Some people squish their bodies.

I prefer the freezer method. I put them in a baggy first.

I hold mine and feed them to toads at night....I decided this way nature is being most efficient....

I don't understand, why would you want to kill them after raising them? Please explain.

Sometimes the butterfly doesn't emerge properly or correctly and isn't able to fly. We had one this spring do this. There was just enough of a deformity in it's wings it couldn't fly.

Like mrspaul, we released it anyway. My thought process was if a bird wanted to learn that monarchs taste nasty, this would be a good one to learn on.

randy

The butterflies are likely unconscious during the freezer method before their cells expand.

It always pains me to see an individual creature suffer....but that is nature's way...not interested in the individual, but in the survival of the species. As stated above, sometimes they don't eclose property....and all of us have grappled with euthenasia....in one form or another. I've decided not to freeze them, but eitehr put them on a flower and let nature do her thing, or allow them directly to become food. At least somebody wins that way

An experienced butterfly gardener told me the most humane way to use the freezer method was to first put the butterfly in the refrigerator for a while (overnight or several hours). This makes them go to sleep. Then move them to the freezer. They will not be aware of what is happening.

Hi ms_minnamouse,

Glad to find a neighbor! I get wild monarchs that lay eggs on my A. tuberosa, but I don't keep them around for breeding. They start showing up in July, so I'd be happy to share some cats next season. I live in Mt. Airy.

Jeff

I don't think you want to feed monarchs to birds, since they feed on milkweed as caterpillars and are therefore poisonous.
I'd rather be squished than frozen. I hate the cold.

Butterflies are cold blooded creatures that take on the temperature of their environment.

I agree with tpolony.

Edna

I agree with mrspaul. If it happened outside naturally it would become nourishment for something else. So why not follow nature's example??? I would prefer that to putting it in my freezer and then have to remove it to dispose of it.

In malta a small island near sicily and the monarchs does not fly.!I often see cabbage white butterfly,swallowtail butterfly,Red Admiral and Tortoise shell butterfly.

put it gently in a paper towel and drop a heavy book or box on it, then step on it to make sure the job is done. It hurts us a lot, but quick and painless for the insect. I would NEVER freeze. Can you imagine freezing to death, whats the difference pain wise, human or insect? That is the most absurd stupid thing ever. Even catipellars, I drop a book, box or stomp. I scream when I do it, because it's heartbreaking, but its then over and done. no suffering, no chance of maggots or bugs, or ants eating it alive in the garden.