First time with Queens - any advice?

[laurel]

Hi,

I've been successfully raising Monarchs for a year. Recently a Queen visited and layed eggs all over my milkweeds, so now I have about 15 Queen caterpillars.

I usually start Monarchs from eggs indoors, and raise them in plastic containers. However, I let the Queens hatch on the plant, and brought about half of them indoors at 2nd instar. I notice they are not maturing at the same rate as Monarchs do. But they seem to be healthy and eating fine.

I am wondering if anyone out there experienced with Queens could tell me what to expect as compared to Monarchs in their maturation rates and eating habits. Any other advice or wisdom about raising Queens would be appreciated.

thanks!
Laurel

[Mona Miller]

I've never had the pleasure of raising Queens, but a photographer friend did photograph one at our Park one year. They are very rare in this area.

http://www.mybutterflyguide.com/Queen.html
Queen (Danaus gilippus)
The Butterfly Guide has some good information.

[texas butterfly]

Queens are smaller.

It seems my grew smaller, but it may be the leaves that I gave them.

I successfully raised about 12 lately.

Feed smaller cats the younger leaves that was a tip that I was given recently and it helps the little ones that don't seem to be growing.

The PUPAs are smaller too.

Had one PUPA that seemed to be brown when formed, but it was actually a PINK PUPA.

So, my percentage was about 8% PUPAs were PINK.

[laurel]

Thanks for the advice. I have noticed they seem to eat less and mature slower than monarchs - at least i know that's normal for them. That's good, hopefully I'll have enough food for everyone. It would be neat to get a pink pupa!