Raising Monarchs - OE Parasite Testing (Help The Monarch Butterfly) 

That sounds like a great couple of months. The numbers are down in the winter in California, I'd expect, but it's cool that you get to make it a year round effort. I'm already gearing up and looking forward to the new season!

Ya we pretty much have monarchs all year in Orange County. Our monarchs don't make that trip to Mexico anyway, so it shouldn't be too big a deal.

Hey, very happy to help! I appreciate back at ya, and any others, the effort put in to using the info. The videos mean nothing without people being willing to roll up their sleeves and get busy. So, thank you!

Much appreciated! I'll try to keep the standard.

Awesome news, and glad I could help!

That's very awesome! Second season already! I remember, after doing this once, I knew so much more by just the 2nd year. I think that's the transitional year where you know so much more than the previous year. It's exciting, and the confidence is much more there. I hope you're enjoying this season. And there's still weeks to go!

You're very welcome! Good luck!

Wow Dawn, that's amazingly awesome. An entire greenhouse? You are definitely committed! I thought doing the first 5 videos was going to be the start and stop of the video end of this project. I never expected so many to want to help and get involved. I also didn't realize just how many topics are out there and worth their own video. I don't ever want to waste anyone's time with making a video just to make one, so you won't see that from me. Still, there's definitely some Monarch topics I want to explore this summer, and shall. Can't wait for them to get up here to Michigan. In the meantime, I know that the Florida residents and travelers have Dawnie Milkweed to help them out!

What Ms. Hudson said about the help and education your videos provide is so true. I started “hosting” milkweed, caterpillars, chrysalis and butterflies in my back yard in Miami, FL. I was pretty much a “hands off” kind of guy, let them do their own thing. It was a roaring success. Predators were few (the local frogs), and the caterpillars would devastate the entire yard (planted lots of milkweed) but it was great to see the chrysalis and butterflies emerge. Now, I’ve been living in central Florida and the first 6 years was pretty much a repeat of the Miami experience, however; the last two years, the monarchs practically dissapeared. They are back now, but in much fewer numbers. I noticed a lot of wasps, and have seen them killing caterpillars. In frustration, I brought a few inside, some raised from eggs. They are in my apartment, cocooning and flying around until I can release them. It really is encouraging to know there are more folks out there who want to help the monarchs and the environment. If you have any advice on how to raise monarchs indoors... would love to hear it. Thanks

Hey, thank you for also caring enough to check out the videos and spread the word of their plight.

Very welcome! Thanks for checking them out.

Yeah...None of it is good when it happens. And that's why I have to say, in the "When Adults Can't Fly" video, I don't like any of the options described, but I don't dislike them either. There just isn't an ideal one for this situation. What you described is why some prefer Option #3 to Option #2. Again, I can respect any of the three, as they all have logic to them. People need to make their own choice as to what they prefer to do, and what they are comfortable with. Some have already told me, though, that in the past, they have done one of the options, and after having tried one or more a few times, changed their minds and go with a different one. It's understandable why, as they all have downsides.

Thank You Mr Lund, great videos, clear and very informative.

Oh, no apology necessary! There's MANY comments. It can be tough to find where they are from time to time.

I was likewise once in your shoes. I hope this helps!

How do you "dust" for spores? Thank you

Indeed, the testing can be rather easy to do with the right equipment. For a long time, I was using a heavy duty microscope, but have had success with a handheld portable one! It's cool that these have become much more available and affordable in the last ten years! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-32IqyxjOUfM.html Thank you for being so active in helping the Monarchs!

Hey thanks, and welcome aboard! Glad to hear that you're doing what you can, and have found a new (addictive) passion! Good luck in your efforts!

Not forgotten! I'll be ordering the tags in spring.

Strong words, and I'll take those to heart. Thank you!

@@MrLundScience I just started testing and the first one I tested is infected. Idk what I should do with it. euthanize it? Idk the humanist way to do that.

@@_WilliamWood Whether or not to euthanize is something the individual should decide for themselves. I do recommend, though, being informed first before making the decision. You may wish to see this video on what varying opinions from experts exist, as not all of them fully agree on the details: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5WEewtof3w8.html If after watching that video, you decide you do think euthanizing is called for, here is the video on how to do so in a way that most entomologists agree is humane: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sLfPc9mlh14.html Hope that helps!

