beccalmt- I've moved MANY MANY molting monarchs and never lost one from it. I've lost a couple black swallowtails that way though, so I only handle them when absolutely necessary. In raising monarchs over 30 years I have never has a disease outbreak. Part of it is my location. In Minnesota all the milkweed dies to the ground each season so most of the OE spores are killed. These are the things I do to care for my monarchs...maybe something will strike a chord with somebody: I usually give them leaves twice a day...once early, once before sundown Each time I rinse the leaves in the sink in cold water(have never used any sort of cleaning solution) I also empty the cage of frass before adding new leaves and then rinse it out with warm water...then DRY it! I handle my monarchs a lot, taking them off old leaves and placing them on the new. If they are 1-3 days old I tear off the section of leaf they're on and place it on a new leaf. If using my large caterpillar castle, I take a warm rag and clean off the floor each time I change leaves. (since I can't rinse it out in the sink...the material dries fast) I usually try to limit my cage to 10 cats....I would separate them if there were signs of an outbreak. Minrose, have you had disease problems in Minnesota before? What is your routine? Sorry to hear some of you are having problems. I hope you all have some healthy monarchs soon! Tony

That's the underside that has the orange dots. Pipevine Swallowtails are noxious to birds so all the dark form swallowtails mimic (all have those orange dots, but in different patterns). Even the Red Spotted Purple (RSP) mimics, too. The birds have the same problem you do with recognizing the difference. This gives all the dark form swallowtails and the RSP protection. Click here: look in the "Remarks" section for pictures of the mimics of the PVS. Here is a link that might be useful: Raising Butterflies Video

It's perfectly normal for all swallowtail caterpillars to have a big, loose frass with some colored liquid in it. I've never seen quite as much pale liquid as what's in your picture, but it's probably normal. It's also normal for the cat to be perfectly still for a long time before the big purge. I imagine everythng's fine, and your cat will move around, get set in the "C" position and pupate. Good luck! Sherry

I had one stay like that for nearly two days, it was during heavy rain this weekend, on Sunday, about an hour after it stopped raining, he started changing rapidly!! Within about 45 minutes, he had molted and the chrysalis had formed! I was amazed! It was the first time I had ever witnessed a caterpillar pupate! Sadly, Monday evening, I noticed he/she was no longer on the orange tree, I don't know what happened, I searched and searched to make sure it didn't fall on the ground, but I did not find it, I was thinking it was probably a bird or some other predator that got it. I didn't move it because I was afraid I would do harm if I interfered. But after that, I decided to bring the rest of the GST cats inside and put them in some critter boxes. Hopefully, they will not suffer same fate being indoors!