You can keep her going inside with a butterfly feeder*
and fresh flowers. You could even take her for "walks" thru the garden, perching her on nectar rich flowers and letting her nectar away. I would stop short of trying to breed her, though.

* A butterfly feeder is simply a shallow dish of Hummingbird nectar with a new plastic kitchen scrubber in the middle, (brightly colored if possible).
Sugar water, four pts water to one pt sugar, boiled and cooled can be substituted for store bought Hummingbird nectar.

Thank you Leafhead!

Where do you buy the butterfly feeder? I want one!

Jane

You can pick up a plastic pot scrubber at any dollar store.
Any shallow dish will serve well as the reservoir. Just add sugar water and you're all set.

Poor thing won't eat unless I make her sit on the flowers.

Nature seems cruel, sometimes. You might want to put it out of its misery. If you put it out doors on a flower, it will probably become a welcome meal for a migrating bird. Or, you could put it in your freezer, which might seem more compassionate, though not nature's way. I'm so sorry you have to be in this situation. Know that we are here for you.

Martha

I am sorry this happened. I had a Monarch several years ago that this happened to...and don't know why. Think about its quality of life and that may help with your decision.
Thinking of you in Spring, TX.
K

I put it outside on some flowers yesterday, thinking I would just let nature take it's course. I could see it from my window swaying in the wind, struggling to hold on. I lasted about an hour and couldn't stand it any more. I went out and got her and brought her back in. I had another one emerge this morning in the same enclosure. It seems to have perked her up a bit. She came down and ate from the feeder that I constructed using Leafhead's advice. I guess I'll keep her inside and see how it goes. Thank you all for all your help.

I was just reading in the Houston Chronicle that this could be caused by OE spores. There's a big article. Let me see if I can find the link.
K

Here's the link. Hope it comes through.
K

Here is a link that might be useful: Houston Chronicle link

I thought OE was mainly a Monarch thing. It can affect BSTs too? Poor thing.

Oh...I put the article out there as a possible explanation. I don't know if it affects other butterflies. Realized that it was Monarchs not GST after I posted... Sorry.
K

Thank you, Kaboehm. The article was interesting and good to keep in mind.

Today I found my first monarch butterfly with deformed wings. I'm heartbroken. It eclosed yesterday when it was raining. I'm assuming it's wings never formed properly.

I'm really hoping it doesn't have OE, as I have a ton of caterpillars on my milkweed right now. One other butter hatched no problem yesterday, but it was in a more protected area. I have another chrysalis that's going to hatch today I think but it's coloring is weird. Do you think I have OE?