Keep the plant stem in water. It may last longer if you cut the end of the stem just before putting it in water. If you have just taken the leaf, keep it on a moist paper towel or filter paper in a petri dish or any other clean container. Keep the container covered to maintain modest moisture. Check each day and add water a drop at a time to the filter paper if necessary.
The top of the egg will look dark before the larva is ready to emerge. Be sure to have a fresh milkweed leaf in the container for the new larva, if its old leaf is dry. Once the larvae emerge, they will need fresh milkweed leaves. They won't eat any other plants, although they do eat many different species, or kinds, of milkweed. If the original plant is still fresh, it is easiest to just leave the larvae on this for a few days.
They rarely crawl far during this time, and do not need to be put in a container until they are about four days old. If you are keeping larvae in individual containers, be sure to replace leaves when they turn dry, every one to two days. Leaves will keep longer if the stem is wrapped in a moist paper towel and then wrapped in tin foil or plastic wrap.
Containers should be emptied of frass larva waste every one to two days. For more information on finding and growing milkweed, see our Milkweed Guide. If kept in a closed plastic bag in the refrigerator, milkweed will stay fresh for several days.
You will need to save a lot of leaves to keep rearing larvae, but some teachers have reared continuous generations of Monarchs using this method. Larvae can be handled safely with fingers after they are about three to four days old, but it is best to handle them as little as possible until they are over an inch long. If necessary, a moistened artist brush can be used to transfer younger larvae without hurting them. Larvae of any size should not be handled when they are molting. They are getting ready to molt when they remain very still, often on the side or top of their container, and when you can see their black head capsule about to come off.
Just after they have molted, their tentacles will look droopy, and you may see the old skin behind the larva. They will usually eat this skin! As larvae grow, so will their appetites.
Be sure to check their leaf supply regularly. Learn more about rearing Monarch butterfly caterpillars at the Monarch Watch website. Those of us who raise caterpillars in our kitchens and gardens have been known to use pins, tape, glue, fishing line—and dental floss, my favorite—to fasten chrysalises to twigs, coffee stirrers, chopsticks, potted plants, even the kitchen cabinet. Why do we do it? To ensure their completion of the life cycle is one reason.
The only way to do that is to have the chrysalis in captivity, where you can monitor its progress and not miss the miracle of metamorphosis. An excellent resource for relocating chrysalises and reattaching them without causing harm is Shady Oak Butterfly Farm. Thank you, Edith! Monica-there is a new study out about how wild caught late summer-fall Caterpillar generations that are brought inside for rearing do not know how to migrate. According to the study. Environmental cues that likely turn on the genes for migration likely some epigenetic change are probably a specific day night temperature differential, photoperiod, light spectrum this is different in late summer and fall , and direction the chrysalis should be hanging relative to the sun.
According to what I know about plant physiology and academic spectral research on monarchs. I heard about the paper on mr Lund science channel on youtube, but I have not read that specific paper yet. In any case, as of now, it seems the best course of action is to rear early generations which will beef up local population numbers which will then be able to lay far more eggs for the fall generation and those should be either reared outdoors for their entire and likely ost importantly late stages or left alone outdoors entirely.
The study suggests that well meaning humans have likely done damage to monarchs by producing butterflies that dont have the ability to migrate which then end up freezing in northern habitats. Thanks for the info. I never noticed them until a few years ago when I started looking. Those gifts await you, just take a look. Thanks for writing.
Keep looking! Saw a chrysalis in Feb. What could have happened to it? I am so disappointed. Did you see a shell left behind? If it hatched you should be able to see the papery-thin shell where the chrysalis was hanging. It also could have fallen to the ground or been eaten by a predator—mice or something else. Very few caterpillars survive predators to make a chrysalis, and few of the chrysalis survive to hatch. So when you see those caterpillars, bring them inside.
I have a mesh cage with a big potted milkweed inside the cage. I put the tiny cats on that plant and zip it up to keep them safe. But you can just put the cats in any container with a screen on top to keep them from crawling out keep adding fresh milkweed leaves daily. Keep it on a kitchen counter or table. They will make the chrysalis on the top screen.
I need HELP!! I am new to the Butterfly World! I started a butterfly garden-Miami, Florida. I have had tons of caterpillars but I never see a chrysalis. Once and a while I will see a butterfly. The flower beds are plentiful with host plants. What am I doing wrong?
If you want to witness the whole process, then bring them inside so you can keep an eye on them. I just found a chrysalis on one of my lawn chairs I was cleaning. Can anyone help please? You can use a non toxic glue to adhere it to a surface that allows it to hang properly so when it emerges its wings form properly.
See my previous post on how to move a Monarch chrysalis. I found a caterpillar that had yellow and whit fur with random longer black streaks and its been in its cocoon for about a month.
