Queen - Danaus gilippus thersippus==Danaus gilippus strigosus - Ova & Larvae
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PUPAE      MALE ECLOSURE     FEMALE ECLOSURE
     SPECIMEN

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OVA
ovum

Ovum on stem

ovum

LARVAE

First Instar hatched 2:03 P.M. 25 September 2010
First instar

First Instar hatched 2:03 P.M. 25 September 2010
first instar

Second Instar set to molt on 27 September 2010
Instar set to molt- 27 September 2010

Second Instar set to molt on 27 September 2010
set to molt


Third Instars 28 September 2010
Third Instars

Third Instar 28 September 2010
Third Instar


Fourth Instar on 2 October 2010
Fourth Instar

Fourth Instar on 2 October 2010
Fourth Instar


Fifth Instar  -  5 October 2010
Fifth Instar



5th Instar

Last Instar feeding
close-up of head



PHOTO DETAILS - ©Nicky Davis
LOCATION: Todd Stout located females flying by  Desert Milkweed, Asclepias subulata on 14 September 2010 along the Verde River by the  town of Cottonwood, Yavapai County, Arizona
GPS: Unknown
ELEVATION: unknown

PHOTOS:
Eggs were oviposited on stems, buds, and some on the net on the side of the container.  They seemed to prefer being in the sun or partial sun to oviposit and they fed willingly on honey water.  A cottonball soaked in honey water and placed in a small plastic solo cup was offered to them two or three times a day.

Larvae hatched on the 25 and 26th of September and developed so fast that the first ones left the plant to pupate on the 7th of October and the first pupae were formed  8 October 2010.

The last instar  got off the plant to pupate and were placed in a container with a  brown paper toweling across the top and bottom and the cardboard tube from a toilet paper roll in between. They silked to the top paper toweling and pupated. Click to See Todd Stout video showing  a cardboard tube for pupating

The pupae took only ten to eleven days to develop and for the butterfly to hatch. 

LIFE HISTORY:
These  numbers are from subjects reared under 24x7 lighting and a temperature of  75- 78 degrees F.
Ovum:  Four to five Days
Larva:  Fourteen or Fifteen  Days
Pupa:   Ten to Eleven Days
Adult:   ?
Broods: ?
Hibernation:  Overwinters as  ?

Host Plant - click below for photos

Desert Milkweed - Asclepias subulata
Todd Stout's photos of Asclepias subulata
Larvae fed on Showy Milkweed - Asclepias speciosa

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