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I would like breed non Oe infected monarchs in Hawaii. Can I catch wild stock and clean them of Oe? Hawaii doesn't allow importation of live eggs ,pupa, or adults.
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If a monarch is infected with the protozoan parasite Oe, it cannot be cured. You should not breed Oe infected monarchs as their offspring are all likely to be infected. I would suggest checking your wild caught monarchs for Oe and using only the ones that are Oe negative to breed, making sure to sterilize your surfaces and rearing containers often with bleach. For instructions how to sample and test monarchs for Oe, visit the Project Monarch Health page. http://monarchparasites.org/
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I would like to give some of my newly collected common milkweed seeds to my friends in little seed envelopes for Christmas. Can I cold-moist stratify the seeds and then put them in the envelopes? Will my friends have to stratify the seeds again? What is the best temperature and humidity to store common milkweed seeds?
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Most seeds of temperate plants should be vernalized (cold treated); this ensures a higher germination rate than if seeds are sowed without this pre-treatment. Many of the southern species, such as tropical milkweed, will grow without cold-treatment. The most successful means of milkweed vernalization is through stratification. By stratifying, or subjecting seeds to a cold/moist environment for a short period of time, you simulate the conditions of a seed's natural break of dormancy that occurs when the seeds spend the winter in the ground. To stratify, first obtain a substrate. Peat has been found to produce the best results, in addition, peat/clay also work well. Secondly, moisten the substrate with water and place the seeds in the cold soil. Store the seeds in a dark place (a refrigerator crisper works well) with a temperature of approximately 5°C for a minimum of 3 weeks up to 3 months.
To allow for natural stratification, sow collected seeds directly into a mulched bed in the fall and the seed will germinate the following spring.
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How many monarch caterpillars are typically on a milkweed plant?
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If any, there are generally only one or two monarchs per milkweed plant. We monitor a few hundred plants weekly and the majority have no monarchs. The plants that we do find monarchs generally have only one egg or caterpillar, though sometimes we find more than that.
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My daughters and I (ages 3 and 6) are on our second year of raising the Monarch caterpillars that we find on the milkweed plants in our garden. When they hatch into butterflies we release them. Last year we successfully raised and released 36 butterflies. Our local nature center suggested tagging them to hopefully learn where they go. Can you tell me where I would get butterfly tags? We live in MN. Thank you!
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You can purchase a tagging kit on the Monarch Watch website. The kit is $15.
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This is my first experience raising Monarchs. I have 3 caterpillars that seem to be developing nicely. Question: Is any type of plastic safe to house Monarch caterpillars or as they form the crysallis? Also, I understand the need to clean the caterpillar cages regularly, but doesn't wiping down with a weak bleach solution impede the caterpillr's ability to activate its immune system, thereby weakening the adult butterfly once it emerges?
Thanks much for your help!
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Yes, any sort of plastic container will work fine, as long as it has sufficient ventilation for the monarch to develop. We generally use shoebox tubs and/or small deli containers and petri dishes. We clean our containers in a bleach solution after each use. The bleach solution is about 20% bleach and we soak the container for 20 minutes and then rinse and dry. We do not use bleach in the container while the monarch is in it. If the container cannot just be emptied and rinsed with water but rather must be bleached, the monarch should be moved to another container so that the container can be cleaned separately.
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