Tips from Chip on Finding Monarchs

[Mona Miller]

http://www.monarchwatch.org/update/2003/0717.html#8
"In my experience, the best time to find monarch larvae, especially 5th instars, is during the first hour of light on a morning in the 60s following an evening in the 80s or 70s. In this region (eastern Kansas), monarch larvae frequently leave the plants during the day and "hide" in the vegetation near the base of the milkweeds. The larvae could be leaving the plants to avoid heat stress but they may also be avoiding insects such as paper-wasps, yellow jackets, tachinid flies and other insects that search vegetation for soft-bodied insects. On warm evenings the larvae resume feeding at the tops of the plants but as the temperature drops into the 60s toward morning the larvae become sluggish and, in effect, get stuck at the top of the plants where they are quite visible. Fortunately, for the larvae, the predatory and parasitic insects are also too cold to be active under these conditions. As the sun rises, the larvae quickly heat up and move down the plants. The trick to easy pickings is to get to the milkweed patch before this happens. The early bird gets the monarchs so to speak."

I was up a bit early this morning, not as early as Chip, before 7 AM. I actually saw a third instar at the top of the swamp milkweed chowing down. When I returned at 9 AM, it had disappear. The caterpillar probably had relocated to avoid predators.

[mmmatthew]

I find it interesting how intelligent day old caterpillars are : Usually I try to clear the spider webs and spiders off the milkweed every day. Well today I saw what appeared to be a few milkweed leaves stuck together towards the newest growth on top. Peeking inside what I thought was a tiny spider's nest was a single day old monarch caterpillar! And then another just like the first . I found two "perfectly protected" caterpillars =) They must pull the leaves together as a defense move, and then munch away inside. Just another tip on what to look for when hunting for monarchs

[Mona Miller]

I've never seen them do that--interesting. But, I have seen a pupae on other plants and leaves silked to give it some protection.

[mmmatthew]

Actually I am so sorry, I rushed and posted the message too soon. They were not monarch caterpillars. I am still trying to identify what they are/were. I did bring both indoors to raise as usual. Well, the first one disappeared somehow. The second one looked like it was eating but the next morning I could not find it either. They were yellow and a tad smaller than hatched monarchs. I don't have a clue what they were, but they were not monarchs. Thankfully, all the other eggs I found are monarch eggs, and one has hatched and is white with a black head and somewhat larger than the tiny yellow ones that are no more. Sorry If my previous statement is misleading anyone ( I feel like an idiot ...)

[Mona Miller]

Okay, don't worry. We all have to start some place. If you don't contain them, even Monarch caterpillars will leave the milkweed and roam. They do that for protection. They don't know the difference between the wild and your house. I've had talks with them about that fact--no milkweed growing in my living room.

[mmmatthew]

Currently I am raising 19 monarch caterpillars and only 1 "dud" egg. Their new home is on my desk in my office . And not a day too soon: Stormy weather brought lots of heavy rain that knocked all the milkweed over. (P.S. Only the 5th instars have wandered ( only when they're really fat ) That's when I simply confine them to a closed container with a little milkweed so they don't get lost... )

[Mona Miller]

I don't usually let mine wonder out of the container, but some have escaped while I'm cleaning containers. I once had to wait a day for a pupa to harden so I could take it off my coffee pot.

[ilsa]

I once had to wait a day for a pupa to harden so I could take it off my coffee pot.

That's hilarious!!!

[Mona Miller]

My family doesn't see the humor. Anything that looks like a caterpillar crawling on the floor gets a yell, "Your caterpillars are lose again!" I really, really try hard not to let them escape, but when my head is turned the caterpillars are plotting against me.

[windrider]

I had one disappear on my yesterday...seems he crawled out of the tote I had him in and onto one of the plants I have sitting in water that my bigger caterpillar is eating off of.

It's true: the milkweeds are always greener on the other side of the cage...

[mmmatthew]

3 eggs hatched today and one caterpillar was wandering "dangerously close" to an egg that has not hatched yet - I was afraid he was a little piggy and would fatten up on another egg for dessert. So I "placed" him on a taller milkweed plant on my desk and I thought I lost him! The little ones tend to wander up towards the new tender growth, and when that is nowhere to be found they munch on the nearest seed pod? (if there is one available) At least he's safe Oh, and btw I think the females tend to lay their eggs on milkweed that is merely inches away from "things" for the pupating caterpillars to hang on to. I checked hundreds of milkweed plants growing on 2 1/2 acres. I only found eggs on three milkweed plants growing very close to a fence, rosebush, and a rather large planter. Interesting...

[Paul Cherubini]

I checked hundreds of milkweed plants growing on 2 1/2 acres.

Interesting. The area around Medford -Talent- Ashland had several large fields of speciosa milkweed 20-40 years ago, but I was not aware any were left. Looks like you know of one. Does this 2 1/2 acre field have speciosa milkweed or fasicularis (or both) and is it in the Medford -Talent- Ashland area? Do you think monarchs and caterpillars are more common than last year or less common? Down here in the Sierra foothills east of Sacramento the August population of monarchs and caterpillars is higher than last year, but in the Spring and in June they were ultra scarce.

[mmmatthew]

I believe it is fasicularis. It's on some property in the White City / Central Point area. Some along the Foothills Road also. A couple speciosa plants grow along the road to Applegate and of course some patches of speciosa along highway 99 near Kirby. In my opinion the reason the monarchs arrived two months later this year vs last year is the late arrival of spring / summer. August caterpillar population seems a bit smaller than last year. It was a nice surprise to see them in June last year though Possibly similar unfortunate things will happen like what happened with the bee colonies...