Decided to read up on these pretties last night after you IDed them. (Thanks!) Discovered that in the 1930s, a subspecies was identified in our province just an hour's drive away and named Novascotiae. This could be some as they are smaller from the ones described. Guess I'll have to grow more Violas. :O)

Beautiful photos Minrose. I don't remember if you've posted pics of your grow op yet, but I'd love to see some. Hope you have good weather and lots of fun at the festival - and see LOTS of Monarchs! I'm down to my last 7 cats eating. I am kinda sad to see it coming to an end too. But there will be lots of eclosures over the next couple weeks - with at least a dozen emerging today. :)

Hi there, congrats on that gorgeous Monarch, looks like a fresh eclosed one.. :) You can tell the difference of male and female by looking at the hindwing: the male has one black spot on each wing, the female does not.. Butterfly-Greetings Susanne(SUE) Here is a link that might be useful:

Leafhead, I like your thinking re: "vaccines" and acquired or aided immunity to OE. My mind is on OE as I work with these eggs, instars, examine then sterilize milkweed, etc. I was changing a 4-5th instar's water and food, when to my horror it fell into some dilute bleach-water ! I thought it would have died instantly. I fished it out and rinsed it off well, then gave it the choicest, tenderest MW I had reserved for babies. It went wild with this fresh and young MW and ate like a pig for hours! I had an idea similar to yours, what if a hint of bleach had gotten into it's system and killed or partially killed the OE? Having been married to a chemist, I often wish I could access his knowledge and love of "challenges" and apply it to OE. After seeing the diseased Monarch in my yard, the last group of eggs I washed in a mild bleach-water solution, and marked their container as such. Former eggs I allowed to hatch on the stem as found, washed with water only. Will see how they eclose. I appreciate that you looked into OE and called about it. I am frustrated at the inconsistent information I'm finding online about bleach working, not working, etc....how much to use, how long...etc. About changing their MW type, etc. Also if these winter bred Monarchs will be confused, fit in? Will aiding unnatural behavior be of any benefit in the big picture? Hopefully a "vaccine" or a genetic tolerance for OE will evolve. The poor Monarch--global warming, rapid destruction of it's winter forest in Mexico and native habitats, GE crops, OE..This is an inspiring species...Seems adaptation is their strong suit, yet their radical decline is sobering.