Raising Book Resources
Raising Hope for the 2020 Migration- Raise the Migration Results
Raise The Migration is an annual North American challenge to raise monarch butterflies to release for fall’s annual monarch migration. The time has come to share your 2020 experience and raise it forward…
The raising season is coming to an end, so we’d love to hear how many butterflies you released for fall’s annual 2020 monarch migration…and more importantly, what lessons you’ve learned through this amazing raising experience?
If you’ve still got some raising to do, raise on! But please post in the comment box at the bottom of this page after you’ve released your last butterfly.
Every year, I start Raise The Migration in early August, but monarchs raised at that time aren’t actually migration generation butterflies…they’re actually the parents to that amazing generation of travelers.
There’s no way to tell whether butterflies will mate or migrate, but one telltale sign of a migration generation butterfly is its size, which is dependent on how much the caterpillar eats. The first super-sized caterpillars start to form chrysalides around the first week of September in our northern region…
In the garden, you can tell non-migratory butterflies by their worn out wings. Non-migratory males are also more aggressive, chasing off potential competition while seeking out female companionship…migratory monarchs are in sexual diapause and only interested in stocking up on nectar for the long journey ahead.
So how did our Raise The Migration Monarchs fare this season and what lessons did we learn raising forward?
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If you’re interested in a step-by-step guide digital guide with free updates (before each monarch season begins in spring) please check out the monarch raising guide by clicking this butterfly photo:
For anyone who purchases the guide (or any other item) from Monarch Butterfly Life, you will be invited to our closed facebook group where you can discuss raising monarchs with other raisers and post your photos.
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Here are Raise the Migration results from the past seven seasons:
2019- 81% survival rate
2018- 93% survival rate
2017- 100% survival rate
2016- 96% survial rate
2015- 96% survival rate
2014- 90% survival rate
2013- 100% survival rate
As you can see from the results, this raising system is consistently producing healthy monarchs to help support the struggling monarch population.
Raise The Migration 2020 Results
I am counting our 2020 migration generation as all butterflies that eclosed September 1st and after.
Caterpillar Escapes
Since using food container hatcheries for eggs and baby caterpillars, this has helped us to easily keep track of the wee cats until they can be placed in the larger mesh cages. We have not lost a caterpillar for years...
Unexplained Caterpillar Deaths
None to report in 2020
Caterpillar Diseases and Parasites?
There were no caterpillar disease issues to report in 2020. Check out a pre and post molt of one caterpillar graduating from instar 3 to instar 4:
Accidental Deaths?
There have been two accidental deaths this year...seems fitting for 2020. 🙃
1. This was an odd fluke that happened in an egg hatchery. There was one container with two eggs that looked like they might have fungus issues from the leaves I found them on.
After monitoring, I thought one of the eggs had succumbed to a rust-like fungus that was growing around it. Little did I know, the caterpillar had hatched and crawled under the paper towel that lined the hatchery....there was even a fresh milkweed leaf under the fungusy leaf piece.
This has never happened before so I was shocked to find the dead baby cat as I cleared out the hatchery.
2. On a cold morning in the 3-season porch (low was 40° F), I picked up the floral tube/racks (with milkweed and caterpillars) and walked it into the kitchen without using the boot tray. Two of the cold, lethargic caterpillars fell to the floor. I rescued one...and stepped on the other. 😔
Chrysalis Problems
Chrysalis formation was perfect this season. I conducted 6 removing/rehanging experiments this year: 3 chrysalides hung up with pins, 2 hung up on a microfiber cloth, and 1 taped to the floor:
All 6 butterflies eclosed with no issues and the butterflies were released to join the 2020 monarch migration. The last male emerged Sunday October 11th, and was released on Monday October 12th:
Butterfly Eclosures
All butterflies emerged from their monarch chrysalises without issue.
Final Results
2 accidental deaths
0 disease or parasite issues
0 unexplained death
4 healthy males
5 healthy females
82% survival rate
Lessons Learned?
Of the two caterpillar accidents that occurred this season, one was a fluke that will likely never happen again.
