How to Raise a Monarch Butterfly
- 1
Monarch egg
Check the underside of milkweed leaves for monarch eggs. Milkweeds can be found just about anywhere: meadows, parks, along the roadside, even vacant city lots. When picked off the stalk, a milkweed leaf will "bleed" a white milky sticky substance. - 2
Common milkweed plant
Put the leave or entire milkweed plant into a container with a vented lid. Those plastic small pet containers at discount stores work quite well. - 3
Newly-hatched monarch caterpillar
Stock up on milkweed leaves. Pick several at a time, wrap them in a damp paper towel and place them in a plastic bag. Keep them in the vegetable crisper in the refrigerator. - 4
Two monarch caterpillars chowing down
Keep the container clean and the milkweed supply fresh. The caterpillar will eat and poop quite frequently. - 5
Caterpillars assuming the "J" position
Do not disturb the caterpillar once it makes its climb to the top of the container and begins to hang in a "J" position. It will soon make its chrysalis and emerge in about 10 to 14 days. - 6
Let the butterfly form its wings after emerging
Let the caterpillar hang and form its wings once it emerges from its chrysalis. It takes about 5 hours for the wings to fully form and harden. - 7
Release the monarch once its wings are formed. A good rule of thumb: If the monarch emerges in the morning, it can be released that afternoon.
