An Easier Way to Clean Up after Messy Monarch Caterpillars?🐛💩

158 Comments

1. Hello, we have a chrysalis that has formed on the side of a tall plastic enclosure. There is still some frass and leaves at the bottom of the container that I want to clean out, but I don’t want to disturb the chrysalis. It just formed last night, so is it ok to wait until the chrysalis has hardened a couple more days before I clean out the bottom of the container? Also, the chrysalis is a the top curve of the container, but very close to the side. It this an ok spot or should I try to move it so when the butterfly emerges, it has more space? Thank you for any info. This is our first one so I want to make sure it emerges!

   1. Hi Sarah, with side opening mesh cages you can clean whenever…if you enter the cage from the top you might want to wait for a day. chrysalides don’t typically need to be moved, but here’s some info if you do:

      Moving a Chrysalis

2. Thanks Tony.
   Cleaning of the soft cages, they really worked out great for me.
   Have tagged 86 Monarchs so far,things are slowing down now ,have 20 Chrysalis,10 Cats and one that just hatched.
   Sure I’ll run out of tages before all have emerged.

3. Tony, I wish to thank you for the all of the information you post as well as allowing the rest of us Butterfly Hobbyists a place to share and learn. I have learned much not only from the information you provide but from all the postings so thank you everyone!

   This is my second year and we have collected and released nearly 50 Monarchs. My first batch in late Spring was disappointing- I think I had about half of the ailments that you list, I almost gave up I was so upset. I remember trying to figure out what was happening – a couple looked like the life was sucked out of them by a ghoul, one of them dissolved into a green mass of liquid, and two more had the tachnid fly larvae drop (that was just awful). But, I didn’t give up, cleaned the habitat with a bleach solution, rinsed it and left it out in the sunshine, closed up for several days. It must have worked as I have only had minimal issues. One didn’t form right, I think when the cage fell over by the cat, its chrysalis was still not hardened and this interferred with its development.

   I purchased your large habitat and a smaller one as the adult and nursery habitats. So I have the eggs and tiny newborns in the small habitat and the larger ones and chrysallis in another

   I read somewhere that it is a good idea to clip the mikweed back in early spring so you will get more growth. I have noticed this happens when I take clippings so I imagine this is the same concept as pinching back a plant to make it fuller? Next spring I plan on doing this and I have started two new milkweed patches in the yard, hoping to make another larger one in my back corner.

   Nothing is as beautiful as releasing these beautiful creatures and wishing them a safe journey and seeing how many visit the yard, wellas you all know here, it is the best feeling in the world. I only hope our efforts are not in vain with the Endangered Species Act being lifted. I hope enough people are growing milkweed .

4. Hi Tony,
   I’m having a bad season so far. This is the first year out of 5 years that I feel disheartened. I’ve released 9 healthy looking Monarchs so far but I have lost more than that to tachinid flies and what I suspect is OE. I live in NW Louisiana and all of my butterfly weed dies back in winter so I’ve started off with fresh leaves. My “sick” Monarchs that have made it through the chrysalis stage look good but seem to lack the ability to hang on while they try to pump their wings up. I’ll find them lying crumpled on the cage floor. I’ve had to euthanize so many this season. I’m expecting a crop of migratory butterflies in the next week or two but I’m scared of a repeat scenario. I thoroughly wash my clippings before I feed my cats. (Making sure there’s no predators). I ordered a microscope which should arrive tomorrow so I can check for OE when they eclose. Can I check my plants for spores? I believe if I found out that the plants are infected I would just quit for this season and try again in 2020. Please advise…
   God bless for all you do!

   1. Sorry to hear about butterflies. I clip stems & put them in floral tubes or recycled small water bottles. For me, leave cutting is messy, & I hate to see caterpillars crawling around in “poop” that could cause disease or bacteria to grow.

      1. Thanks for the reply. I do use stems in water. I use small food containers with covers that I melt holes in to insert the stems. I have “glass pebbles” in them to help hold the stems erect. I’m like you I don’t like laying leaves on the bottom of my cage. The only time I do that is when I have eggs and/or hatchlings that are very tiny and I use a paper towel on the bottom of a food container.
         Good luck with your migration season!

   2. Hi, my name is Carol and I’ve been raising Monarchs since the ’90’s. I never knew that there were so many others out there doing the same thing! I thought I was just being a little bit eccentric. Anyway, I’ve also been having a difficult time here in northern NJ. I started out with at least 50 cats/eggs but keep losing them in all stages from tiny babies to the chrysalis that turned black on me this morning. It is really discouraging and heartbreaking. I’ve had two that fell from the chrysalis before the wings were dry. I always have a clean, sterilized container ready to transfer any caterpillars. I’ve been washing the leaves. My house is in the woods as we are really rural here. I have my containers on a table by the glass doors. The threat of black bears and raccoons is tremendous here so I fear leaving them outside. My leaves are collected daily from three different locations. I’ve never had this happen before. Hopefully I can fine tune this for next year. All of my Monarchs are released in the Memorial Garden of my church with someone’s name attached to them.

5. last year was my first year raising monarchs.i got at least 4 other families raising and releasing.my grand kids were smaller so i had the eggs, cats and chryslis at my home for them to visit. this year my oldest grandson is 9 and he raised and released one already.he now has one in chryslis.and counting the days til it “hatches”.i’m so glad he got interested in raising and releasing them. he has a 5 yr.old brother and a 2 yr old sister.i’m very proud of him.i released 2 yesterday and have 3 cats now.we have a special garden of a friend that we release them at. the lady has a beautuful garden filled with flowers.thank you for your help and guidance with they MAGICAL monarchs.Anna Lilly Palmyra,New York 8-21-2019

6. Hi.

   We have five Cats in our cage. This is my first time raising in captivity. Crossing fingers – everything seems to be going well (knock wood).

   Question: My cats are on milkweed cuttings in floral tubes set into the yellow holders I bought from your store. Will the cats be able to climb down both the tube and through the yellow holder maze to find a place to chrysalis? How does this work?

   Thanks!

   1. once you have large caterpillars that are getting close to forming a chrysalis (inch and a half long) cover the rack so they will be forced to crawl off it…when they are smaller it’s fine if the shed their skin on the pegs. They will crawl back up for fresh milkweed:

      Cover your racks info

      1. Thank Tony!

         The saran wrap worked great.

         Another question – I have one chrysalis hanging at the top of the butterfly cage by the opening. I’m trying to be really careful each time I unzip to clean the cage (2x day – wow do they poop a lot), but the little chrysalis swings a bit. How much movement can it take before the silk breaks?

         1. I saw the comment the Saran Wrap worked great; but I cannot find what it was referring to. Can you advise? Thank you.

            1. Hi Paula, this is so caterpillars don’t form a chrysalis on the racks…works for both rack styles. More info here:

               Stop Caterpillars from forming Chrysalis on floral tube Rack?