@@MrLundScience thank you I watched both the videos and it helped me decide to release it. Because of the talk of resistance. The monarch is a male and is heavily infested but acts normal and looks fine. Thanks again

Very cool indeed. And yes, more affordable options exist out there. Made a video showing this method again, with a microscope that's a bit easier to get a hold of: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-32IqyxjOUfM.html

Awesome stuff! Good luck with it this year! I'm excited too for a new season coming up, and there's plenty of topics I hope to cover with some future videos.

Hey Sandra. I think the evidence of him/her not being able to eclose in a normal time on his/her own would support the idea that it was not your fault. It may have been a weak one. This would be one I'd definitely want to test for OE. This weakness may have been due to an OE infection. I don't know that I'd make a video on it, as 1) I've never encountered this, and don't wish to make videos on topics I don't really know about first hand, and 2) I think I would have done exactly what you did. Don't trouble yourself. These things do happen. I don't know what you could have done differently.

Thank you for putting my mind at ease. You really get attached to them and when you lose one and believe you're at fault is gut wrenching. This is my first year raising them and just released the last one yesterday. A female. She was beautiful!

I've felt similarly. I never mean to sound cold or unattached when I say things like, "These things happen," to people. It sucks. You hate it. But, if you do this enough, you'll see it again, and you have to get emotionally prepared for that. It comes with the territory.

You're very welcome. Happy to do it!

Greetings Shirley! Brace yourself, as discoloration of the chrysalis usually does mean OE, if not NPV. (Most often, if they have NPV, they don't make it to the chrysalis stage...) Great to hear how dedicated you are! This is my 7th year as well!

Of the three that emerged today, zero infected!

Great to hear! Thank you for taking it to the level of OE testing. The more I'm in touch with those who study Monarchs and the difficulties they face, the more I hear how important OE testing is. Very cool of you to put in that added time!

Thanks for the kind words. For euthanizing, the best method most entomologists agree upon as the most humane is to put the butterfly in an envelope (with wings folded upwards) so that it will not struggle, and then place them in the freezer. Sad, but sometimes necessary.

@@MrLundScience oh wait, with the wings up? Oh man. I literally just had to euthanize one. I've had to in years past from Technid flies infecting them. Today one eclosed and fell. It crumpled a bit. I fixed it up pretty well with a little bit of tape on the two outter wings, but someone mentioned the abdomen didn't look right. :( Then I realized that it's proboscis was MISSING. Do you know what they feel when freezing them? I checked a few minutes afterwards and it was still alive; and it was killing me. I get extremely sad. I'm gonna start doing what you recommended. Thank you

Yes, I agree, and such a video is planned. I didn't start testing for OE until last year, and at that time, I had learned how to test for it, but not much on how to prevent it. I had learned some things, sure, but I hadn't done them myself, and I refuse to make an instructional video on something I myself haven't field tested. Seems pretentious to instruct someone how to do something you haven't done yourself, right? By the time I had learned some tips on prevention, all of my eggs had already hatched and were either in chrysalides, or were cats well on their way to the chrysalis stage. So, a prevention video just wasn't in the cards last summer. This summer, it's the first on my list of what I want to research and produce as far as the Raising Monarchs vids go. It's equally important as this testing one, and just as you point out, it'd be better to prevent it in the first place than to have to euthanize those that acquire it.

The best thing to do is cut your curassavica milkweed (If you don't get talked into getting rid of it) all the way back in November, spray with 5% bleach solution and then hit it with Captain Jack's Dead Bug (organic) or something similar just a couple days later, that'll cut really stop the heavily infestations that this poor milkweed will usually endure constantly. Then hit it again 3 weeks later when the new growth starts to keep the leaf minors from doing damage. This plant would get a nice break from aphids, lady bugs, leaf miners, hoverfly larva, flies, lacewing larva and all their droppings that they leave behind on the plant, creating a lot more bacteria than needed. By the time Spring rolls around, its a healthy plant ready to be chomped on.

