Monarch instar larva stages and caterpillar diseases. Metamorphosis and molting explained

Type: Interesting

Description:
In this video I explain and compare complete and incomplete metamorphosis, exoskeletons and endoskeletons, molting and some common monarch diseases and parasites. This is part of my continuing series on Monarchs and the migration phenomena that encourages hands-on participation with home rearing of caterpillars. The series has gone from learning about and identifying common milkweed, finding eggs and larva, caring for larva, building diy critter cages, and now understanding caterpillar life stages and life history. In the next episode we will address the 'j-larva' stage, chrysalises and tagging. in this episode I describe both complete and incomplete metamorphosis comparing butterflies to dragonflies and aphids, that later two which go through incomplete metamorphosis. I list and describe some of the major diseases and parasites that may attack caterpillars. I explain in detail the discovery of a pupa parasitized by two tachinid fly larva and how I found out.

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Video length: 20:05