the egg it had just emerged from.   There was a monarch hanging about this morning, but I couldn't see any new eggs yet. 

The monarch had landed on the potted asters, but a sparrow on the ground jumped up at it and chased it off.  The nerve!!

Otherwise I spent the morning deadheading some of the butterfly bush.  I seemed to have a hummingbird moth keeping me company. He was next to me for awhile, but once he saw I was no threat continued to feed.

Speaking of hummingbirds, I've not seen mine at the feeder in a few days, and it doesn't look like anyone things has been drinking at the feeder either.