7. Will caterpillars eat milkweed leaves that are turning reddish to darker brown? I didn’t water the plants when it was very hot here in Ohio and so some of the leaves are turning colors and are falling off the stem.

   1. Hi Marilyn, this often happens to milkweed at this time of the year. Feed them the healthiest leaves you have. The leaves don’t have to be perfect.

      1. I am glad to know this! I have some healthy common milkweed leaves but most of mine are starting to show their age. I know the bigger cats will do better with them than the babies will. Luckily I have a lot of swan milkweed that is really healthy. We are just now seeing Monarchs so it will depend on how many visit as to how long these plants last. They have small leaves but are each about 6 ft tall.

8. For cleaning up cages I use a soft bristle paint brush to remove the poo from between leave crevices and other surfaces making vacuuming more efficient. I use one that came from a watercolor paint set that my son never used. This is my 2nd year raising monarchs and I want to thank Tony and the Raise the Migration community for all your invaluable sharing.

9. I think I may have accidentally poisoned all my cats ?. The only think I can think of is that I was given a bunch of milkweed cuttings and I put them in clean, empty soda cans with water. I’m thinking the aluminum leached into the plant, killing everyone eating the leaves. I had all stages and one was in the middle of pupating when it died. Anyone else ever used aluminum cans?

   1. Hi Denise, I don’t think there’s anything in aluminum that would hurt them, but it sounds like they were exposed to some chemical or pesticide…where did the milkweed cuttings come from?

   2. I’ve used aluminum cans for years with sandvine or with cuttings of various herb host plants for swallowtails. Something else was the problem here.

10. I live in West Jordan, Utah and I have found a few eggs this season but none of them hatched. Is it common to find eggs that have not been fertilized? I raised quite a few last season.

    1. Hi Dian, if the population is low in your region that might be the case. If they turn completely dark and don’t hatch, they have been parasitized by trichogramma wasps

       1. Are the baby wasps tiny black bugs that crawl on the caterpillars? I brought in a cat with some of those tiny black pests on it and it died within a few days. Also found some on a chrysalis that turned black and never hatched.

          1. Hi Shelly, more info here:

             Chalcid Wasps

11. Found a large caterpillar two days ago. Brought it in to pupate. It was healthy and was starting to look for a spot to pupate and this morning there was a large amount of green liquid on top of the butterfly cage. I thought it was dead but it started moving around again. Now it seems unable to pupate. I ready about green vomit and toxins. I cleaned the scissors with a disinfectant wipe….Sometime later I cut milkweed with it. I didn’t rinse it. I feel terrible as I think I may have harmed the cat unknowingly.

    1. Hi Regina, it was probably exposed to something else before you brought it indoors…I doubt what you’re describing would have any negative effect on the caterpillar.

12. One thing that I have learned is that a Dust Buster works well. Also I learned that chlorinated water is death on milkweed leaves. I have gone to bottled water and the results were impressive compared to chlorinated water. This has been a great learning experience for our grandkids

    1. Chlorinated water doesn’t hurt plants or caterpillars either. I suppose some water supply systems could be more heavily chlorinated, and maybe there’s a remote chance it could pose a problem, but it has never hurt anything I’ve raised and I’ve been using it for many years. Indiana American Water is our supplier.

13. Love this site and the emails. I have released 20 butterflies so far this year. I have 6 more to go at this time. All of these cats have come from milkweed in my yard in the city. I grow Common Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed and Butterfly Weed. Last year I had only a couple of cats so this has been a good year.

14. Hello, All.

    This is my 3rd summer of raising caterpillars, and a much higher density year. I live in the middle Midwest. I use milkweed cuttings placed in take-n-toss lidded kid cups. They sit in my kitchen window that is sheltered from all but sunset sun. They go on walkabout from time to time, but generally always stay in the window area. I also have paper that sits under the containers to catch frass and not let it drop all over my sink/counter. When they are in 5th instar I put into a cardboard box on it’s side lined with paper towels, with window screening fastened by binder clips blocking the side/opening and making for easy entry. This allows me to single use each set-up–I throw away paper towels and recycle box.

    I have recently noticed frass that has a ring of liquid around it in one of my box set ups and on the paper on windowsill. I found one 3-4 instar caterpillar that was lethargic and expelling yellowish/greenish/brownish liquid from both ends. Immediately euthanized in freezer, replaced milkweed and bleached plastic cup it was on. A couple days later I saw the same ring around frass in one of my boxes, however all the big guys in it are eating and acting well. I did just find another small cat in the window acting lethargic over 24 hours and giving no resistance to touch. It has been separated.

    Is the ring of liquid around normal looking frass indicative of any known condition, or just something that can happen that is acting as a coincidence to the death/potential sickness of the other one(s)? I would hate to destroy caterpillars that were not exposed to anything thinking they were. Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

    Thanks, Laura

    1. Hi Laura, check out the disease page to see if any of these symptoms sound/look familiar to what you’re seeing:

       Monarch Diseases, Parasites, and Caterpillar Killers

15. Hello Tony,
    Thanks for this informative site! This is my first year, I have had all of the parasites &
    viruses, etc., fallen chrysalis, OE infection, Black Death & deformed wings., I’ve worried about each and every one of these guys/gals! Mostly though, I’ve been able to raise and release at least 60 healthy Monarchs! It has been a very rewarding summer! I so appreciate all of the important info that I’ve gotten here.

    I live in Southern California, wondering if I can acquire or plant the variety of MW
    that has the large leaves, I’m not sure if it is native or only available east of the Rockies. The varieties available in our local nurseries have a thin leaf, and I certainly would love a substantial leaf to feed my caterpillars, as my skinny leaves curl up on the tiny Monarch eggs after I collect them.
    tiny Monarch eggs.

    1. hi Linda, are you talking about the calotropis species? I’m sure there are local nurseries that have them, so I would check the resources on this page to see if you can find them:

       Western Monarch Butterfly Resources

16. I just started raising Monarch’s once I realised that my large population of wasp were eating the cats! Next year I will knock down the nest!
    I was curious, after reading a lot about the Monarch and it’s amazing process of transformation, would raising them inside a house where the temps are cooler, prevent the final generation from developing into the butterfly that will not breed and live longer? Or could people be releasing butterflies that will not be in the final stage because the temps tell the “mush” inside the chrysalis what stage of a butterfly to make? (a strange question?)

    1. Hi Ann, we raise in a porch so the monarchs are exposed to natural heat and humidity. Even when we bring them indoors, the window is open occasionally which should help them develop normally according to the time of season.

    2. I found wasps killing my caterpillars too. I put tomato stakes in the ground forming a rectangle and places a mosquito net over it, keeping wasps away.
       I use potted plants to attract monarchs (eggs) and move plants under cover to allow them to grow. Most chrysalises are attached to the top of the netting.
       When I see small cats on a potted plant , I may just move the cat on the leaf to my porticoed area. This has worked for me.
       In May, I had 33 chrysalises at one time. On successive days, I lifted the netting to release 9 one day and 10 the next.

       1. Great idea! Going to try the rectangle tomato cage!

17. Hi Tony,
    Are all Monarch diseases prevalent throughout the US, or are they east/west of the Rockies specific? Are some diseases only found in the West? I live in Oregon, north Willamette Valley area. The North Migration Chart was great; it really simplified understanding the eastern/central migration. Your information on your site is outstanding. Thanks!
    Verena

    1. Hi Verena, OE and other pathogens are more common in continuous growing regions both east and west including Florida and southern California…

18. Hi Tony, It’s been quite a late summer season here. I took in 160 eggs and cats from the yard this year and almost all are in chrysalis now minus the losses. I found a great attachment for my small DeWalt wet/dry vac. It’s a small tube extension that can pick up frass very well. I think it’s made mostly for cleaning out PC’s. Since the unit is on the floor, it doesn’t make a great deal of noise near the cage which is a nice plus also.

    I have had a couple of problems in general. What causes a cat not to grow? I had 2 4rd instar cats housed together. Neither grew very much. One was really tiny and died, but the other one is doing well now and this is a few days later. What would cause this? The other problem was I had a couple of cats die and this light brown stuff was dripping out of them. The same happened to a chrysalis which turned mushy. Is this NPV? And if so, why would only one be infected when all the rest in the cage turned out fine? If it was NPV, wouldn’t more than one be affected in the same cage? Could one have been chewed on by another cat and that caused the damage? I’ve had some feisty cats. Even in the large big cube, there were a few that had to have the same parking spot as other jhangers and chrysalides. The entire center of the cube was empty and they all wanted to be on the outsides.

    1. Hi Suzie, if you only had one ‘failure to thrive’ it’s really hard to say why that happened. The chrysalis turning mushy definitely sounds like NPV, which can be very contagious. I’m glad your other caterpillars weren’t exposed. There are disease prevention tips here:

       Monarchs Diseases and Caterpillar Killers

19. Hello Tony, I’m from SE Mi, and I’m on my second large batch of cats this year, and still finding some eggs still. U have two mesh cages for them, a large one for the 4-5 instars, and the small cube for the 1-3 instars. After my first run this year, I had very good success rate. Probably released 40-50. After the first group all eclosed and were released, I thoroughly cleaned the cages, wiped them down, sprayed them with a bleach mix, rinsed them again and dried them in the sun.
    But now with my second batch I’m finding dead cats daily, mostly 2-3 instars, that are either turning dark, and when I go to remove them they turn to mush, or I find them hanging almost in a V shape on a leaf, and this is in both cages. I’m feeding them cuttings of swamp, tropical and swan mw, that I know was not sprayed with anything. It’s been about a week that I washed out cages. Any ideas on what could be causing this and what I should be doing? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

    1. I had this same issue! Can’t wait for Tony’s response.

    2. Hi Matt and Margo, these are the classic signs of NPV, a very contagious monarch virus. More info here:

       Monarch Diseases and Parasites

       1. Your prevention tips are great, but what should I do with all my catapillars that aren’t showing signs of nvp?

          1. Hi Matt, it’s best to euthanize if you are sure they are sick. You can either put them in a pastic baggie in the freezer and then discard the next day. You can also fold a paper towel over them and squeeze. Only do this inside a waste basket lined with a disposable bag so not to spread any pathogens, Tony

20. I live in Central Illinois and this has been a crazy monarch season for me. Last year I raised and released 50 monarchs (most were given to me) and this year so far I have released 60 butterflies, have 40 chrysalises and 70 cats still eating. 38 of these just hatched in the last day. Hopefully these will be migrating. I had so many eggs this year that I had to give away over 150 eggs and cats to others raising them. All my eggs were taken from my yard while observing 2 monarchs laying them. By getting the eggs freshly laid, they don’t have any chance to come in contact with predators. So far there have been no issues while raising them inside the house. My only problem is I spend hours a day taking care of them since 70 cats is a large group eating. I have them divided into 7 groups. It was so cool to collect all these eggs as they were laid but my advice to others is to be realistic and determine the maximum you can raise at one time. It can become overwhelming if you try to raise too many at once. In order to keep my cages available for new cats as they grow, I move all the chrysalis’ to one large aquarium screen top, then watch them until they eclose. Watching them fly off makes it all worth it.

    1. Thank you for sharing your experience Kathy…setting raising limits is hard, but will make the experience even better. Congrats on all your success this season!

       1. I raise mine mostly in individual jars that I have collected over the years- wide mouth Salsa jars are my favorite because it’s easy to lift out the eaten leaves with the caterpillar that is on it, dump the frass, and put a new leaf under the one that the caterpillar is on and return to jar (which has holes punched into the lid). I have taken over our kitchen counter but have already released over 40 Monarchs and have about 16 chrysalids (dated on top of the jar when they transformed so I have a better idea when they will eclose). I keep the babies in a deep plastic container with a scrap of paper telling me how many are in there, and also have a plastic container of “trash” that I put a new leaf on to attract any I might have missed (so far only 2 and they were rescued!) Once the caterpillar goes to the top of its jar and makes its chrysal, I remove the lid, rest it on a wine glass and empty the jar and wash it with soap and water. I save the final skin that was shed and glue it to oaktag so I have an accurate count once the season is over. (I also save the faceplates from miniscule to large and the case of the chrysalis once the butterfly is released and put M or F next to each one so I have a count of boys and girls!) My best year was 105- not nearly as many as other people I read about, but I can’t handle any more- it really does take a lot of time to care for them at least twice a day (sometimes three times when they’re big), and collecting milkweed to feed them takes time too! I was a teacher so it was also a great way to start the year and teach them something important! Have raised Monarchs for 43 years!

          1. Hi Joy, I too am a jar raiser.. I think this is best for preventing diseases.. Since ramping up our rearing, I’ve been using both containers and then jars at instar 5. My easy cataloging solution is that I use a coffee filter on top of the jar w/rubber band. I write along the edge the filter the relevant dates and other info such as collection site, date pupated, etc. When they eclose from their hung, folded filters I write that date and the sex.. At the end of the season or free time during I will complete my journal. I also note if they die, what stage and how.

21. I have had over a hundred this season and have only lost about four or five and had one Chrysalis that was affected besides that my babies are doing very very good I am located in Central Mass and have had no problem finding them and keeping them healthy I’m on a lucky streak I guess I have released 17 so far and have about another 30 in Chrysalis is that are at various stages and about another 40 that are adults and about 20 babies and about ten eggs it’s a great hobby if you’re not working but they definitely are a lot of work

22. Well, we’ve just raised our first Monarchs. We had 12 cats, All made chrysalis and 3 hatched this morning and we released them this afternoon. Nine more to go. Loving it! Thanks for all your great help.

