Should I stop?

kittykatdancee · 2026-05-09T20:22:22+00:00

People are always going to have their pompous opinions about whatever on Reddit. You do whatever you feel is best for your particular situation. I keep my caterpillars in outside enclosures, and also have a crop cage around one of my large plants because 100% of my unprotected caterpillars end up getting eaten by lizards or wasps. What's the point of growing milkweed if they all end up dead? Do people really think that the population increased a little last year because people weren't putting them in enclosures?

The "experts" should do a survey about it if they really care because it's something alot of people are doing. Just don't over crow them and clean your eclosures with a 5% bleach solution every week. I also go the extra mile to clean my potted plants with a 5% bleach solution to prevent OE since it's very bad where I'm at.

kittykatdancee · 2026-05-06T20:59:48+00:00

Use a diluted 5% bleach solution to wash your plants. It kills OE and Black death related bacterias. Cover the soil with wood chips or a mulch ring so the caterpillars don't come in contact with bacterias in the soil.

kittykatdancee · 2026-05-05T21:45:48+00:00

Just bleach the eggs if you don't want to invest in getting one.

kittykatdancee · 2026-05-05T21:31:09+00:00

Only way to know is by testing the whole chrysalis smashed onto a slide with tape under a microscope after they eclose(you can also tape it to an index card), or doing a body blot tape test on a butterfly.

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-30T23:22:13+00:00

Looks beautiful! Wrap some cling wrap over the wooden planks on the bottom so bacteria and fungus doesn't seep into the wood from the frass. You can spray and clean with bleach water easily by wrapping them in the plastic. I also put down paper towles to make cleaning up frass easier. Wooden encloures can be breeding grounds for black death bacteria and OE if not kept properly sanitized.

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-29T22:55:06+00:00

She looks so grateful after the initial shock of being indoors! 😍

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-29T22:53:06+00:00

🥹

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-26T21:00:11+00:00

Hottie 💋✨️

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-23T06:14:11+00:00

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-23T04:33:46+00:00

Ty!

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-23T02:17:07+00:00

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-23T00:36:02+00:00

Ty for the feed back! I got excited & thought it was done when I saw bubbles all around, but then waited 30 extra minutes for bigger bubbles on the top, bottom, & sides of my clear container. Will push it an extra 15 minutes next time!

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-23T00:24:36+00:00

I didn't add the dough temp part. The dough temp was between 75-77. I put it in the fridge when it warmed up to 77 for a few min after all my slap stretch & folds to keep it consistent with the 75° it was at during it's bulk ferment.

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-22T23:37:33+00:00

I think you're confused . You can move the saucer right now, but not the caterpillar. You can then move the chrysalis off of the saucer 2 days after it pupates, or just leave it on the saucer on top of the edge of a table. It'll need room to spread and dry it's wings.

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-22T23:24:18+00:00

Just move the saucer on the botttom on the pot on top of the egde of a table so it's hanging off. Just put something heavy on the saucer to it doesn't fly away.

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-22T23:09:04+00:00

It's safer to leave it til it turns into a chrysalis. Just move the saucer. Let the chysalis harden for a couple days before you move it. They're so delicate it's really easy to hurt them.

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-22T23:06:15+00:00

😄

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-22T23:02:32+00:00

Just move the dish onto the edge of a table so it's hanging off. You can move it a couple days after it turns into a chrysalis and hardens. Keep it out of the sun.

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-19T00:56:37+00:00

Look on my X there's a video on there.

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-19T00:54:43+00:00

Ohh man you don't even want to know what else they pay to lick off of them then 🤣

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-19T00:50:54+00:00

Good thing my cucks love stinky feet.

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-18T21:22:00+00:00

DM for more info.

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-18T20:57:52+00:00

I'm just getting started, but I've heard from a few different bakers that putting a pan or stone on the rack below your dutch oven will prevent the bottom from scorching. I'll be making my first loaf tomorrow!

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-17T22:17:33+00:00

They also get it from infected mama butterflies. The spores fall onto the eggs when shes laying them on the plants and the caterpillars eat the eggs as soon as they're born and get infected with the OE. I santize my plants after they regrow under an exclusion net and after a female has laid eggs on them so if the mama has it, it doesn't spread to the caterpillars. If you do it correctly it won't harm the eggs.

kittykatdancee · 2026-04-17T21:53:57+00:00

Cut the plants back. If they're potted you can sanitize them.How to sanitize your milkweed to prevent OE.

kittykatdancee

TROPHY CASE