Sounds awesome! I hope to see New Zealand one day. THANK YOU for Ernest Rutherford!!!

MrLundScience beautiful here in summer full of butterfly's

MrLundScience Hello! I've Been Raising Monarchs For A Long Time, 😩And I Enjoyed It Very Much But Some of Them Had The OE Infection Please Tell Me What To Do With Them And I Will Be Posting a Video Of Me Raising Them When They Come Right Now Its March 12, 2017 When Do You Think They Will Come Please Answers These!!!😅Also When The Butterfly Had The OE I Only Noticed It When It Came Out😩

Greetings Connie. I'm curious from your comment, how were you able to notice that some of your Monarchs had OE? Did you use a tape method and a microscope similar to what I show in my video? If a Monarch has OE, the most responsible thing to do is difficult for some. The animal must not be returned into the wild population, and thus, euthanized. The easiest way to do this is to place the butterfly in a container (an envelope works well for this) and place it in the freezer. Freezing insects is considered the most humane way to euthanize them. As for when the Monarchs are coming your way, that greatly depends upon your location. Close to the southern US/Mexico boarder, late April and early May is when the start crossing over. For us Michiganders, the Monarchs aren't around here until sometime in June, though the numbers are more plentiful starting in late June. Hope that helps! Good luck this year!

MrLundScience I Didn't See The OE Until It Transformed Out The Chrysalis And I Live In IL

If it's brown/black, there's definitely an infection of some sort. I've never had one turn those colors that ended up having the adult emerge. If you ever want to send photos, the easiest option is if you have a Twitter account. My handle on there is @MrLundScience. That, or, you could always post photos somewhere and provide the link to it. I'm glad that the videos helped you out that one day when you and your husband were wondering. So many have told me that before they heard about Monarchs in the headlines, they had already started to notice them not around. I really hope we can see their numbers significantly increase in the coming years!

I see what you mean, now, but again, what might be the advantage? The scientist in me can't help but want to ask, what would be the advantage compared to just keeping the leaves "as is" and letting them do their thing? I don't pretend to *know* what it'd be like, as I haven't done this, but what I'm picturing is a lot of the Milkweed's latex sap secreting in the pile (and my blender), and if caterpillars are crawling on it, getting that latex sap on their bodies more than they normally would. Maybe that wouldn't cause them a problem, but if they got enough of it on them, it could. Holes in the caterpillar body, holes too small for us to easily see, take in air and that's how the caterpillar "breathes". I use quotation marks there because they don't inhale/exhale, but instead, air naturally gets in there, and oxygen gets dissolved into the body fluids that way.

Thank *you* for checking it out! If OE Parasites are a concern, check out the newer video I made on preventing them: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-oZYzzcGiZRA.html

Happy to have provided it. And if you don't have a heavy duty microscope already, you may wish to check out this "alternative" way to test: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-32IqyxjOUfM.html

Thanks for this series. Will start testing with the next batch which will be enclosing in the next couple of days.

Most definitely, Daliena! A sanitation vid is already on the docket for this season. Need some stars of the show first, though. But yep, that one's coming out this year. Thanks so much for checking these out and showing the interest. (I just hope that as I put out the occasional teacher Hip Hop song, RM viewers enjoy those too!)

Hey Jules! So glad that these videos have been helpful. Thank *you* for taking up the efforts and having success with it! As for Tropical Milkweed, I actually have a video all set and edited, but am still waiting to hear back from a party involved for permission with some of their quotes. Once I do, that'll be up and posted ASAP. Your numbers are impressive! Keep up the good work.

MrLundScience I really am struggling with the milkweed thing. Mexico is just an hour south of me and not knowing I was not supposed to plant it we planted and grew a ton. We had natives but the Monarchs would not touch it. I’m in several So Cal Monarch and milkweed groups and I’m excited to share what you have learned! Interesting that when it is cooler there are less Tachinid flies. They are still here but no where near the amount in the summer.

