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

If you have enough milkweed, there shouldn't be a problem. But if you have enough, you just as well seperate them just in case there is any kind of OE virus but I don't think they would have a problem getting along. It's more of a rearing container problem, actually... my other one's full of herbs and swallowtails (two or three kinds, on fennell, rue, and parsley; I'm hoping they get along, too!), so I've only got one available for milkweed right now. Here's a picture I took today, for anybody wanting to see the differences between a monarch (left) and a queen (right): No, that milkweed isn't the healthiest I've grown, but it looks worse in this shot than it is, and none of the cats seem to mind. Short of pesticides, I'm doing everything I can for that milkweed; the cats don't seem to mind, they chomp away obliviously.

I'm very interested that your MOnarchs have just started laying eggs. Here in mid-Canada we're finished! I've saved your photo and will enlarge it so I can see what your subject is. Since our Monarchs ARE finished we have time to look into other butterflies... Freda

There is a milkweed beetle that will eat a milkweed plant like that. It looks like a giant lady bug. I unintentionally introduced them into my garden one year on a tray of purchased milkweed seedlings. At first, I thought they were just very big lady bugs until I began to see the damage on the milkweed and began looking for the culprit. They are good at hiding under leaves, in litter or mulch on the ground and they are fast; will drop immediately to the soil when they feel threatened. It took me two years to pretty much get rid of them. This beetle will eat your milkweed if left to their own devices. I can't tell by your photo how big the plant stem is but if it is a small milkweed, they can do that kind of damage very quickly. However, you mention damage on other plants, too. I'm not certain but I 'think' this beetle only consumes milkweed. Sorry but this is the only photo I have of adult(s) When inmature, their back is a putty gray or dirty white color and even at that stage, can do a lot damage. Mary