Monarch caterpillars?

[mykey14]

I have monarch caterpillars on the side of my house and I would like to know if it's safe to feed them to my mantid. My mantis is a good 2 Inches and the caterpillars are smaller.

 

[azn567]

According to wiki they are poisonous from the plants they ingest in order to stop predators from eating them... so that probably means they would make mantids sick or even kill them. I wouldnt risk it

 

[Rick]

Probably not. Also monarchs are having trouble lately. Let those be.

 

[mykey14]

Ok

Thanks for the advice

 

[Ntsees]

I wouldn't feed my mantids Monarch caterpillars. It's not because they are poisonous, but because they are awesome insects.

 

[mykey14]

I just figured out they are NOT monarch caterpillars!

My friend gave me incorrect info.

There orange and fuzzy with long hairs.

I have no idea what they are.

 

[Rick]

I just figured out they are NOT monarch caterpillars!

My friend gave me incorrect info.

There orange and fuzzy with long hairs.

I have no idea what they are.

Yeah those would not be monarchs.

 

[CoolMantid]

Those are not monarchs those are tussocks moth larvae, they are still very poisonous becuase they eat milkweed and can leave a rash on you or injury the mantis from its toxins.... The adult moth might be o.k. but still they might have milkweed toxins in them and they are very rare to find.

 

[mykey14]

Those are not monarchs those are tussocks moth larvae, they are still very poisonous becuase they eat milkweed and can leave a rash on you or injury the mantis from its toxins.... The adult moth might be o.k. but still they might have milkweed toxins in them and they are very rare to find.

Theres no milkweed around here, and how can you be sure that's the kind of caterpillar? I need to post a pic but I don't know how. Is there anyway to post a pic from an iPod touch?

 

[lancaster1313]

Whatever they are, be careful with the fuzzies, depending on the species, they may be able to sting or irritate you.

 

[CoolMantid]

Theres no milkweed around here, and how can you be sure that's the kind of caterpillar? I need to post a pic but I don't know how. Is there anyway to post a pic from an iPod touch?

Tussock moth larvae have the same colors as the monarch..... but you said it was orange so... It could be a Tiger moth larvae. I am making conclusions from your drescriptions and many others. Some caterpillars can walk miles from there host plant to find a good spot to cocoon.... if you have more of that same species you might have a host plant on your or your neighbors property and they simply just go on a walk. What generation of I pod do you have.... also here is a website link that lists all or most of the common hairy caterpillars - http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/caterpillars-should-get-freakin-haircut/12660 - The tussocks moth larvae is the last on but read through them all and tell me what number out of all the fifteen caterpillars it is and I will tell you there host plants if it dosent all ready say. Is the caterpillar still there...

 

[mykey14]

Tussock moth larvae have the same colors as the monarch..... but you said it was orange so... It could be a Tiger moth larvae. I am making conclusions from your drescriptions and many others. Some caterpillars can walk miles from there host plant to find a good spot to cocoon.... if you have more of that same species you might have a host plant on your or your neighbors property and they simply just go on a walk. What generation of I pod do you have.... also here is a website link that lists all or most of the common hairy caterpillars - http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/caterpillars-should-get-freakin-haircut/12660 - The tussocks moth larvae is the last on but read through them all and tell me what number out of all the fifteen caterpillars it is and I will tell you there host plants if it dosent all ready say. Is the caterpillar still there...

I have a 4th gen iPod

I also reviewed the caterpillars in the link, none of them matched.

I think I'm going to just totally avoid feeding him caterpillars. Too bad he can't eat them, the caterpillars are eating everything!

 

[CoolMantid]

YAH, but you can buy an ooth from a garden center and release chinese mantises every where and you might find that they eat all the insects

 

[gripen]

i generally don't feed my mantises any caterpillar because i don't want to risk poisoning them.