PROGRAM FILES – BUTTERFLIES

THE GARDEN CLUB OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC. PROGRAMS FROM OUR OLD LENDING LIBRARY

The following programs are combined here and pertain to Butterflies:

RAISING MONARCH MARILYN WRIGHT BUTTERFLIES wrightstuff48@bellsouth.net

28 – 30 DAYS 1. ESTABLISH A GOOD SOURCE OF MILKWEED PLANTS – ABOUT 10 PLANTS 2. EITHER BUILD OR PURCHASE A CAGE – NETTED SO IT IS LIGHT AND AIRY. THE CAGE MUST HAVE A SIDE THAT WILL OPEN SO YOU CAN CLEAN OUT THE FRASS FROM THE BOTTOM. KEEPING A PAPER TOWEL ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CAGE MAKES THE PROCESS EASIER. I ORDERED A CAGE FROM ROSE FRANKLIN WHICH IS SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO RAISE BUTTERFLIES: http://www.butterflybushes.com/ BUTTERFLY REARING KITS 3. I ORDER MY CATERPILLARS FROM ROSE FRANKLIN – 10 AT A TIME. THAT NUMBER IS ENOUGH TO RAISE FOR ONE BATCH. YOU CAN ALSO FIND EGGS AND/OR CATERPILLARS ON MILKWEED PLANT, ESPECIALLY IN LATE AUGUST THROUGH EARLY SEPTEMBER. 4, FEED ABOUT 5 LEAVES EVERY OTHER DAY TO YOUR BROOD. CLEAN THE LEAVES BEFORE PUTTING IN THE CAGE AND MIST THE LEAVES EVERY DAY. KEEP THE CAGE NEAR BRIGHT LIGHT BUT NOT IN SUNLIGHT. 5. CLEAN OUT THE CAGES EVERY OTHER DAY. 6. WHEN THE CATERPILLARS ARE READY TO BEGIN THE CHRYSALIS STAGE, THEY WILL EXPLORE THE TOP OF THE CAGE NETTING. YOU MAY CATCH THEM SPINNING A WEB TO ATTACH TO THE TOP OF THE CAGE. THEY WILL DROP INTO A “J” FORMATION, THEN SPIN INTO A PUPA 7. THE PUPA IS A BEAUTIFUL GREEN WITH A BRIGHT GOLD BAND. PUPA REMAIN IN THIS CHRYSALIS STAGE APPROXIMATELY 7 – 10 DAYS. CHECK DAILY FOR A PUPA THAT SEEMS DISCOLORED, IN OTHER WORDS, TURNING BROWNISH RED. REMOVE THAT ONE AND DESTROY. PARASITES HAVE MORE THAN LIKELY INFECTED IT. 8.WHEN THE PUPA TURNS BLACK, IT WILL SOON HATCH INTO A BUTTERFLY. YOU WILL PROBABLY NOTICE THE FORMATION OF A WING INSIDE THE PUPA. AFTER THE PUPA HATCHES, CHECK THE WING FORMATION. A MALFORMED BUTTERFLY SHOULD NOT BE RELEASED IN CASE IT IS INFECTED WITH A PARASITE. 9. ALLOW THE HATCHLING TIME TO DRY ITS WINGS IN THE CAGE. MAKE SURE IT CAN FLAP ITS WINGS. THE NEW BUTTERFLY CAN SURVIVE 24 – 48 HOURS WITHOUT FEEDING BUT DON’T WAIT MUCH LONGER. CHECK THE WEATHER AND BE SURE TO RELEASE WHEN RAIN IS NOT FORECASTED WITHIN 4 HOURS. RELEASE THE BUTTERFLY ON A FLOWER BLOOM IF POSSIBLE– LIKE CONEFLOWER. 10. YOU LEARN HOW TO RAISE BUTTERFLIES BY RAISING THEM. EACH PERSON DEVELOPS THEIR OWN SYSTEM. THERE’S NOTHING MORE EXCITING THAN FINDING A MONARCH IN YOUR CAGE ONE MORNING. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THERE ARE MANY WEBSITES WHICH TELL YOU HOW TO RAISE BUTTERFLIES AND WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IN A FORUM. YOU CAN ALWAYS EMAIL ME – I WILL TO GLAD TO ASSIST.