Monarch Info Needed...

[Anne Kilmer]

evoluhol at magnum.wpe.com wrote:
> 
> Droidess,
> 
> In my experience:
>      It takes nearly a full mature plant per caterpillar.  More if you are
> putting fresh leaves in container each day.
>      Excellent - feed directly on plant in the ground.  Good -- feed on
> plant in jar of water.  OK - feed on loose leaves replaced every day.  The
> further down the scale you go, the smaller and less robust the butterflies
> tend to be.
> 
> Dave
> 
> In article <19971221144001.JAA14870 at ladder02.news.aol.com>,
> droidess at aol.com (Droidess) wrote:
> 
> > Hello Everyone,
> >
> > I'm just starting out in lepidoptera farming and am presently growing
> milkweed
> > for the arrival of instar Monarch larvae. The question I have is this:
> > approximately how many plants per larvae? Is it better to pull the leaves off
> > and feed them in a separate container or let them feed directly from the
> plant?
> >
> > Thank you...Droidess

Only if you put the plant in a jar of water, cover it with plastic or 
cloth, with a tiny hole for the plant to poke through or your 
caterpillar will drop in there and drown. Darn things got no sense at 
all.
Merry Christmas
Anne Kilmer
South Florida

Also happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Saturnalia, solstice and so forth.
And a glad New Year.