Danaus plexippus

Beginner Rearing Instructions: Click here

Habitat: Agricultural Areas; Valley Wet Meadows; Mountain Canyons;

Suitable Lab Host Plants: Any milkweed.

Caring for Live Female Butterflies: Feed females regularly.

Methods of Female Oviposition: Open Screen Cages

How to Find Eggs: In the Intermountain West, females roost in Russian Olive Trees and oviposit on milkweeds; especially on those plants taking refuge in the understory of these trees. Click here to watch video on how to find Monarch immatures in Northern Utah. Monarchs from the California coast oviposit on milkweeds near Eucalyptus trees. Monarchs from the midwest oviposit near agricultural areas.

How to Hatch Eggs: Separate eggs individually (Young monarch caterpillars are cannibalistic against other eggs it might encounter)

How to Find Caterpillars in the Field: Look on milkweeds; especially on those plants taking refuge in the understory of Russian Olive Trees. Young monarch caterpillars burrow out a hole in the ventral side of the host plant leaf. Go to Caterpillar Strip Patterns and scroll down the photos to the monarch caterpillar photos.

Caterpillar setups: Open terrariums; Open Bucket

Overwintering Stage: Adult. Adults migrate south for the winter.

Overwintering Strategies: Visit Monarch Overwintering sites for a wonderful experience.

Larva to Pupa: Caterpillar silks to leaf or twig; creates and attaches cremaster; hanging as a J before pupating.

Emergence: Emergence Container

Number of Broods per Year: 1-2 depending upon location.

Avoiding Diapause Techniques:

Disease Prevention: Change out host plant and remove frass every three to six days. See http://www.monarchwatch.org/biology/pred3.htm for more information.

Field Notes: