Monarch Chrysalis - is it dead? Picture attached

[sassypriscilla]

I hope my pictures aren't too small. When my caterpillar made her chrysalis, the skin stayed stuck and the chrysalis fell instead of the reverse. This happened a few days ago and I think I see color change but the top has a black spot and it is starting to look a little shriveled with a little indentation. I do not see any green liquid.

Thank you very much for any insight.

chyrsalis1.jpg (79.82 KiB) Viewed 2479 times

[Mona Miller]

It does not look good, but wait a few more days to see what happens. If it continues to shrink and darken at the top, I'd put into a ziplock bag and freeze it. I hate to throw things away if they could be partially alive. Freezing is the most humane way to end its life.

[sassypriscilla]

Thank you for your kind response. I feel very sad about it.

This is my first year collecting eggs off my milkweed and raising them to butterflies. I almost feel I have to because every time I see an egg or caterpillar on my milkweed, the next day they are gone. My milkweed plants are so covered with eggs, it is sometimes difficult to find leaves to feed my current caterpillars. Today when searching my plants, I ran across 6 caterpillars with 2 on the same plant!

I've had three butterflies emerge (one was a painted lady). I have 4 chrysalises now, one thinking about making a "J," and several wee ones that I accidentally brought in as eggs when looking for food. I'm trying to not bring anymore eggs in as we plan on going on vacation next month and I don't have anyone to care for them.

I wish I understood what happened and if I did anything wrong. I clean the containers daily and try to keep the caterpillars separate unless I run out of containers.

[Mona Miller]

Sometimes a caterpillar roaming around will silk over a caterpillar hanging in a J. That silk can snag and keep the caterpillar from shedding its skin.

In nature a mother Monarch can lay 300-600 eggs, only 2 will make it to the adult stage. If you successfully raise 70% of the caterpillars that you take in to the adult stage then you are doing great. Many things can go wrong, but many things can go right too. Good luck!

[sassypriscilla]

Mona, Thank you for your quick reply. All my big caterpillars are in their own containers so I am wondering if it was the container itself. I use coffee filters on the top with a rubberband and have had them make their chrysalis there -that way I can move the filter to my butterfly tent and easily pin the filter on it for when they emerge.

I will hope this one can make it but will euthanize it in the freezer if it looks worse in the next few days. I am lucky that I know what it should look like now since I have a few successful ones.

[Mona Miller]

Many people use coffee filters.

http://www.mymonarchguide.com/2007/05/t ... trade.html
This website has some good info on the use of coffee filters.

[sassypriscilla]

I want to thank you for your assistance. Indeed, this chrysalis did not make it.

[Mona Miller]

http://www.evansonart.com/monarchdisease.html
Yesterday, I found the above website. I'm hearing more this year about caterpillars not making it through their pupation. Scroll down and look at C4.
"Diseases, Viruses, and Bacterial Infection
Monarchs are also suseptable to diseases, viruses and bacterial infection. Make sure you use dry paper towels when housing 3rd instar or larger caterpillars to help prevent fungal infections. Also, you may have to clean the larger caterpillars 2-3 times a day."

[sassypriscilla]

Geez, that is sad. I've been very fortunate to have all my caterpillars to do so well until this one and until my neighbor sprayed the milkweed with pesticide. I actually didn't mean to go this far with them - just wanted to collect a couple but then my milkweed was so covered in eggs, I accidentally would bring some in and then I'd feel sorry for caterpillars I found when gathering milkweed. It has been fun but these few problems have been a heartache I wasn't expecting.

This is a real nice message board and I appreciate your help!

[Mona Miller]

You'll have to find out what he sprayed. Then, look it up. Some pesticides can stay on the plant a long time. Even weed killers (herbicides) can kill butterflies.

I know how you feel. Sorry.