Date: 10/08/2021

Number: 2

recently we entered observations of monarch pupae found while weeding in an herb garden. we removed each pupae on its original wispy support to a nearby shrub. at the new location we attached the wispy support with its orange or green gem of a pupa to a branch. the pupa that had appeared nearly ready to eclose eventually turned black and slowly desiccated. it is now in a growth chamber on the desk next this keyboard, but neither monarch nor any parasitic Diptera have emerged - the pupa appears to be truly dead. the second pupa remained bright green until something punctured the skin - perhaps a bird pecked at it. that second pupa oozed fluids for two days and is now withered and dry. might the pupae have completed metamorphosis if we had not weeded the herb bed? yet another risk to individuals in a declining population.

see also previous reports at < https://journeynorth.org/sightings/query_result.html?record_id=1526549778 > and < https://journeynorth.org/sightings/query_result.html?record_id=1526550187 >.

Waterville, ME

Latitude: 44.6 Longitude: -69.7

Observed by: mega
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