Home >> Science & Nature >> Insects & Science

How to Raise Monarch Butterfly Eggs

Raising monarch butterfly eggs is an enriching, educational experience. Not only does it introduce the monarch species to the observer, it also gives an up close and personal glimpse into the butterfly life cycle. Monarch butterflies lay their eggs exclusively on milkweed plants. The first group of monarch females that lay their eggs has migrated from Mexico, where they have spent their winter along with the males. Unfortunately, they will only lay one brood and die within weeks. The lifespan of a monarch is only two to five weeks. You can aid the Monarchs in their plight, and even raise your own monarch butterfly eggs, by planting the milkweed host plant in your garden.

Things You'll Need

Milkweed seeds
Seed starter tray with lid
Sterile potting soil
Water bottle
Lukewarm water
Grow lights
Plant heating pad
Milkweed plants
Mulch
Soaker hose
Sharp scissors
Milkweed leaves with eggs
Plastic container
Small aquarium
Paper towels
Fresh milkweed leaves and stems

Instructions

The Host Plant
- 1
  Begin planting common milkweed seeds at least eight weeks before the final winter thaw. Fill a seed starter tray half full with sterile potting soil and sprinkle the milkweed seeds over the soil. Add a quarter inch layer of potting soil over the seeds.
- 2
  Mist the seeds with a spray bottle filled with lukewarm water. Cover the seed tray with its plastic lid and place it in a sunny window or under grow lights. Maintain a temperature of 75 degrees F wherever you keep the tray. If this is not possible, place the seed tray on a plant heating pad. Lift the lid periodically to moisten the soil during the 7 to 10 day germination period.
- 3
  Remove the lid permanently once the milkweed seeds have sprouted. Continue to keep the soil moist as the milkweed plants grow. Transplant the milkweed plants outdoors in the early spring, when the plants are 3 to 6 inches high.
- 4
  Dig holes for the milkweed plants in your garden, spacing the holes 3 to 16 inches apart. Remove the milkweed plants from the trays and plant them in the holes. Apply a 3-inch layer of bark chips around the plants to reduce weed growth. Water the milkweed plants with a soaker hose, maintaining a moist soil depth of 1 inch at all times.
The Search
- 5
  Search your milkweed plants for monarch butterfly eggs. The first brood of eggs is laid in mid-June. Monarch butterflies lay their eggs underneath the milkweed leaves. Carefully flip the leaves over and look for tiny white, football shaped eggs attached to the leaves. The eggs are no bigger than a pinhead, so look closely.
- 6
  Snip off the entire leaf from the milkweed plant with a sharp pair of scissors, when you find one that contains an egg. Place the leaf in a plastic container. Continue the process of looking underneath the milkweed leaves for the eggs, placing them in the container. If you will be using a small aquarium to raise the monarch butterfly eggs, three to five leaves containing eggs are enough.
- 7
  Line the bottom of the aquarium with a layer of paper towels and spread the milkweed leaves out, with the eggs facing up. Lightly spray the leaves with a spray bottle filled with lukewarm water. Keep the leaves moist at all times.
- 8
  Monitor the eggs for the next few days. When hatching time nears (four to seven days), you will begin to notice black dots forming in the eggs. These are the monarch caterpillar's heads. Once you see the heads, it is only a matter of time before the caterpillars hatch.
- 9
  Continue misting the leaves to keep them moist when the caterpillars finally emerge from their eggs. The leaves will serve as their food. As the monarch caterpillars grow, you will need to continually add fresh leaves for them to munch on. Whole stems with leaves attached will give the monarch caterpillars something to crawl on and hang from when they are plump enough to form a chrysalis.

Insects & Science