There are many types of injuries – and sometimes it is time for the butterfly to die. But in bad weather (cold or wet) you can best help a butterfly by putting it on flowers in a sheltered position, or by bringing it indoors.
Pick some flowers with nectar, and put your butterfly on that, and with warmth, shelter and nectar it may recover.
Remember that a Monarch lives only 6-8 weeks after it has done what it is here to do – continue the species. Every living thing must also die – but hopefully before it’s time is up, it will have either fathered a new generation of butterflies, or laid sufficient eggs to leave behind many descendants.
It is possible to replace a broken wing by gluing on a perfect wing from a dead butterfly. But this is labour-intensive, and requires practice. Full instructions can be found here: http://www.livemonarch.com/hospital.htm
If you don’t have the time or inclination to do the job well, our suggestion is to pop your injured Monarch into a container and put it in the deep-freeze. The Monarch will feel no pain, just go to sleep as if winter was coming, and then be euthanised while it is ‘asleep’.
