716 Monarchs so far

12 years ago

Hi everyone, been super busy with all my Monarchs that I have not had time to visit here for awhile. I am up to 716 Monarchs eclose and 24 Black Swallowtail butterflies eclose. All done with the Black Swallowtails but I still have around 90 or so Monarch catepillars or chrysalaids. How you all doing? This will my biggest year ever but there is no way I can keep up with this pace, it was overwelming sometimes. I have gotten great joy releasing them and have gotten some good photos, will share some when I have more time.

Have a good day everyone.

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Comments (13)

klflorida
12 years ago
Wow, good job. I am raising about 20 monarchs with 20 more eggs and am feeling overwhelmed. They are going to be needing food soon and one just eclosed on the zippered lid. That is where I get stumped, i.e., eclosing on the lid with more to take care of and afraid to disturb the ones that have eclosed.

I know some people can remove the chrysalis and re-attach it to something else, but I haven't a clear picture of how this is done. I also know not to disturb a new chrysalis.

Good job on your successes.
butterflymomok
12 years ago
Great work, Minrose. You need some designated Foster Moms/Dads! That's the only way I can make it when I get inundated. You are an inspiration to the rest of us as we await the migration south. Can't wait to see your photos and hear about your adventures.

sandy
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Those are the darkest pipevine swallowtail cats I've ever seen, Linda, and their red things are hard to see! I've never seen any that color. Mine go through a red stage in some of their early instars, but then turn black, except for the red things, can't remember what they're called. I'm sorry you're not getting any rain - 'wish I could send you some of what we're getting! Sherry P.S. I'll redo my caterpillar list here - 1 lone red admiral - the false nettle patch is declining, I think because it's getting totally shaded out. I'm going to start transplanting plants that are in dense shade to other wet but sunny areas nearby. Finding one RA nest is like eating one potato chip - it doesn't usually happen, so a revamping of my nettles should help. 5 or 6 spicebush swallowtails 2 palamedes swallowtails too many to count pipevine swallowtails (plus many chrysalides from this year's crop) 2 American ladies (plus 6 or 7 chrysalides) 1 tiger swallowtail 8 pearl crescents I'll be bringing in at least 2 red-spotted purples when they hatch. I'll look for more eggs tomorrow. Sherry This post was edited by misssherry on Wed, Apr 30, 14 at 19:50
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I was starting to wonder if this brood was missing the male sex chromosome, LOL. But, I'll be releasing two males as soon as it gets warmer this afternoon. I've got at least 9 more that will likely emerge today. I wish my teenagers were more excited. I guess they've been over-exposed to bugs and worms in their lifetimes. Hopefully they've learned something along they way.
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Tracey & Birdgardner, First of all, Monarchs do not 'discharge' any liquid prior to pupating. The discharging is something swallowtails do when they purge their systems prior to pupating. Monarchs do not do this and you should definitely isolate any caterpillar that has any unusual liquids coming out of either end. Green, runny liquid 'diarrhea' (scree) can indicate a variety of things: infection, poisoned/contaminated food, etc. Isolating the caterpillar, sterilizing all surfaces, and changing the food source are all advisable means to possibly saving the caterpillar. The reason you want to keep the caterpillar AWAY from others is that IF the larva does have an infection, the others can become infected if they eat leaves that have been touched by the scree (think about it: it is a way that the infection is spread). Personally? I euthanize all sick caterpillars. But, that's me. If you want to learn how to ID your caterpillar according to its instar, I do have some info on this on my butterfly blog. Good luck with you babies. CalSherry aka tdogmom Here is a link that might be useful: Scroll to June's 'The Life Stages' post for instar info
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So, WHY do we raise butterflies, esp. Monarchs?
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My faith in humankind has been restored on this beautiful Lord's Day! As I prepare to go to Church & worship my God above, the one who has been taken out of schools, courthouses, & many homes in this day & time, it is so good to see a great bunch of people that are 'back to the basics I was brought up with, in rural NC. I feel that my love for nature & the 'calling to raise b'flies' has been given to me from God, it is the greatest therapy for a person that lives in daily agonizing pain, & I have done that since '82. It has gotten me off of the sofa, looking at soaps. Never was one to pop pills, though there were pills given by the various drs, for Lupus pain, Fibromyalgia pain, which is unrelenting, pain from 3 failed lower back surgeries, & so on. But I can go outside, among my plants, (with a very moderate amount of pain medication), which have always been a hobby all my adult life, & find a peace, unlike any other. Seeing the seeds planted, growing each day, & the growth spurt after the evening t-shower, more than if I had given a good dose of fertilizer, knowing the purity of the water released from the heavens above has a growing power unlike anything man can make. I am not a fanatic, but I do find a special inner peace watching the creation emerging from the chrysalis, knowing it "went in as a caterpillar", came out as a beautiful creation, & that amazing change was done by One greater than I or anyone I know, on this earth in the flesh, today. We all are doing our part to make this world a better place to live in. We are, I believe trying to help get back to that time when the earth was a cleaner place; before the dirt & smut was so in control. I can remember when a young teen guy wouldn't go out without his jeans being starched & ironed, with that sharp crease, & that button down collar wasn't just right. Some of you probably don't remember those days. But in sharp contrast, the more ragged, & dirtier they can look, the better they like it. No more neat clean hair styles, but unkept unruly, & dirtier they look the more "in" they are. I am not being judgemental, to each to his own. But to get out among the plants, gives me a sense of being in contact with something good & clean, no matter how bad the pain, or what is on my mind, I can find a sense of peace unlike any other place, during the normal weekday. I enjoy my Church & what I find there, but I feel I bring part of that home with me, in scripture I hear, sometimes it is reflected in my activities outside during the week. None comes to mind at the moment, but God is so good, to give us these beautiful creatures, & place the love in our hearts to want to help them. To go beyond planting the flowers, but to go that step further that some don't understand. Let them take one egg, watch it go through the stages of growth, into the pupa, then the beautiful chrysalis of the Monarch, especially, like a piece of jade that a master artisian sculpted, & flecked with gold, I sat in total awe when I saw my 1st one, & then to watch when it gets transparent, & see the new creature inside. And, on to the final stage, when that beauty of the spread drying wings is present, they are magestic. Nobody can tell me that came as a result of the 'big bang theory'! Not even sure what they say made the ocean that this big bang or whatever it was supposed to have been. Some magical force? No, a Creator, that loved us enough, & I won't go any further, but we are all giving nature some help that the world has taken away. And we wonder why there are guns in schools, & knives.. I well remember the shock in our small town when the "No guns or knives allowed on school property" sign went up! The very thought of this was shocking, & then the rest is history. We are doing our part to help keep our world a better place to live. I don't know of too many men or ladies who raise b'flies who shot their c-store operator, or robbed the bank, or turned out to be serial killers. Didn't mean to go on so, but I see God Almighty in every butterfly that I release, & I thank Him for giving me the 'want to' to do this hobby. I just found a picture that I took of my first BST & a little saying I felt inspired to write "For by watching the phases of the butterfly, from the egg, to the caterpillar, all the way tp the final stage, the beautiful butterfly; surely we see the Hand of God at work, before our eyes, in today's world, as in the days of old, and appreciate even more His Wonderous Love for us daily." The photo is old, & the ink of the writing is a bit smeared, but it is so special to me. This was before I knew anything about butterflies & the terms, etc. Love to you all & In God I do trust..monarchs
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bev2009
12 years ago
What a great mom you are, Minrose. I've seen 3 monarchs yesterday and today, after not seeing any for 2 months.

