Raising Monarchs

[Sycamore67]

For a number of years we have been trying to attract Monarch Butterflies and have planted butterfly attracting bushes and flowers.  We have several patches of Milkweed scattered around our 2 acre yard.  Last year, we had a couple of Monarchs and Monarch Caterpillars.  This year has been absolutely amazing.  We are taking the caterpillars and bringing them inside to raise.  The success rate of a caterpillar making it to a butterfly outside is around 10%.  We are getting almost 100% of the caterpillars that we bring in to become butterflies. 

The Monarch eggs are very small about 1/32" and are layed one at a time and not close to each other.

 

The caterpillars go thru 5 stages called Instars and shed or molt their skin each time.  

They eat oly Milkweed and are voracious eaters.  I have about 10 caterpillars now and they go thru 8-10 6" long leaves every day.  They grow until they are almost 2 inches long.

They finally attached themselves to a high spot and show a "J" shape.

After a day or so they shed their skin and you have a green Chrysalis.

They stay this way for 7-10 days and then the Chrysalis turns dark and transparent and you can see the Monarch inside.

Then you wait about a day or so and suddenly....

In about two hours after they emerge the wings are dry and straight and ready to fly off.

We are about to the time of year when you will get the Super Monarchs.  These are the special ones that will migrate over a thousand miles to Mexico for the winter.  Normally the Monarchs butterflies only live for two weeks or so but these Super ones live much longer.

I need to get to work as the caterpillars need to be fed.

 

Edited August 18, 2018 by Sycamore67

[Scrappile]

Very interesting, thank you.  Would be fun to raise some.  I was out in the yard the other day and a Monarch was flying around out Rose of Sharon bush.  I went a stood quietly by the bush and it would come within inches of me.  Beautiful.  We do not see them very often here.   Maybe it is because I hate "Milk Weed" and kill it when it comes up.  May have to rethink that now.

Edited August 18, 2018 by Scrappile

[WayneMahler]

Thank you for sharing all of this. Very interesting and the photos really make it all come to life, we don't see a lot of them here. 

[Rockytime]

Thank you so much for posting. Beautiful to see. I have not seen a monarch as long as I can remember. Used to have them in our yard when I was a kid. But then it was in a rural area.

[RabidAlien]

Awesome!!! 

 

...pic with the guy in the transparent cocoon, looks like he's smoking in there, maybe cooking bacon?

[amazingkevin]

Very interesting!

[Scrolling Steve]

Thanks for sharing !