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Four years ago, I became aware of the controversy surrounding the practice of raising Monarch butterflies: Is it helpful or harmful to the Monarch population as a whole? After sifting through available information, everything from scientific lab experiments as well as books and papers to Facebook groups, it seemed to me that the many parts to this complicated issue have not been clearly defined and examined. Does backyard raising have similar effects on the population as a whole as large-scale commercial raising? Does backyard raising produce basically the same results as raising inside your dining room? I decided to try it myself and keep records. My method is hands-off, outdoor raising, with as minimal human interference as possible. I don't (as some suggest) engage in gross interference such as washing them with "bleach water" or removing chrysalises and re-pinning them somewhere else. My caterpillars live outdoors, 15 feet from where they were born, near my milkweed and wildflower gardens. I don't handle them. I keep the enclosures clean and remove any sick caterpillars to a small "hospital" isolation enclosure to give them a chance to recover and continue developing. After a butterfly emerges from its chrysalis, I keep it an average of four hours before opening the enclosure door and allowing it to leave. Some indicate they are ready to go sooner than that, and others want to stay longer. I always accommodate them. I have now completed four summers of raising Monarchs and recording my data and experiences here. My process is outlined in "My Equipment" and "My Data." |
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