MrLundScience I have spent months researching the whole tropical milkweed thing and most recent info is they are still up in arms! I test mine for OE and not showing up here. (Tachinid yes horribly so!) we do actively cut our milkweed back and of course always was before serving. So much controversy and I’ve seen “Citizen Scientists” working currently with scientist to report their findings and I personally think tropical milkweed is getting a low score from inaccurate sources. In 2016 Mexico reported a huge increase in Monarchs. This could just be a Southern California thing. I still have eggs, caterpillars, Monarchs including them mating. I’ve been in So California most of my life and have watched our “winters” pretty much disappear over the last 5-6 years. Literally in tank tops and flip flops! I ponder if we raise tropical efficiency, that we have an opportunity to increase the Monarchs #’s! We may have to adjust our plan with global warming going on. I to use you as a main point of info but also research other’s research and the conflict is crazy!

Can you explain what you have heard as to why you are not supposed to plant it?

Let me definitely be clear on this one: I am not an authority. I always want to be clear about that because there are many entomologists and ecologists working the *real* science who know much more than I do. That being said, those experts are not in 100% agreement. This tends to be the indicator that the science is cutting edge, and not all of the data is there yet to make the most logical decisions. Studies on Tropical Milkweed, and how it affects both OE and the Monarchs that feast upon it are still being done. The video that I can't release yet tries to flesh out what some in such fields have to say on it. (Not sure still when it'll be out, but soon...)

HEY! You're absolutely right! I was thinking so much about how I wanted to show the bleaching system, I completely neglected this part. Normally, I place them on fresh paper towel, but (though it doesn't look like it in the video) it was windy enough that day, I wanted to use the plate. The plate, being curved, helped to shield the eggs from the wind. I'll be sure to mention this in an upcoming video. Could you do me a favor, though? Your comment, I think, was probably meant for the latest video on OE Parasite Prevention. Can you copy and past it as a comment on that one? That way, others can benefit from reading it there. Once you do that, I'll re-reply to it, and then delete it from this video. Thanks for the help in pointing this out. I'm not a fan of my errors, and know that I *will* make them. Thus, I appreciate being notified of them so things can improve!

That's a challenge. I've heard from others that they have gotten into territory much earlier than the Milkweed has been able to support it. I wish you luck, very much. Hope things turn out well. In the end, you can only do what you can do.

It didn't turn out well all of the cats were infected with EO and died either at the transforming to Chrysalis stage or deformed butterflies. with only 2 fully formed butterflies which had flight issues . I would not have released them even if they could have flown because of the EO in all of the others. :( a very sad spring.

Happy to help!

I'm a literal guy when it comes to these comments, so in what your son asked, the first answer that jumps in my brain is, "If it's legal, sure." Then a different voice in my head says, "Well, even if it weren't legal, you still *can*." I think, though, that your son is asking if it's a good idea or not. I know that I wouldn't, mostly because of the risk of accidentally spreading even just one spore into the other enclosures that house the caterpillars being cared for. If you can take measures to ensure that this doesn't happen, then you certainly could. But, it's important to take more measures than you think are necessary. I hope that helps!

MrLundScience It does help to bounce ideas off of you. I would not do it for this reason. Hard decision to make.

Happy to provide.

Thanks Tricia!

Hey, thank YOU for checking it out and using the knowledge. And thank you also for your continued efforts. I'm just making videos. People using them is what's important!

MrLundScience Well please keep it up! Your tips are always helpful :) Should be monarch season here in FL pretty soon and I'm definitely gonna try and get ahold of a microscope so I can start testing. I'm probably gonna have a lot of positives :(

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and the other Floridians! If there's topics you feel need coverage in future videos, I'd like to help where the help is needed. Requests welcomed.

MrLundScience I'm sure a question will come up! They always do lol. I'll be sure to leave a request. Thank you

Welcome! Thanks for having an interest in the Monarchs!

@@MrLundScience l have been planting milkweed for years. Right now l am finding caterpillars everywhere. Im in south western Pennsylvania. I brought some in tonight. I am going to try and raise them. I am affraid because l have not ever tried this before. I have been watching your videos and this knowledge helps. I wiil let you know how it turns out. Thank you for your incredible dedication.

