We've had a very high success rate raising them in baby wipe boxes with a folded napkin or paper towel at the bottom. For eggs an 1st & 2nd instars where they need more humidity, I slide the boxes into gallon-sized baggies. After that, the boxes are slipped into "tubes" of pantyhose cut to fit the boxes so they have ventilation.
When I worked at Beaver Creek Reserve in the Butterfly House, we used plastic ice cream buckets. The lids were cut out, and plastic mesh you can by in rolls at hardware stores like Menard's were cut down to size. The lids framed and held the mesh into place and worked great. It fits five older to eight younger cats at a time.
I've used the tall Starbucks cups, too, which are very accommodating for a single cat. And, yes, whichever habitat you create for your monarchs, cleanliness is of great importance! Definitely dump the frass daily, and don't over crowd. Bleaching the containers, or at the very least, using hot soap (antibacterial is super!) and water will mean healthier, happier cats and butterflies! :-) Just be sure to never, ever use Lysol which is a pesticide! --LKR
When I worked at Beaver Creek Reserve in the Butterfly House, we used plastic ice cream buckets. The lids were cut out, and plastic mesh you can by in rolls at hardware stores like Menard's were cut down to size. The lids framed and held the mesh into place and worked great. It fits five older to eight younger cats at a time.
I've used the tall Starbucks cups, too, which are very accommodating for a single cat. And, yes, whichever habitat you create for your monarchs, cleanliness is of great importance! Definitely dump the frass daily, and don't over crowd. Bleaching the containers, or at the very least, using hot soap (antibacterial is super!) and water will mean healthier, happier cats and butterflies! :-) Just be sure to never, ever use Lysol which is a pesticide! --LKR
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment