# Raising Monarch Butterflys



## JohnK and Sheri

I have raised them before and again this year, I have 2 caterpillar in a jar, waiting for them to make their chrysalis. I was thinking of going out to a milkweed stand tomorrow to get a few more. I monitor them carefully and like you, release them soon after they stretch their wings a bit. 
They are really awesome creatures. We visited the monarch refuge in Mexico a few years back, what an amazing spectacle! 
Sheri


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## BjornBee

Can you tell me more about the cage that you keep the caterpillars in? I have a good amount of caterpillars on milkweed plants in my yard. 

Is there a reason, like better odds? that one would catch them and release later? 

I would like to think that leaving them is a good idea, but if they are killed off in high numbers, or if my kids would love doing this, I could see doing it.

So can you elaborate a bit on what required?

Here is a picture from just today. I would imagine by the size of this one that it will soon start changing???

http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x236/BjornBee/?action=view&current=beepictures140.jpg


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## Joseph Clemens

I've raised them off and on since I was about ten years old. Most recently my method has been to grow colonies of _Asclepias_ or milkweed. The milkweeds can be very attractive plants in their own right, and since they are the only plant the Monarch larvae eat, they often find it and lay their eggs there. It's worked for me from Southern California to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Native _Asclepias_ species seem to work best.


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## BjornBee

I just spent the last thirty minutes searching sites. I googled "raising monarch butterflies". Fascinating. I'll be building my cage in the morning.

Thank you.


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## cow pollinater

For what it's worth, they seem to like poplar trees. I see them every year in my father's trees and for two years now they've been in the one behind my house. Watching them emerge and fly away was almost as big of a thrill for my kids as peeking into a hive.


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## JohnK and Sheri

BB, I just use gallon jars with mesh over the top. Keep fresh sprigs of milkweed in there for them. I just keep them by my desk, out of the sun where I can keep a close eye on them.

As for there being an advantage to 'culturing' them, I am not sure from the monarch's viewpoint; they are poisonous to birds but there may be some specific danger to them as well, I don't know. I had a group of 4 disappear overnight a couple days ago. Not sure if they got eaten or just crawled off to somewhere else. 
Risk to them aside, it is definitely a treat for us humans to watch their evolution. 
I have also seen them on poplar trees, many times have seen the chrysalises there.
Sheri


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## BeehiveinUniontown

*Save the Monarchs!!!*

Hello! I'm not sure you'll receive this, as I've just registered and have been given permission to use the forum. And YOU are the lucky one that I'm compelled to email!!!

First, a little (helpful?) info on our beloved Monarchs! They hatch in 4-6 days after the egg is placed on the leaf of a milkweed (and there are several types of milkweed!). They are a caterpillar 2-3 weeks; they're in their chrysalis anywhere from 5-15 days, and live as a beautiful butterfly, heading south for the Winter, 1-3 months. As Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us: There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.

Secondly, I've noticed the little goldfinches picking "my" Monarch caterpillars off the milkweed leaves, hoping to eat them I suppose. But as soon as they get them in their beak (KILLING THEM!), they spit them out (because we all know they don't taste good, eating milkweed leaves!!!). AND, a few years ago, there was a parasitic wasp that would lay its eggs in the Monarch chrysalis, which will kill it and turn the beautiful green chrysalis black. Just a few days ago, I found a black chrysalis attached to the siding of my home.

So! I have been collecting the Monarch caterpillars of all sizes. I put them in a 12 inch hanging pot (empty, of course!), and removed the hanger part. I place the caterpillars in it with plenty of fresh-daily milkweed leaves, removing the dried, eaten ones. I also placed sticks at angles in it; and finally, put an old basement window screen over the top of the pot so they don't wander off to become a victim!

I currently have 3 chrysalises; 2 of which are attached to the screen, 1 which is hanging upside down on the screen preparing for its miraculous morph, 1 chrysalis attached to one of the sticks, and 3 caterpillars chowing!

I apologize if I've been too chatty, Bjorn! You'll have to excuse my enthusiasm for Mother Nature!

Signing off now!




BjornBee said:


> Can you tell me more about the cage that you keep the caterpillars in? I have a good amount of caterpillars on milkweed plants in my yard.
> 
> Is there a reason, like better odds? that one would catch them and release later?
> 
> I would like to think that leaving them is a good idea, but if they are killed off in high numbers, or if my kids would love doing this, I could see doing it.
> 
> So can you elaborate a bit on what required?
> 
> Here is a picture from just today. I would imagine by the size of this one that it will soon start changing???
> 
> 
> 
> http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x236/BjornBee/?action=view&current=beepictures140.jpg


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## BeehiveinUniontown

*Asclepias!*



Joseph Clemens said:


> I've raised them off and on since I was about ten years old. Most recently my method has been to grow colonies of _Asclepias_ or milkweed. The milkweeds can be very attractive plants in their own right, and since they are the only plant the Monarch larvae eat, they often find it and lay their eggs there. It's worked for me from Southern California to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Native _Asclepias_ species seem to work best.


