Are Monarchs carnivorous or cannibalistic? Will they eat one another?
Although Monarchs are not truly carnivorous they will eat one another on occasion in the larval stage! (EEEW! Yes, it is true!) More than likely, it is an accident, though, and a larger caterpillar will eat a smaller one because the little guy is on the leaf the big guy just so happens to be eating! It’s a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The same thing can occur with eggs hatching at different times and a new hatchling eating an egg! Try to separate larva by instar (by size) and you shouldn’t have a problem.