That's correct. The plug is only for the light on that microscope. As these were note cards, not glass slides, ambient light is easily enough for the human eye to see. There were times I shown a light on the card so that it was easier to see for the video, but otherwise, yep, no need to light the cards from the bottom.

Now *that* is an interesting question! And admittedly, I've never even thought to do that! I would have to imagine that since there can be so many spores on an infested adult, and since they are so easily transferable, the answer would be yes, but I now want to test that out. I didn't have any last year that were infested, as OE is not very prevalent in my area. Still, when I encounter my next infested Monarch, I'll be sure to see if I can then trace back which chrysalis it came from by testing any ones that were emerged from on that day. (In the heat of my season, I might have up to 10 emerging on the same day.) Great idea, and worthy of exploration! As for cross contamination, I test each Monarch, always handling only one at a time, and once I touch one, I touch nothing else but my testing equipment until I can confirm it is clear of infestation. If ever they are, I fully sanitize myself and my testing materials. Thanks Cherie!

Hey Johnnie! You're absolutely correct, another vital way to help the Monarchs, and many other pollinators is to be planting more nectar producing flowers. And those that bloom in the fall are especially helpful for the fall migration. As for the telescope, the one I use in this video is pretty large and bulky. I don't know if you want one of those or not. Don't get me wrong, a high quality microscope is pretty fun to have. Still, these days, hand held pocket microscopes are pretty affordable. Technology has made them easy to acquire. So, if you Google search (or Amazon search, or eBay, or whatever) the words "hand held microscope" or "pocket microscope", many affordable options are out there. I made a second video showing how to test with such a microscope, which is here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-32IqyxjOUfM.html As for the make and model of the microscope in this video, perhaps I'm overly cautious, but I won't say what it is. See, RU-vid can be pretty funny and particular about endorsing products. If I made a video where I talked a lot about a particular microscope and mentioned what it is and where to get it and why I love it so much, even though that company never paid me to say those things, RU-vid could still make the claim that I am endorsing that product as if I *were* being paid by that company. If RU-vid feels that way, they can do things to that video to have it played more or less often, and to gain $ from it that isn't theirs. While I obviously have not made such a video, I still try to stay very far away from anything that could be perceived as endorsing a product. Thus, even in comments sections, I don't mention products by name. I hope you understand. It's nothing personal.

It was such a sparse year, no, those eggs were not collected in the same spot. I mean, I think there were some times where there was two at once that I found, but even that was rare. Multiple different locations and on different days, but all were in mid-Michigan. As for the spores getting on the eggs, they are so small, and so "everywhere", I think that plenty could transfer on or very nearby the laid egg. Perhaps it's worth the trouble to inspect the eggs right after they are collected (with a microscope) to see if spores are present. I'll try this out this summer and see what can be found.

Anything like this? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-32IqyxjOUfM.html

Truth! Yeah, one thing that has gotten much (much) more affordable in the past ten years has been microscopes. I'm only using the large bulkier one in these videos because it was free from school. (It was broken, they said I could have it...I repaired it...brought it back to the school for them to have it back, but by then, they had ordered brand new ones and told me I could still keep it!) But I think perhaps I should get a pocket one, just to show how easy/affordable they are. Lots of great options out there!

Link to a pocket one, cause my husband is going to roll his eyes when he sees me ordering a microscope.

Amanda, definitely don't order a huge large one! A pocket one is definitely able to be used. Choose whichever you like, but make sure it can go to 40x magnification. I'm currently today editing the next Raising Monarchs video, which coincidentally is about this very topic - the use of hand held affordable pocket microscopes! It does not promote one over the other, just shows how they can be used.

Are Hobby One craft stores in Michigan?

I purchased a used microscope from a local state college surplus store, it was a stereo microscope with 20x and 40x magnification, paid $100 +tax. I have to say it takes raising monarchs to another level. It is amazing to watch the cat eat it’s way out of the shell then turn around and devour it’s used shell for a first meal. Even my 93y.o. Mom spends time watching them grow. I haven’t started checking for O.E. (Only raised/released 2 so far) but will start in the future. I hope the microscope is strong enough to spot O.E. Thanks for the video

Once infected, I'm sorry, but no. However, there are ways to prevent it, which is what the soon-to-be-out video is all about.

