cat attached to living leaf, hangin in J! what to do?

[maryeleek]

There is a little cat who attached itself to a live milkweed leaf. It is tropical milkweed so it will eventually wilt and fall off the stem.

What should I do? He is not in his chrysalis and probably won't be for the next day or so. I guess I should isolate him first so the other cats don't bother him?

Oh my, this is a bit scary. Please help me know what to do.

Mary

[Pixie]

Is it a full grown healthy looking cat? If so & it's in J formation it should form chrysalis tomorrow. The other cats will not bother it. Once the chrysalis hardens & looks ok you can bring it inside & place it in whatever you are using for your rearing habitat. I cut the leaf around it, tie thread around cremaster & attach it to the top screen of the mesh lined aquarium that I use for rearing cats & chrysalaides. Others use a pin to tack it in their habitats. Check the forums for further info - there's a wealth of info from many members...............

Dottie (Pixie)
WS # 252

[maryeleek]

Thank you. He looks very healthy, just chose the wrong spot to go into his J. By the way, he's inside, in a large mesh container where I try to put the oldest cats. Almost of them were brought in as eggs. We have wasps here so as soon as I spot an egg, I clip it and bring it in.

I hope the leaf will hold him until his chrysalis hardens and that his mates don't climb all over him. I also hope I'm able to handle him without hurting him.

Thanks again for the words of encouragement.

Mary

[Mona Miller]

I'd actually remove the leaf and pin it carefully so the pupae can harden. Not only will they crawl all over him, they will eat the leaf that he is on and maybe even him. They don't have very good eye sight.

[maryeleek]

OK, he's in a private container and still on his leaf on the tree. I herded the other two off the tree (stalk of milkweed) and then moved him. They weren't too keen but I kept touching them gently on their backside with the rounded end of a tiny paintbrush until they mosey'ed on down and off to another tree. They are so cute.

I crumpled up some paper towel and put beneath him, in case the leaf lets go of the stalk before he forms his chrysalis. Once that happens and I've given it time to harden, then I will operate. Need to go back and read all about tying off the silk end with a tiny thread (or was it dental floss). Or just pin the silk spot to a netting?

I have a little bit of time now to plan for it. Make's me nervous. I'd really rather not mess with the chrysalis but he has to have something done or he's a goner for certain when that leaf lets go.

OK, back to diapering and cleaning cat houses and cutting milkweed (which I'm running very short of).

Mary

[Mona Miller]

The leaf can be cut off the stem and use stick pins to put it between something--make a bridge by pinning each side. Once the chrysalis hardens, then just pin through the leaf or mist with water or pour a bit of water on it. This will lossen the silk. You can pin, cotton thread, dental floss, glue it where it can emerge. A place big enough to expland the wings and a place to crawl up if they fall down.

http://www.monarchwatch.org/rear/index.htm
Monarch Watch shows tying with dental floss in their web page on rearing.

[skates4marty]

Before I got a new system, I would get some cats forming C's on leaves of broader-leafed milkweed (not sure which species -- tall and wild). The main vein of that type of leaf is strong, so I just cut the leaf off the stem and with a few big stitches, sewed the leaf to the top of a cage. I don't have tropical milkweed, but I'm guessing the central vein of the leaf is pretty strong and not likely to disintegrate over the next 12 days.

[Mona Miller]

Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed)
http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/guide/syriac.htm

Yes, common milkweed leaves do have strong veins. I'm getting to the point that I find there are lot of clever ways and people keep finding new ways to keep their caterpillars healthy.

[skates4marty]

Common it is! Thanks for the link. The flowers of it smell wonderful.

[dandjtaylor]

During the fifth instars, when I have them three per container, since they eat so much, I place a couple large common MW leaves in each container and sure enough, I have had at least 20 attach to those very leaves. They are robust enough to use as the support for the pin. But if they have missed the vein, I would use Pixie's method of adding support with the thread.

Dwayne
Salem, MA
Waystation #2638