Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: Monarch ready to chrysalis??, 0 by konkreteblond

konkreteblond wrote:
Welcome Maggie! I love to talk about butterflies! :) I bring quite a few cats (Black Swallowtails and Monarchs) inside to raise and pupate. I have been leaving the BST's outside longer now, but try to put them in my cage when I notice them being large enough to pupate. That way I can help protect them somewhat and also watch them and release them.

The Monarchs eat so much that I am leaving them outside as long as possible too, and covering them (if possible) with a mesh laundry hamper. The BST cats will empty their system before they pupate, which is a green messy spot. The Monarchs don't do that, they just stop eating and start wandering off.

Cats can look a little different, some fatter than others, some colored a little darker. This season's BST's have been a lot lighter in color than the winter brood. I imagine Monarchs could be the same, but I don't get any until later.

The cats can look totally different in different instars too, depending on the type. I can't remember right off what the Monarch first instars look like. (sleep does that to me...or lack of) Your baby could have changed, wandered off, OR if they are all on the same plant, larger cats have been known to actually...gulp...eat the other ones. I guess they don't have very good eyes, so they just munch and keep going. That depends on the size tho. I have had very small cats just totally disappear so that's all I could assume. Since then if they are inside I keep the sizes separated.

Once they get big and have been eating for at least a week, cover them or put them in some sort of cage or something so that you can watch them eclose. It's a MUST SEE for everyone!! If you can watch them actually make their chrysalis, even better. I video taped it once and showed all my family. It's the most amazing process. This is my last batch of Monarch chrysalis. I think there were over 40 there.