23. a request. posters please include a location or latitude or usda zone . it helps me track when the migration is headed to my house

    1. I’m in SE PA
       where are you located?

    2. Hi Greg, if you want migration news, check out journey north

24. I live in the Midwest- 60 miles from Chicago in a farming community. I have a bumper crop of cats this year!! I use clear solo cups to contain my cats. Paper towel in the bottom and screen wire with a rubber band for a lid. Have never lost any. Right now I have 86 cats. 6 of them are now in chrysalis. It takes my daughter and myself about 3 hours to clean the cups and resupply them with fresh milkweed and paper towel 2 times a day. They will attach themselves to the underside of the lid when they go into chrysalis and remain there until they open up. Last year I only had 10 cats so was surprised with the amount I am getting now. 6hours a day is taking up most of my day but I love saving these butterflies and it is so rewording when I can release them. All these cats were on a single milkweed plant. As it is almost September are these cats considered 4th generation ?

25. Thanks for sharing all the info. I went and found 1 tiny catepillar and 2 eggs today. I’ve let the milkweed grow in my backyard for a few years now and this is the first time I’ve ever intervened. I’ve seen tiny catepillars in the past but wonder if something eats them. I’ve seen Monarchs out there almost every day this summer! 🙂
    I will do my best to get them hatched and raised and released! I’m on Cape Cod in MA. Thanks 🙂

26. Years ago I was at a butterfly farm in southern Florida. They rinsed the cups they used to raise the caterpillars in with the bleach mixture and rinsed. Then they said if you allow these to dry in sunshine, it will remove whatever bleach residue that may be left behind and that then they are ready to use. What are your thoughts on this.

    1. Hi Sue, I would be a little wary about using cups that had just been treated with bleach, but you can always try and see if it works for you…let us know how it works for you!

27. Any danger lining the cage with newspaper or paper grocery bags? Makes fras cleanup much quicker.

    1. Hi John, it sounds like a good option but haven’t tried. I think it would be easier to see a wayward caterpillar on a white paper towel though…

       1. Hi there, good website! I am using puppy training pads that fit perfectly in my large cages this year. Works great and if you put the slick side up it is easy to use small wisk broom and dust pan to remove poop!!! Usually can use same pad a few days.

28. Can we submit photos on here. I have found some caterpillars that I can’t identify and would like some help.

    1. Hi Debbie, for insect ID’s try this helpful facebook group:

       Insect Identification

29. Newbie here? We somewhat accidentally brought home 3 cats, while picking our carrots last night. My kids really want to raise them, but I’m leary and would be devastated if they didn’t survive. Any tips or advice?

    1. Hi Rene, first you need to ID the caterpillars. They could be eastern black swallowtail caterpillars. If so, here’s some info for you:

       Raising Eastern Black Swallowtails (unfortunately, no guarantees raising butterflies, but it will always be a good learning experience)

    2. Hi Rene, hope it’s ok I comment here. My kids are all grown and out of the house now but for at least 10 years while they were kids, we raised many butterflies and it’s a really fun, educational thing to do with them. It gives them a sense of accomplishment and teaches them about nature, the good and of course, the bad. I still raise cats and butterflies on my own, it’s such a miracle to see them every step of the way! I hope you are able to give it a shot, I think it’s beneficial for you and the kids!!

30. I have learned so much from this site and Tony!! Thank you!! This was my first year raising monarchs and I did a lot of research first. I have my own milkweed and butterfly garden where I found 7 eggs and have raised them very successfully (so far) All of the eggs hatched and the cats have been happily munching away for the past two weeks. Two of them have formed their chrysalis and I was lucky enough to experience one of them going from caterpillar to chrysalis last night. What an amazing thing to watch! I have the small mesh cage with milkweed cuttings from two kinds of milkweed and clean it twice a day. I lightly mist the leaves in the morning and everyone of these little cats seem to be happy and healthy. Fun fact, I had 6 cats and when I brought in milkweed the other day, there must have been one attached that I didn’t see when I cut the stems and found it crawling in my kitchen. It was healthy and now has a spot with the rest! This has been the best experience and I’m so thankful for all I’ve learned so that I was able to keep the babies healthy and happy! Can’t wait for the grand finale!!

31. How long is an area treated with Roundup toxic to plants and butterfly larva? We had a very invasive plant, loosestrife that was taking over my butterfly garden. It was Taking over the JOe Pye weed and the Milkweed. I battled it for years with cardboard and vinegar weed killer. To no avail the invasive plant returned. We treated the area early in spring. Milkweed grew up in July volunteerily. I fed my 20 monarch caterpillars the milkweed and I think they were poisoned, all died in their third or fourth in star today, was it that milkweed or something else . Very, very, hot in Sputh Carolina this year. I was also transporting them to and fro from school. I am devastated to say the least.

    1. Hi Anne, sorry to hear this. You can never be too sure about how long a pesticide will have adverse affects on your caterpillars. You can always test the milkweed on one or two caterpillars before feeding it to more. Good luck…

       1. We gave up roundup years ago for a teapot full of boiling water. Works great, no environmental damage.

    2. Anne Marie — I think it also depends on the type of Round Up you used. The old kind in the white bottle dissipates faster and you can plant sooner. The newer kind in the silver or gold bottle labeled “Extended” control will work for a year!

       1. Instead of treating the whole area, try using a piece of cardboard or plastic to shield your desired plants from overspray, you can also ‘paint’ the weed killer on with a 25 cent sponge paint brush so it doesn’t get in the ground.

32. Hi Tony. I have cats that have viruses. Some were bigger cats that were in a terrarium with 9 healthy chrysalis. Do I need to move those out of the terrarium or can they eclose in there & then disinfect after?

    1. Hi Marie, if you have a disease outbreak, the habitat should be disinfected right away so it doesn’t spread to the rest of your monarchs.

33. Hi Tony (and fans of Monarchs),
    I have some cats ordered from MonarchWatch. What do you buy for your plastic containers (the ones you use for clipped milkweed)? I tried some really cheap ones but the tops did not always hold in a breeze (I raise outside in cages in my garage next to open (screened) windows.)

    1. I use salt and pepper shakers and stuff a bit of paper towel in the top so they can’t fall in the water.

       1. I’ve been using plastic Jell-O shot containers with lids. Walmart has them in a small & larger size. I use the small ones for the ‘egg cuttings’ and the larger ones for 5-6″ cuttings for cats that are about the size of my thumbnail. As they get bigger, I transfer the small cutting containers to large Rubbermaid containers with potted plants, with screens covering the containers (my CAT Condo’s). I’m a newbie (since June) and have successfully released 75 Cats.

    2. I bought 4 oz. clear plastic cups with lids from the dollar store! They came 10 to a pack. I poked a hole in the lid with a shishkebob stick for the stem. I enlarged the hole when needed by placing one blade of scissors into the hole and rotating the scissors in a circle. It works wonderfully and is inexpensive!

