Back to this week's update   Can you identify OE? >> OE is a monarch butterfly parasite. A parasite is an organism that lives on its host in a way that harms the host. (OE is short for the parasite's scientific name, Ophryocystis elektroscirrha.) There are two things labeled in this magnified image: monarch butterfly scales and OE "spores." The spores are a stage in the life cycle of the parasite. Spores can live for years and are responsible for the spread of the disease. Which are the scales and which are the OE spores? Look...think...then link Image: MonarchHealth