How many did you find? And raise?

[butterflylover]

Hi
I have a subject for all of you. I am curious how many everyone found this summer and how many you raised and released. I have had the most amazing season ever. I am curious if everyone else has too? Ok here I go..... I found and recorded 383 Cats this summer with a amazing 350 butterflies successfully hatching. This was truely a number one summer for them this year. I have never raised so many in my life. Tell me what was it like for everyone else? Butterflylover, Debbie Moore

[Teresa]

It was amazing for me too this year. Last year I tagged 5, this year (2005, I tagged 100) next year i'm shooting for the moon. lol

[pianopete]

Since the spring of 2005 until now (Feb 10 2006) we have collected eggs, raised the cats indoors, and released back into wild somewhere between 250 to 300. Our most active month was Jan 2006 many days releasing 15. Note: since we live in south Florida, the monarchs are active year round. We also tagged 50 this past fall.

[butterflysweeti_cdn]

I too have had my hands full. The first 3 years I raised monarchs, I had a total of maybe 25. This year alone - I had close to 200!

I raise them in individual containers - and had to go find fresh, clean milkweed everyday for 2 months - it was a second full time job - and it is only a hobby!!!!

I was able to teach & pass along my experiences with co-workers (& their kids & grandkids) and also raised 44 butterflies for my co-workers daughters' wedding. (They were thrilled)

It was a great summer, lots of work, learned alot about the monarchs & myself - but am glad to be over until the nect season!

[Orangeaid]

Since June 2006 we have reared and released between 400 and 500 Monarchs in southern NJ. To date we have tagged 300 Monarchs with approx 85 more cats and Chrysalis' combined in the cage still ( Only 100 tags left . They will easily be gone by the end of sept ) .So it is still going to be busy here for the next couple of weeks at least. Our largest amount that emerged for us in one day this year was 32 Monarchs. It was an awesome day ! Recently we have been tagging around 10 per day.

[RozieMozie]

ok really small numbers here!

i found 5 in total ... didnt pick up one, a 5th, y i dont know ... one died on me, a 3rd ... and the other three, two males (got as 5th's) one female (got as a 1st), i released

[mmmatthew]

Didn't find any this year, but I ordered 2 curassavica plants in the mail.
When they arrived, one had a 2nd instar caterpillar on it!
I gave it fresh milkweed from the garden and it grew big and fat!
The butterfly emerged today (So glad its healthy!!!)
Hopefully 65-70 degrees F is ok for letting this one go today.
(Took video and pics - now how do I post those here?)

[butterflylover]

Hello Folks, It is me again! Only this time it is 2006 season. My final count was 473 cats found and 426 butterflies realeased into the wild. Another record breaker for me this year. It was fun but it is now over here as the days are much cooler and cold at night. Have not seen any cats in a couple of weeks now. My season started very early this year, when I found my first one on the May 27th. And then continued on through the last week of September. I had two big days. One on June 27th I realeased 27 butterflies. And then again on September the 12th I had 30 hatch. My four year old had fun helping me let them go. Keep Up the good work folks!

[crittergitter]

Ok, I have agreed with you all that it is an addiction...but cheaper than other vices!!!
I had a great release on June 24...27 butterflies that day but too early to tag. Second big day was late in August and tagged them all.
I was on a group tagging event and we did 125 that evening. I had numerous events to release butterflies including but not limited to: weddings 4, 50th anniv party 2, birthday party 3, funerals 2, and a glass tank at one nursing home and one at the children's hospital/school. Every other day I stopped in to replenish the milkweed.
I believe the grand total raised was about 400. Early on 27 crysallis dried up in the heat and "mosquito spray".
I tagged about 200 reared and 300 wild.
Cold weather has arrived and I am already thinking about next year.

[Jeanine L. Shaffer]

This was a record breaking year for me also. During the north migration I usually get about 40 starting in May. This year I had an early Monarch come through on April 10 and in 3 days laid over 600 eggs on my tiny plants that was just coming up. The next day another joined her and a third one the next day. When they were through in 5 days there were over 700-800 eggs. I successfully raised and released 700 by June 25.

On the southern migration they started coming the first week of July and I raised over 350 but was only able to tag 280 since I got my tags late. Last year during the same time period I raised and tagged 550.

I,m glad to see there are as many of you out there doing this. As far as I know I'm the only one here in middle Tn.

