From Monarch egg to butterfly:
1. Retrieve egg from milkweed or bring plant inside away from predators. Yes, even cute little ladybugs will eat them.
2. Place a slightly moist paper towel in the bottom of a plastic container. (I love the Johnson Popcorn containers).
3. Place moist paper towel on top and put on lid. (You only do this with new eggs-once caterpillars have eaten some of the original leaf just add new milkweed: you no longer need the moist towel on the bottom). I separate the paper towels into layers as not to waste too many towels.
4. After the larvae emerge from the egg in a few days you will want to keep their environment clean.
5. Do not touch them just take the leaf they are on and place it aside and put in new towel and new leaves. Their poop (frass) is a good indication they are healthy-lots of poop=healthy caterpillars. The poop gradually gets larger.
6. Do not disturb them if they are transitioning from one stage (instar) to another-just wait.
7. In a few weeks from the egg stage (give or take a few days) the caterpillar will travel to the top of the container where it will hang out in a "J" shape for a day or so, then it will change into a chrysalis.
8. 10-14 days later it will emerge as a butterfly. Wait a day before you release it (do not touch it if possible). You do not need to give it food (Gatorade or flowers) if you only keep it a day. Really, you need to let it go -they are not pets.
1. Retrieve egg from milkweed or bring plant inside away from predators. Yes, even cute little ladybugs will eat them.
2. Place a slightly moist paper towel in the bottom of a plastic container. (I love the Johnson Popcorn containers).
3. Place moist paper towel on top and put on lid. (You only do this with new eggs-once caterpillars have eaten some of the original leaf just add new milkweed: you no longer need the moist towel on the bottom). I separate the paper towels into layers as not to waste too many towels.
4. After the larvae emerge from the egg in a few days you will want to keep their environment clean.
5. Do not touch them just take the leaf they are on and place it aside and put in new towel and new leaves. Their poop (frass) is a good indication they are healthy-lots of poop=healthy caterpillars. The poop gradually gets larger.
6. Do not disturb them if they are transitioning from one stage (instar) to another-just wait.
7. In a few weeks from the egg stage (give or take a few days) the caterpillar will travel to the top of the container where it will hang out in a "J" shape for a day or so, then it will change into a chrysalis.
8. 10-14 days later it will emerge as a butterfly. Wait a day before you release it (do not touch it if possible). You do not need to give it food (Gatorade or flowers) if you only keep it a day. Really, you need to let it go -they are not pets.
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