I misspoke in a way in this video. The optical part of the instrument that is not adjustable was 10x magnification, and that needs to be multiplied to the adjustable optics. So where I said "10x", that was really 100x, and where I said "4x", that was really 40x. My apologies for the slip. 40x is strong enough to be able to see them, and 100x is strong enough to make out their distinct shape. Handhelds do exist that go to 40x, and some likely go beyond that, though are more expensive. I made an update to this idea here, and with a much more affordable example: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-32IqyxjOUfM.html

Greetings Camiel, Great job on helping out with a garden, that's awesome! To answer your questions... 1) There are many different insects in many different regions that can harm the caterpillars, or harm the milkweed plant (inadvertently harming the caterpillars), or are just neutral. I'd have to see a photo of the insects you're describing, as they don't come to mind immediately. You and I are in quite different areas, and I can tell you, I haven't seen here in Michigan what you're describing. That being said, I haven't *heard* of these guys before, and that's a good sign. Still, a photo would help. If you use Twitter, you could tweet me a photo @MrLundScience. Or, you could put a link in the comments section here to a page that shows what you think the insect to be. 2) The silk strand coming out of your deceased caterpillar is almost 100% a tachinid fly, which are also pretty prevalent out west in your area. Check this page to see/read all about them: www.cranialborborygmus.com/tachinid-flies-are-killing-my-monarch-caterpillars.htm They are here in Michigan too, just not seemingly as much. I've never had a tachinid fly situation, and I'm pretty sure it's due to my method of taking the eggs in, and once I have them, from egg to adult, there's never a chance for the tachinid fly to get to them. I keep the eggs/caterpillars in containers the whole time. (Have you watched the core series Parts 1-5? If not, check out most of them to see what I do, and if you adopt my method, tachinid fly situations will no longer trouble you.) I hope that helps! Keep up the awesome efforts, and if you have more questions, hey, I'm here all summer and then some!

Your caterpillar was infected with a tacnhidid fly

Yowza. Pretty cool. Meanwhile, I have months to go...

Amazon could be helpful, but I know I'd want to check local Universities first. They sometimes are getting rid of old equipment when new stuff comes in, and they sell it at great prices. If you can get a microscope that has 400x magnification, you should be able to see the spores without a problem.

thank you for answering. I'll call around before I order from Amazon.

I'm sorry, but I won't say brand names. RU-vid can be picky (and not consistent) on what they consider endorsements of products. However, before you make a purchase, you may wish to see this option: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-32IqyxjOUfM.html

Man, thanks Greg! I have NO IDEA where I made the link of OE being bacteria. I could SWEAR that I read it somewhere, but as I search and search, I can find no page or source that possibly put that in my head. (Perhaps I was incepted?) It's quite the blunder on my part, and I can't thank you enough for pointing it out. I've got some major correcting to do with the video and with the thumbnails. It's full blown Science Olympiad season right now for me, so I don't know exactly when I'll get the chance to make the corrections, but I assure, it's high on the priority list!

No problem! Everybody learns something new everyday! And that's the truth. I was able to rear monarchs last summer, mostly thanks to you. Your videos are very knowledgeable, and most importantly entertaining. :)

south miami

Leaving comments is the primary way to reach me with questions. Sorry to hear about Rubble. In situations where the adult can not fly, it's a tough place to be as there aren't many good options. There are options, just not any that are something to get excited about. To handle the topic, I made this video to discuss some of those options and the logic behind them: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XfuTlASal_U.html I have heard of others doing wing transplants (using spare Monarch wings that they have) but I have never done such a thing, and thus, do not comment on it one way or the other. I just know such a procedure exists. Hope this helps!

Thanks very much I appreciate your help and will watch the link you provided. Rubble doesn't have OE I checked under a microscope yesterday following the instructions on one of your videos. So think wings are crumpled from the fall after eclosing or the cold weather. Thanks again.