Yes! Asclepias! That's the milkweed I find most of them on! I've got the red and the yellow at my back kitchen window in the garden there. I love those milkweeds -- they're so dainty, yet so colorful! And they reseed, just as common milkweed does. So if you collect the seeds as soon as the pods open, you can choose where to plant them. Otherwise, expect them to grow all over the place!! Thank you, Joseph!


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## JordanM

JohnK and Sheri said:


> I have raised them before and again this year, I have 2 caterpillar in a jar, waiting for them to make their chrysalis. I was thinking of going out to a milkweed stand tomorrow to get a few more. I monitor them carefully and like you, release them soon after they stretch their wings a bit.
> They are really awesome creatures. We visited the monarch refuge in Mexico a few years back, what an amazing spectacle!
> Sheri



I have always wanted to see the butterflys in Mexico, i always see them on videos hanging on pine trees by the billions.

As for the monarchs having better odds of living, i collect them because my chickens often go through the milkweeds and pick the monarchs and kill them for no reson. So at my house there chances of living are higher in the house away from my chickens.


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## JohnK and Sheri

JordanM said:


> I have always wanted to see the butterflys in Mexico, i always see them on videos hanging on pine trees by the billions.
> 
> Well worth the trip, you wouldn't regret it.
> While vacationing, we rented a car from Puerto Vallarta and took a 4 day trip to see them. It was pretty incredible. There are not just billions on the trees, they are all over the ground too, on the paths up the mountainside where they are. There are so many of them it is difficult not to step on them. There are always some flying down the hill to collect water and then back to the trees, but a couple of times a day they take to the air en masse and the air is full of them. We were there over Christmas time and entire Mexican families were taking this trip, somewhat like a pilgrimage. We saw youngsters helping their great grandparents up the steep steps of the mountain, and there is a reverent attitude, like they are visiting a sacred spot. Amazing.
> Sheri


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## Ben Brewcat

I probably raised a few hundred as a kid. We just did it in mason jars with screen covers. Add fresh milkweed leaves until they chrysalize. We got so we could fisure the hatch day and even hour pretty closely. If you put your ear to the jar you can hear them munching... it's pretty cool and a GREAT way to involve kids.


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## BjornBee

Here are the kids with their first monarch butterfly project. I collected four this morning. I did notice a lot of smaller caterpillars, smaller than 1/2 inch. One was about 1-1/2 inches. but many were on the small size. So I guess its just is early for these parts.

http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x236/BjornBee/?action=view&current=beepictures142.jpg


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## JordanM

Sounds like you had a great trip.

Tell us when they turn into crysalize, Bjorn.

I went out just at 7:00 just when the sun was going down and it seemed like it was prime monarch picking time. I got 2 about 3/4 inch 3 about 1/2 ich and i got 3 about a milimeter long, which is pretty hard to see but they grow up just as fast as the other ones and they are all the same.
So now i have 18 caterpillars that are going to turn into butterflys.


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## Sundance

My wife has captured and raised Monarchs for many
years. It was a highlight for our kids and now the
grandkids.

Monarchs raise several generations each summer, only
the last generation does not mate in order to save the
energy required to migrate to the south.

Anyone else have the privilege to see them on their
migration?? It is a site to behold when they cluster by
the thousands on a tree. Amazing stuff.


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## Eaglerock

BjornBee http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x236/BjornBee/?action=view&current=beepictures131.jpg

Kinda like Crop Markings, only Wax Markings.... oooooooooooooooooooooo


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## BjornBee

Well, here it is. We went to bed last night and the largest caterpillar was spinning a spot on the top side of the jar. This morning we came down and found that we missed the transformation. This must happen fast! Hopefully the kids can get to see the next one.

http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x236/BjornBee/?action=view&current=beepictures143.jpg


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## JordanM

looks good Bjorn.

You gotta watch them very closely if you want to see them go into there chrysaliz, i went outside for an hour onetime and came back and he was already done. But you see them many times going into there J hook and hanging. 

I have 3 that will prolly go into there J hook tommorow, i put in a whole milkweed this morning in the container that has about 6 caterpillars in it and they had it gone and eating them stem down tonight so i went and got thema new one.


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## Joseph Clemens

Yep, watching the chrysalis harden after the last skin shedding is amazing. I always wondered why jade green with the black and "gold" dots. I realize that some of the dots are where eyes and antennae are forming, but why gold. I don't know any other butterflies whose chrysalis has those golden dots.


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## JordanM

got one that went into its J hook tonght should be done tommorow when i wake up.


