Broken Tentacle

[tartandtiny]

This morning I was cleaning out a cat pen when I accidentally broke half my 5th instars front tentacle off. The cat wriggled a bit but seems to be fine. Do you think this will affect its pupating?

[Mona Miller]

I've never came upon this problem, we'll have to wait to see.

[applestar]

I had one last year that lost an antenna apparently when one of the other cats nibbled it off. It pupated and eclosed without a hitch, and when it came out of the chrysalis, it had both left AND right antennae.

Keep us posted and let us know what happens to yours.

[sbannister]

I've had a few missing small pieces of the tentacles and they were ok.

[Sueinma]

Hi, I'm new to this forum, rearing Monarchs for the 2nd year. This year it looks like I'll release about 50 Monarchs.

My oldest cat was concerning because it had what appeared to be a deformed tentacle from at least 3rd instar. One of the tentacles was just a short stub although it was a healthy looking caterpillar otherwise. Somewhere I read that this could be a symptom of OE, so I actually isolated it and watched it closely to see how it would pupate and eclose. It pupated fine, and coincidentally "she" just eclosed yesterday - the very first of the season!! She appeared to be a perfect butterfly with 2 normal antennae (or whatever they're called for butterflies) and flew off just fine up to a branch in a large tree when she was released.

Here's a pic -

[Mona Miller]

But, did you test her for OE. She can look normal and still have OE. Sorry.

[Sueinma]

Hi Mona, no I haven't tested the butterflies for OE. I don't own a microscope. Not sure if this is logical, but I figure that the Monarchs that make it all the way up here to the northeast corner of their range, must have some hedge against this disease, because only the healthy fliers will migrate this far north. Also, if she is sick and has OE, is she not less likely to make it very far south either?

[Mona Miller]

You are in MA. This is the end of the summer. OE levels are higher. I'd say yes if this were spring or early summer. Just like Aids, butterflies can be carriers of the disease and pass it on when they visit plants and pass it on to their off spring.

You can purchase a cheap microscope and the testing is easy.

http://www.monarchparasites.org/
Click on Testing.

http://www.livemonarch.com/store_care_tools.php
Scroll down to see the Microscope on this page. I bought mine from Radio Shack.
This has a nice video of how to test for OE.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2179604
Here it is.

[donnap27]

Hi Mona
i looked at the Live Monarch web page ...
that Sanitizing Spray .....
do you use it ? or have you heard if it really works ?
am i to believe that by spraying the caterpillar's food, i.e., milkweed ... it can 'cure' a caterpillar already infected with OE ?
or, if you spray a newly hatched (but dry) monarch before you release it, it will kill any OE spores on that monarch ?
i'm not sure i understand all i'm reading there
btw, i am picking up one of those microscopes from Radio Shack tonite ... thank you, i had no idea that one would be so inexpensive
have you seen any of my "MI-42" butterflies yet?
Donna

[sbannister]

I think you can spray the eggs, leaves and containers but not the cats or butterflies, but Mona knows more about it, and I'm sure there are some detailed instructions on line. I think the spray only prevents OE; it's not a cure that I know of. I haven't had any monarchs in a month or two here so haven't had much practice lately. Earlier in the year, I only had one cat die. I released about 15 I think in June and none of them stayed in my garden which is full of milkweed and nectar flowers. They did not lay any eggs either. I thought they must have gone north.

Anyway, I really wanted to post about the little microscope. I can't see a thing in mine. I can't hold it still enough and it shakes. I can't ever line up anything under the lens properly. Maybe it's just my eyes - I don't know. I wear contacts too. Any suggestions are welcomed.

Susan

[Mona Miller]

Hi Mona
i looked at the Live Monarch web page ... that Sanitizing Spray ..... do you use it ? or have you heard if it really works ? am i to believe that by spraying the caterpillar's food, i.e., milkweed ... it can 'cure' a caterpillar already infected with OE ? or, if you spray a newly hatched (but dry) monarch before you release it, it will kill any OE spores on that monarch ? i'm not sure i understand all i'm reading there btw, i am picking up one of those microscopes from Radio Shack tonite ... thank you, i had no idea that one would be so inexpensive have you seen any of my "MI-42" butterflies yet?
Donna

I haven't used that spray, but I used to practice homeopathy on my son. Since I haven't used it, I cannot recommend it. Maybe someone else has tried it.

No 42 marked Monarchs so far.

[Mona Miller]

Anyway, I really wanted to post about the little microscope. I can't see a thing in mine. I can't hold it still enough and it shakes. I can't ever line up anything under the lens properly. Maybe it's just my eyes - I don't know. I wear contacts too. Any suggestions are welcomed. Susan

Is this the same microscope from Radio Shack? Mine works. I wear reading glasses and I have to take them off to use it, but I can still see.

[applestar]

Sbannister, did you see my post about caffein?

[sbannister]

Sbannister, did you see my post about caffein?

Applestar, you are too funny!

[donnap27]

sbannister: i bought one from Radio Shack too ... i've just been using tape on the abdomen and putting the tape on a piece of white paper on the table, then i place the microscope right on the paper, which holds it still. put it on 60 and you have to put your eye right down on the eye cup to see. it takes awhile to get the hang of moving it around, coz it's backwards, .... but eventually i figured it out. i was not, however, impressed that i saw so many tiny black dots, which i am assuming are OE spores

[Mona Miller]

The Live Monarch video shows them putting the tape on the microscope. I haven't tried that, yet. I wonder if the paper could be causing some of the spots.

[sbannister]

The Live Monarch video shows them putting the tape on the microscope. I haven't tried that, yet. I wonder if the paper could be causing some of the spots.

That's the microscope I have. I will try again with the suggestions from you all. I finally saw a Monarch laying eggs in my garden yesterday so I will have a chance to try again

[donnap27]

thanks Mona ... i did see them put the tape right on the microscope ... i'll try that ... hopefully it was the paper that was making the spots ... that would make me extremely happy

[applestar]

I just installed/was playing with BlueCam Apps on the iPhone and iPad, then found this:
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/09/06/cool-mod ... icroscope/

I'm DEFINITELY trying this as soon as I find the right pocket microscope.

[Mona Miller]

http://www.amazon.com/SE-Mini-45X-Micro ... 862&sr=8-1
This one looks good.

Remember if you order any thing, I mean any thing from Amazon to go through the Monarch Watch portal. They get a few bucks.

http://monarchwatch.org/amazon/
In the middle of the web page click on "Take me to Amazon".

Every little bit helps.

If you haven't made a donation to "Chip In for Monarch Watch", they have extended that to the end of September.
http://monarchwatch.org/chip/

[donnap27]

Mona
thank you for the info about Amazon ..... i had no idea ... and i just ordered something from there!
next time i will go through Monarch Watch !