Braidwood woman’s hungry caterpillar photo wins August photo contest

A colorful monarch caterpillar caught munching on a milkweed leaf was selected as the top shot in the August portion of the Forest Preserve's District of Will County's Preserve the Moment Photo Contest.

Of the 122 photos sent in for August, Kathy Bobal of Braidwood took top honors with her nibbling caterpillar photo taken at Rock Run Rookery Preserve in Joliet.

The blurred milkweed leaf and sharp focus on the caterpillar's antennae-raised head as it snacks on the edge of the leaf can almost elicit the sounds of crunching.

Bobal, who visits forest preserve locations at least five times a week, said the monarch caterpillar was the first one she ever found in the wild.

"I photographed it from every angle and really just thought that looking at it head on would be a different perspective that would make it more interesting."

Bobal also received an honorable mention for a close-up shot of a river cooter sunning itself at Rock Run Rookery Preserve.

The contest began in May and it has several monthly categories as well as open months where any type of photo can be submitted as long as it is taken in a Will County forest preserve by an amateur photographer age 18 or older.

Remaining categories are September - fungus; October - fall colors; November - structures; and December - open category.

After the contest concludes on Dec. 31, eight monthly photo winners will compete for top honors and prizes via voting on the District's Facebook page, Facebook.com/WillCoForests.

To submit photos and view all of the contest rules, visit www.ReconnectWithNature.org.

To view all of the contest photos submitted so far, visit www.Flickr.com/WillCoForests.