By this time of the year, we probably all have heard about, read something about or encountered thistle caterpillars.

You may have also seen them in their adult stage, the painted lady butterfly. I got my first thistle caterpillar question this year in late May, when I received a picture of some inoffensive black “spiky” caterpillars feeding on thistles on a road ditch.

It wasn’t until I made a trip to Indianola in late June, where I experienced the thistle...