6.18.12

This is what wild Milkweed blooms look like!  They are a gorgeous mauvy-pink and the scent is amazing!


{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
1 Total

{CHRYSALIS}
28

{MONARCH's}
0 today ... 22 total


***Sadly, I had to twilight a chrysalis today- one of the late instar caterpillars that I found must have been riddled with disease.  The chrysalis fully formed, but then became yellowed and spotty after 24 hours.  

6.16.12

A few of the caterpillars that I have been raising, decided to make their chrysalids on the side of the glass aquarium that I have been raising them... creating flat spots on the chrysalids.  Sadly, this has created a few wing problems in some, but not all of the Monarchs that have flattened chrysalids. This Monarch, named Rainbow-Dash by my son, does have some wing damage on the tip of her upper right wing, but thankfully, it didn't slow her down --- she flew away just like the rest of our Monarchs today! 
{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
2

{CHRYSALIS}
33

{MONARCH's}
16

***We had 10 Monarchs emerge today, 7 female and 3 male!

6.10.12

Sadly, I had my fourth (of 53) caterpillar die.  I'm not exactly sure why, but while doing research as to what could be the cause of a caterpillar only half pupating and then suddenly dying, I have read that this 'catty' could have either has a parasite passed from its parents genetic materials (ie: sperm and egg) before it even hatched, or that it just didn't have the energy necessary in pupating.  Sad.


{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
9

{CHRYSALIS}
40

{MONARCH's}
0

6.3.12

Most often, Monarch caterpillars are docile creatures, unless another invades in another's feeding territory. I believe that this is what happened to this caterpillar.  I am assuming that a caterpillars blood is green, just like its feces, because all it consumes are Milkweed leaves.


{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
54 Total
21 large {+/- 9-14 days old}
15 medium {8 days old}
13 small {4 & 6 days old}
4 chrysalis

***I woke up to find one of my larger caterpillars in a pool of his own green blood. I have been seeing a few feisty caterpillars biting at one another if they happen to touch each other while they are eating, and I know that hatchlings can consume each other if they can't find a food source just after hatching - but this was crazy, and sad.

***There are also three more chrysalis' hanging- and I couldn't be more thrilled!  I did miss two of the shedding their skin, but I enjoyed watching the third with my four-and-a-half year old son, and he was just as amazed!