Jeanine

[Teresa]

in 2006 I release over 600 and tagged 150. I hope this year is as good

[Shirley]

I released 153 in 2006 but I have a 47% survival rate. I would like to know the different methods everyone uses to raise them. I put the eggs and tiny cats on young milkweed in pots and put them under lights in my garage. When they are big enough, I transfer them to my cages I made to go over the milkweed in my garden. It cuts down on the work but I lose more than when I raised them in jars. Left on their own outside, very few survive so I know I am doing some good.

[psi_chemie]

I haven't kept track of total numbers, but since I started rearing in 2005 I've probably done less than 100. (I mostly tag wild) But of those, most I do from eggs or 1st-2nd instar larvae. I'm confident I have about a 95% success rate with those.

About a third, I do from late instar larvae. My success with late instar is probably less than 50%. (due to tachinid / other parisitism)

[tonton]

How do you "tag" the Monarchs? I am new at raising them but if I am successful, is there something I need to do as I release them?

[Jim]

Most of your questions about tagging should answered be here:

http://www.monarchwatch.org/tagmig/tag.htm

[jen]

My Goodness! I am thoroughly impressed with those numbers! I have been raising for a few years now, but only this season have I had this many eggs (close to 70) all from abot ten plants in my garden. When you say you raised and released in the few hundred range, how many would you say you had at one time? How do you keep track of so many? How big of a set up do you need to raise so many at one time? Anyone care to share?Jeanine in this thread mentioned almost 800 eggs at one time. How on earth did you do it? I am struggling keeping all my cats separated by groups of five. Should I keep them all together in one container? Does anyone keep all the cats/ (all stages) together at once?Let me know what you think?
Jen

[butterflylover]

Hi Jen,
I use deli cups and usually keep them all separate. But on occasion I will put several little guys together if I am running out of containers. I just go to my local grocery store and buy them from the deli dept. Then when I get a lot of them I stack them in plant flats like little apartments. (I would insert a picture but don't know how to do that yet.) I got a whole lot of ideas from a book I bought last year from National Gardening. It was called the Family Butterfly Book. Author is Rick Mikula. And you can sure get a lot from these forums too. Good Luck and Happy Butterfly raising. Debbie Moore

[Jeanine L. Shaffer]

Hi, Jen,
Yes, I actually raised over 700 Monarch "cats" at one time. I used the method of 2 liter bottles with the bottum cut out placed on 1 lb. margerine tubs with 3 holes drilled in the lids. The tubs had water in them and I placed sprigs of Butterfly Weed in the holes--put several "cats" on them, covered them with the 2 liter bottle, then put masking tape from the tub to the bottle to hold it on. I could start as many as 25 babies at one time in one bottle and as they grew would decrease the amount till there were only two in there. I had over 70 - 2 liter bottles going at one time with all the "cats" in them. Of course, these all had to be cleaned out each day.
During the height of all this I was only getting about 4 hrs. sleep each night---and I didn't have any help taking care of the "cats" or chrysalises etc. My husband would help me find the "cats" and help me find the plants for them to eat. I have about 30 Tuberosa Butterfly Weed plants in my yard plus about 50 t0 75 Tropical Butterfly Weed plants in my yard. This is where I found most of my "cats" and eggs. I only use these to feed the "cats" when I have to. I get most of the feed for them in the wild for as long as it lasts. During this time I was also doing Butterfly Presentations to schools, Clubs, Libraries, and presentations at my home.
Wherever I did a presentation I always had 6-8 Monarchs hatching while I was talking.
I don't raise the "cats" in the 2 liter bottles anymore. I learned to raise them in large totes--40 qt. clear storage containers. This is much easier.
I use 8 Oz. margerine tubs fixing them the same as the one lb. I could put as many as six tubs in a tote with as many as 20 to 24 cats in one tote. And it was much easier to clean and take care of them.

Of course, you have to cut out most of the top and hot glue screaning on the lid so they have ventilation.

This past spring I raised over 200 and now so far I'm raising about 250 "cats" and chrisalises. A Monarch just came through the yard today and left some more eggs, so this will continue till oct. I've been tagging the ones that have hatched and have tagged 8 wild ones too. Last year total I raised over 1,000.

Jeanine Shaffer, Monarch Way Station 381

[Jeanine L. Shaffer]

Hi Jen,
One thing I failed to mention about using the 2 liter bottles to raise the
"cats" in. You will need to leave the cap off for ventilation and cover the top with some netting and a rubberband so they don't escape out the top.

Jeanine Shaffer MWS 381

[jen]

Thanks Jeanine for all your great advice. You sure sounded like you were busy! I always wondered how people rear so many at once, would you do it all over again? Would you get anymore sleep than four hours per night? Thanks again,
Jen