Poor mortality rate?

[runnr]

Of my five first rearings of Monarchs, one never hatched (looks rotted), and one had a deformed wing, weakened and died. Is this the expected mortality rate? I hear a lot of failures, but this only about a 60% motality rate so far. I suspect residual pesticide in my potted plants if this is unusual.

[Mona Miller]

Some people have higher success rates and others lower rates. We usually see higher mortality rates in the fall due to the build up of diseases.

http://www.evansonart.com/monarchdisease.html
Great info and photos on Monarch diseases.

http://www.mymonarchguide.com/2007/07/d ... spore.html
http://www.learnaboutmonarchs.com/learn ... spore.html
This is a website developed by a teacher from CA.

http://www.uga.edu/monarchparasites/whatisOE/index.html
Project Monarch Health

[runnr]

Thanks for the reply, and information. No wonder they lay so many eggs. Chances are not great they reach to goal.

[Mona Miller]

Are you on the Western Monarch list serve?

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/western_monarchs/

[Wyvern]

My poor mortality rate this year was due mostly to tachinid fly infestation. Deaths from bacterial/viral illness were very low for me this year.

[runnr]

I found a second monarch with crumpled wings that had died in the garden. From the web-sites Mona had offered it looks as though a protozoa is to blame ("Oe"). As so few buttertflies are laying all of the eggs, this could be difficult to control even if one buttrfly was infected. Have a slew of more caterpillers now, so I'll see in the next couple months.