Eating the Stalks

[vidette]

Hi Everyone,

I am new to this list and new to rearing monarchs. I happened on a bunch (> 30 larva) while in a nursery. Brought home the five plants about 3 weeks ago and now have over 20 caterpillars roaming around in various places in my home (butterfly houses, shoe boxes, walls, fireplace ledge....Anyway, I have noticed that several of them are eating the stalks of the milkweed rather than the leaves (I put fresh leaves in several times a day). These are fairly large caterpillars --I think at the fifth instar (but if not definitely at the fourth). Is this normal or need I be concerned?
Thanks for any info.

[Paul Cherubini]

In my experience, the caterpillars prefer to feed on high moisture content leaves and stems. If you feed the caterpillars cut leaves and stems, they may start drying out almost immediately and since the stems may have more residual moisture, they will be prefered over the leaves.

Caterpillars which are forced to feed on wilted leaves and stems may have problems pupating or the butterfly may not be able to emerge from the chrysalis or may not be able to fully expand its wings after emerging.

For these reasons I feed my caterpillars plants growing in soil or cut stems that have been immersed in water.

[vidette]

Thanks for the info. The caterpillars are eating fresh plants, not cut nor wiltedl. I couldn't find anything that said they like to eat the stalks, but several have been doing so.

[harpo787]

I've watched them progress greatly in my mom's backyard. It seems that they'll first strip down the leaves, then start attacking flowers and seed pods and eventually just start chewing on stalks, though not necessarily in that order!

Them some ravenous buggers I tell ya!