Here are some monarchs I just released Dec. 1 & Dec. 2.
Watch in in the Slideshow mode.
Jan...
http://www.picturetrail.com/gid5864387
New Monarch Release
Oh WOW! Thanks so much for sharing that! What a wonderfully fun nature adventure in winter! :-)
-Julie
Those pics are fabulous! :) Last summer, I started casually researching monrach raising. I'm planning on homeschooling my 3 daughters, and this is a fascinating hands-on project, not to mention very good for the monarch populations! ;) I'm planting milkweeds this spring, and nI'd really like to know more about how you got into raising these beautiful creatures. Where did you get your cage? caterpillars? which milkweed works best for larval food? etc. Great pics and I'm very excited to see 4 more healthy Monarchs in the world :)
For the cats, I use a 20 gal aquarium in the long style rather than tall. It has a screen reptile top. I feel butterfly weed (asclepias) several varieties so they have a constant supply. I occasional mist the leaves for extra moisture.
I use paper towels on the bottom and change once a day. This can be challenging as the cats have to be moved from one side to the other as you change it. Never new cats could poop so much. When they are ready, the cats crawl up the glass and onto the screen top where they pupate.
As they emerge, I let them dry off and straighten their wings before releasing.
I offer them some nectar prior to release to sustain them till they find their own.
My front garden is full of flowers and nectar plants so I release them there.
Sometimes they stay around and sometimes they go off. The little cage is just a bird transporting cage that I put them in before taking them outside to limit the amount of handling I do with them.
Jan...
Thanks so much, Jan. That hobby must be very gratifying. I'll be seriously thinking about beginning. When is the best time to start off caterpillars here, do you think. Last frost is usually around Mother's Day and first frost is ususally around mid-October.
Okay, maybe a silly question-can you mail order the caterpillars? Or eggs maybe?
Yes, you can. A websearch should turn things up :)
Thanks, I've got to look for that this spring! Hugahosta, you're going to homeschool? Wow, that sounds like a lot of work. How's your baby doing?
She's such a doll :) Sleeping soundly right now. She's so precious, thanks for asking :)
Yes, we're planning on homeschooling our girls. In fact, it's time now to get them up from nap, have a snack, and do a little "learning time" :) They're so young still, that we don't really refer to it as school. My oldest is technically pre-school age, though, so we did start a loose curriculum. The 2 1/2 year old wants to learn like her big sister, so we're doing very short, relaxed "lessons", too. Right now, Hannah (3 and 1/2) is practicing writing and Sarah Grace is learning the numbers 11-15. They think it's fun :) Hope we can keep that love of learning alive ;) Take care!
--Hugs