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## JordanM

Well this is how i woke up to the monarch this morning almost about to hatch you can really see the wings and dark color:
[img=http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/8391/dsc00646nz8.jpg]http://
And this is a bigger picture of all the hanging chrysaliszes and some more caterpillars. Look at all those chrysallisses:

And here is how he was a few hours later:

Once they get out of the chrysallis you can not take them outside right away and let them go, they are still wet and cannot fly. I leeave them in for about 4 hours and get them and hold them on my finger and if there is wind they usually fly if not a blow on there wings to give them a little lift. If they still do not take off move your finger up and down gently tilll they fly and if that doesnt work grab ahold of the right part of them and give them a gentle toss. If they still go to the ground they are not ready and keep them inside for a little longer but dont wait to long. Once they fly they will land in a nearby tree, leave them there and they will take off again once they get there strenght back up.

Hows yours doing bjorn, must be close.


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## BjornBee

Nice photo's Jordan.

I have three hangin and two caterpillars starting to spin the little webbing attachment. So by tomorrow morning, all five should be changed. I'm still at least a week out from any butterflies.

I counted about 100 milkweed plants on the property. Mostly in three main groupings. And except for one caterpillar that had changed the night before I put my observation jar together for the kids, I have only been able to find these five caterpillars. It's not from a lack of plants, and although I have nothing to compare it too, it seems that there are not many caterpillars to be found.


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## JordanM

The only place that i find them on is in our christmas trees, beacause we mow it just befour they lay there eggs and then they shoot up new little plants from it roots and the leaves must be more tender because they like them a whole lot more and they are just little plants like 6''.


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## AltamontBee

Hi!

I am a teacher, and during the summer I co-coordinate a summer butterfly house project at our school.

We raise monarchs, among others. We use those clear plastic "clamshell" containers-I think they are usually used for salads. We keep the newly hatched butterflys in a screened in "flight cage" for at least half a day, sometimes longer, before releasing them into the butterfly house, to give the wings time to dry.

Raising them indoors increases the survival rate dramatically-no predators. Plus, it is such a great learning activity for kids. We tag and release them in the fall when we take down the netting of the butterfly house.

Jennifer


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## JordanM

I just released 2 more tonight.
Its a wonderful experience!


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## ScadsOBees

Been having fun raising the monarchs this year too.

Once they chrysalize, I carefully pick the chysalis off where it is connected with the webbing, and then pin through the webbing and pin them to a wall were we can keep an eye on them better, and they can get light and air and have room to spread their wings when they hatch. Two we pinned in the somewhat stuffy basement died, so since then we put them where they get more air.

The kids have really enjoyed watching them and letting them go. The milkweed is going to stay in the yard!!

Rick


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## JordanM

I just released another tonight.


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## BjornBee

No picture...the batteries went dead.

But this morning, we released our first butterfly. It hatched out sometime yesterday and only noticed last night it was out. So I gave it some sugar water overnight and released first thing this morning. The kids loved it.

I know there is rain coming today, but felt it better to release instead of holding another day. Maybe thats not true??? I know some keep them in butterfly gardens, but these are rather large structures, right? Mine was under my double strainer used for honey. And although it was sitting pumping its wings, it had no real place to fly.

As soon as it was released it flew to the top of a 30 foot tree, rested, and was last seen pumping its wings. Absolutely amazing!


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## JordanM

Glad to hear about your success bjorn.

I got 3 more that just went into J hooks now, i cant count how many are in chraysallises anymore.


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## JordanM

I just released 3 more today.

Yours are prolly all done arent they bjorn?


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## AltamontBee

My students and I tagged and released three out in our butterfly garden today. The kids do the "Butterfly Release Chant" as we release them. It goes like this "You gotta go, you gotta go, you gotta go to Mexico!". The kids seem to think it encourages the butterflies!

Jennifer


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## JordanM

Just released 4 more yesturday.

Bjorn did your make it?


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## JordanM

Just released my last 3 today.

Did anyone else have any success?


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## BjornBee

Jordan,
We raised 5 out of 5. Released the last one last week. I wanted to get a picture of the kids with the butterfly but 3 year old twins, just wanted to "chase' them, touch them, etc. So I placed this one on a mint plant in the backyard and snapped a few pictures before it flew away like the other ones.

Here is a picture.

http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x236/BjornBee/?action=view&current=beepictures153.jpg

I am looking forward to next year and want to build a butterfly enclosure. However the wife thinks that anything bigger than 10 feet is over doing it. What a party pooper!


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## jeff123fish

Every year for the last 5 or 6 years I have done this with my oldest son (now 10). We put the caterpillar into mayonaise jars with fresh leaves every day. For a top we use an old t-shirt piece that I rubber band to the top that way when they make there crysalis I just undo the rubber band and hang it on a small tree branch with a safty pin. Every year we get enough to fill the tree (about 20 to 30).


