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Monarch caterpillars in Stage 2 - the Larva stage devouring tropical milkweed. The job of the caterpillar is to eat and eat and eat. As the caterpillar grows it splits its skin and sheds it about 4 or 5 times. Food eaten at this time is stored and used later as an adult. Caterpillars can grow 100 times their size during this stage. For example, a monarch butterfly egg is the size of a pinhead and the caterpillar that hatches from this tiny egg isn't much bigger. But it will grow up to 2 inches long in several weeks. These guys have since advanced into Stage 3 - the Pupa Stage - the Transitional stage - I will be posting a chrysalis shortly. Enjoy!!! (credit source: Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University)