A Monarch Predator... blowing a bubble!
Tachinid flies are hard to differentiate from all the other flies in your garden just innocently pollinating the milkweed. However, if they’re sitting still, look for hairy flies with big red eyes:
Tachinid Fly Parasitoids lay their eggs on monarch caterpillars. The maggots burrow inside the caterpillar and start eating it alive, slowly killing it.
You can typically tell your caterpillar’s been compromised when it starts to grow smaller and skinnier. Often, it will appear small if it attempts to pupate. The caterpillar often dies while forming its chrysalis. Soon after, white tachinid maggots will exit the caterpillar and repel to the cage floor, leaving long white strands of evidence hanging from the deceased caterpillar.
I've had this happen when I first started raising the Monarchs... it is disgusting to see... and for this reason, I take all the eggs I find outside indoors, where they are safe!!
A Monarch Predator... blowing a bubble!
Tachinid flies are hard to differentiate from all the other flies in your garden just innocently pollinating the milkweed. However, if they’re sitting still, look for hairy flies with big red eyes:
Tachinid Fly Parasitoids lay their eggs on monarch caterpillars. The maggots burrow inside the caterpillar and start eating it alive, slowly killing it.
You can typically tell your caterpillar’s been compromised when it starts to grow smaller and skinnier. Often, it will appear small if it attempts to pupate. The caterpillar often dies while forming its chrysalis. Soon after, white tachinid maggots will exit the caterpillar and repel to the cage floor, leaving long white strands of evidence hanging from the deceased caterpillar.
I've had this happen when I first started raising the Monarchs... it is disgusting to see... and for this reason, I take all the eggs I find outside indoors, where they are safe!!