-Jeff


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## JordanM

Sounds like everyone had a succesful year. Bjorn your wife might be a little right, just build it 9 feet.


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## deknow

JordanM said:


> Sounds like everyone had a succesful year. Bjorn your wife might be a little right, just build it 9 feet.


...or 2 "separate" enclosures that are 9 feet. you don't have to advertise (even to the wife) that the 2 enclosures actually connect together....

deknow


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## JordanM

good thinking


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## justin

well i have never raised monarchs.i dont think we have milkweed in montana.we had it where i grew up in tennessee.but last weekend i had to go to nyc for a wedding.it was a rooftop wedding in downtown manhattan and i was noticing all of the bee forage on other rooftop gardens and window boxes,balconies etc...i did not see any bees but i did see alot of monarchs.they seemed to be riding thermals up the side of the 20 story buildings.it was refreshing.


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## BjornBee

Justin,
There are not many natural milkweed types in Montana. Many sites only map native plants. But milkweed will grow in Montana, and there are native types, although not as many as else where. As long as it's not an invasive plant or restricted, you may be able to set up a butterfly garden and raise monarchs, which you can actually purchase commercially. The monarchs only need milkweed for the catapillars, and the butterflies will feed off other flowers so they will survive and migrate.

Here is a couple sites of interest to Montana milkweed...

http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Montana&statefips=30&symbol=ASCLE

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/wildflwr/species/asclviri.htm

If you google "milkweed in Montana" there are sites to be found.


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## Hambone

I found 2 on my dill plants tonight. I want to collect them and bring them home to watch and release them. My 3.5 yr old daughter will love this. What do you feed them. I don't have any milk weed. My dill plant is really young and 10 miles away. Is there something store bought I can buy to keep them feed? 

I saw a couple of Butterflys at my garden a few weeks ago. But I have never seen the catapiller. I was out picking some fresh dill to make pickles tonight and saw them. Pretty cool stuff. I think they just hatched too. They are only about an inch long and skinny, but have the markings of a MBC.


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## Carlsbad

*monarchs*

To my knoledge,monarch butterflys only lay eggs on milkweed. That is it's host plant the caterpillars eat. Sure wish you had some around. The caterpillars here, that like dill, are swallowtails. Black swallowtails like it best. Also I grow parsley as a host plant for them. Both do fine. I grow them primarily for swallowtails. The same with milkweed. I rear both monarchs and swallowtails. Kinda like what you are lookin to do. I find a caterpillar on the plant,and put it and plant material in a vented container. A ziplock disposable works fine. Just punch a few small holes in the top. Cool to watch thru till crystalis/coccoon. Emerges in about 10 days...facinating to watch. I also tag the monarchs. Reared and tagged 6 and reared one swallowtail last year. ck out www.monarchwatch.org for more info on monarchs.


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## Hambone

Thanks Carl.:thumbsup: Your are correct. It is a Swallowtail. To my untrained eye and unexperianced knowledge in Butterflys I thought it was a Monarch. Good to know and thanks for the link. I will get some and post some pics of them tomorrow after we get them.


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## The Beekeeper

A also understand that monarch butterflys only lay eggs on milkweed. I've never personally got one for myself but have read a lot about them.

All the best!


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## Carlsbad

welp...if your good with it...i'll send ya some seeds.....not long before they bloom here...i'll grab ya a seed pod afterwards.....in this area? ,it looks like big cottonwood when they fly.....pick em outta the pod n put em where ya like....you wont see them till next year tho... Carefull...invaseive....i sowed a few seeds a few years back.......now?...how much is milk a gallon?hehe


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## turboterry544

Her in Toledo we have the www.Butterfly-house.com what a nice place to go to.


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## ScadsOBees

Derek said:


> I found 2 on my dill plants tonight. I want to collect them and bring them home to watch and release them. My 3.5 yr old daughter will love this. What do you feed them. I don't have any milk weed. My dill plant is really young and 10 miles away. Is there something store bought I can buy to keep them feed?


:thumbsup:
Swallowtails are just as cool! I like the little smelly horns that they stick out when you upset them 

You can feed them carrot greens too, I think.

I've never raised them to butterflies, though...monarchs are so easy.


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## Hambone

I have 3 Swallowtails right now. They ate a lot of fresh dill. They are now in their cocoon or chrysalis. I am patiently waiting for them to emerge. Pretty cool stuff!


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## Hambone

Released 2 of the 3 Black Swallowtails. One on Sunday and one this morning. Here are a couple of pics of them.


















In the words of my 3.5 yr old. Bye Bye Mr. Butterfly.


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## BEES4U

I found this documentary on migration.
It starts off with excellent coverage of the Monarch.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/63304/amazing-journeys?c=News-and-Information/Documentary-and-Biography
Enjoy.
Ernie


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