This stuff is hard

9 years ago

I have a ten acre prairie restoration that I have made very butterfly friendly by my own choice, even though I know absolutely nothing about the plight of the monarch, up until now. I've educated myself with as much as I could in the last month or so. I've had all kinds of cats over the last 3 weeks of watching, but very little success getting them to chrysalis stage. They just seem to get big and die.. I had one hanging for a day or so and happened to take a look and a maggot was working itself out of the cat ,killing it. I finally found my first chrysalis today. Hoping for the best.

Attending a monarch symposium on Friday!

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Comments (3)

rollie
Original Author
9 years ago
Is there a delete post option? Refreshed my iPad and it reported.:(
Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
9 years ago
hi rollie, sorry to hear about your difficulties. This is my first summer raising them and I am feeling a little discouraged too. I have had two caterpillars make it to the pupae stage this summer about both have died in the process. I have one now at the top of the tank, really really hoping it makes it. I just want ONE to turn into a butterfly this summer.

I wish you good luck. Hope the monarch symposium was fun!

Michaela
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Leafhead
9 years ago
Those maggots are Tachinid fly larvae and they're fond of American Lady cats as well :(
I have had trouble with my mid instar cats. They would fall off the plant and throw up/diarrhea and die. I would lose up to a third of my cats this way :( I have lost a couple BST cats this way too.