The Monarch Monitoring Project is a long-term study on monarch migration through Cape May, NJ. It is a part of the New Jersey Audubon Research Department, and closely affiliated with the Cape May Bird Observatory.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Achoo! Monarchs Can Get Sick Too....

Monarch and O.E. life cycle courtesy of www.monarchparasites.org
While waiting for the monarchs to catch a good NW wind this week, I received a call from a friend who had come down with the flu.  She's feeling better now, but it inspired me to share that our little orange and black friends can get sick too.  While Monarchs don't get sick in the conventional sense (although a sneezing Monarch is an interesting concept) they can become hosts for both parasites and parasitoids.
You can't tell by his looks that this Monarch is infected with O.E.

One of the most prolific Monarch parasites is Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, a neogregarine protozoan whose spores congregate on the abdomens of Monarchs.  O.E. only parasitizes Monarch and Queen butterflies.  See the life cycle of monarchs and O.E. above! 

Although O.E. is a tiny organism, it can have a big impact. If a larva ingests even one spore, it is infected with the parasite.  O.E. can also be spread during mating and oviposition so these spores travel pretty quickly. When an infected female lays her eggs there is a 75% chance that she will pass the parasite to her offspring! So, now that you know about O.E. what can you do to stop its spread? The easiest thing to do is rinsing the milkweed you feed to your own bouncing baby Monarch larvae with a 10% bleach solution which should neutralize any O.E. spores on the plant. Want to learn more about Monarchs, O.E. and other parasites!? Click HERE! 

Keep your fingers crossed for a NW wind ! 
See you around the Point,
Tori

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