Difference Between Male or Female Monarch Butterfly? Butterfly Pictures…
How to Tell if a Monarch is a Boy or Girl
Learning how to sex monarchs is especially helpful info if you see a butterfly garden monarch and wonder if you should start searching for monarch butterfly eggs. I can guarantee with 100% certainty a male will leave no such gift.
Males are (slightly) larger than females, but butterflies (like people) come in many different sizes. Some caterpillars pupate appearing far too small, while others keep stuffing their little faces with milkweed ’til they’re ready to burst. I’ve seen giant monarch butterfly males and females. I’ve also seen both in mini-me form. So, if size doesn’t matter, how can you tell monarch males and females apart?
The male monarch butterfly has thinner wing veins than his female counterpart.
Monarch males also have black spot on each hind wing that is made up of specialized scales. In other butterflies, similar spots emit pheromones to attract females, but scientists are not sure what function these spots serve for monarch males.
These black dots are an excellent ‘male marker’ for sexing purposes.
The female monarch butterfly has noticeably thicker wing veins, which give her a darker appearance. The monarch female hind wing black veins are spotless…
When you compare them together, the differences become obvious. Unfortunately, most adult monarchs won’t be this cooperative in spreading their wings to let you get a close-up view. So how can you sex a close-winged butterfly?
Most of the time, you should be able to see part of the monarch male’s black dot bleeding through to the outside wing. In my experience, it’s pretty easy to see this outside mark on most males. Make a mental note of where this dot is located on the outside wing…you’ll have a much easier time finding it on future males.
Female vs Male Monarch Caterpillar?
This is only possible through dissection.
Male vs Female Monarch Chrysalis?
You can even tell the sex of a monarch by looking for some identifying marks at the top of the chrysalis. You won’t be able to see these subtle differences with the naked eye, but a digital camera with macro capability, magnifying glass, or a microscope makes it easier to see the differences:
The best way to get a good look at monarchs is by raising them at home. After adult butterflies eclose (emerge from their chrysalis) they need a few hours to dry their wings before flight. This give you time to get up close and personal. Raised butterflies will typically allow you closer access after they’re released too…assuming you were a good butterfly parent!
Are you interested in learning how to butterfly garden or raise monarchs to see these female vs male monarch butterfly differences up close? Sign up for our free Grow the Migration newsletter:
Thanks for the great information on your site!
My daughter and I have released 41 in slightly less than one year. We have had some casualties but we are really getting good at it.
sounds like a successful and amazing year for you and your daughter…congrats!
Hi all. I am in Fort Lauderdale and decided to buy milkweed to attract butterflies. I never realized they lay their eggs on it and now I have over 20 catterpillars. All the little ones were gone the next morning so I went out and bought two more milkweeds and put them in the patio. I tried bringing them in but am petrified I am going to kill them. I’ve ordered to butterfly baskets for them and hopefully that will keep them safe.
Will they be okay on the milkweed through the whole process.
Love the info you share on here. Nature is so amazing.
Hi Glenda, they will be safe(r) from predators inside your patio. Here are some tips for raising butterflies
Great – very helpful – thank you! I thought the article could be improved by omitting the first two, non-highlighted paragraphs.
Why? I wouldn’t have thought about the butterflies being different sizes, just like us. I got a kick out of the way it was written. It stands to reason if the caterpillar is larger or smaller, the butterfly would be too!
On Oct. 10, 2017 in Boston’s Emerald Necklace park, specifically in the Victory Garden section, I had the thrilling experience of being inches away from a pair of Monarchs. Your method to identify male and female gender is greatly appreciated. I now know I was watching 2 males I have nearly 2 minutes of iPhone based video from which I have extracted still images. Displaying them on the TV wins an Emmy!
My first of 7 hatched today. It was a male. They started to chrysalis a few days before the hurricane hit. I live right outside Ft. Lauderdale. Regardless of being a male. I named him Irma…
Our very first raised Monarch just eclosed about 40 minutes ago…what an amazing experience! This was a impromptu experiment this year so we’re going to expand our common milkweed patch to encourage more next year.
Hi, Tony. I had the pleasure of the company of a female Monarch butterfly yesterday, Aug. 10th, 2017. First she enjoyed my Echinacea and then she rested on my Hydrengeas. I have multiple pictures and videos as well. It was a rare treat for me here in southern Ontario, Canada. I also saw one other in flight at the same time! It’s been a great year with at least 14 sightings, which is as many as I’ve seen in as many years here. Thank you for helping me to identify her as a female of the species!
This is my second year raising Monarchs. Last year I successfully raised 10 & this year I have 36 and counting. I have released 10 and the 26 remaining are still in the chrysalis stage. I absolutely love doing this. I have 3 tiny cats and 4 more eggs. I can’t wait for them to all complete their process. It is so rewarding to see them fly away.
The first two of our chrysalises hatched this morning. We were blessed with two females for about 25 minutes, while they dried their wings and prepared for their next adventure. We have 2 more that should hatch within the next couple days. Excited to see if they are boys or girls, and to help them on their way.
We were gifted a monarch caterpillar today and we went hunting for some milkweed plants. Since we can’t have normal pets (allergies) my daughter has taken a shine to Lizzie (yes we named her). I would like to plant some milkweed in our own yard. Where could I get seeds?
Hi Jade, sounds like a great alternative for your daughter and family…check out the suggested milkweed stores section here for milkweed plants and seeds:
Suggested Milkweed Stores
I’ve been raising Monarchs for 4 years now . The first couple of years I only had 4 cats in the fall and they developed fine and I released the Monarchs . The next year I had 8 again in the fall and then last year 14 again in the fall. This Spring I was visited on four different occasions by Monarchs that literally cover my tiny 6 inch milkweed plants with eggs. I brought in a total of 44 eggs . The first two groups of cats either died as the transformed into Chrysalis or developed deformed butterflies. Only 2 of the 21 chrysalis developed what appeared to be normal butterflies but they were unable to fly. Even if they could have I had decided not to release them for fear of spreading what ever was wrong with the group. I now have approximately 20 chrysalis from a later group that are in various stages of development. I have an microscope on order to check for EO if I have any butterflies out of this group. I have cut back some of the milkweed to encourage new growth . Should I cut the rest back to try to get rid of any contaminates ? In the meantime I am thoroughly cleaning ( with bleach) all containers so they are safe for the fall migration.
hi Carol, typically in northern regions OE is not an issue until late in the season, but I’m guessing lack of milkweed may be responsible for more OE spores concentrated in small areas. If you raise again, be sure to rinse milkweed thoroughly before serving caterpillars..if your remaining milkweed has been frequented by monarchs you might consider cutting that back too, or at least spraying down with an h202 solution in case another pathogen was responsible:
Using hydrogen peroxide in the garden
I’ve been using a flashlight to see thru the Chrysalis to check for black spots, helps quite a bit. In fl I’ve read 70-80% have OE
Hi Tony. Have enjoyed reviewing your website for a while, and have learned a lot from you, as well as from experience. So far this year, we’ve had 89 cats go to chrysalis, with 78 successfully released into our area. It is my hobby, and my soon-to-be-husband assists when I ask for help. Something I’ve recently noticed is that on my milkweed in the gardens, there are a lot of small (almost clear) green flies that appear to be eating the eggs. I also found some ants trying to carry off a very small cat (probably 3-4d old). What can I put on or around the milkweed that will keep the flies & ants away, while not harming the eggs/cats/returning monarchs? We live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.
Hi Barb, monarchs have many predators. Here’s more info about what predators to watch for and how to save a few more monarchs:
13 monarch Predators
Good luck!
what do monarch butterflies do for the ecosystem????
they seem pretty useless creatures????
but beautiful..yes..my daughter loves them..
but do they do in the system of things????
Hi Peter. Like bees, monarchs are pollinators, which we rely on for our food supply:
Why do pollinators matter?
In deep east TX, I found 3 caterpillars on my milkweed in early November. I witnessed the final chrysalis on 11-10-16. Been waiting & watching, but two have turned black. Did they die? Maybe due to cold snap we had? Not sure what to do with the last one, it’s attached to a planter with the others.
Hi Sandy, when chrysalides turn black, it’s often due to bacterial infection or virus. Hopefully the remaining chrysalis will be ok…good luck!
I got a black chrysalis from, I think, a spider sticking it’s nose in to see what was happening….
Hi Tony, I haven’t heard of spiders bothering chrysalides before, but I’m not familiar with the predators in your region.
I live in Northern Ontario. All mine go black and then clear to reveal the monarch. We got 3 acres of milkweed 3 foot high. Super Monarchs. i have at least 1000 eggs. Lots of cats. 7 on one plant is not unusual.
That’s amazing Roger…sounds like a season for the ages in eastern Canada!
My daughter and I have been raising monarchs this year and we finally were able to have one go to chrysalis where we could watch it. She emerged today about an hour and a half ago. She is now on a branch in the sun. How long until we know if her wings are okay? She has one or two that don’t seem to have quite straightened out. We had to help her get the chrysalis off her back end. We were extremely careful and didn’t touch her wings. Would hate it if she was not able to fly after getting to watch from cat to butterfly. We are in south Florida.
Hi Suzanne, I recommend letting butterflies sun dry outside for 2-3 hours in their mesh cages. If the wings are deformed, you may be dealing with heavy OE infection, which is common in Florida. Here’s more info about OE parasites and prevention:
Monarch Diseases
I have been raising monarchs for years and have released 100+ over the years. I love doing it, I bring them into the house when hey reach a certain size.
Hi Robin, we bring in some caterpillars too, but more eggs to avoid tachinid fly parasites:
Monarch Parasites and Disease
Thanks to Mary for asking the question I had on my mind too. I don’t have nearly the numbers that she does, but I’ve only had one male so far. The rest have been female. Now I know why. Thanks Tony.
I’ll be looking out for more males in the next batch.
In this latest batch —75+ and counting–I’ve noticed they seem to be smaller and a few of them weaker and 3 did not complete chrys. Isn’t it feasible to raise them year -round in Florida? We are up to 21 plants now, but have purchased them from a variety of places. Is it the plants?
Hi Pauline, it’s hard to say what’s going on without knowing all the contributing factors. So many different factors can affect monarch health. There are definitely more disease issues with Florida monarchs because of the continuous growing season. Some nurseries have milkweed that’s treated with pesticides that can kill or weaken monarchs.
My suggestion would be to raise less, and be vigilant with cage cleaning and rinsing their milkweed. Try to figure out what the issue is while raising just a few. Once you’ve figured out the problem, start raising more if it makes sense…good luck!
PS…sometimes it makes sense to grow your own milkweed supply before raising to avoid tainted milkweed, although from what I hear, the Florida monarchs don’t always make that a realistic goal.
How can I get tags to mark the butterflies this year?, I raised 12 last year nut had no tags. I’m in Ohio and am actively looking for eggs, but none yet. Is there a place I can donate money for the monarch. I gave presentation on the monarch to a group and the want to donate$25. I have also started milkweed and have been giving them to everyone I know,and explaining how it is the only thing the eggs are laid on and the only thing the catapillars eat.
Hi Marsha, check out this link for more info on the tagging program for eastern monarchs:
Monarch Watch tagging Program
Thank you for supporting the monarch movement!
We have now released our first batch. There were 12 males and 26 females in total. I have found when releasing them the males take off immediately, the females will stay on my finger for 5 minutes or more as I walk around the back yard. My husband also opened the door to the patio and a few females came in and laid eggs then back outside. Loving this experience!!
Question…is it possible to keep the butterflies in captivity for awhile? What/how do you get them to eat? Our 2 cages are on our screened in patio which is a 12×30. Also we are in Florida.
Hi Pauline, I only recommend keeping them if there is inclement weather. There is info about feeding adult butterflies here:
Feeding Adult Butterflies
We have now released 6 monarchs with 5 more born today 4_29_2016 and to be released today. Four more in the fist cage in chrys and 25 in the second cage 17 in chrys. Of the 11 born there has only been 1 male. They’re on my finger and I can walk around the back yard for long periods of time before they fly off….so beautiful! I was fortunate to be able to see the actual transition to chrys……it was unbelievable and so fast. I love our” butterfly ranch'”.
How do you tag a monarch? I am in Southern California and have been raising monarchs for 1 year now. I grow them in captivity because some caterpillars do get infected/ parasitised , and I can easily identify them and remove them. I have often wandered where they go once I release them.
Since I take a lot of the caterpillars to different classes at my kid’s school, so the kids can touch the butterflies and fall in love with them , I would love to be able to tag them as well.
Thanks for the info.
Hi Silvia, check out the info on my western resources page to find out about tagging monarchs in your region. I think Monarch program does this and you might be able to get info from some of the other resources too…good luck!
Western Monarch Resources
We’ve been assisting monarchs in our central Florida (Gulf coast) yard for about 3 years. This past winter, we had something going on every day- eggs hatching out, cats growing. We had better luck this winter, with no wasps in sight. Haven’t tried bringing any indoors yet, though my husband did get a mesh enclosure. Haven’t really needed to, with no predators, and no ice. We’ve seen about 3 dozen cats form chrysalis around the yard, and always have a few adults around. I particular, have been watching 3 siblings from eggs all laid on the same day, same plant. They never separated!- until the day they crawled off to form chrysalis. We were lucky- all 3 were easy to find and watch, and have stayed very healthy. The first one came out this morning, after ten days in the chrysalis. We missed “the event,” but s/he’s still drying her wings- looks healthy and gorgeous. Thanks for the info on telling males from females- I’ll go look! The other two are also changing color, and hopefully we’ll be able to see them come out. I’m a little worried about the impact of over-wintering in Florida on their life cycle- will our little colony be okay without migrating?
That’s fantastic Chris…I wish more monarchs growing up in gardens had happy endings like yours. Hopefully the predators won’t find your garden anytime soon.
As for the non-migratory monarchs, there is typically more disease, but from reports I’ve gotten this winter, it sounds like Florida monarchs are thriving…congrats!
My first Monarch butterfly just flew for the first time and a male Monarch was on her within seconds. They were on the ground for a few seconds then flew together into a tree. Will she survive?
Hi Lis, she should be OK if her wings were dry. I typically let newly-hatched monarchs sun dry in a cage for a few hours before release them so they don’t get snatched by aggressive males. It sounds like you will be a monarch grandmother very soon…congrats!
Releasing Monarch Butterflies
Hello everyone. My family and I started raising monarchs this year. The first generation which was early this year (2015) we successfully released about 50. I found that the caterpillars were most vulnerable and are a favorite prey to wasps. After witnessing them getting picked off left and right I decided to build a screen enclosure to cover three to four plants. This gteatly increased their survival rate even though the wasps can get to them if the decide to hand out on the screen.
Today is 11/21/15 and I currently have 6 caterpillars in the enclosure. Lost one yesterday morning to a wasp but my dayghter found two on some other milkweed we have nearby. Tiny little things they are.
Located in Ormond beach FL. I also have a number of the yellow orange and black flying bugs on my milkweed however they dont seem to bother the caterpillars much. They do like to rat the new flower buds and can do some damage. I was using a small shop vac and just sucking them off when they gat real bad.
Great to hear so many other success storied I will keep up with important updates.
Thanks for sharing your story Chris. It sounds like you are learning and having more success as you go along. Enjoy your fall and winter monarchs!
I’m new to raising monarchs. My first 4 that went into their J only went as far as making a chrysalis “helmet” then died. From eggs to fat caterpillars they are doing great so I was hoping someone might have an idea before the next few are ready to J.
Toni
BEVERLY Hills Florida 0ct 24, 2015
Hi Toni, if they are all dying as they are forming their chrysalides (but doing well before) it could be a problem with systemic pesticides. Here’s more info about monarch diseases and health issues:
7 Common Monarch Diseases and Caterpillar Killers
I have raised my first three catepillars in my backyard and one has just formed a chrysalid but unfortunately I cannot find the other two. I believe they crawled off to form a chrysalid (I saw them crawling around on the ground near the milkweed plants). Seeing it is October, will my butterflies take off for Mexico when they emerge or will they lay eggs here first (if I end up getting a male and female)? Thanks for your website.
Hi Greg, I’m not sure where you’re located. In Minnesota, we raise the migration generation indoors so metamorphosis isn’t slowed by cool temperatures. Butterflies should all be migrating now unless you live in a region that has monarchs year round like Florida or southern California. Here are some places to look to see if you can find the other chrysalides:
50 Places to Find a Monarch Chrysalis Outdoors
I had a female monarch emerge today. Yay! She took her time 17 days. Don’t all girls? This is my first year raising monarchs and I’m hooked. I will plant more milkweed in my yard and in my family’s. When is a good time to get the seeds in the ground?
