How to Raise a Monarch Butterfly
Part II of V
Wanna grow your own butterfly in a month?
You’ll need a few things and a bit of information.
Things you need to make a home for your Monarch:
Any kind of clear glass bowl
2 way tape
Any type of screen to cover top of bowl. I cut an old splatter screen. You could also use window screen.
Cut little slits around outside of tape to make it bend easier, then stick on top of bowl.
stick screen on top of bowl, pushing down on 2 way tape
There! Now you have a house for your butterfly. Make sure your glass bowl is big enough for a butterfly to spread it’s wings. Also, you HAVE to use some type of screen on top.
The screen has 2 purposes. When the caterpillar is teeny-tiny it will try to escape. It’s not unhappy with it’s home. It is stupid. It is a noddle with legs.
When it’s 1-3 days old the caterpillar is like a toddler. It has no idea what dangers are out there and will just randomly decide to wander away. That’s why you need the screen and the 2 way tape to keep the screen stuck down tight. The screen is also a perfect place for the caterpillar to attach itself to form a chrysalis later on. So use the screen.
Milkweed with Monarch
You will also need a supply of Milkweed. Monarchs only lay their eggs on Milkweed. This is because Monarch caterpillars only eat Milkweed. Something in it makes the caterpillar (and later the butterfly) poisonous to most of their predators. Genius, eh? (or for my American friends “Genius, huh?“)
you can keep milkweed fresh in the house by cutting it and putting it in a glass of water.
If you don’t have any milkweed in your yard, go hunting around in the woods and side of the road. Cut some and keep it in a vase at home. Remember though, caterpillars eat A LOT when they get big so you’ll need to be able to replenish your milkweed every few days for a 2 week period. If you can’t do this … don’t try to grow a Monarch. It’ll croak on you. And you will be a murderer.
O.K., now that you have a home and food source for your Monarch all you need is the egg.
Look on the underside of milkweed leaves for an egg. They usually lay their eggs on the youngest, top leaves on the plant.
It’s a butterfly egg, so it’s stinkin’ small. Watch for a white, egg shaped blob.
Butterfly Egg on underside of middle leaf.
When you find a leaf with an egg, pinch the leaf off and bring it inside. Keep the stem of the leaf in water until the egg hatches so the leaf doesn’t dry up. If the leaf dries up, the egg will too. (more information tomorrow on how to tell when your egg is about to hatch)
Up close, under a magnifying glass it looks like this. It will be white. If it looks dark yellow, the egg probably isn’t viable.
monarch egg
You can also keep your eye out for an already hatched caterpillar. These are harder to find because the tiny baby ones are usually eaten by earwigs, birds or other bugs. 
- 2-3 day old caterpillar in wild
This is partly why I raise Monarchs. Take this into consideration … of the thousands of monarch eggs that have been laid on my milkweed over the years, I have never once seen a Monarch caterpillar mature into a butterfly outside. Ever. Only 2-3% of Monarchs ever make it to maturity in the wild.
Pick the whole leaf with the caterpillar on it
So you have a better idea of what you’re looking for, here’s a quick video of a Monarch butterfly laying its eggs in my yard.
O.K. Get your bowl, get your screen, get your egg, get your milkweed and get your ass back here tomorrow for Part III of How to Raise a Monarch Butterfly.
Kim Norgate
Amazing. I would go out there right now if it wasn’t so friggin dark, oh well I guess the kids and I will wait until tomorrow. Thanks Karen!
Lindsey @ Hot Polka Dot
You’ve inspired me. I think I’m totally going to do this. I just need to figure out where to find milkweed in Edmonton. I think I know where to look. Thanks!
Shauna
Wow…they lay eggs fast!! That’s super neat! What times of the year do they lay eggs? Are they done laying eggs now?
Pati
Would Love to do this! **see Im here**
Karen
Hah! Thank you Pati. :)
Pam'a
Dang it. Now I wish I knew what sort of caterpillar was gnawing on my parsley the other day. It looked a lot like your Monarch, in the big-and-fat stage…
Karen
Hi Pam’a. If it was gnawing on your parsley, chances are it was a Black Swallowtail. Their main food sources are dill and parsley. I plant dill and parsley especially for them. I have one that matured and has turned into a chrysalis this very moment. (I’ll post pics. on Facebook in a few days) The Black Swallowtail will wander away from the parsley when it’s full grown and find somewhere nearby to become a chrysalis.
