Monarch mortality

[summerluver]

Having a rough time raising my butterflies this year from the eggs I've collected in my milkweed garden. Many eggs aren't hatching, have had new caterpillars die shortly after hatching, caterpillars can't shed skin to form chrysalis and it falls down into a goopy puddle, and the butterflies that do emerge have been weak and/or deformed. Anyone else having these unusual problems? Successfully reared over 100 last year with none of this. Very few butterflies around this August too!

[Mona Miller]

Sounds like it may be a bacterial problem. Remember to make sure you sterilize your equipment and rinse good. Give the caterpillars plenty of air flow.

http://www.mymonarchguide.com/
Here's a good website on problems.

http://www.evansonart.com/monarchdisease.html
This website also good info. I'm searching on google (www.google.com) for Monarch Butterfly egg, not hatching, problem.

http://www.livemonarch.com/advanced.htm
They say possible paracitic wasp.

http://www.monarchparasites.org/
This website is Project Monarch Health, it tell you how to rear, plus testing for OE and how to wash milkweed with bleach.

[firewind33]

Thanks for the links Mona- they are very informative- thanks to you I now know that only 2-3% survive outdoors- i feel really good about the 200 I've raised!
Karen

[Mona Miller]

I think we know why. I've seen spiders carrying off caterpillars when I am out late at night with a flashlight gathering leaves, wasps chopping them up, assassin bugs sucking the life out of them, lace wing larvae, too. Japanese ladybugs will eat them both eggs and larvae. Mice, snakes, birds,... Then, throw in the hot or stormy weather. The birth of a butterfly is truly a miracle.

[summerluver]

Oh Mona! Now that I've read all of the info you sent me, I'm convinced I've been spreading it without meaning to! I have my larvae in a large cage I made from wood and screening with velcro attatchments on the front flap, so I know they're getting proper air flow, but I'm sure we've got a really strong case of O.E. going on. I've got two chrysalis's hanging at the top now, and plants full of various size caterpillars in there. Any suggestions for how I can try and clean it up? It seems from what I've read that everyone is probably already infected with O.E. too. I don't see how I can possibly get rid of it without destroying everyone and trying to begin again. We've had very few females coming by to lay eggs, and my milkweed is such a mess this year with aphids and black fungus that they're having difficulty even trying to find a clean leaf to lay an egg on. What should I do?

[Mona Miller]

Do you have another source of milkweed? It may be too late for you to cut it back. But, cutting milkweed back that is having problems usually promotes new growth that means fresh milkweed for monarchs.

Not all caterpillars within an enclosure will get OE. I did post the website on how to check. Best thing to do right now is find another enclosure until you can disinfect the one you have. If you feel you can't properly disinfect it then find another way to enclose and rear monarchs. I have posted cages or search on cages on the forum and you'll be given some options.

I clean my containers by using bleach. But, you must take care. Use gloves and eye protection.

[summerluver]

I removed the two chrysalis's today - one was definately sick. Also took the two big caterpillars out and separated them. They're ready to J soon. Took the cage outside and scrubbed it down with bleach followed by a hosing, and then left it in the sun for a couple hours to neutralize any leftover bleach. Put the little guys back in with some milkweed I got from another source in town (looks like they're weed wacking their too now - even less milkweed around.) Will hope for the best. Thanks for all your help. Watching my little guys die has really been heart wrenching.
~kathy

[Mona Miller]

Watching them being eaten outside is more heart wrenching. You are saving more than would ever make it outside. This is justification for bringing them in.