Hi Brandi, milkweedseeds can be planted late…before the ground freezes and before the first major snowstorm. Here’s more info:
Fall Planting Milkweed Seeds
what is the best course in beginning to raise Monarch butterflies. thanks truly. Daniel Hawley
Hi Daniel, my raising guide goes over the exact process I use to raise monarchs consistently with a 95% survival rate. Since it’s digital, I can also edit resources and add new information. Get more details here:
How To Raise Monarchs Guide
I’m very optimistic that there is going to be a substantial increase in the number of migrating Monarchs this winter. From 2008 -2014, I saw only 2 Monarchs and both appeared weak and sickly. I was afraid this year was going to be like the previous 6 but starting the last week of August, there’s been a steady stream of migrators visiting my garden and they’ve all been large, very healthy looking butterflies so to all the Monarch raisers…..You guys rock! I believe this year is going to be the turn-around for the Monarchs! This being my first season for home rearing, I was limited to the number I was able to raise for the migration but I’m fall sowing more milkweed seeds this week and looking forward to 2016.
Lynne
love to hear reports like this Lynne! I’m hearing many over the past few weeks. I share your optimism for 2016…enjoy the migration!
Please explain how you tag the butterflies and track them. I’m not sure if ours actually travel further south. Last year I still had caterpillars here in Dec. When it got cold and I went crazy finding enough milkweed to feed them. This year I have loads of milkweed and not any more caterpillars.
Ginny
Southern California
Hi Ginny, here is more info about tagging the western monarchs:
Tagging Program for West Coast Monarchs
I raised a monarch but her wings didn’t straighten out. Afraid she can’t fly. Feeding her Gatorade on a sponge. Hatched out last Friday evening and it has been 1 week. Still alive, flaps wings on occasion and moves around some. What do you think I should do with her? Too cold and rainy this last few day to put her out.
Hi Amaris, you don’t mention whether she seems weak and sickly? If so, it would probably be best to euthanize. If not, you could always try to release her the next time you have a good window of weather. If she can’t fly, you could always take care of this female monarch butterfly until she expires. Good luck!
That makes me have a question. Good question by the way, Amaris! Is it possible, before she passes on, to bring her a male (to two, if they’re picky) , or vice versa if that’s a male. And give her a milkweed plant in a butterfly castle (we have several here at home)? Let her mate and lay eggs and her offspring can live on. I mean, Amaris has spent so much devoted time, is it possible to help her along and let her do what they do and she can deposits her eggs and so on and so on. Or is it too hard for them to mate in captivity like that, especially with her problem, would mating damage her more? And what causes the wings to come out like that? We’ve had it happen to 3-4 of our Polydamus Swallowtails (caterpillars taken off of our Dutchman Pipe-vines) and you just feel so helpless. Did they not form right or get damaged coming outta their chrysalis? I read somewhere you can occasionally mist their cocoons if you’re in a low humidity area or they’re garage kept. I dunno, I don’t think it matters really cause once in awhile you get a defective one. So sad! Any ideas? And thank you Amaris for nurturing my most favorite butterfly in the whole wide world!
Hi Debra, when butterflies are deformed they could have OE disease so I wouldn’t recommend breeding them and potentially spreading the disease. I would just care for them, and let them live out their final days in comfort. If the butterfly is also weak and struggling, it may be best to euthanize…
I have been raising monarchs for about 2 years now. I have 13 or so milkweed plants and a constant “supply” of monarchs. It is so much fun. Nothing short of a miracle to watch the process. If more people would invest in a few milkweed plants, perhaps we could make a difference in the way the monarchs are dwindling. How bout it? It’s real easy to do in Florida where I reside.
Hi Pat, I think our monarch community is starting to make an impact this season as more people plant milkweed and raise monarchs. I’m looking forward to hearing about the migration numbers this winter and think there could be a big increase. Thank you for doing your part!
