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by Tony Gomez

8 months ago

Raising Butterflies Blog

Are You Ready To Raise Monarch Butterflies for the 2023 Monarch Migration?


Supply List for Raising Monarch Butterflies to Release for the Great Fall Migration- Raise the Migration 2023

8 months ago

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By Tony Gomez

Raise The Migration 2023 Supply List for Raising Monarchs through all 4 stages of the Butterfly Life Cycle

by Tony Gomez

8 months ago

Supply List For Raising Monarchs

Raise The Migration 2023 Supply List for Raising Monarchs through all 4 stages of the Butterfly Life Cycle

Welcome to Raise the Migration 2023, where youโ€™ll be raising magnificent monarch butterflies to help increase the number of monarchs that will be overwintering in the mountains of Mexico and coastal California.

My name is Tony Gomez, and Iโ€™ve raised thousands of monarchs over the past 40 years. My goal is to help you learn how to raise more monarchs with less effort, while helping the struggling monarch population recover so that one day it can thrive again across North America. Here are more details about Raise the Migration, including my suggested supply list for raising monarch butterfliesโ€ฆ


Who is Raise the Migration for? Itโ€™s for:

  • those concerned with saving the monarch migration for future generations
  • those who want to raise healthier monarch butterflies
  • anyone looking for a more efficient process to raise monarchs
  • Parents looking for a fun, active, and educational activity for kids
  • Kids who love nature andย want to learn how to nurture it
  • School teachersย looking for an exciting (and educational!) way to start the school year
  • Retirees looking to reconnect with nature
  • Those interested in joining a passionate community of Monarch Enthusiasts who want to make a difference

Feel free to share this post with others you think would be interested in participating!


How Many Monarchs Will You Raise?

This challenge was created for anyone raising between 1-20 monarchs at one time. If you want to raise more, I recommend using additional habitat cages to avoid potential diseases caused by overcrowding.


Do You Have To Start On An Exact Date?

Itโ€™s unlikely that we would all have new monarch eggs on exactly the same date. Therefore, I will start sending tips during the earliest part of the migration, so you can refer to them when you have monarch eggs or caterpillars secured.

My official start date is Saturday, July 8th, 2023. This should allow most northerners to still participate and get their monarchs headed south before the weather becomes an issue. I will send out a kick-off email when Raise The Migration begins.


When Will The Monarch Migration Be In Your Region?

Check out this monarch migration chart from Monarch Watch. I would recommend releasing your butterflies no more than 2 weeks after the last date of your peak migration. My latitude in Minneapolis is 45ยฐ N so my last peak date is September 10. This means I will try to release my last butterflies by September 24th.

You do not need to follow along in real-time to participate! Refer to the raise emails you will be receiving and start at a time that makes sense for your your region.


Does It Matter Where You Raise Them?

Keep in mind, cool nights below 50ยฐ F will slow down the metamorphic process. Itโ€™s very possible to have cooler nights in late summer (especially north) so bring your cage indoors on these nights, if there is concern the window for release is closing.

That being said, itโ€™s important to expose them to as much natural light, heat, and humidity as possible so they receive the migratory cues that encourage migration upon release.

Before we get started, you will need to get set up with a few basic supplies. These supplies will help you raise monarchs for years to come, and they should fit most budgets. Some of you might not need to spend anything if youโ€™ve already got the supplies at home.

Here are the butterfly raising tools we suggest to make raising migration butterflies easier, less time-consuming, and ultimately more enjoyable.


Caterpillar Cages

Food storage containers are an excellent starting place to keep track of monarch eggs and small caterpillars without the leaves drying out. Checking on eggs or baby caterpillars once a day allows more than sufficient oxygen levels in a sealed container:

1a. Monarch Egg Hatcheries (The container sizes we use most often are 9โ€ณ x 9โ€ณ x 3โ€ณ and 11โ€ณ x 7โ€ณ x 3โ€ณ.)

To raise migration butterflies โ€œthe easy wayโ€ requires a cage that can hold a potted milkweed plant or stem cuttings. Check out these next four optionsโ€ฆ


If you want to raise up to 10 caterpillars and plan to raise exclusively on smaller cuttings or individual leaves, the small pop up cage should suit your raising needs:

1b. Buy a Baby Cube Pop-Up Cage 15โ€ณ x 15โ€ณ x 15โ€ณ high to Raise up to 10 Monarch Caterpillars


If you want to raiseย up to 10 caterpillars and plan to raise on larger milkweed cuttings or small potted milkweed plant, this tall pop up cage should suit your raising needs:

1c. Buy a TALL Baby Pop-Up Cage 15โ€ณ x 15โ€ณ x 24โ€ณ high to Raise up to 10 Monarch Caterpillars


If you want to raiseย 10-20 caterpillars and plan to raise on larger milkweed cuttings or small potted plants, this cage size should suit your raising needs:

1d. Buy a BIG Cube Pop-Up Cage, 24โ€ณ x 24โ€ณ x 24โ€ณ high to Raise up to 20 Monarch Caterpillars


If you want to raiseย 10-20 caterpillars and plan to raise on larger cuttings or potted plants, this cage size should suit your raising needs:

1e. Buy a Monarch TOWER Pop-Up Cage 24โ€ณ x 24โ€ณ x 36โ€ณ high to Raise up to 20 Monarch Caterpillars

ย 

1f. Buy POO POO Platter Caterpillar Cage Cleaner for Easy Cleaning

There are now TWO sizes of platters:

please review platters to see which cages they are for before purchase:

Buy Poo Poo Platters Caterpillar Cage Linersย <<<<<


1g. If youโ€™d like your cages elevated for less bending over, this 48โ€ณ by 24โ€ณ adjustable-height table can hold two of our largest cages or several smaller ones.


1h. If you want to keep a tabled cage in place (safe from curious cats ๐Ÿˆย  or accidental bumps) try putting a heavy rock or paver brick inside the cage to keep it in place


If you havenโ€™t signed up to participate in Raise the Migration 2023, sign up here to receive free raising tips delivered to your email inbox.


Milkweed Plants

If you want to raise monarch butterflies on milkweed with the least amount of effort, you have two options:

  • milkweed stem or leaf cuttings from outdoor potted or garden plants (my recommendation)
  • potted milkweed plants with healthy leaves

The best place to find milkweed plants is in your garden or from a local nursery that doesnโ€™t spray with harmful pesticides. Remember, systemic pesticides can't be rinsed off immediately and can remain inside the milkweed leaves for months.

2a. Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica)โ€“ this seems to be the preferred egg laying milkweed late in the season. Itโ€™s also easy to pot if you have some in your garden. Tropical works well for leaf or stem cuttings.

2b. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)โ€“ first and second year plants are usually the best options since many still have fresh leaves late in the season. Swamp works well for leaf or stem cuttings.

2c. Giant Swan Plant (Gomphocarpus physocarpus)โ€“ this milkweed always has viable, healthy leaves late in the season and works well for stem cuttings.

2d. Swan Plant (Gomphocarpus fruticous)โ€“ this milkweed always has viable, healthy leaves late in the season and works well for stem cuttings.

2e. Giant Milkweed (Calotropis gigantea)โ€“ this is not widely available but could be an option in southern regions.ย We've successfully grown giant milkweed as an annual in our Minnesota garden. These plants would be a viable option for feeding caterpillars if we needed them.

2f. Popular native species like Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) and Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) are often past their prime by late summer. However, you can use any milkweed species if the leaves are still green and appear healthy.

1-2 monarch caterpillars can devour an entire milkweed plant. Keep this in mind when deciding how many monarchs you want to raise.

If you canโ€™t find pesticide-free milkweed plants locally, some of the suggested stores on this resource page might have plants in stock:

Order Milkweed Plants Online

note: The sap from milkweed is toxic and can cause corneal damaged if rubbed into your eyes. Always wash your hands after handling milkweedโ€ฆ

Some choose to take the extra precaution of wearing disposable gloves when handling milkweed to avoid potential issues.


