Raising cats from eggs

[rbtbob]

I am about to attempt to raise cats from eggs for the first time. I have gathered a few cats from milkweed and raised them before but hope to expand and improve my efforts this year. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.I have had my first egg layer through today here in North Alabama . Thanks in advance, rbtbob.

[Mona Miller]

There's tons of information on this forum. Top right "search". Put in works like rearing, containers, I just put in tent because I usually set up a tent for rearing.

http://www.raisingbutterflies.org/the-monarch/

I just read that someone in TX is already having problems with fly predation.

http://www.enasco.com/product/SB46623M
These are parasite proof.

http://www.enasco.com/science/Live+Mate ... breadcrumb

[rbtbob]

Thanks, Mona, I have been looking at the raisingbutterflies.org website over the winter and am following that method, but am a little uneasy about how to handle the transition from hatching in the cups to the potted milkweeds I am going to keep in a screened enclosure. How soon can they be allowed to share the same plant with other cats and is this a good idea? The enclosure I made last season is an 8 x 6 lean-to that I'm planning to put potted milkweeds in on a table and also a plastic roof over to control moisture. Does this sound like an acceptable method?

[Mona Miller]

As long as it is parasite and predator proof. Be careful of too much sun. Plastic can be very hot. No metal on the inside of enclosures. If the caterpillars pupate on that, with the heat, it can be deadly.

In my tent, I let the females lay on the host plants (milkweed). I also put in nectar sources for them. After just 2-3 days, you'll have tons of eggs. Let them go. I will breed butterfly up to 3 times during the summer. Save some of the offspring and let them breed.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1529&p=7224&hilit=rearing+method#p7125
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