FOR SALE, Monarch Butterfly eggs

Danaus plexippus --  Monarch Butterfly eggs for sale (eastern U.S. migratory population)

$8.00 for first set of 30 eggs.  $5.00 for each additional set.  Add $5.00 for shipping.  The tracking number will be sent to you when the package is shipped.  U.S.A. orders only please. 

Parents of eggs are from unrelated reared stock (F0), equivalent to “wild.” 

 The parents of the eggs have been carefully screened microscopically for the “OE” protozoan (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha) that is so devastating to Monarch Butterflies and they are free of the spores.  If you are rearing more than one generation of this insect please learn about this deadly protozoan and do not release affected adults into the wild.  This protozoan does not grow on the adult, but if it was infected as a larva, it is covered with spores that were produced in the pupal stage, where most of the damage is done.  Larvae cannot infect other larvae and adults cannot infect other adults.  However, infected adults deposit spores on the eggshell and leaves and the larvae become infected by eating these.  If heavily infected, the adults fail to emerge from the pupa or are too crippled or weak to function.  If less infected, the adults are able to fly and spread the spores to the next generation.  You will do harm to the species by releasing infected adults so it is important to obtain eggs that are free of spores.  If you are using wild milkweed to feed the larvae, keep in mind that there is always a possibility that an infected wild Monarch has sprinkled a few spores on it, so never assume all of your reared Monarchs are free of this disease.   To prevent the place where you rear the larvae from being contaminated with spores, it is a good idea to never allow adult butterflies or emerging pupae to be there.  Destroy any newly emerged butterflies if they do not have distinct white lines along the entire length of their abdomen or if they have abdomen that is not evenly wide along its entire length.  Note that the white lines along the abdomen wear off on healthy older butterflies, but not on newly emerged butterflies.  This disease will not affect any other species you might be rearing, except the rarely encountered Queen butterfly.

Foodplants: Any milkweed species (Asclepias).

Note:  Eggs are sensitive to excessive heat: please do not supply an address that delivers to a mailbox in the sun.   Please allow me a full week to ship because the eggs you have purchased have probably not been laid yet, other orders may be ahead of yours, and butterflies do not lay many eggs on cloudy days.  If the package is delayed by USPS, I will either re-ship or refund the order and shipping charges, because all problems associated with shipping are the responsibility of the seller.