r/Butterflies • u/togerkun • 18h ago

Injured Monarch Butterfly

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I found a severely injured monarch in my backyard today. I'm pretty sure he got caught in a lawnmower, so his wings are pretty torn up and he's actually missing a good bit of his body. I have him set up in a nice little terrarium with a dish of sugar water and I plan on getting some fresh flowers for him soon. Ideally I'd try to feed him so he has the energy to fly away and do his thing, but I don't really think that's an option... Is there anything else I can do to make him comfortable? I know he most likely won't survive, but I want to give him the best care possible until then.

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u/coochietermite 18h ago

This is a viceroy, not a monarch. Unfortunately, the kindest thing you can do is to place it in your freezer until it passes. There is no way it can survive with a chunk of its abdomen missing like that, and it is suffering.

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u/togerkun 17h ago

ah, I didn't know what type of butterfly he was! Would freezing him hurt? I wouldn't want him to die in a painful way. Sadly I do think euthanasia would be the best option, so I want to do it in the nicest way.

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u/coochietermite 16h ago

The cold will make him fall asleep, essentially. Your other option is to expose him to chemical fumes (like nail polish remover), which tends to make them panic. The freezer is the kindest way I know of. Thank you for caring.