Vila
I love your DYI projects and been following them for some time now, but this one with the butterflys…I was completely sold by the idea…however I’m in the EU and I have no clue weather we have Monarch Butterflys or letalone milkweed :((( but will ask around for some locall species to grow ;) Thanks a whole lot bunch for the great stuff you post! Keep up the great work ;)
Hugs,
Natasa
Jan
Vila, as far as I can tell, milkweed and monarchs grow only in eastern North America. Here is a map of the range for one common milkweed variety. http://www.everwilde.com/store/Asclepias-exaltata-WildFlower-Seed.html
Watching this project makes me even more committed to not using pesticides or herbicides on my yard. There are all sorts of neat critters there!
Whitney
The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae), in the family Nymphalidae. It is perhaps the best known of all North American butterflies. In Europe it is resident in the Canary Islands, the Azores, and Madeira, and is found as an occasional migrant in Western Europe.
Natalie
So amazing! Can’t wait to see more pictures!
Liz
When i bought broccoli the other day and was cutting it up to cook it, i found 3 tiny green caterpillars wrapped in silk. I am now a murderer and probably a bad wife because i squished the three ‘pilars i found and cooked the head of broccoli which was then fed to my husband who has now probably ingested caterpillar.
Maybe he is incubating a butterfly?
Fifi
You’ll need a much bigger bowl to keep him in.
Liz
No kidding. And i won’t be able to feed him on something as cheap as milkweed either.
Alissa
I snorted my drink out upon reading “Genius, eh?” / “Genius, huh?” You crack me up. :o)
Tricia Rose
I’ll try that!
What’s milkweed? don’t know it, not being a native of these parts.
but what I REALLY, REALLY want to do is keep a caddis worm, with all my spare diamonds etc…http://www.leonardo.info/gallery/gallery314/duprat.html
Karen
Holy crap. That’s a clever worm. It’s kindda … revolting in a high end way.
Tricia Rose
My worm and I are offended…
Karen
Heh. heh heh. Magical art worms who get offended. Heh. What’ll they think of next those Brothers Grimm?
Allison
I was all ready to start in on this butterfly project when I read that milkweed and monarchs are only in Eastern Canada….hmmmmf!
Any suggestions to suitable substitutes for us here on the left coast, in Vancouver?
Karen
Hi Allison? Did you read this on that Big Fat Liar, the Internet? Monarchs can be found all across the world including Hawaii, New Zealand, The Canary Island, Europe, and all of North America. From one coast to the other in Canada. Therefore, if there are Monarchs there’s also milkweed. Look for the milkweed and you’ll find the Monarch eggs! Good luck.
Anemone
This DIY is great for the butterfly population and better than watching Discovery channel…I am soo gonna try it
Kelsey
i only discovered your blog yesterday and thought this was amazing! i live in australia so imagine my surprise today when i was gardening to find a chrysalis dangling from the twiggy branches of a weed i killed……yes i murdered habitat…woops! but the chrysalis looks the same and i have never seen one with my ‘real eyes’ before, just seen pictures. so merry christmas to me (& my 3 kids) – we are now eagerly awaiting the arrival of the newest member of the family! excitement!!!
Dana
can you do a post “II.5 of V” all about how to find milkweed? is there something distinct about it so i know it’s actually milkweed? to me, pretty much all leaves look like milkweed. without your guidance, i’ll likely spend the next month waiting for a butterfly to bloom from a regular old weed.
Karen
Dana – LOL, That’s coming up. ~ karen
Tracy
Last year my 12 year old neighbor (and then our local library) taught us How to raise Monarchs. Our kids are hooked! This is the only pet my kids are allowed. My husband has his whole office into this, too!
You don’t need the glass, any clear plastic container will do ( from the deli counter, recycle Mcdonalds sundae containers, etc. Just make pinholes in them for breathing.
You may want to invest ($15?) into a butterfly container made of screen, available at Target, Walmart, etc to grow lots of these guys! We have one for this year, been on the egg lookout this week!
