Had a very good day yesterday for insects...lots of dragonflies, butterflies, etc. Was very happy to see four monarchs at once. Two were probably from my own recent releases, but the other two looked older and worn. I was very excited to get a picture of two monarchs mating. I also got a video of one of them on my joe pye weed.

When I went to look at them (specifically the video) larger on my computer screen, it looks like it might have OE... due to the way the abdomen looks??? I'm not very knowledgeable about it because up here all the milkweed dies to the ground every year so it isn't usually an issue. I have been rinsing off the milkweed I bring in with tap water (chlorinated) to wash off the aphids. If it is OE should I be doing something more to disinfect it. I would hate to lose any of the monarchs I am raising currently to this.

Here is the mating pic and a link to the video below which shows the abdomen better when it opens its wings about the 17 second mark.
{{gwi:523217}}
From 2014_08