However, the 'stepping' accident could have been easily avoided if I would have just followed my own advice for caterpillar safety. If moving caterpillars outside of the cage, place them on a boot tray so they will never fall on the floor.
I also learned that keeping chrysalides in the 3 season porch at night (during the fall) is a bad idea for our northern region. Cool night time temps slowed down metamorphosis by at least a week, meaning the excellent window I had to release butterflies in warm weather, quickly shrunk to just a few days.
The chrysalises get plenty of exposure to natural lighting and temperatures during the day through open windows. If these monarchs would have been left to fend for themselves outside, their wintry fate would have been sealed...🥶
Also, my preferred way of rehanging chrysalides is pinning the silk to the top of the cage. Really though, all 3 methods work well, so do what you're most comfortable with when you need to rehang a chrysalis.
August 2020 Migration Memory
And now, here’s the part I’m most excited about…hearing about all the valuable lessons you learned raising monarchs over the past few weeks!
Share Your Results?!
Please share your results below by letting us know how many monarchs you released to help boost the struggling monarch population…remember to include your location.
More importantly, please share the most valuable lesson(s) you learned about raising monarch butterflies, that you believe can help others raising forward.
Thank you for helping to Raise the Migration in 2020
348 comments
A very late but successful season here in southwestern CT has ended with the release of one last beautiful fellow on October 18th. 35 males and 17 females eclosed, all but 5 were healthy. (I practiced egg and leaf bleaching this year. Tested intermittently for OE but found none. The five unhealthy ones eclosed too weak to fly, one chrysalis just turned black, one had missing pigment on a wing and was also too weak to hang straight. Most were raised from eggs, with the exception of a few little hitchhikers and 5 ‘rescues.’ Two had Tfly. I raise mine indoors, because the neighbors spray, but with natural light only). This is the first year I bleached the leaves I fed them, as well as the eggs; the result was I had about 5% more healthy eclosures than last year. I’ve gotten more confident about handling them to test for OE so I think next year I will tackle tagging the migratory ones. I had only one cat all summer who hung his pupae on the rack instead of the ceiling, I think it’s because I tried a new technique of ‘leaning’ the milkweed sprigs which had 5th instars eating them, against the cage walls where I wanted them to climb (so, not on the zipper or clear plastic sides). Seems they were more likely to start climbing in the right direction since i pointed them that way. I’m looking forward to doing this again next year! I’ve helped others plant multiple monarch habitats, given out hundreds of milkweed seeds and seedlings, and even inspired several others to start raising their own, spoken to more than a hundred folks on zoom about milkweed and monarch raising, and given many talks to kids about the monarch lifecycle. It’s been a busy summer. Looking forward to the next one – in the meantime I’m teaching folks how to winter sow with milkweed seeds!
Hello from Ft. Wayne, IN! This was my 5th year of raising Monarchs. I released about 125 Monarchs. I LOVE IT! Only 2 died of OE (black death). Zero tested + OE. One J hanger fell (not enough web laid down before?) Thanks to Tony’s information I raised a few Eastern Black Swallowtails. Overwintering 4 (2 emerged) One 2020 EBS cat found ended up being a wasp parasite! Our biggest surprise was the Cecropia Giant Silk Moth, found 8-8-19 as a huge cat. We watched it spin it’s cocoon. It overwintered outside inside a mesh habitat, along with 4 Swallowtail chrysalis and some praying mantis egg sacs. The moth eclosed on 6-26-20. It’s size and beauty took my breath away! Spring was quite chilly. Mid April it snowed. Milkweed starting to push up 5-8-20. June 4th I found 2nd to 3rd instar baby cat’s all over, so I began raising my first batch of 28. 4 years I have raised my baby cat’s in large, clear flower vases with MW leaves standing on end, covering the tops with fine tulle held with rubber bands. At the 5th instar I moved them to an aquarium, also covered. 