Karen
Hi Tracy! I always suggest glass because it’s much easier to clean than plastic and it doesn’t scratch the same way plastic would. Plus if I’m going to have something on my counter for over a month I don’t wanna be lookin’ at no McDonald’s Sundae container, LOL. Also, I wouldn’t suggest the smaller deli counter containers because the butterfly’s home has to be something big enough for them to stretch their wings out once they’re born. They need room to extend them to their full size and flap them around a bit. The butterfly container is a good option. ~ karen
Dee
I have been providing food for the Monarchs and food for their caterpillers here in San Diego for about 4 years now. The milkweed we grow here is a different variety. I counted 19 in the raised bed with the milkweed plants last week and now they are all in the chrysalis stage. Google raising Monarchs for additional info on the plants. And the butterfly itself needs different plants for food source. A word of caution….once the caterpillers start migrating to a spot to attach and spin into the chrysalis becareful to not step on them or disturb the place they choose to attach. I have found them on window ledges, sides of pots, tables and one now is inside the patio screen door track…..I will not be opening that screen fully now for a couple of weeks. We can also provide butterfly houses for them to rest in at night. And no pesticides……kills the caterpillers instantly if they crawl into an area that has been sprayed.
Holly
I must be tired, because it just struck me as very funny that two of the ads on the side of your blog are for concrete (“Put up a mailbox for under $90″) and “Ask Mr. Pickles” blog. (Mr. Pickles is nattily dressed in his hat and bow tie.) I don’t know why this is funny, it just is. LOVE your blog!
Karen
LOL. Thanks Holly. Yup. Sounds like you must be tired. ~ karen
SheilaB
Oh my gosh, I so badly want to do this!!! A couple years back I had the task of raising 200 painted lady butterflys in these huge 6ft pavilions for a sermon illustration at work. I loved it! Now I need to find a place in KS that has milkweed. We see Monarchs flying around so it’s gotta be somewhere… This is one of the coolest ideas you’ve ever had, Karen!
B.J.M
I transplanted half a dozen milkweed plants to my garden last year. They are going great! Plus I am likely one of a few who loves the heavy scent.
We had thousands of Monarchs’ about 4 years ago, mid July..looked like tiny bats hanging from the trees at night. I took quite a few pictures of them. Gorgeous!
Have a SUPER weekend Karen,
Brenda
Nicole Mills
I live in Cornwall Ontario(Eastern Canada. We have milkweed growing in our field at the back of our property. At what time of the year should I be looking for the eggs? Many thanks in advance.
Karen
Hi Nicole. Around Cornwall you should be looking for eggs anywhere from June to September. If you keep your eyes peeled you’ll notice Monarch Butterflies on the milkweed. Just keep an eye on them and you’ll actually be able to see exactly where and what leaf they’re laying on. Makes getting the eggs a lot easier. ;) ~ karen
Amy
It was kinda tricky finding the eggs, but I managed. I went and stole some plants from the post office and replanted them in my yard. unfornuately I didn’t get eggs from them but they will be used for food source. I did get eggs from somewhere else and now have 3 little catepillars.
Karen
Amy – Excellent! ~ karen
Amy
Karen,
2 of my catepillars are doing great (boy do they poop alot!!!), but one of them hasn”t grown at all in 2 weeks, he is still alove but not eating or pooping. can you tell me anything about this?
thanks
Amy
Karen
Amy – Oh dear. Sorry about your caterpillar. That’s awful. I’m not sure exactly what the problem is, but I seem to remember something about this happening occasionally. Could have a bug of some sort in him. I doubt there’s anything you can do. You can continue to try to feed him, but if I were you, I’d remove him from the container with the other caterpillars. Definitely isolate him and possibly just put him outside and let nature take it’s course. He’ll either survive (if you put him on a milkweed plant) or get eaten by a bird. Sorry! ~ karen
Amy
well he died :(
im also sad to say that after raising two other catepillars, they have died today! why am i a monarch murderer? they had gotten really big and should have gone into their “J” phase in the next few days.i copied everything exactly. i even seperated all of them from the beginning.
Karen
Oh no!!! I don’t know what happened, but I would suspect the milkweed either had pesticide on it or they had a pest in them themselves. :( I’ve never had any of mine die like that, but it could just be luck. I know it’s a bit of an ordeal, but you could probably try again this year. (or wait til next year) ~ karen