Maggot-type things from my chrysalis

[NewB]

I have a chrysalis that seems to be close to it's end stage. This is my first one - just an amateur with children who found a catepillar!. Today maggot-looking things started coming out of the chyrsalis. So far at least 6 have emerged. Why? Is my baby dead?

[Keith Petrosky]

There from the tachnid fly, yes the chryalis is dead, they are parasites.

[Jim]

NewB - welcome to the forums!

Here's a posting that has more information and photos that will explain what you have observed:

http://www.monarchwatch.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=245

It also includes information on protecting developing larvae from predators and parasites.

[NewB]

Thank you for all the information! We were so excited to FINALLY have gotten a cat that pupated! We still have a couple others we're not sure what they are plus a cecropia moth that I'm really excited about! Hopefully we'll have better luck there!

[Megathymus ursus]

Keith is right, you have tachinids, and yes, they are always lethal. Sometimes the maggot parasites emerge from the pupa, and other times they kill the larva before it can even get half-grown. They fluctuate wildly: i.e. in a strong local Monarch colony (near Los Angeles) I frequently monitor, in early September 4/5 larvae were parasitized. Now, in early October, all 25 larvae I found were parasite-free.

Brian