We have been blessed with four swallowtail caterpillars. The one in the container changed to chrysalis yesterday, one on the tree moved to patio and changed, one on tree changed overnight and the largest, not changed yet, we moved to the containe, anticipating its change very soon. We are in Dallas area. We are soooo excited waiting for our new butterfly friends. An emerging Monarch, before it was fully open, fell from the roof of the mesh cage to the floor of the mesh cage.
What to do? It seems to be trying to open its wings. Sometimes if you take a stick and put it near their legs they will grab onto it and you can put them somewhere where they can hang vertically. Brutal, I know. Just wanted to let you know you encouraged me to buy some milkweed plants this past spring. Although I have yet to see a monarch butterfly I have counted to date 26 monarch catipillars so I feel my contribution was well worth my effort.
We found a late monarch caterpillar attached to a bush limb I had trimmed late this October. I brought it in and it has opened early this morning, November 4th.
I know this must be a 4th generation female. I am in central. Should I offer any supplemental sugar water before releasing outside? We have a forecast of heavy rain moving in from Oklahoma and Texas later today.
We have saved a butterfly Cardinal just after it fell out of its puppy and to the ground between stones lieing on its back. What do you do your cocoons turn black and are still moving?
If this is a Monarch chrysalis, it will turn black right before it emerges. You see black because the chrysalis is clear at this time and the butterflies wings have black in them and the body is mostly back. I only know this because I have watched them closely. My first monarch butterfly just emerged this morning. I have it in a mesh cage with a milkweed plant. It has been out for about 12 hours and I plan to let it outside in the morning. Is there something I should feed it in the meantime. Sugar water?
If you let it go in the morning it will find some nectar. Good luck! We had a Monarch chrysalis in our pine tree and some time soon after it emerged it fell in a pile of needles and tore its wings.
Is there anything I can do? You should probably put it out of its misery by sticking it in the freezer for 10 minutes. Nature is cruel. I relocated 2 Monarch Chrysalis from an unsafe area. Thank you for any help. Our Monarch chrysalis took 18 days! I read everywhere 10 to 14 ans was thinking he had died when all of a sudden his chrysalis got clear yesterday. Find a Monarch Butterfly Journal Here. We use breathable mesh cages that keep caterpillars in, and deadly predators out.
Most alternatives have holes that baby monarch caterpillars can easily escape from. Supply List for Raising Monarch Butterflies. Your other option is to keep two raising cages on hand. In its two week life span, one caterpillar can consume an entire milkweed plant. Do yourself a favor and have plenty of milkweed available before you begin. A patch of milkweed should consist of mature plants for feeding hungry monarch caterpillars.
Find Milkweed for your Butterfly Garden. Large potted plants give hitchhiking predators too many hiding places. Individual leaves dry out too quickly…but milkweed cuttings make the perfect monarch meal. Use egg cartons, styrofoam lids, sturdy plastic cups, or floral tube holders to keep the tubes upright:.
Know your emergency options including nearby parks, neighbors, and nurseries that carry pesticide-free milkweed plants. The sap from milkweed is toxic and can cause corneal damaged if rubbed into your eyes. Always wash your hands after handling milkweed. If you or your child do pick one up, be very gentle and keep it brief.
Poisonous frogs do exist, but they live in Central and South America. And no, frogs and toads do not pass on warts to humans. There is a persistent belief that if you touch the wings of a moth or butterfly, it will lose the ability to fly, or even die. While it is important to be extremely gentle when petting a butterfly, the consequences are rarely so dramatic. The dust you may see on your finger after touching a lepidopteran wing is actually made up of tiny wing scales modified hairs. If too many scales are rubbed away, the wing is more likely to tear or fail.
If you do take the opportunity to pet a butterfly, please be extremely gentle. Want an even more ethical alternative? On a cold morning or evening, look for a very still bee resting on a flower. As cold-blooded organisms, bees rely on the heat of the day to warm them up and get them moving. If you catch them in a chilled-out, sleepy state, you can gently give them a pet. Obviously, you should avoid this if you are allergic to bee stings, though.
And in general, it is still not for the faint of heart. Most caterpillars are perfectly safe to handle. Painted lady and swallowtail caterpillars are common examples. Even the monarch butterfly caterpillar, though toxic if eaten, does nothing more than tickle you when held. But do be warned: Some caterpillars should not be touched. Generally, avoid the brightly colored ones—bright colors warn predators that they are toxic—and especially the fuzzy, hairy, and bristly ones.
The hairs can break off in your skin, causing a rash. Some of the bristles contain venom that can cause serious inflammation, or worse. Some hairy caterpillars are in fact harmless, but always consult an identification guide before handling a mystery caterpillar.
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