How to make DIY critter cage for Monarchs, other butterflies, and any insect. Low cost, easy to make

[@judyfinnegan6225]

AWESOME! thank you! 😊🦋😊

[@natureatyourdoor]

👍😍

[@hbrika]

Love this, I DIY'd some with unused cat litter box covers and gazebo mesh that I had. I like yours and that you shared the plans. Thank you so much. Going to try some next season. Right now our season is closing in Ontario, my last caterpillar is forming a J - though I did find some eggs this week.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Great! And very cool to connect to a monarch fan in Ontario!!!

[@Frankferra33]

Thank you for this tutorial. I researched this because, as a beginner Monarch enthusiast, i lost track of two monarch caterpillars that were on my milkweed plants that appeared to be in their 5th instar. My milkweed stalks were right next to my garden, so i was looking all over for the chrysalis, but never found them. I was afraid that the caterpillars met their demise by a predators. Now, i have three more caterpillars that i want to keep safe. I plan on making this habitat tomorrow. Thank you sir!

[@natureatyourdoor]

When the 5th inStar finishes feeding they often wander off to pupate often far from the milkweed.

[@juliannahealy5476]

Awesome how to video!!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you Julianna! I appreciate you leaving a comment! Let me know how it goes if you make one and/or how you adapted it for your needs or local materials.

[@Wreinie]

Awesome video :) I'm starting this process, and am teaching my neighbors what I learn :) I have subscribed, and am looking forward to the rest of the videos regarding butterflies :) Thank you for sharing!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Great to hear you are engaging with monarch conservation and sharing with neighbors! Keep me posted!

[@MsBraidBreaker]

Super nice! I just got some leaf insects so once they grow up I'll try to use your design! Thank you for such an informative video!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Hi MsBraidBreaker. Great to hear from you! Thanks for commenting! I would love to hear how it turns out! Find me on #natureatyourdoor and share photos there with our learning community. (Or Facebook : Nature at Your Door! :-)

[@craftycrabmini]

Nice video very easy to follow, thank you !

[@natureatyourdoor]

Glad it was helpful, Luna B. I really had fun doing a DIY video!!! Have a great day. Let me know how yours turns out!

[@celestreguerrero3602]

thank you so much! I'm raising some black swallowtail caterpillars and need something to (possibly) overwinter the chrysalises in. this feels doable for someone who doesn't do a lot of constructive DIY.

[@natureatyourdoor]

That's great Celestre! Yes I tried to put together something super simple with minimum of cuts and tools. I would love to see your finished product! Share photo with me on one of my platforms? Insta? FB? Check out links at www.natureatyourdoor.com. thanks for sharing with me!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Did you make your cage? Share a photo with me on Insta or Facebook?

[@marthawheeler2411]

Thank you!

[@natureatyourdoor]

You are welcome, Martha!

[@georgecorreia1169]

Thank you very much for teaching about Monarchs. You have inspired me so I built a cage like you showed. How long should you leave them in this cage after the 24 hours? Should they be released in 24 hours or is it okay to keep them in this longer and if so, how long? Thanks again.

[@natureatyourdoor]

24 hours and they will be ready to go! But..if you put in some fresh known to be nectar producing flowers..you could "fatten them up" for a few days and enjoy them before release!

[@IAMGiftbearer]

This is great! It has me inspired to make a similar cage, but need to get a drill. I just subscribed to your channel because I want to start breeding moths for my Green Anoles. They are not too interested in mealworms and actually seem afraid of them. I notice that most places that sell feeder insects for reptiles only sell Crickets, Mealworms, Super worms, and Dubia Roaches. I went out today to look for cocoons and didn't even find one. I'm wondering if early December is too early, or else they have decided to go someplace else. Do you have any videos on looking for and identifying cocoons? I want to start with a species that is fairly small that the lizards will eat, but am not sure of the species in Georgia that are the size of the Anoles' head. I occasionally catch some that are a drab brown or grayish color. They aren't very pretty but the Anoles love them and eat those reliably. I haven't found very many this year for some reason. They used to get inside my house in the winter and fly around, especially in my kitchen pantry area, and they'd fly around the porch light.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Hi! Very interesting question and endeavor. I seem to be well versed in butterflies ...moths...not so much! My first thought is on finding raising moths that eat wool! Seems a huge market in moth balls so they must be pretty resilient! I am very curious to find out what YOU learn and if your food solution for anoles finds success or takes another direction!

