My caterpillars all died – they started eating the Box Elder, but I kept finding dead ones at the bottom of the cage. I put in some Norway Maple to see if that would help – they ate that too, but they kept dying.

Fortunately the ones I gave away are doing better. Arlene has two on Norway Maple, and they’re eating and growing.

Here’s the larger one – it’s about half an inch long.

And the small one.

Margot’s caterpillars are eating Northern Pin Oak, and are also doing well.

I wonder if the Box Elder leaves that I started mine on had a chemical on them. I picked them from an area adjacent to the golf course – maybe they’d been sprayed with something that harms caterpillars. If I get some next year, I’ll try them on Maple from my backyard so I can be sure it’s safe for them to eat.