New Monarch with Bad Wing--Help

[dichatham]

Hi Folks,

My first Monarch (Munchie) appeared on Monday. She seemed OK. I didn't let her go Monday nite when I got home from work--though it was too late. Tuesday was a rainy stormy day so I didn't want to let her go them. Wednesday am I took her outside. She can't fly. Her right wing (top part) seems to uncontrollable by her. It just kind of flops around.

Here's my question, If I put a small dab of glue to glue it to the bottom wing--will that help her fly?

Otherwise, I'll just keep her inside; but I really want her to be free and spend our life outside--where she should be.

Thanks for your help.

Diane
Baltimore, MD

[Keith Petrosky]

The 2 wings are normally apart. Was she in the sunlight when you let her go? If she still is unable to fly you could keep her making sure she is able to drink sugar-water and mabye buy some milkweed she will feed on. Tell me how it works out.

[dichatham]

Hi Keith,

I put her in the sunlight so she could get warm and fly. But after about 4 hours in the same spot, I tried picking her up and getting her to fly. She would take off but then fall to the ground. It's like that top part of her wing just flops around.

I have her inside with the 2 chrysalis'. She is active climbing around her enclosure. I have butterfly nectar for her and will definitely add some milkweed.

Thanks for your response. I just think she'll be an inside pet. If I let her go, she will end up someone's lunch or dead from not being able to get to food.

Diane
Baltimore, MD

[Keith Petrosky]

My advice would be (if you can) to have one room where she can roam free. Put rope connecting tables and such so she can climb and mabye excersise her wings even though she cant fly. Make sure she is constantly able to reach the milkweed flowers and butterfly nectar. Also if you can keep a screen window open so she gets fresh air, or bring her outside and put her on flowers so she gets even more nectar. Mabye if you can catch a male it could mate with her if shes a female.

[Jacqui_in_NZ]

Hello Diane

This is interesting - Gillie (also from New Zealand) and I were just discussing her "pet" with a deformed wing, rather than let it die she has kept it as a house-pet for over a month now, taking it outside for fresh air and sunlight (although our homes are hardly much different to the outdoors here) and for it to enjoy specific flowers she has in her garden. Then she brings it inside again.

We were wondering if it was to mate, that might actually draw its life to a close, as I guess, not having mated, it might be in diapause...

Jacqui
http://monarch.org.nz

[Rosie]

Hello Diane,
I'm Jacqui's friend - Gillie, with the house butterfly who can't fly. Had him for a month now and I pick fresh flowers for him each day and as Jacqui says, take him outside so he can forage for himself. I keep him on a table with a mosquito net around him as I have 3 curious cats.

I have 2 female monarchs that have just emerged and as Jacqui says, I'd love to know if I could get him to mate with one of these.... then at least he could die happy

Good luck with your little one

[dichatham]

Hi Keith, Jacqui & Gillie,

Thanks for your responses to my injured butterfly. Keith, I have 4 cats so letting her roam is out of the question. I'm having a time keeping the cats away from her in her screen house now.

Jacqui & Gillie,

Thanks for your advice about taking her outside. I will certainly do that. I also trimmed her left side wing so it's not so overly big to her right side. It's still larger but not as bad. I think that has helped her move around a little more. I like the idea of her getting some sunshine.

Thanks all for your advice and support. I now also have 11 baby cats. They range in size from about an inch to the tiniest one at 1/8 inch. I have 2 in chrysalis form that should be emerging this week. I take them to work with me and everyone there enjoys them too.

Have a great day.

Diane in Baltimore, MD

[Pamela Moresby]

This is interesting about the butterfly's deformed wing.

I'm in New Zealand. Around autumn often find quite a lot of deformed butterflies that can't fly much. Have kept them inside as pets. Fed them on honey and water that is fresh. Lately just get a part of a paper towel wet it and wrap up a small parcel of honey.

Managed to keep some for 6-7 weeks. Good too if they can exercise their wings.

Also keep fresh flowers handy. They like verbena lowers.

Pam