This is my 1st year raising Monarch caterpillars in doors. Some started as eggs that I brought in and some were already hatched outside. So far I’ve released 24. (The wings on one didn’t unfold). 17 were male, only 6 were female. I think that this is kind of unusual. I’ve got 9 more chrysalis. Will be interesting to see what the sex will be. (I’m lookin to do 100 next year)
Everything I’ve read so far says it should even out or there should be slightly more females. Is it just a fluke that I have so many males? What have other people who are raising butterflies found?
Just a thought. Is our environment effecting the ratio of males to females being born. I’ve read how the sex of fish is being effected by chemicals in the water.
If in fact the balance of males to females is changing could this be yet another cause for decline in numbers?
If so what is causing it?
Maybe someone has looked into it?
Maybe it is just a fluke in my back yard. I’m no scientist. Maybe some one from the U of M is interested?
Maybe we should all start keeping track?
Maybe there is nothing we can do about it if it is in fact true. It would be another reason to convince people to clean up our act.
What do you think Tony? Am I crazy? (Don’t answer that. I have caterpillars all over my dining room )
Hi Margaret, there is a lot of discussion about this topic every year. You could be right about environmental factors effecting the m/f ratio, but I don’t think there has been official research done on this. We had higher numbers of females eclosing throughout the entire 2015 season.
Hi Margaret,
I just found this site and I want to assure you that you are not crazy alone. I live in Hawaii where our monarchs do not migrate and we grow plenty of milkweed year round. This is the first year we got “serious” about raising these beautiful creatures and my husband has planted about 20 milkweeds around the yard and built 8 “butterfly boxes” that are ALL OVER our dining room. At one point we had over 200 caterpillars of varying sizes and nearly 100 chrysalis. Over the past week we have released about 80 butterflies and have more everyday. Our yard is always full of butterflies in the afternoon. I will now start tracking the male female numbers. Just found out today how to tell the difference.
Kristy
I just came across this site and I love it! My daughter raised Painted Ladies in school 2 years ago, and I thought that it would be fun to try to raise some Monarchs this year. Well, so far, we have had one male hatch and fly away. We just had another male hatch about an hour ago, and he has a friend that should be hatching any time now, since they went into their chrysalis hours apart. And we have one more that is in his ‘J’ formation as of 8am today. It’s rainy and windy here today, do you think the one that just hatched will be okay if I keep him in his jar until tomorrow? Thank you for all the information!!
Hi Myrtle, congrats on successfully raising monarchs! If the weather is rainy/windy you can keep them over night. They don’t need to eat for the first 24 hours after hatching. good luck, Tony
I live near Houston TX. The weather has taken a turn for the worst so I brought in some large caterpillars. Today two of them have hatched (12/30)I will let them go and hope for the best. I still have a lot of very small cats.
I have two chrysalises that I’ve been anxiously watching over. It looks like one will emerge tomorrow. Will it be alright left 8 hours in a mesh covered laundry basket until I return? I am probably going to miss the event due to work.
yes Amy, it should be fine in the mesh cage while you are gone. congrats and good luck, Tony
Thanks for your informative website. After catching ‘the bug’ from my grand daughter I bought a kit of 3 cats at the local Farmers Market ($$ goes to charity) I watched them Eat, Grow, Shed (should be a movie by that name) and so far 2 boys have emerged.. Gorgeous!
It was cold yesterday so we kept them in an overturned mesh trash bin inside until warmer weather today. I placed them on goldenrod out back and they immediately took to flight like they’d been doing it all their lives. Amazing to see. One more chrysalis to go, he’s a couple of days behind the other 2.
It’s been a very enlightening experience . Next year we’ll be converting the garden at the cottage to a butterfly garden (we already garden organically) and this ‘crazy butterfly lady’ hopes to raise her own monarchs in the future.
Hi Wendy, congrats a successful season and good luck with your cottage butterfly garden!
Hi Tony, my Monarch just emerged from the chrysalis yesterday afternoon, it is 55 degrees in northeast Ohio and I am reluctant to release him (it is a male) because of the cold temps. Is this a concern? I released him in my spare bedroom after I collected some nectar flowers out of my garden and place in the room, he is hanging off the branch of one of my plants in the room, he seems okay. Tomorrow will be in the 70’s so I was planning to open the windows so he can escape. Yes or no? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks! By the way, love this site and the fact that so many are doing this! Heartwarming!
Hi Carole, congrats on your new monarch. Releasing him tomorrow sounds like a great idea, and it sounds like he’s in good hands!
