Monarch Butterfly - Surprising Update

in #photofeed7 years ago

SHE IS ALIVE, BUT SHE CAN'T FLY! WHAT DO I DO .......


..... with a special needs butterfly? Yesterday, I honestly thought she had died clinging to the roof in one corner of the butterfly tent! However, this morning I noticed she had moved to another corner next to her empty chrysalis. Her wings are pretty deformed, s there is no way she can fly. If you look at the top front wing it looks pointed, but that's because it is folded over on the other side, and the lower wing is creased.


monarch-1.jpg
Image ©Diane Macdonald. All Rights Reserved.
Click on the image to view full screen!


A quick search on the web gives all kinds of advice from feeding her fruit and letting her live without flying, to euthanizing her in the freezer or in a closed jar with a cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover! What do you think I should do?

She didn't seem very interested in the slice of mandarin orange, but she clung to it for a while.


monarch-2.jpg
Image ©Diane Macdonald. All Rights Reserved.
Click on the image to view full screen!


She moved around on it, but still didn't think of it as food, or she just didn't like my choice of fruit. I read that caterpillars like mashed banana, so I will buy some later.


monarch-3.jpg
Image ©Diane Macdonald. All Rights Reserved.
Click on the image to view full screen!


I always keep frozen berries in the freezer for topping my cereal and making smoothies, so I defrosted a strawberry and a raspberry in the microwave. Bingo! The raspberry was a hit! Notice I placed paper towels on the plate, and also on the bottom of the tent! This gives her some traction. She couldn't hold onto the shiny surface on the bottom, but paper towels have solved the problem.


monarch-4.jpg
Image ©Diane Macdonald. All Rights Reserved.
Click on the image to view full screen!


I have a feeling that there is more to this story than meets the eye! I just checked on her and saw her fluttering around a bit in the tent and she is exercising her wings again. That little bit of nourishment must have given her some strength! She's a fighter! To be continued......


CameraCanon EOS 5D Mark II
LensEF100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
ExposureVaried
Post-processingAdobe Photoshop® CC 2017, Adobe Camera Raw

If you have not been following the story of my rescued caterpillar, you can read about it here, here and here.



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Yay she's alive! Her deformed wings makes her even more beautiful. Don't euthanize her let her live! Her wings may straighten out over time!

I don't think I would have the heart to! It's bad enough when the vet is the one doing it. Her wings are definitely stronger today.

I don't have the heart to. There is always that "What if" that will forever play over and over in my mind! Ya know???

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Thanks for the tip. I appreciate it. She's still hanging in there. :-)

Life is precious no matter how fleeting.

It sure is. I took her outside for a little while today, and just let her rest on some flowers while spreading out her wings. She still can't fly, though.

woow verry nice pic !! good work !!

Thanks. Glad you like it.

Interesting. I don't know anything about the care of butterflies. I do have a facination with dragonflies. I hope she pulls thriugh. Peace.

Still hoping she will somehow manage to get strength enough in the wings so that she can fly.

Let us know! Peace

Will do. 😊

Sorry this happened @dmcamera! I would just let her live out her life, which is about 2-3 weeks.

As long as she feeds, but Im not sure if she is getting enough. She seems a bit weaker today. 😥

As a follower of @followforupvotes this post has been randomly selected and upvoted! Enjoy your upvote and have a great day!

I am so happy she is alive and getting stronger! Thanks

Well, at least she is feeding, so that is a good sign.

Yes, it is! :)

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