Noticing More Sick Monarch Cats
bandjzmom
13 years ago
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runmede
13 years agobandjzmom
13 years agoRelated Discussions
small black spot on monarch cat, . . . should I be concerned?
Comments (1)I have seen spots like these on some of my cats, but they seem to develop and pupate normally. I don't know what they are - but the butterfly does not seem to be affected....See MoreMonarch Cat Questions
Comments (10)Oh what a pretty little BST cat...just love those colors. Now, down to Bug. I have him in a gallon plastic jar where I cut out 2 sides so I could clean and put in new food, filed the edges to smooth out and put smooth clear packing tape over the edges so he didn't get hurt. Wrapped the whole thing in bridal tulle I thought I might need for BSTs. Put in newly purchased wooden shish kabob stick in case he wanted to climb. He stayed perched up on indentation at top of container for almost a day but never shed skin...and didn't dirty the clean white paper towel anywhere...LOL. I'm wondering if he's having an adverse reaction to the milkweed because I didn't think and washed leaves in tap water from well which goes through water softener and is heavy on the salt. I figured he was going to molt as Miss Sherry mentioned but he didn't. Salt overload??? He looks dehydrated...thinner than when I got him and his antennae are drooping to the point of curling at times. Checked his sibling out in butterfly garden and he's still plump and eating like a little piggy. There's 2 more tiny cats I found but hesitating to see what happens with Bug before I endanger any more of the poor little things! This morning Bug had finally pooped once and found him munching a little but not chowing down. I went outside and got a fresh leaf that I washed with bottled water. When I moved him from old leaf to new he was kind of "stuck" to it beyond feet hanging on tenaciously and I saw a teeny, tiny bit clear gooey subtance when he separated from old leaf. Since around 5 this morning he ate the tiniest bit and now he's just sitting there again looking all pathetic and dehydrated. I brought him out here to the garage with doors open so he could get some fresh air but he's still just sitting there with those droopy antennae. One antenna is even bent which I don't know is normal or not. Don't know if he's just not happy with unnatural surroundings, if he was harmed by salt in softened water used to wash milkweed leaves, if he's sick from something else or just "pissy" as Tracey said. When I checked his sibling in the garden his antennae weren't droopy at all so I'm thinking it's a sign of dehydration because they flex and flick antennae but I haven't seen photos of them droopy or curled up. I know no one can diagnose my little Bug from afar but just let me know if you've seen droopy, curled or bent in the middle antennae on any of your Monarch cats and if they've bounced back or there's something wrong. Can't post pics since don't own camera and wouldn't know what to do anyway. I'm all "vaclempt" over my little Bug!...See MoreSick Monarchs Healed; If it wasn't OE, what was it?
Comments (2)I put tape across the abdomen, looked at it under the microscope. No sign of any spores. The cats are inside at a relatively steady 70 degrees. I don't know the humidity indoors. Container has open mesh top to let air circulate. All are in their own containers. They were all taken from the outdoors a little later on -- not reared from an egg. Can't remember what instar they were, but probably 2nd or 3rd at the earliest. I didn't notice anything strange about the 2 recent caterpillars. The one I had a week before did exhibit signs of illness, and I figured it would die -- eating slowed down, started to droop head, then she'd "revive" and eat a little again. Then she pupated successfully. She only had a slight weakness upon eclosing, which was that she hung near the bottom of the enclosure as if she didn't have the strength to move up. Then she strengthened and flew around after a few days. I know there are lots of things that can affect monarchs, but I'm not familiar with more than a couple....See MoreMonarch cats, now?
Comments (6)I hope they make it to chrysalis form too Christie. The one on the parsley had very little food available. Also, the parsley is in the same pot as the huge rosemary that we'll be bringing in before it gets much colder. I wonder what a chrysalis would do indoors ? hmmm The ones on the carrots were larger so hopefully they will make it. I hate to say that I've not been a very good cat host until this year. A couple years ago DH actually went around and picked off the cats and squished them. He was trying to protect my veggies. Now I feel bad about it. I'd love to see pictures of your area this time of year :)...See Morebutterflymomok
13 years agobandjzmom
13 years agoTony G
13 years agorunmede
13 years agoterrene
13 years agoTony G
13 years agoTony G
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13 years agosusanlynne48
13 years agoterrene
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13 years agoTony G
13 years agoterrene
13 years agoTony G
13 years agosusanlynne48
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13 years ago
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