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RE: DailyPetPhotography Rearing Monarch Butterflies Part 4 "Chyrsalis to Freedom" by Sunscape
Wow, seriously, that is awesome. Isn't it just so rewarding to assist them?
Wow, seriously, that is awesome. Isn't it just so rewarding to assist them?
It is! I usually try to collect the eggs directly from my milkweed, as I have had some very sad experiences of diseased butterflies when I have tried rearing them from the caterpillars. I did rescue one large caterpillar this year. He was about to be eaten by a brown anole. At least the anole was watching him carefully. Happily he grew into a happy and healthy butterfly!
I just collected a fresh batch of eggs this week. I have never had a sick caterpillar or butterfly. My gardens are alive with so many varieties this year. Have fun with your caregiving.
Yes, they are rarely sick when you collect the eggs, but here we have something called OE which infects butterflies and caterpillars in the wild. They become infected when they eat contaminated milkweed. The most devastating problem is the tachnid fly which lays eggs in the adult caterpillar. It goes on to make a chrysalis, but instead of a butterfly, a host of worms emerge! It’s heartbreaking to see. Then again, that only happens if you bring in an adult caterpillar, which I rarely do now.
I’ve had a couple of butterflies which were infected with OE, so couldn’t fly. They survived a couple of weeks in a butterfly tent with a supply of rotting fruit and sugar water with soy sauce. I would let them out onto the flowers outside when I could watch over them for a little while each day.
Oh my, that sounds so horrific and I would not want to see that. I had read about the fly using them as hosts. But, I have never seen anything. I collected more eggs this week and some are already hatched and doubling in size. I am happy to hear that you love them so much too and care for them in such a loving way. xoxoxo
It doesn’t happen when you collect only eggs, so you shouldn’t see it unless you come across it in the wild. It’s pretty creepy to see.