Raising Monarch First Aid Kit

[Mona Miller]

This thread is from the Monarch Teacher Network list serve:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MTNonline/
Anyone can join, you don't have to be a teacher, just have an interest in Monarchs.

"How about adding some circles of netting or tulle and some rubber bands for a quick "lid" on top of a quart deli container? I make these and tie the chrysalis in the center of the netting. Then I give
the container to the kids to watch the butterfly emerge in their home. I also put rocks in the bottom of the container so it doesn't tip over so easily. The kids are so excited as you can imagine and the parents are involved too. I love reading all these posts! Keep up the good work!
Cindy

--- In MTNonline@yahoogroups.com, BOB SZUSZKOWSKI <rski@...> wrote:
Mona, I never thought of dental floss. I have tons of it laying around and I always run out of black thread. I'm also adding q-tips and never thought of the glue gun although I do have one in my kit
for making and repairing my small container lids. >Bob Szuszkowski
> http://www.myteacherpages.com/webpages/RSzuszkowski/
>
> From: Mona Miller
>
> Spray bottle with spring water
> stick pins
> cool glue gun (you can glue them, too. Put down a dot of glue on papertowel, wait a few seconds for it to cool, then put the cremaster into the glue, not the top of the chrysalis) (I learned this from Edith Smith at Buy a Butterfly)
> dental floss (great for tying up chrysalis, too) (a Monarch Watch recommendation in the rearing section)
>Q-tips (you can use the cotton off these to add to the cremaster if it detaches from the silk pad and you can't find the silk pad to reattach it)

> From: BOB SZUSZKOWSKI
> Monarch first aid kit:
> Cuticle scissors
> duct tape for mending holes in towers
> fine thread for tying up pupas that fell or from cats that j'd on leaves
> tweezers for sifting through leaves and for tying knots around tops of cremasters with thread
> clear plastic slides and clear scotch tape to test for OE spores
> small children's microscope for above
> hand lens (magnifying glass)
> bottle of tacky glue for when you need to tie up a pupa that fell and has no silk at the top (use to glue thread to top of cremaster)
> toothpicks for tagging
> Monarch Watch tags for tagging fall monarchs
> ziplock bags (for euthanizing OE or sick Monarchs) then place in the freezer"

[applestar]

Thanks, Mona. this is a terrific list!
I see quite a few items missing from my kit which I will remedy shortly.

[Mona Miller]

If anyone has an items to add, that would be great.