Found eggs 06/25/09 - half of them died in VA

[tessa]

I was so happy to find lots of eggs and small cats (about 20) on June 25, 2008. I gave some away to be raised by trusted friends. Last year I raised and released over 100 with only 4 deaths. This year 1/2 the ones died. They lost liquid - stopped eating and died. I have never had this happen before ever. Does anyone know what this may be? One tried to pupate for over a day - I felt so bad...then it died.

Now there are no eggs/cats - but I did release 3 females and 1 male. I have one more to emerge.

I'm sure there will be more eggs soon. They are flying around my yard which is packed with milk weed and lots of nectar plants galore!

Some of my milkweed is turning yellow and the leaves turn brown and drop off - does anyone know what this is? I still have plenty that's healthy - but wonder what is causing this.

[Mona Miller]

The milkweed in my yard is stressed due to the lack of water. We haven't had a good rain for over 3 weeks. I collected about 13 eggs, 5 did not hatch at all. 3 of the caterpillars are a strange black/clear color. They aren't dying, but aren't surviving very well either. I have moved them to a separate container and am keeping an eye on them. Bacteria, poison, parasites.

http://www.monarchwatch.org/biology/control.htm
OE
http://www.monarchwatch.org/biology/pred3.htm
Predation : By Invertebrates, Parasitoids and Disease

[Mona Miller]

The three caterpillars that looked black are beginning to die. I think they must have been diseased. I'm sure glad that I decided to separate them from the rest. That's the best thing to do when a caterpillar is not acting right, separate it from the rests. Sick caterpillars can give their diseases to the other caterpillars.

[joann0811]

I collected milkweek from the road side a couple weeks ago and while cleaning it, found about 4 eggs. I placed them in a container and misted, but after a week nothing except dried up leaves. I knew I had Monarchs in my area (finally) and was keeping an eye out for eggs and after a couple days started seeing them. This time I left them there and just kept a watch...never saw anything. So, the next couple eggs I saw, I brought into the house...again in a container, misted and no lid but kept a close eye on them. The eggs turned black after about 4 days...

Last night I was checking on my milkweed patch and found 2 cats! Very small, the larger one about 1/4 in. My plan is to leave them alone until they are a little larger, than place them in my container.

This has been a fantastic learning experience, but please tell me if I'm doing something wrong with the eggs?

[Tia]

>>but please tell me if I'm doing something wrong with the eggs?

Joann, I don't pretend to be an expert, but if you think those blackened eggs were moldy, then you might look for a way to AVOID misting. We find that dry & well-ventilated is good for rearing. Having things too moist can invite problems. Sometimes I can put leaf petioles between moist paper towels, and that keeps them going long enough for the larvae to hatch. Sometimes I stick the leaves in water, again, just the petioles, in tiny vases or mini water bottles with nail-pierced caps. Best of all is to clip part of the plant, if you can, so that it stays fresh and pliable without having to mist. Then, when eggs hatch, the little fellas are well-supplied.

Not a monarch doctor; don't play one on TV! But I'd avoid the mister if possible.

Tia

[joann0811]

Thanks much, that could have been the problem.

[toadine]

I am a gardener in Gaithersburg Maryland. I am having the same problem with my cats. They are growing only to half their size sometimes less and then they die. I have lost 5 or 6 this way. I now have 2 more, 1 small and 1 large, they are still feeding so I have some hope for these 2. Someone I spoke with at Brookside Gardens said she had heard of a disease called OE??? Is this a common problem around the suburbs? I have not raised any cats before, is there anything more I can do.

evie

[Tia]

Evie, I live fairly close to you, in Virginia. We've lost 4 caterpillars out of about 170 monarchs so far this season. No idea why.

Here's a great page on OE:

http://www.uga.edu/monarchparasites/whatisOE/index.html

[Mona Miller]

http://www.uga.edu/monarchparasites/par ... index.html
This is a webpage on parasites that affect Monarchs.