Hello, I live in SW Ontario, and recently bought milkweed and joe pye weed and butterfly bushes. I bought these from
A nursery but forgot to ask if the milkweed had been sprayed with pesticides. They have seed pods and I was going to plant the seeds. Would any pesticide also transfer into these seeds and subsequent plants and harm the caterpillars?
Hi Judy, why don’t you call the nursery and ask? Otherwise, I think the risk of hurting pollinators by planting the seeds is probably low.
Just getting started. Found my first little larva today. Can’t believe how hungry it is. Is it better to collect the eggs?
Hi Dale, there is less chance of diseases/parasites if you collect eggs but we still bring in caterpillars when we find them.
Just started raising Monarch cat’s this summer. Brought 30 inside. Out of 15 that have turned into butterflies thus far 10 have been males.
Hi Cindy, sometimes you’ll experience weird streaks where you’ll have lots of males or females. Haven’t figured out any regular patterns yet, but we do seem to have more females (in Minnesota) early in the season.
I have been raising caterpillars for the past month. I have successfully raised 8 females and 1 male, but my most recently-eclosed monarch (this morning) has thick veins on its hind wings along with the spots that indicate a male! I’ve only ever seen a monarch like this one other time, a couple of weeks ago in my back field. What does this mean?
Thanks!
Susan
Hi Susan, some butterflies have slight variations in markings and size. As long as they are healthy, I wouldn’t worry.
Hi-
I am in Central Texas right in the migration path and in the 23 years we have lived here, we have noticed a drastic reduction in the number of Monarchs we see as they are going south in the fall. I have several pollinator gardens and lots of activity with all sorts of butterflies and bees, but never even thought about trying to raise them. I just signed up for your emails yesterday, So when I spotted a Monarch in the pasture this morning. I went out to see and realized she was laying eggs on native milkweed that we have growing wild on our property. So far we have collected 11 eggs and will keep checking for more now that we know what were looking for 🙂
Thanks again for all the great information!
Hi Laura, congratulations on collecting your first monarch eggs! It’s really an amazing experience, and once you get your system in place, their survival rate with you indoors can surge to over 90%! Only 5% survive left outdoors.
11 is a good number to start so you can get a feel for the process…good luck!
My daughter wants to know if you can tell if a monarch caterpillar is a male or female.
Thanks
Hi Kim, my understanding is that the caterpillars can only be sexed through dissection…
I just happened upon your helpful website! We have been happily growing milkweeds for the sake of Monarchs, although Milkweed Tiger Moths have been enjoying them, too. Our neighbors spray their lawns, and we do not. We try to explain our philosophy on preserving nature. This summer our front and backyard have been really alive with insects and birds, and hummingbirds, which we feed, too, through honeysuckle plants. Our Joe Pye Weeds and zinnias have attracted a multitude of bees and butterflies. And, we call this place in Iowa our paradise.
Keep up the great garden Linda…perhaps your paradise will inspire your neighbors!
26 monarchs in chrysalis, 34 small cats, and unknown number of eggs. All of this from one yard in Lebanon OH, with swamp and annual milkweed. Next door neighbor is matching my numbers and another neighbor joined in this year with higher numbers! At this rate, the three of us should be raising in the range of 500 Monarchs. Best of all – one of my Monarchs made it to Mexico last year!
what an amazing season for you and your neighbors Deb. You will be sending a small army down to Mexico…congrats!
Wait? What? How can you tell when your Monarch makes it to Mexico? I gotta know, cause I’ve often wished I could put a tracker on my butterflies and see where they’re off too. Tony, when I was a little girl growing up we were always taught butterflies only live for two weeks, then you hear about the Monarch’s migrating to Mexico, etc. that’s gotta take a long time. How long does a Monarch actually live for? Or any butterfly for that matter? Such interesting (and beautiful) little creatures!
Hi Debra, the migration generation lives for months. They will overwinter in Mexico, mate, and then come back to the southern US to start the first generation of monarchs in 2016. You can tag migration monarchs through monarch watch, but the recovery rate is less than 1%. Here’s more info:
Monarch Watch Tagging Program
Hi, I am happy to comment that me and my two daughters have been super successful with our caterpillars and monarchs this year! We released our 5th monarch today, and we have 8 caterpillars and and several in chrysalis. Absolutely an amazing thing to be a part of. And I am so happy to read that people are doing it all around the country. Good luck everyone! Keep up the good work!