34. I have been raising black swallowtails and monarchs for quite a few years now. Never more than 7 or so at a time, but this year I have 30 eggs from 2 different monarchs. I expanded my ‘cage’ into a 2 story condo. I use clear plastic containers probably slightly smaller than the Kritter keepers, and drill small holes in the top. My trick for making cleaning easier is to lay a piece of paper towel on the floor of the cage. That way most frass is collected on there and I can just remove the cuttings and toss out the towel and mess. I rinse and wipe dry. I usually do this once daily but with my large haul of eggs this year it may require twice daily.

35. Hi there! I live in Ottawa, Canada and have just found your forum through a local Monarch organization. My daughter and I have been raising Monarchs for the last 4 years. We receive mating pairs from a breeder in Southern Ontario and watch and care for them as they go through their cycle. The first year we had 86 Monarchs successfully released from one mating pair. This year we tried two mating pairs and had 329 caterpillars!!! It was a full time job some days feeding all of those cats!!! We have had a great success rate with healthy term Monarchs and will be releasing our final butterflies this week!!
    Thank you for your helpful hints for Monarch care and now cage cleaning. We have learned a great deal since we first started and now have some new things to try. Will now look to cleaning our new habitats between batches to get ready for next year!

    1. Congrats on a very successful season Steph…You have earned a well-deserved rest!

    2. I would love to have a mating pair of Monarchs! What company did you order from?

       What did you raise 329 cats in? How much milkweed did you grow? I need to plant much more next year. I planted 7 plants in the spring that grew to about 5′ tall. It ended up being enough for the 35 cats I bought, but was starting to get nervous when they were going through a half a plant a day 2 days before making their chrysalides.

       1. We order from a company called Butterflies and Roses. They have been really great with our orders and helpful hints etc. Great customer service for sure!
          I grow some milkweed in my garden, but mostly harvest what I need in my community and surrounding areas where it grows in abundance(as long as you know the plants are not where they may have been sprayed with pesticides) – mine is for emergency use only or for butterflies once they have been released. All caterpillars were kept in enclosures while they grew. I was doing a milkweed run each day with that many cats!
          Our last butterfly will likely hatch and be released tomorrow.
          Next year, we are hoping to have bigger (walk in type), more self sufficient enclosures.
          S.

          1. I’d love to see photos–what is your Instagram name?

36. I had four caterpillars that we hatched from eggs, and kept them all in one Critter Keeper container. They all made their chrysalis within 2 days of each other, but most are on the lid so I didn’t want to disturb them by removing the lid to remove the frass and dead leaves (one is hanging out on the roof making a silk button, one is in a chrysalis and one is doing the hanging J). The fourth made a chrysalis on the plant itself. Is it going to be OK if I don’t remove the frass until they have all formed their chrysalis? The last one should have his (or hers) done tomorrow.

    1. Hi Melissa, if you have a kritter keeper with a raised roof, you should be able to removed the lid and set it on a table with the chrysalides touching. If a final caterpillar is still eating I would clean the cage. If they are all hanging, you can wait. good luck!

37. I live in the Mid-West. last summer I transplanted numerous milkweed plants to my yard. This year the plants are thriving and have multiplied immensely. It is now late August, and I have only seen 01 Monarch Butterfly in my yard. I have seen numerous on butterflies. Is it normal for the lack of the Monarchs, or will I see them later in the season as they are migrating South. Many thanks. I’m awaiting.

    1. Hi Roy, it’s been a tough year for the eastern monarchs because of the march snowstorm in Mexico. Increased mosquito spraying in many regions isn’t helping either. I hope you see some soon!

       1. I didn’t see a single one last year here in NJ, but this year I have taken in about 25 -30 eggs. Year before last I only had 2 caterpillars. You never know.

38. Hi Tony,

    I’m raising monarchs on my back porch (not enclosed). I have the mw in pots and clean them daily with a lizard cage scoop. It’s like a baby cat litter scoop. It’s been working good and I’m at about 95% successful thanks to your site and comments from your readers.

    Off topic question. I live in Ft. Lauderdale and there’s a system in the ocean that may cause some bad weather here. I have 2 new butterflies (born today) in a mesh “cage”. A boy and a girl. If I let them out, I’m afraid the weather will take them away. How long can they stay in these cages? Until I get your cage (ordered yesterday) mine is 14.5 x 14.5 x 24. I have fruit and nectar ready for them for tomorrow. Your advice is always appreciated. Thanks.

    1. Hi Carol, if they can fly, they know how to find safety in trees and other shelters from the storm. Monarchs are survivors. congrats on all your raising success!

       1. Thanks Tony, I don’t think fliers are happy sitting.

39. Question first: Why do you spray the cuttings with water after you have cleaned the cage?

    Comment: We always line our containers with paper towels and this makes cleaning the frass even easier

    1. Hi Mary, we spray water for the caterpillars.

       We dump the contents of the cage in a waste basket, so I’m not sure how lining the cage with a paper towel would help?

40. At the moment, I do not have many Kritter Keepers to use for all my caterpillars, so I have been using extra large aluminum roasting pans, the deep ones, that come with tall lids. They are inexpensive and work quite well for me. I always line the bottom of the pans with paper towel and remove all frass by taking out the “soiled” paper towels and put in new sheets of paper towel. I double my sheets to make it thicker. I do go through a lot of paper towels, but to save the Monarchs, it is worth it. I clean the aluminum trays often, every day, or more often when cats are larger and poop more. So far, I have not had a problem with the health of my cats. I have 50 cats at the moment and most of them are in their Chrysalids, while the others are busy stringing up. I do cut out a portion of the lid for air circulation and tape pieces of screen over the cut-out opening I made, to keep the container escape proof. I collected these cats when they were eggs on my milkweed, on August 6th. Yesterday I found another batch of eggs and watched the female deposit them. This time it was only 21 eggs. Maybe more eggs will come in a few days, whenever it decides to stops raining. I love watching the cats grow, and ultimately, releasing them for their incredible flight.

    1. Yay, Daisy! My very first raised Monarch adult emerged today successfully. I have 10 more in chrysalis.

       I got very enthused when I found this first set of eggs and ordered a bunch of 1st instar cats from MonarchWatch that will be here next week.
       Thanks to all the Monarch raisers…hopefully, we can raise the migration with Tony’s help.

       1. Congratulations Jessica 🙂
          It is awesome to watch our Monarchs emerge. It makes all the work of raising and releasing so rewarding. I have been raising for several years now and I am still amazed. Thanks to Tony for his expert advice and very helpful tips. I hope we all can raise enough Monarchs to re-populate the numbers of butterflies that were lost in Mexico from the weather. Maybe next year we will see more and more Monarchs fluttering around our gardens. This year hasn’t been too good, but we need to stay hopeful. Happy Monarch raising!