Monarch Eggs & Caterpillars

During the past decade, it has become increasingly difficult to find monarch eggs in gardens, parks, etc., so there are alternative options if you canโ€™t find them locally.

note: USDA prohibits vendors from shipping west of the continental divide. Option 3c is a western option located in California. Before ordering, make sure the vendor delivers to your state:

3a. Eggs & Caterpillars from Rose Franklin

3b. Caterpillars from Monarch Watch

3c. Eggs & Caterpillars for AZ, CA, CO, ID, NM, OR, UT, WA, WYย  (no western vendorsย known at this time)


More Raising Supplies + Grocery List

The uses for these supplies will be explained (in detail) during Raise the Migration:

Choose one of the followingย two options for feeding munching monarch caterpillars:

4. Plastic bottle, glass jar, or vase to place large stem cuttings cuttings to feed caterpillars

OR

5a. Large Floral Tubesย with Holding Rackย for larger milkweed cuttings to feed caterpillars (my #1 recommendation for less refilling and spacing caterpillars out)

Even if you start raising on potted plants, thereโ€™s a chance you could be using milkweed stem/leaf cuttings by the end of the feeding frenzy.

5b. Little Hole LIDSย floral tube lids with smaller holes forย thin-stemmed cuttings or leaf cuttings to prevent baby caterpillar drownings. These lids fit our large floral tubes so you switch out lids as needed.ย 

5c. Floral Tube Cleaning Brush is a helpful tool to clean out dirt andย grime that collects in the floral tubes

6. Boot Trays to carry cuttings containers or floral tube racks (with milkweed and caterpillars) to a sink to refill floral tubes or containers with water and rinse off any ๐Ÿ’ฉ.

7. Curved Tip Syringe without needle for refilling floral tubes/picks. These 12ml syringes are optional, but allow you to refill floral tubes withoutย removing tubes/racks/caterpillarsย from the cage.

8. Monarch Magnifying Glassโ€“ many have reported difficulties finding eggs or locating baby caterpillars because they are so tiny.ย Get a Monarch magnifier and finally see what youโ€™ve been missing. ๐Ÿ”Ž๐Ÿ›

9. Pruning snips to take milkweed cuttings for caterpillars

10a. Plastic wrap to cover water-filled bottles/vases (if using this option to hold milkweed cuttings).ย  Floral tubesย with racks work better for spacing out caterpillars

10b. Rubber bands to secure plastic wrap on bottles/vases

11. Scissors

12. Duct Tape

13. Cotton Balls or Cotton Pads for feeding adult butterflies


Choose one of the followingย 5 options in case you have to feed adult butterflies before releasing them:

14a. Use floral tubesย with holding rack to offer adult monarchs cut nectar flowers (easy option if you already have tubes/rack to feed caterpillars)

14b. Honey or Sugar for making nectar or

14c. Hummingbird nectarย  (easy option if you already use a hummingbird feeder)

14d. Orange or Watermelon slices

14e. Gatorade can also be used to feed adult butterflies. Melon flavored gatorade has been suggested by universities.


15. Paper Towels for cleaning/drying and lining sealed food containers (regular non-scented)

16. Concentrated Regular Bleach for Disinfecting Cage or use Disinfecting Wipes

17. Cordless Computer Keyboard Vacuum this is a fantastic tool for sucking up frass from the cage floor. It has just the right amount of suction and is easy to empty and clean. We use the black version that several vendors offer for less than $30โ€ฆhighly recommended cage cleaning tool!

18. Tagging Programs for Eastern and Western Monarchs

19. Raise The Migration T-shirts in a multitude of styles, colors, and sizes.ย 

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Some of these items are optional (depending on your raising set up) and some of these items will already be in your home. Being prepared in advance will give you more time to enjoy this amazing experienceโ€ฆ