
Close-up of Unknown Fungus-covered Insect Stuck to Monarch Chrysalis (Danaus plexippus)
This chrysalis was diseased/not viable. It had a tiny, fungus-covered insect that was stuck to it (I'm not sure if the insect was a parasitoid or not). The chrysalis was (collected as a catepillar) kept in an outdoor, mesh enclosure with milkweed.
I poked the chrysalis with my finger and it popped off the string and leaked goo everywhere. I didn't see anything unusual inside (no parasitoids that I could see). Also, there weren't any exit holes that I noticed. Perhaps it had a bacterial infection? We have had tons of rain, which could have caused an increase in bacterial or fungal infections.
No species identified
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