41. I have been raising monarchs since last summer and to date have successfully hatched and released 90 butterflies (50 this year already!) Unfortunately, lately none of them are surviving. They either die in the chrysalis and never hatch or when they hatch they fall to the ground and the wings never spread and they end up dying or I have to euthanize them. After such great success it is really frustrating now. I think I need to clean out my habitat more frequently as the cause of this could be disease. Any suggestions?

    1. Hi Kevin, it sounds like the butterflies might be heavily infected with OE parasites. regular habitat cleaning and rinsing of milkweed can help prevent heavy infection. Some in continuous growing regions bleach eggs to kill the spores. Here’s more info:

       OE parasites and other Common Monarch Diseases

42. Very helpful. . I spent my first year trying to do this all outside. I finally started reading and just now foun your site, I have cages inside and outside and caterpillars in my habitats. ,
    Thanks everyone for all the questions and answers.
    Ginny
    Southern Ca.

43. Hi Tony!
    Thanks very much for your site/info. I’m in LA and this is my first time raising cats, from tropical milkweed I bought from a local nursery. Found a total of 17 (various instars) and have them indoors in containers (for the small ones) & terrariums with ventilated tops for the large ones. 14 are in 5th instar, so I’m hoping for the best! I wouldn’t have been able to do this without all the online help. Thanks!

    1. you’re welcome Sandy, and congrats on getting all your caterpillars to this point…good luck!

44. How to I clean out a jar full of caterpillars when there is a chrysalis beginning to form on the side of jar? This is my first time so I do apologize if this is a basic question. My go to person is out of town for the holiday weekend. Thank you.

    1. Hi Marti, here is some info about chrysalis problems you should find helpful…good luck with your monarchs!

       Monarch Chrysalis Problems

45. Have a question: I have a 4th instar (I think) that’s about 1″ long in size. He’s been on a mw stem cutting in cup of water with the water covered with foil and this a.m. I found him on bottom of container on a mw leaf. Fortunately I had put mw leaves on bottom. I don’t know whether he fell or climbed down (about 7″-8″ height). Would he possibly be doing this to molt or maybe is ill? Thanks.

    1. Hi Pam, they will sometimes crawl away from cuttings to molt. I wouldn’t worry yet, and would just monitor the caterpillar.

46. Thank you again Tony,
    So do you think that it’s possible that the females that have been laying eggs could possibly be the ones I released in the last 2 weeks? I released 16 in one day.
    I kinda think at least one of them is as its seems very trusting of me and my husband. it seemed like she was ready to land in our hand or on our shoulder. Could she remember us? Just curious. They are very smart. I have a lot of milkweed on my screened in “Butterfly Room” that my husband set up for me, and she knows there’s milkweed in there, she keeps going on the outside of the screen to get inside.

    i guess i will the unanswered questions to the unknown. thank you for your format and website it is WONDERFUL!!!. It helps to be able to go back and read a lot of the conversations. Very helpful. I have yet to come to a perfect way to keep the little cut leaves from curling up. I have recently tried the cotton and the foil. I think i will give the florist tube idea a try, that Diane in the last post made mention of.
    Thank you Butterfly Care Givers !!!
    Sherrie Satterfield
    Port Richey, Florida

    1. Hi Sherrie,

       I too have butterflies I’ve released coming back to say “hi”!
       My butterfly garden is in one of my side yards and I keep a giant mesh lepidtarium inside my lanai. Often when I’m tending to my garden I’m startled by monarchs landing directly on my shirt and sometimes on my head! None of the other butterflies in my garden do this and this didn’t happen before I began rearing. They must remember all of the loving care we gave them and I believe they are saying hello!

       1. I know it seems ridiculous, but black swallowtails I have reared have done the same! I haven’t seen a Monarch here in Rock Hill, SC in 2 years of watching for them! ? I have 3 kinds of milkweed at The Ready!

47. I rear monarchs in plastic shoebox size containers using a single-stem water pic used by florists to keep milkweed moist. Usually have 2 eggs in a box if I find them on the same MW plant. The small size paper towels fit perfectly in the bottom and are easy to change. I’ve found once a day changing works until about 3rd or early 4th instar and then it is both morning and night. Milkweed single stems or cuttings work in the water pics. I bleach all supplies between batches but I haven’t tried bleaching the water pics – I just toss them and get new.

48. Thank you Tony for your reply, but my question still has not been answered or perhaps i didn’t understand your reply. My concern is what happens to the female if there is no milkweed for her to release the eggs? Does this cause HER harm? I am most definately setting limits, and we did what you had suggested posts back,about growing milkweed everywhere. That’s the problem now, the plants i have in the yard were to be my overflow for the food source, BUT fertile Myrtle and her friends keep laying eggs on them. I don’t doubt that the females are the ones I released not too long ago. What a cycle. Let me lay out what my concerns are. I have a lot of milkweed that have eggs on them and the ever annoying ahphids, to which i keep “rubbing out” i have brought in more plants for the 4+ cages i have set up with the cats in various instars. I want them to have food so they can continue to grow through the whole process. In the meantime, now i will eventually release these butterflies and if i deplete and cut back the remainder of my milkweed what is the purpose of releasing them if they will have no way of reproducing. Do they Have to mate? Do you see what i am trying to say? I hope so, i just want whats best for them. i just had two more beautiful butterflies born this morning. My luck will be both female.
    and nice to meet you Shirley. I don’t have a facebook or email account, I can only write tony through my work email. Maybe you can post your email and i can write you. That’s so neat to have a “neighbor” on this post. I would love to share notes with you, I find this whole process is a never ending learning lesson.

    Thank you Tony for this wonderful site.
    Sherrie Satterfield
    Port Richey, Florida

    1. Hi Sherrie, if the monarchs can’t find milkweed in your region they will fly to a region where they can. Keep in mind, some monarchs fly thousands of miles to their migration destinations. they will have no problems finding milkweed and potential mates somewhere…it just might not be in your region.

49. I am also in Port Richey. I have been raising and releasing Monarchs for 3 years. This has been a banner year and I have released 87.However, since all the rain I have not seen many ELFs (Egg laying females) and have not collected any eggs. Also had an outbreak of some
    disease that killed our last 8. I also notice they are spraying for mosquitoes (trucks, planes, helicopters) and I hate to think how many butterflies have died. I would love to meet you sometime and we can compare notes. I have been able to take cuttings and make new plants, because I didn’t realize I would run out. I am going to try to start a lot more now that I have been successful.

    1. Look forward to hearing from you Sherrie! Just found your post again. This year is sooo different. Monarchs seem to be scarce. I attribute it to all the spraying. I cringe when I hear that truck coming down my street! I know they are spraying for mosquitoes but many other things are being poisoned – butterflies, caterpillars of all sorts, beneficial insects, etc. “Monarch Manor” is full of swallowtail chrysalises. They are beautiful and I enjoy them but I really want the Monarchs because they are endangered. Maybe they are all in your neck of the woods? LOL.

