Cannibalistic Monarchs / part II

[Paul Cherubini]

Martha V. Lutz 

> I hesitate to simply conclude that there is cannibalism among Monarch
> larvae, but I can't rule it out at this point, either!
> 
> Does anyone have any more information on this?

Many monarch breeders have observed 
caterpillars eating eggs, each other and chrysalids. Some
anecdotal accounts can be found here:
http://www.monarchwatch.org/search.htm

For example:

from: agui1280 at dpnet.net
Subject: Cannibalism
Date: Mon, 14 Oct 1996 19:57:21 +0000

"Another possibility is that the caterpillar will eat the pupa." 

Well, know I know! My students came running to me, "Mrs. Aguilar,
the catterpillar is eating the pupa!" I looked, and the caterpillar was on
the pupa, but I did NOT want to believe what I was seeing.

I eased the carterpillar away and defused the indignation of
the students with some platitude about the caterpillars not "eating" 
their own kind. 

Mary Alice Aguilar