[bron]

Hi can anyone tell me please what I should do – I have a small female with pale spots on her lower wings, she emerged in a storm and there are a few days of bad weather coming. After she had no sun for 3 days and didnt want to fly away today i took her on a fern leaf and set her up in the sun, she spread her wings for a long overdue sun bath but didnt fly away. There is a storm predicted over the next few days in Auckland so i put her back in her hatchery nd will take her into any unshine that may come 2moro, but i am wondering if perhaps she cant fly. She doesnt seem interested in feeding from the flowers i put in her hatchery and ants swarm when i put sugar water out. Her proboscis is unfurled so im kind of stumped – does lack of sunshine muck them up whem they are born in June, and now the storms nearing do i still try and release her again or should i keep her in her spacious hatchery ? Any sage advice is most welcome, thanks, bron 0212624344

[Jacqui]

Hi Bron

What happens if they dont get enough sunshine in their first week to charge their batteries?

There’s no answer to that, really. Some live, some don’t live. They’ve got to take their chances.

Jacqui

[bron]

Thanks Jacqui, they are heartbreakers thats for sure. I havent ever brought any inside -wild needs wild – shes got a hatchery on the front deck but it doesnt get sun there, not that theres a lot of sun to go round. She doesnt seem to be OE but i dont have the skills required to tell, there are 3 more chrysalids in the plants i put in the berm where the wasps are so prevalent, but they have abated with the cooler wearher. The chrysalids need to be moved for safe hatching but if the hatchery is home to a diseased butterfly then it will be unsafe , argghh. What happens if they dont get enough sunshine in their first week to charge their batteries? She doesnt seem too feeble , clambering up the fern i held for her yesterday when i put her in the little sun we had.

[Jacqui]

This could be a symptom of disease, Bron. When we bring monarchs indoors they sense that it’s warm and bright, i.e. summer. Outdoors they will sense its winter. You might be best to leave it outdoors now and see what will happen.

Much as we would love every monarch egg to become a butterfly, there would be far too many for us if that was to happen. Some are destined to become food for predators, parasites… even diseases. This may be one of those cases that it doesn’t make it.

Diseases have an opportunity to build up over the summer – they are less likely to succeed at this time of the year.

Jacqui

[Author]

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