The Monarch Caterpillar

A blur of fluttering wings waits for their newest family member.

It's a crisp spring morning as the family of Monarch butterflies huddle together.

Crawling from her cream eggshell, Zoey breaks the shell and takes a dainty bite. Taking tiny nibbles, she finishes the rest. Happiness spreads across her pale green face.

Zoey rests on the soft milkweed plant, holding the egg she hatched from. Her parents and Grandma Bijou each tear off a piece of the leaf.

"Here, Zoey," smiles Grandma Bijou, "You'll need to eat this milkweed plant. It'll help you grow."

Zoey, munching between bites, asks her grandmother,

"Why must I eat from this plant?"

"This is a milkweed plant," explains Grandma Bijou, "You must eat from it to grow into a beautiful butterfly."

"Why can't I eat from other plants?" Zoey asks, still chewing on the piece of milkweed.

"Because milkweed is what Monarch caterpillars eat from to grow."

"Am I a Monarch?"

"Indeed you are," answers Grandma Bijou. "Now go to sleep."

After Grandma Bijou flies away, Zoey bolts up from the leaf. She decides to explore her surroundings.

Dropping from the branch, Zoey hangs by her spinnerets. She slowly lowers herself onto the wet, muddy ground.

She doesn't crawl very far when she runs into another caterpillar.

"What's up! I'm Tasha."

Tasha, munching on a piece of bark from an old oak tree, is black with a tan, yellow head covered with hair.

"I'm Zoey," she blushes.

"Please excuse me for talking with my mouth so full. I'm starving." Tasha speaks as bits of tree bark fly from her mouth.

"It's okay. I don't mind," grins Zoey, "I've just finished eating myself."

"Really, what'd you have?" Tasha quizzes, her mouth full of tree bark.

"Milkweed," Zoey beams.

"Milkweed! Blech, I hate milkweed! It's disgusting! Who'd eat that stuff!"

"Well, I'm a Monarch caterpillar. It's what I'm supposed to eat," declares Zoey.

"Excuse me, your majesty," Tasha smirks. "I'm a spongy moth caterpillar.

We eat tree bark. It's much better than milkweed. Here, eat a piece," Tasha offers.

Zoey hesitates before taking a piece of the bark but pops it into her mouth.

As Zoey chews, she can taste the bitter bark.

Chewing it for a full minute, she finally swallows it. Immediately, Zoey feels her tummy churning, and she suddenly feels sick.

"I don't feel very well. I don't feel well at all." Curling into a tight ball, Zoey doubles over as tears trickle down her cheeks. "Tasha, could you help me get back home?"

Tasha wipes the tears from Zoey's face and lifts her on her back.

As Tasha struggles to carry Zoey, they finally arrive at the stand.

The two caterpillars hug each other and say goodbye to each other.

Zoey travels sluggishly up the tree and returns to her bed.

Grandma Bijou creeps inside Zoey's room with a piece of the milkweed leaf. "Here, honey, take a bite of this leaf. You'll feel better,"

Zoey slowly sits up in bed and asks Grandma Bijou, "How'd you know that I was

sick?"

Grandma Bijou winks at Zoey, "Because, little one, I was young once."

Zoey smiles and takes a bite of the leaf. She feels her tummy calming down.

"Now, you rest so that you will grow into a lovely butterfly."

Zoey closes her eyes as Grandma Bijou's kiss brushes her face.

She dozes off and dreams of milkweed plants.