[@justsomeonethatdrawsstuff]

As a bug lover, this is exactly what I’m looking for. BUGS ARE FRIENDS NOT TARGETS!

[@natureatyourdoor]

🙂👍

[@LeslieSuda]

Is there a reason not to use HINGES instead of Velcro for the door?

[@natureatyourdoor]

It depends on your cabinet making skills and the 1 x2 s are kinda wavy. I think tough to make a hinged door that works easily and tight enough to keep insects in!

[@DaniCat99]

Can I buy one lol I'm hopeless at building

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ha! Too funny ...i dont think i am going to go that route! I think YOU can do it Danielle! Find a friend that has some basic tools!! :-) 🍀

[@DaniCat99]

@@natureatyourdoor do they breed in that? I raise swallowtails but they need a lot of room to be happy

[@natureatyourdoor]

@@DaniCat99 swallowtails? Very cool! Maybe a local boy or girl Scout group needs a project? Share photos with me on,my FB? Or #natureatyourdoor! I d love to learn more!

[@KimG11]

Hi.. am trying to create a butterfly garden for a school on a raised bed.. so you have any suggestion on how to keep butterflies come in and still provide safe habitat for caterpillars and their chrysalis

[@natureatyourdoor]

I applaud your efforts to build a butterfly garden! That is so awesome! I strongly recommend natives..and I lean to the many milkweed species both for monarch caterpillar food and flower nectar for all butterflies. Check out this article for more ideas! www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/visual-guides/native-plants-to-attract-butterflies.aspx. and keep in touch and let me know of your progress!

[@KimG11]

@@natureatyourdoor oh .. my daughter took the initiative and the school administration supported it. We went through the whole milkweed stratification process and planted 80 milkweeds all native while gave another 40 to fourth graders to plant. In total we had 56 native milkweeds sprout. Now they are planting 36 with a mix of pollinator flowering plants.. and giving away rest. The fourth graders raised money and bought soil and amendments and all the good stuff. They created a website to generate awareness in the community. They plant on this Friday in school finally! After all that efforts, I don’t want the caterpillars to get eaten up :) .. they have a raised bed of 3x12. So wondering how to make a shelter around it!

[@natureatyourdoor]

@@KimG11 wow...that is fantastic! You could of course put netting over it...but then adult butterflies can't lay eggs their or gather nectar! You can put caterpillars you find on a couple of plants and then drop a screened cube over the top...so basically you could make a cage like in video...but without the bottom. That would be my recommendation...let nature have access to the majority of the garden...then you can move caterpillars you find to more protect location inside or underneath the enclosures!

[@kevinsmith1824]

What size are the screen holes?

[@natureatyourdoor]

Good question...it is a standard screen mesh from Lowe's...for replacement screens on house windows and doors. I have never measured it of course.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Hope that helps!

[@deedoubleux3]

Doing this but used pvc pipe instead of wood (wanted it to be collapsible

[@natureatyourdoor]

Hi Dee DoubleU! I like your application and creative redesign! Keep me posted on how it goes! Would be great if you shared photos with the NAYD learning community through "visitor posts" on my NAYD facebook page! Keep in touch!

[@mercycarv5433]

That looks too narrow

[@natureatyourdoor]

If you make one you can always make it wider. I designed this so tall stalks of milkweed could stand up right. Not designed as a flight cage..only for rearing larva to be released with 24 hours of emergence.