Need help with a late bloomer

[dani]

Hello monarch experts!

A few weeks ago I found a fourth instar caterpillar on the milkweed in my garden. I took it inside to save it from the frost that was predicted in the following days. Due to the cool temps it was slower to develop than the cats I had earlier in the summer, but finally it looks ready to eclose at any moment. Alas, though, I am afraid he's missed the chance to fly south, as the weather is not looking great. I'm in Madison, Wisconsin, and the extended forecast includes no days above 60°F: the current prediction is for several days with part sun, highs in the mid 50s and lows in the mid 30s; and one day of showers with similar temps. There may be a slight warm-up around Nov. 5th, which is currently predicted to be sunny and 54° but with a low of only 40°. Still, I'm not sure that any of those days will be warm enough for him to fly. Also, food is looking scarce. I can find a few remaining patches of viable flowers, but most have gone to seed and dried. What should I do with the butterfly once he eloses?

Thanks so much for you advice!

[dani]

Never mind. He eclosed a few hours ago, and he was not normal. His wings were malformed, and he seemed too weak to hold onto things properly. I had been concerned about him all along because he was so slow to develop, and when he finally made a chrysalis it was tiny! I had been hoping that he would develop at a normal rate and have a chance of making the last warm days here, but it was not to be. I euthanized this morning. RIP, little guy.

[Mona Miller]

A friend has 10 pupae still to go. Our weather is growing cooler. I saw two Monarchs nectaring on tropical milkweed in my backyard this morning. We haven't had a hard freeze, yet.

I was thinking about your situation. It probably would not have made it due to the weather. I would have recommended either finding someone heading further south to let it hitch a ride at least to the state line or keeping and feeding it until it passed.

[dani]

Thanks for your response, Mona. I would probably have opted for your second suggestion--feeding it until it passed--had it been healthier. I've done this before with one that had lost its wings but was otherwise healthy. It was fun having it around, and it didn't seem to be too miserable--it would cruise around in the habitat I had made for it, sipping on flowers every so often. This one just didn't seem healthy enough to live comfortably, even with me hand feeding it. I am curious if it would have lived all winter, as if it were over-wintering in the south, or if it would have died within a few weeks as the earlier generations do. Your idea about finding it a ride south is a good one to keep in mind for the future. I'm sure there are plenty of folks driving that direction who wouldn't mind a butterfly tagging along.

[Mona Miller]

The only problem is that you can't drive, fly, mail, or carry a butterfly across state lines without a permit from the USDA--that is why I mentioned state line. That is far as anyone could go illegally.

I have a friend who finds that some butterflies perk up after feeding them for around 3-4 days. She uses gatorade with a few drops of soy sauce. She does check them for OE.

[dani]

Good to know. I hadn't thought about the legal issues. The state line probably wouldn't have been far enough in this case--it's cold here now! And we're only about 50 miles from the state line. Good to know about the soy sauce/Gatorade combo too. I haven't tried that one. I'll keep it in mind for the next butterfly in need of some TLC.