Is this a sign of ill health?

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Is this a sign of ill health?

Postby harpo787 » Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:14 am

I'm guessing no...but let me explain first.

One of my cats (which has since wandered off) seemed to be oozing a bit of liquid. I would have thought seriously bad things, but a few days prior when I moved it, it seemed to "vomit" a bit of green liquid on me.

Well, this oozing (not sure if it's from the mouth or elsewhere) happened again a few days later, and it stained a few leaves, so I took a couple of pics of it:

Image
Image


The first pic, I'm not sure if either let alone both leaves are from the same cat...but the second one I know was from the one that disappeared....so any ideas as to what the deal is? Was the cat "bleeding"?

On another note, I was getting a bit sad about the lack of activity on this message board, as it seems to be a fine place. But then it dawned on me....being in South Florida, there really is no "wintering period" for the Monarchs. Sure, we get occasional cold snaps, but it rarely gets to freezing temperatures, and even when THAT happens, it rarely lasts more than a day or two. For just about anyone north of me, there's a time of year where the monarchs are nowhere to be found...when plants can't grow and just maintain to stay alive.

In summary: I guess I understand the lack of activity. Well, soon the season will be upon you all...and I'll see if I'm right.
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Postby MILW » Fri Apr 14, 2006 4:40 pm

The liquid is almost certainly "vomit"- a lot of caterpillars will regurgitate if they are picked up or disturbed. If it were blood, the liquid would turn black within maybe 15 minutes (the melanization reaction- basically the same function as clot formation in our blood but a very different chemical reaction).

Yes, spring is here and soon the milkweed will be sprouting!
cheers- Scott
Waystations 15 & 629
Madison, Wisconsin
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Postby psi_chemie » Sat Apr 15, 2006 7:01 am

Yeah, I visited Florida a few times. Sarasota area. Real nice and green in January. You're lucky! People definately seem to have more to say when the actually have plants/butterflies. And that's only about May-Oct here in the Midwest. But... we are right in the middle of the main migration route. Kinda makes up for things a little.
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Postby harpo787 » Sat Apr 15, 2006 11:35 pm

psi-chemie: I'd agree that being in the path of the migration route makes up for it quite a bit, yup!

Good news update: the caterpillar that I know to have been regurgitating what seemed like copious amounts of whatever has been found alive and well and has since gone pupa on me!

Image


To see more pictures of it and other stuff, check out and feel free to comment and/or make suggestions about my little diary over in My Monarch Experience found at this link: http://www.monarchwatch.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=405
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