50. I am getting way TOO many monarchs this past week. I can’t keep up with the amounts of eggs they are laying. I’m in Central (Port Richey) Florida, where I was told we have monarchs year round. I am trying to save as many eggs as feasibly possible, but i am getting ready to run out of plants. I have them scattered in the yard, in the garden and in my sceen room enclosure where i rear them. I need to deter the Monarchs from laying anymore eggs as i just don’t have the amount of food they are going to need, But my dilemma is what Happens to the poor female who is fluttering around wildly looking for a plant to lay her eggs. What happens to her is my concern? This is my 2nd year of raising the monarchs, and it has been a very good one, i didn’t realize until a past post from tony and others that our monarchs don’t migrate as we typically don’t get freezing weather. Please advise me on what i need to do that will benefit the butterflies. I never seen this amount of egg laying before.
    I have released over 60 so far this year and for me that is a large number. Last year about 15. I have lost count of how many i now have in cages. But to be realisitic i have to be able to feed the ones i have now in the cages. Please any advise will help. I feel so bad for the females that need the plants to realease her eggs, but i cant let the cats die of hunger either. Sherrie Satterfield,PortRichey,florida

    1. Hi Sherrie, I’ve got a two word reply for you: Set Limits. You can’t save them all. Even if you raise a few at a time, you are making a big difference considering the survival rate outdoors is 1-5%. Keep in mid one monarch female can lay HUNDREDS of eggs. Predation keeps balance. If monarchs had no predators, they would all die from starvation. So…decide how many you can comfortably raise at one time and make that a goal. If your milkweed supply is depleted, stop raising for a while and concentrate on growing more milkweed. Good luck!

51. Between more comprehensive cleanings, I always line the bottom of the cage with7-8 newspaper sheets. Then daily it is simple to remove my cuttings (and cats), take off the top sheet or two and all the mess, put in fresh cuttings along with any old cuttings harboring cats to new containers – and I have a clean, dry cage good to go with minimum effort. No problems with this method so far.

    1. One word of caution. I did the same with great success for three years. This year we had a prolonged period of rain and, even though the enclosures were not directly in the rain, the newspapers on the very bottom became damp while the top layers still appeared dry. It wasn’t until all my cats died overnight and I was cleaning the cage that I realized I must have created a mold problem. Now I stick with a single layer to be safe.

52. I put paper towels in my cage and either a potted plant or cuttings in a coke bottle. If I have a potted plant I put a coffee filter over the dirt to keep it clean. I lift out the plants and put in new paper towels and they have a “clean house”.

    1. Hi Mitz, that’s a great idea with the coffee filter over the dirt. Thank you for your comment!

53. I raise my butterflies in a 10 gallon aquarium with paper towels cut to fit the bottom. Every day I just replace the paper towel with the frass on it with new paper towels. Easy way to do it.

54. I just have a fun tip to share! I am using clippings in bud vases to raise my caterpillars on. I found inexpensive spice jars (about $1 each at World Market) to keep the clippings in– the holes at the top are big enough for the clipping stems, but most of the jar top is covered to prevent the cats from falling in the water! If I have holes I’m worried about the young cats falling into, I just cut a circle of parchment paper with a hole for the clippings and place it over the top of the jar.

    I also keep a paper towel at the bottom of the cage and just replace that daily to remove the frass. Before removing the towel, I also use a q-tip and dust any frass stuck on the leaves, and discard that with the paper towel. This is my first year raising, so far my group is healthy but keeping my fingers crossed for success!

    Finally, I just visited our local audubon center. They use an upside down tomato cage with tulle wrapped around it for the late instar cats. It is rubber banded at the top where the tulle is gathered, and the bottom is open as it sits over the milkweed clippings. I thought this was really clever!

    1. Thanks for sharing your tips Bridget!

55. I have been raising butterflies as a hobby for over 15 years and for the first time this year I have had numerous monarchs hatch with portions of the chrysalis stuck to their body. Sometimes they are able to fly after I remove the stuck pieces. This year I have also had more wing problems than usual.

    I always keep my rearing containers clean and thoroughly sterilize them between batches. I live in Florida and have released about 290 healthy butterflies this year. I would estimate my success rate this year at 80% compared to most years being 90% or higher. We had a lot more rain than usual last month, and I’m wondering if the high humidity may be the reason.

    Any ideas as to what is going on?

    1. Hi Bonnie, this sounds symptomatic of heavy OE infection, but could also be due to dehydration, but this sounds unlikely. More info about OE here:

       Monarch Diseases and Prevention

56. Please tell me what I can use to clean my butterfly cage with. I had the OE disease or Black Death disease last year and I want to make sure my cage is free from this for this season. Thank you

    1. Hi Debbie, you can use a 20% bleach solution to sterilize your cage.

57. When raising on a potted plant how do you clean up the frass from dirt? I have vacuumed bottom of cage , but there is rarely anything there.

    1. Hi Barbara, we typically use potted tropical milkweed plants no more than twice, so I don’t typically worry about cleaning out frass. Also, when we use mature potted plants, I have experienced most of the frass going on to the cage floor. Are these smaller plants?

       If you want to clear out frass from the soil, you could scoop it out with a spoon or pour out into a garbage. You might also try to watering your plants with a hydrogen peroxide solution which gives the roots more oxygen and also kills some germs. I am not sure if this is effective for fighting monarch diseases like OE, but it is good for the plants regardless.

       And finally, you might also consider using stem cuttings instead so frass is easier to clean. good luck, Tony

       1. I raise the cats in XL mesh cages outside. I place 5 1-gallon pots. I find it useful to place the pots on top of upside down plastic flower trays. The trellis looking kind. It raises the pots, stuff fall off, and cats are not tempted to crawl on the floor.

58. I raise monarch caterpillars in mason jars w/ cheese cloth covering (after the cats r large enough not to escape.) Most of them will form chrystalis’ on the cheese cloth, then I wait a few days to make sure crystalis’ are fully hardened before transferring them to a butterfly net, where I attach them w/ string by the stem. Any bumping or contact w/ crystalis b4 it is hardened will cause it to rupture. I’ve had a couple attach to the side of the jar. I just wait a few days and then transfer it like the others. Attaching to the side of the jar caused a dent on one side of the crystalis and I was concerned for my first one. But the butterfly came out just beautifully!