Your fellow monarch lover southern Oregon
Hi Marie, congrats to you and your daughters on a successful season and thanks for your words of encouragement to the community…
Thanks for the great info on sexing Monarchs. Tony, how do you treat your leaves before feeding? Leaves with eggs? Thanks, Ann in Iowa
Hi Ann, I’m glad you liked the post. As for feeding caterpillars, I just rinse milkweed leaves and stem cuttings thoroughly with water. Unless you live in a continuous growing region like Florida or California, I don’t think bleaching milkweed is necessary or a good idea.
I spotted my first monarch of the season today. I am thrilled since last year I didn’t see one in my West Virginia garden. I have two big containers with tropical milkweed so my fingers are crossed that there will be eggs soon.
Excellent news Amy…I hope you find eggs soon!
I’very raised monarchs on and off for years and decided I had enough milkweed in my organic garden to try again this year. I have a dozen going, in stages from eggs to chrysalis ready to open: turned dark with orange visible through the shell. Can’t wait!
Hi Nancy, congratulations on your growing milkweed supply…and your monarchs!
This is the first time I have raised monarch caterpillars. it’s so exciting. I released my first female yesterday in Minnesota.
I wonder about all the aphids on the plants I bring in. They don’t seem to go anywhere. I’ve also noticed some milkweed is curling up with some black bugs. I don’t bring those in the house.
Hi Jade, the aphids can be easily rinsed off the milkweed before you serve it to the caterpillars…congrats on your first release!
Hi:
I have been experiencing a heavy loss in my garden due mostly to spiders I think. The losses have been at all stages. I’m taking your advice to bringing them into a protective environment. I’m in the second stage and with all my milkweed eaten I had to buy more plants. It didn’t take long for the Monarchs to lay their eggs on the new plants. There are approximately 24 caterpillars out there. I will let you know if I was successful in saving more of them.
Thanks
Bino.
Hi Bino, you can’t save them all, but saving some can make a big difference! Good luck in your raising efforts…
I have been raising Monarchs for years and am happy to say I have probably “infected” many other people with the wonderful hobby. Actually, these days, it’s so much more than a hobby! With bees under stress, we NEED butterflies to help with pollination.
Thanks for everything you are doing to help support the monarchs Barbara…Raise On!
concerning Male vs.Female Monarch Butterflies – i’ve successfully released about 70 so far this year (2015) in Palm City, Florida. as far as i can tell they ALL appear to be Female. is this possible? is this unusual? why can’t i “raise” any Boys? thank you for your time today. have a great weekend.
Hi Mary, this is not unusual. I’ve had a lot of people comment on these “streaks” over the years, but they seem to even out in the end. One possible theory for more females early on, is that females can lay about to 400 eggs each so they can contribute to an early population boom, helping the population to recover.
I have found this too over the years of raising Monarchs. The initial flush is usually mostly female and then second flush is mostly males. After that it is pretty much equal. I have been keeping track of their sex for tagging purposes and I find that out of 25 (25 tags per sheet) it is usually always 13 females to 12 males. I can go back over my records from the last 7 years and it is always the same. Mother Nature knows what she’s doing.
Hey!!! I. So excited here! I have to find Mary! Over a year ago we bought a second home in Palm City in Lighthouse Point (she’ll know where that is). Currently living in central florida and the kids and grand kids in Orlando, we can’t spend as much time as we want in Palm City yet. I’ve been desperately trying to figure out how I can increase Monarch’s and all butterflies down there because the yards are not as big as my two acres up here, ya know? I see by your post Mary, it is possible!! And I know you’ve been to Pinder’s Nursery and their new free butterfly encounter. Who said having a home on the water has to be all about hubby’s fishing and relaxation?? I can raise butterflies (mostly Monarch’s; my passion, too? Here and Palm City? Oh, I just wanna go to Palm City right now and get started. And then, I too, will get all my neighbors (wonderful people) in Lighthouse Point hooked on these fabulous butterflies! Thank you Tony! Thank you Mary (call me!)…..Thank you, thank you, thank you!!