Monarch Egg Picking Time!

[Petee]

I just got back from picking up Monarch eggs from a BUDS member who got over 40 of them in the last two days.  The nursery has already sprung into action and will be expanding rapidly.  In less than 6 weeks we will have Monarchs to release at Charlie's Alternators.  Please hunt through your fields and wherever you see milkweed.  If you see a Monarch visiting a milkweed then odds are she left some eggs.  

Lean the plant to the left and to the right to look under the leaves for eggs or caterpillars.  Be careful not to break off or kink the stem.  Check inside of the blossoms and on top of the leaves.  Break off any leaf on which you find an egg or a caterpillar and lay it in some sort of a solid container such as a plastic shoe box with a tight fitting lid or a deep bucket. You can lay the leaves on top of each other.   It won't hurt them.  Keep the container reasonable cool and definitely out of the sun.

If you want to raise them yourself then let us know and we'll send you instructions, or you can contact me to pick them up.

371-3322 , 590-9010 or cshenkle@verizon.net

[Petee]

We now have approximately 65 eggs and caterpillars growing in the shoe boxes.  If you want to be part of the program, either by raising them in your home or collecting them for the BUDS program, please let me know.

[Petee]

We're up to 175!  Considering that left to nature, about 18 of them would live to fly,  and in our care about 158 will make it to fly, it's worth the effort.  We've had several that made it to Mexico and have been found there.  

Please get out and look for Monarch eggs even if you don't want to raise them.  We will gladly take them and release them at Charlie's Alternators for everyone to hold one.  Just let me know at 371-3322 or cshenkle@verizon.net

[Petee]

[Petee]

Now that we're actually raising them again, the next step in about 2 weeks will be tagging and releasing them.

http://monarchwatch.org/tagmig/tag.htm

[Petee]

I just got home from training a new grower and collecting 23 eggs and cats from a collector.  We've ordered 200 tags and a Way Station sign, so please help out by collecting eggs to donate, or by raising them yourself.  We'll happily teach anyone how to do it properly at home.