I've released 6 BST, have 1 cat and I think 4 for chrysalis to go. I don't know if they will hatch yet this year.
bandjzmom
12 years ago
Wow Minrose, your numbers are astonishing! Good job, and thank you for all of your work to help the Monarchs. It really is a commitment. I don't have the first Monarch egg here yet. I have just now seen the first adults in my yard, so maybe sometime soon, I will see some cats. I have had Sleepy Orange cats and Black Swalowtail cats.
terrene
12 years ago
Wow Minrose, that's fabulous, I bet you are working your butt off feeding those cats and cleaning poop!

I've released 22 Monarchs so far and have 93 in process from small cats to chrysalises. There are 53 big cats in the pop up enclosure that just started pupating today.

Kltampa, I have had to move 2 chrysalises recently because there were 2 renegade cats that insisted on getting out of their box and pupating on the underside of a shelf on the hutch. Wait a minimum of 24 hours for the chrysalis to harden, and then use a pin to carefully start pulling the silk pad off the surface. You can usually pull off a little bunch of silk near the end of the cremaster, and I just use masking tape to attach the silk to the new surface. Be careful to have something soft or use your hand under the chrysalis in case it falls in the process.
Tony G
12 years ago
Great job neighbor! It really turned out to be an incredible monarch season here and it's not over yet. (though the final chapter is close at hand) :(

Thanks for your part in sending a strong contingent of Minnesota monarchs on their Mexican migration, Tony
garnet69
12 years ago
716?! That is (and you are) incredible! I've released about 6, released my first tagged Monarch of the season yesterday. Have about 45 chrysalids and about 6 cats left. No eggs being laid on my milkweed since we had a nasty hail storm which completely shredded my milkweed. I'm okay with that, things are starting to cool off up here and they should be making their way south.
minrose
Original Author
12 years ago
You are all so nice, love all the kind comments. It has been keeping me super busy, I really appreciate all the encouraging words.
klflorida
12 years ago
I thought of you this morning minrose as I butchered my giant milkweed and cleaned the cage for the 20 or so cats I'm caring for.

You must have a serious supply of milkweed and I'm curious about it as I can remember years past running to the nursery to buy more to feed the hungry monarch cats devouring what I had at home. Will you share how you manage to feed so many?

I didn't realize how easy milkweed was to propagate and just learned this year with both the tropical and milkweed plants I have so in the future I will be able to handle many more.

Keep up the great work, you inspire us.

Kathy
MissSherry
12 years ago
I don't know how you have the energe to raise that many - those numbers are HUGE!!
I've got about ?25 and they're running me ragged, going back and forth to the garden to get MW leaves.
I salute you Minrose!
Sherry
minrose
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you, I am very tired every day, that is why I can not go at this pace again next year. I get up at 5 am to take care of my catepillars.
As for the milkweed, I have a couple of favorite places that I pick milkweed near our farm, that have very nice and lots of milkweed plus we have lots on our farm and my Dad has some at his place too.
fighting8r
12 years ago
That's crazy! We have released 65 monarchs year to date and that is using every bit of milkweed I have. Now my giant milkweed is finally getting going so maybe I'll be able to keep up better. Those scrawny tropical mw leaves only take a few minutes for a cat to eat!

We've been trying to remember to log our releases this year, and to date it's 311. Monarchs at 65 are the winners, followed by gulf frits at 59 and orange barred sulphurs at 50. Actually I can just attach the list:
Black Swallowtail 37
Cloudless sulphur 6
Giant Swallowtail 21
Great Southern White 10
Gulf Fritillary 59
Julia 6
Monarch 65
Orange barred sulphur 50
Polydamas Swallowtail 15
Queen 3
White Peacock 4
Zebra Longwing 35

The monarchs have been laying lots of eggs lately. Each time I say I am not bringing in ANY more, I accidentally bring in a few eggs on food leaves, then I HAVE to keep them too. It never gets old though watching the process. Does take your time though!
tracey_nj6
12 years ago
WOW, if I ever tended to that many monarchs in one season, I'd be divorced. I have a hard enough time feeding a dozen at a time. DH always complaining that I come home from work and rush to feed them first. At least THEY don't whine & complain ;)

You're awesome!

716 Monarchs so far

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