To my knowledge, there is not a way to know if a cat has OE, other than the death of a heavily infested caterpillar. (And even then, it would take a dissection, followed by analyzing remains with a microscope, to confirm it.) There have been times when large cats have darker lines and bolder black lines, but these seem to happen later in the season. Some speculate, it's an adaptation to be darker during times when sunlight is reduced. I hope you find a deal on the microscope! Check any local universities nearby you if you have any. MSU, near my location, has discount science equipment from time to time at their surplus store. Good luck!

That's pretty cool. I know that raising Monarchs has been very rewarding. I can only imagine that doing similar with other species has its own set of unique rewards. What species besides Monarchs do you raise? Are they also of a species that have a threatening population decline? I know for me, I'd love to try other moths/butterflies, but the way I look at it, my time is limited, so whatever time I'd give to another species would be time away from the Monarchs. Thus, I'll be sticking with Monarchs. Good luck with your lil' ones!

I raise butterflies and moths only but i want to raise dragon flies too but i don't know how to raise them and where to find them.

This website will give you more info on dragonflies: www.dragonfliesnva.com/

I also raise several species of butterflies and moths. I have a group that teaches people to create habitat and rear many species for conservation only. Nothing commercial. We do cater to Monarchs, but I try to get people involved in not just butterflies and moths, but all pollinators. This is a facebook group: facebook.com/groups/butterflyandmothconservation/

I am also raising a few different species such as, luna moths, viceroy butterfly, monarch,cecropia moth and hickory tussock moth

Greetings Valerie, Yes, it makes sense that OE would be high in Hawaii. Something that prevents OE from having a foot hold in other areas is that in colder regions, the milkweed stalks die (though the root system does not) and come up fresh, and thus, not tainted, each spring/summer. If the plants are growing year round as in warmer climes, there isn't this winter purge of the parasite. Thus, the parasite can build up on the plants, and thus, in the population. But you are correct, there are methods for cleansing the eggs with a bleach solution. That's my number one video project for the Monarchs this summer, but I need a good number of eggs to test it out on (and video), and I haven't found a good number all at once yet. I've been finding just one here and two there, days apart. I'm hoping to find a female and "milk" her for eggs (as I did in the "Encouraging Egg Laying" video) and use a sample of what eggs she can drop for me for that research/video. With hope, it'll be up this year, but it may come out after the main part of our Eastern North American season is closing. In the mean time, see what you can find out and test out with it. If the majority have OE, certainly the risk of bleach isn't as imposing, since there's a high likelihood they'll have OE without the bleach treatment. I wish you loads of luck. Laki maika'i! (

If most monarchs in a region have OE, and if OE-positive monarchs should be killed, then most monarchs should be killed in that region. Really?! Doesn't sound right to me, and I've heard some areas have an almost 100% rate.

Ian, that is not at all what is being said. Please do not take it out of context in this way, as it drastically changes what is being said. In no way, shape, or form has it been advocated that people take Monarchs out of the wild and screen them for OE, euthanizing the ones that have it. As you point out, that would decimate various populations. Further, it'd be foolhardy. There is no goal to eradicate OE, as it's part of the natural world as well, and has been with the Monarchs for millions of years. However, if we are raising Monarchs in order to help increase their numbers, counterproductive to our goal would be to artificially increase the amount of OE in nature. So, if we produce Monarchs that, because of us giving them leaves that have OE spores on them, they acquire OE, this could happen to an entire batch of Monarchs that otherwise potentially could have been OE free. This could be counterproductive to our efforts. I put together this video with the help of various experts in the field to allow them to lend their voice to this issue. "Should We Euthanize" ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5WEewtof3w8.html

Thanks Rich! In my comment I run a thought experiment. If we should euthanize every OE monarch we raise, we're not just aiming to not increase the prevalence, we're aiming to decrease the natural prevalence. If that's a goal, then consistent with that would be to test wild ones and euthanize those with OE too. Obviously that's not right. Therefore, imo, it's not obviously right to euthanized every OE monarch raised.

As it turns out, this is an area where there are some strong opinions, and where there's strong opinions, there's controversy. I don't weigh in on this, but rather, made this video that discusses how those with much more expertise weigh in. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5WEewtof3w8.html In the end, I feel that this is up to the individual to decide. I would just ask that they have made an informed decision rather than an uninformed one. I hope this can help!