4 trays held their fresh leaves, easily moved to clean up. When they walked away, they loved the aquarium rim to J hang and form their chrysalis. However, this year I raised in Tony’s tall tower habitats with water viles. The milkweed plant stems lasted till the leaves were eaten! The cat’s moved easily from plant to plant. Frass fell to the floor. I used a dustbuster to clean up daily. Most cats traveled to the “ceiling” where they made chrysalis! ALL SO MUCH EASIER and far less time consuming! I remove the chrysalis after a day of drying, taking care to take some of the silk button. (This makes room for more J hangers!) I then tie a heavy thread to each cremaster, catching silk in the knots, tie the ends together and slip each jade chrysalis over a wooden skewer. I hang the skewer in another habitat (like a bird cage “swing”, spacing the chrysalis apart for the duration of their “making wings” phase. Here they are safe from predators, I can move them outside/inside as needed. When they eclose they are able to cling to their shell and hang to fill their wings. When they climb to the top of this habitat, I know they are ready to be released! I also test all my butters for OE before release! It’s quick, easy and the responsible thing to do! It’s a healthy start for each new generation! A small microscope is so worth the investment! Also, amazing to see under magnification is the last shed skin, the intricate surface pattern of the jade chrysalis, the ornate gold spots and to sex them before eclosing! In testing, I’ve found a few with OE. Sadly, I put it in the freezer. Afterwards, I marveled at it’s body under magnification. Beautiful, minute details we don’t see with the naked eye! I learned how useful a kid’s soft paint brush can be! It is a gentle way to transport itsy-bitsy cats to a fresh leaf! I use it also to brush their frass aside when cleaning their habitat. Also, I learned that keeping eggs and new hatch babies separate from larger munchers is important! There is one mysterious behaviour I have seen. 5th instar will raise up it’s head and front legs in a movement that looks like it has the hiccups! (No other cats are near it.) Very curious! I follow JourneyNorth.org, read articles and blogs (especially Tony’s!) I want to learn all I can about raising tips and behaviours. There’s always more to learn! I would love to go see the Monarch’s winter home some day! Till then, I will find, feed, watch with amazement and hold each newborn Monarch. I hope, along with so many others, we make a difference in saving them! Thank you Tony for all the links, pictures, information you share and access to quality raising supplies!
Hi Tony, I’m from SW Florida. This was my 5th year raising Cats. I can keep them going year round here. When the temperture drops below 50 degrees I bring them into the house. I am still in Awe watching the metamorphosis of these beautiful babies as if it was the very 1st time. Something I never tire of. This summer I released 162 that I know of. We had a really big issue here this season trying to locate fresh milkweed. I learned that they will eat fresh cucumbers, 5star only, all others died. I tried pumpkin but they didn’t want anything to do with that. Another issue that I’m having is WASP. They eat allot of my Cats. It is so upsetting. I had a Queen Cat for the first time. I checked on it this morning and it’s gone. If anyone has any tips for these murders I would greatly appreicate it. Now I’m kicking myself for not bringing it inside. I just can’t get ahead on the milkweed situation. I have spent a small fortune on Milkweed this summer trying to keep up with all the hungry appetites. And no seeds to plant for next season. It’s all out war here. I never knew how hard it is to kill a wasp.
This was my second year to raise Monarchs here in NW Arkansas, so not much of a past record for comparison, but after an early batch of 9 eggs that I harvested and later adults released in late May, I did not see even one monarch at my milkweed or any of the flowers in my yard, until September! I had my hands full keeping the aphids and milkweed bugs washed off for weeks during the summer, when things finally got rolling in the last two weeks of August. Throughout September, I did have more eggs deposited on my milkweed, but not a huge number. So my totals, beginning with one female released on September 5, 2020, were 13 females released and 8 males released. Date of last release was October 2, 2020. Additionally, I had to euthanize two caterpillars early on that were not progressing, until finally they started leaking green fluid and I gave up on them! (These totals do not include the ones I released during May 2020.)
Hello Karen Harney……or others ….I have MW and I purchased Mexican Sunflower seeds for next season…….but what is the butterfly bush you recommend? I’m pretty sure my main one is the invasive variety. I’’l have to go out and see the new one I just planted this fall, but I’m always looking for good recommendations for butterfly bush…..as well as other flowers/shrubs.