2018 Canada S$20 1 oz SILVER  Monarch Caterpillar Venetian Glass
 
Nature and bug enthusiasts, gardeners and glass collectors will be snatching up this coin featuring a Murano glass monarch caterpillar. Caterpillars are an essential part of the natural world. Without them, there can be no butterflies; and without milkweed plants, there can be no monarchs. It’s the only plant monarch larvae feed upon. 
 
Every Murano glass monarch caterpillar has been individually blown by a master glassmaker in Murano, Italy; with slight, handcrafted variations that make each one unique!
 
COMBINES TRADITIONAL ENGRAVING, COLOUR, AND MURANO GLASS!
 
Beautifully crafted in 1 oz. of 99.99% pure silver with a breathtaking combination of traditional engraving, color and a Murano glass monarch caterpillar that will delight nature and bug enthusiasts, gardeners, anyone who marvels at the intricate beauty of nature’s tiniest creations.
 
AN ARTISTIC COLLABORATION BETWEEN CANADA AND ITALY! The pure silver coin was designed by Canadian artist Maurice Gervais, while the glass embellishment was handcrafted by Italian master glass maker Bernardino and Giorgio Vio!
 
The coin’s design is punctuated by a vivid Murano glass monarch caterpillar that was handcrafted by a master glassmaker in Murano, Italy; its yellow, black and white stripes the tell-tale sign it is a monarch larva. The glass monarch caterpillar is poised on the leaf of a swamp milkweed plant designed by Canadian artist Maurice Gervais that has been selectively colored to showcase the plant’s long leaves, and its clusters of pink flowers to best effect.
 
Most caterpillars have muted colors to blend in with their surroundings, but not the monarch. Its larvae stand out with vivid yellow, black and white stripes to boldly warn predators they are toxic; a defense mechanism they gain by eating the noxious milkweed plant. 
 
The milkweed is the only plant where monarch butterflies lay their eggs. There are over a hundred species in North America, but this critical plant is becoming increasingly rare. Fortunately, the stealthy monarch will find the smallest patch, even in a city block!
 
A freshly hatched monarch caterpillar is pale green to grayish white. As it grows, it will shed its skin four times, consuming its discarded skin before returning to munching leaves. Its vibrant stripes appear during its final growth stage, when the larva is 2.5-5 cm long.
 
A monarch caterpillar has two sets of tentacles on its back; long sensory organs that emerge during the third of five growth stages, and will grow to 1.1 cm (front) and .4 cm (back). It also has very short antennae located near its mouth to sense smells.