Growing Monarchs

tilathehunn
tilathehunn Posts: 168 ✭✭✭
edited October 2020 in Endangered Species

I have posted on another thread but can't find it so will start a new one. Also i have a better "nursery" photo to share. I know there is a study out there that hypothesize monarchs left in wild do better than those raised in "captivity". I am not completely convinced that is correct. I question how they can trace the findings. We have resorted to bringing in the caterpillars since we have seen the effects of parasitic flies which if allowed lay 3 eggs on a caterpillar. It really is horrific to see them (the parasites) emerge. In an effort to protect the caterpillars we bring them indoors. Also while collecting milkweed leaves to feed the caterpillars we keep finding eggs. We have learned the eggs need to be separate from the larger caterpillars because they will eat them. Again, another reason to not leave them "in the wild".

In this photo there are 3 maybe 4 monarch eggs. On the passion flower there are 3 Texas Fratillery butterfly eggs. When the eggs are ready to hatch they turn black and are called "black heads". The black is actually the head of the caterpillar.

Comments

  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I commend your dedication and knowledge.

  • marcy_northlightsfarm
    marcy_northlightsfarm Posts: 103 ✭✭✭

    This is a great idea, I'll be checking my milkweed for eggs to bring in and raise. I think milkweed flowers smell amazing too!

  • tilathehunn
    tilathehunn Posts: 168 ✭✭✭

    Newly hatched monarch caterpillar 07/01/2020 851pm. Notice the black head.

  • tilathehunn
    tilathehunn Posts: 168 ✭✭✭

    This butterfly is one of our failures...she didn't get out of the chysalis completely...it wrapped around her abdomen causing her to drop down and her wings dried curled so she couldn't fly...we did try to keep her alive. She lasted two days....

  • tilathehunn
    tilathehunn Posts: 168 ✭✭✭
  • Karin
    Karin Posts: 272 ✭✭✭

    Great photos - you are really dedicated!! We have some monarch caterpillars still just surviving on our swan plant, even though we have had some frosts. Do you know if they can survive winter? Do they go into a dormant state and then revive in summer? Hope so!

  • tilathehunn
    tilathehunn Posts: 168 ✭✭✭

    Thank you. From what I understand they need warm temperatures that is why they migrate. That being said this last winter is when we starting growing monarchs because they were endangered. We found them in January after some big rainstorms. We live in southern California so our winters are more mild but we do get freezing temps. We went to the local "nature center" to see if they wanted them. They were not interested stating the quality of milk weed that time of year was sub par. So we were stuck. We wanted the caterpillars to survive. We successfully raised and released we believe about 50 caterpillars by bringing them indoors. We did not adjust the indoor temperatures, we just protected them from the elements. We did lose a handful. Not exactly sure why...some just died. That began our sojourn with monarchs. This spring to summer has been fun and more learning and sharing. And also different experiences. I am aware of a study that was published that says "captive" raised monarchs do not do as well with migrating as wild raised monarchs do. I really would like to know more about how they tracked that because compared to what a friend of mine did this last winter by leaving caterpillars in garden, she had 1 survive out of 12. We had 50 survive and 5 losses. Our percentages were better.

  • tilathehunn
    tilathehunn Posts: 168 ✭✭✭

    Found "wild caterpillar". We brought it indoors since the wasps are busy looking for food for their young. What i find fascinating is the striping is already evident. The little caterpillars are so cute! That caterpiller is sitting on my thumb

  • tilathehunn
    tilathehunn Posts: 168 ✭✭✭

    The female butterfly lays a single egg. Generally under the leaf. This one is on top of the leaf. We have also found an egg on a seed pod and on flower buds. Mother butterflys do not seem to be that picky about where they lay their eggs

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    Thank you.

    We have recently noticed butterflies laying eggs on the milkweed. We have yet to see what is possibly still alive after a spray plane sprayed close by. We want to get there too before the municipality sprays the ditches.

    I learned long ago that researchers would attach tiny delicate wire transmitters to each butterfly before release. This way, they could track their movements.

    A couple years ago, we had the honor & privilege of raising a caterpillar through to adulthood & release. It was fascinating!

    Not all migrate. Ours would have stayed locally & bred again according to an article that I read. Another generation or two had yet to occur before their final migration south for the winter.

  • Desiree
    Desiree Posts: 255 ✭✭✭

    Wow, this thread is very interesting and I love the photos provided. It makes me want to go out and check my area to see what butterflies are present. I see them (in general) all the time but have not really focused on learning to identify them. It sounds like it could be a fun study.

  • tilathehunn
    tilathehunn Posts: 168 ✭✭✭

    Desiree it Is a fun study. Can be heartbreaking too. My DH doesn't take it as hard as i do when we "lose one". It really is amazing how well monarchs and other butterflies do survive. There is so much out there against them. After the last two that had problems emerging from their chysalises i thought we were doing them a disservice. We have since had several successes but i want to start a type of tally count. DH says too much work but i believe he will get on board. I want to keep the ones we bring in from garden separated from those we hatch from eggs we find. We have lost 3 or 4 to parasites which is so creepy! And again heartbreaking. I want to figure out what is the approximate size of the caterpillars for the flies to lay their eggs on because we never see any parasitic eggs but each caterpillar has 3 larvae come out of them to pupate and become flies. Yech.

  • John
    John Posts: 163 ✭✭✭

    Thank you for the wonderful post and information. I have been seeing a few more around in my area of NW Wisconsin lately, so am encouraged and look to utilize your shared knowledge in the coming year. Thank you. :)