    1. Hi Julie, if you keep them in a side opening mesh cage there is no need to transfer them. They will pupate on the top of the mesh with no issues. When the cats are small, I use the kritter cage with pantyhose so I can keep track of them…

       Monarch Caterpillar Cages

59. Hello. I have only one chrysalis that formed last night and I was hoping to try to photograph the emerging monarch, but the chrysalis was formed in a bad location. Is it possible to very carefully move it. I thought about a tiny spot of glue on a stick but I am unsure if that could harm the chrysalis. Has anyone ever relocated a chrysalis. Thanks, Mark

    1. Hi Mark,

       there is some info in the next raise post that you should find helpful. Chryslaises are pretty easy to remove once you get the hang of it:

       Monarch Chrysalis Info

    2. Hi Mark,

       check out this article for some info about rehanging chrysalides. Personally, I tape mine up, but glue is also an option as long as you avoid getting it on the chrysalis

       Chrysalis problems and Development

60. Hi Shari,

    you might just have “slow” times of the year. Regardless, it’s a good idea to cut back your milkweed a couple times a year, so fresh healthy growth can emerge. Otherwise, overused milkweed can spread disease to monarchs.

    1. Hi Tony,
       I also live in So. Cal. and I have found that if I have milkweed blooming in Nov. I will still have Monarchs around. One time I had a cat living large off one plant in Dec. but that was unusual. I have tropical milkweed and I cut mine back in Nov. because of the OE and migration issues, but since our Monarchs migrate just 3 hours north of us to Santa Barbara I’m not sure if this is a problem.

       During the summer once my cats have denuded a plant I automatically cut it back so I have plants of different heights during the summer.

       1. Thank you for sharing your first-hand experience out west Lynda…most helpful!

61. Tony, I’m in coastal Southern California does my season ever end?

62. Hi Zoe, thanks for sharing some tips for your jar system. One thing I like about side-opening enclosures is that it’s easy to avoid contact with chrysalises.

    As for not rinsing your jars, I wonder if that will allow bacteria levels to build up? I know you only raise one caterpillar per jar, but if you have any disease issues I would consider rinsing again. Also, when a butterfly fall from its chrysalis in calm conditions, this could indicate a health issue.

    Our last two eggs hatched this morning…I think that might be it for the 2014 season. It sounds like you are having another good season too. Congrats!

63. Hi Tony,

    I just figured out something that may help others who use the Jar method of raising butterflies. I clean my jars regularly by just pulling out the leaf that still holds the cat, dumping everything else, rinsing the jar and putting a fresh piece of paper towel in the bottom. I return the cat on it’s leaf and add new leaves. When a chrysalis has formed and hardened, I again dumb and rinse the jar and this time add a stick in case the emerging butterfly falls.

    Well today as I was watching a cat split into a chrysalis, I noticed the fine web covering the entire inside of the jar. It occurred to me that the fine webbing would serve to help a fallen butterfly climb back up. I’d been rinsing it away!!!!! From now on I’ll just dump the debris and skip the rinsing. I’ll still put a stick in too for good luck.

    I’ll share another lesson learned. Once I has a chrysalis attach to the side of the jar and not the lid. I didn’t realize it has not hardened and while trying to sneak out the debris, accidentally brushed the chrysalis with the paper towel. It tore the side of the chrysalis and I watch helplessly as green liquid slowly leaked out. Sad……

    Anyway, thanks again for this fun place to grow monarchs together.
    Zoe

    1. Are they never really hardened or did you catch this one too soon? Wow that is awful; thanks for the tip.

64. Lurie Garden, Millennium Park, downtown Chicago (is that Meadow Blazing Star?):

    https://i.imgur.com/P2yv7LP.jpg

    1. Hi Derek,

       that is another favorite native nectar plant for monarchs and other pollinators…joe pye weed!

65. I certainly agree with checking cuttings/plants before bringing them inside for the cage. I was inspecting some swamp milkweed over the weekend and found a beetle jaws open facing up in the top part of the plant waiting for a snack. It blended in very well and I almost missed it.

    1. Yeah I soak them with the kitchen hose too, but over a container in case any baby cats fall out. They too are good at being missed.

66. Okay another question… (sorry, I’m new to this). How can one tell if a cat is resting or dead. There’s one that’s been hanging out under a butterfly weed leaf for more than 24 hours not moving. If he/she died, I want to get her out of there, in case there’s an infection.

    1. I have the same issue with one of mine. Although mine is hanging in the “J” pose. There has been no movement . Should I remove it?

       Also I have 6 in chrysalis and 25 cats. Excited to see how they do!

       Amy

       1. They might be preparing to molt which can take up to 24 hours; the forming of the chrysalis is the last molting and they can thus hang in the J for up to a day as well. Don’t disturb them. Also disease seems a little more obvious too (general lethargy, black spots etc…though as I have found this time around some black spots are just benign skin problems which don’t spread).

       2. Hi Amy, if the caterpillar dies it will go “limp”and no longer be in a “J” shape. It sounds like you are having a good season…congrats!

    2. Shelley, is it on the cage floor or attached to the underside of a leaf? If it’s one a leaf, I would leave it for a bit. If it’s on the floor gently pick it up with a leaf or your fingers and separate it from the other caterpillars.

67. Hi Tony ,
    I also clean my cages twice a day ,I use a small vacuum also too clean up with all the poop.
    Find if I put fresh wet paper towels down twice a day the Common Milkweed doesn’t dry out .
    Have three cages going at the same time,have two here and one at school,have 20 Chrysalis and 10 Caterpillar’s.

    Found 10 Egg’s and 4 Caterpillars last night ,the yellow little nasty bugs are really getting on my nerves.
    My Milkweed is really looking bad ,cutting the common milkweed and putting in frig,,seems to work the best for me .
    Should have my first Monarch too emerge on the 25th ,have 100 Tags guess I better be finding a lot more eggs huh ?
    Have a great weekend .

    1. Hi Judy,

       common milkweed is tough this time of the season. I’m glad some of yours is still viable. Cuttings and plants pretty much eliminate the issue of dried out leaves. For individual leaves, you can put wet cotton on the leaf petioles and secure it with aluminum foil…this works great with common earlier in the season.

       I guess it’s better to have too many tags, than not enough. good luck with your tagging…

       1. Tony, this off subject , but I had a chrysilas hang on a leaf, then another cat ate through the leaf and crysalis fell to the bottom of the cage. I was able to use dental floss and tape to tie him up, but what are the chances he’ll enclose properly? Is there any way I can increase the odds. Should crysalis be misted to hydrate or just left alone

          1. Hi Shari,

             sorry this happened, and I hope your butterfly will be OK. It sounds like you’ve done everything you can, and now you will just have to wait and see what happens.

             In the future, remove leaves with chrysalides and rehang them somewhere else. I’ve had to do this a couple times and taped the leaves to our kitchen overhang. Keep us posted on your chrysalis!

             PS…there is no reason to spray the chrysalis if the caterpillar was hydrated

    2. The little yellow bugs are aphids an easy way to deal with those pesky little vermon is to purchase a small batch of lady bugs and place a couple in the cage that is experiencing the aphid problems. They should be gone within a few days at most a week. After they are dealt with, remember to let your lady bugs free in your garden, they are an excellent pest control for small spaces and the environment needs as many pro-bugs as possible these days!

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