Top Tools, Supplies, and Resources for Raising Monarch Butterflies
Helpful Solutions for Raising Monarchs through the 4 Stage Butterfly Life Cycle
Milkweed
Before you start raising, you’ll need an ample supply of the caterpillars favorite (and only) food resource. If you’re planning ahead, seeds will suffice, but in case of milkweed emergencies plants, plugs, and cuttings can help support monarchs much sooner.
If you want to raise monarch butterflies on fresh milkweed with the least amount of effort, you have two options:
- milkweed stem or leaf cuttings from outdoor potted or garden plants (my recommendation)
- potted milkweed plants with healthy leaves
The best place to find milkweed plants is in your garden or from a local nursery that doesn’t spray with harmful pesticides. Remember, systemic pesticides can’t be rinsed off immediately and can remain inside the milkweed leaves for months.
2a. Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)– this is the #1 native milkweed species we use for both milkweed stem and leaf cuttings because the leaves are large, thick, and can sustain more caterpillars. Once it starts to fade in late summer, we move on to other varieties.
2b. Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica)– this is often the preferred egg laying milkweed late in the season. It’s also easy to pot if you have some in your garden. Tropical works well for leaf or stem cuttings.
2c. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)– first and second year plants are usually the best options since many still have fresh leaves late in the season. Swamp works well for leaf or stem cuttings.
2d. Giant Swan Plant (Gomphocarpus physocarpus)– this milkweed always has viable, healthy leaves late in the season and works well for stem cuttings.
2e. Swan Plant (Gomphocarpus fruticous)– this milkweed always has viable, healthy leaves late in the season and works well for stem cuttings.
2e. Giant Milkweed (Calotropis gigantea)– this is not widely available but could be an option in southern regions. We’ve successfully grown giant milkweed as an annual in our Minnesota garden. These plants would be a viable option for feeding caterpillars if we needed them.
2f. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) works well for stem cuttings if you find eggs on it. Otherwise, it can be difficult to get them to switch over to this milkweed variety.
1-2 monarch caterpillars can devour an entire milkweed plant. Keep this in mind when deciding how many monarchs you want to raise.
If you can’t find pesticide-free milkweed plants locally, some of the suggested stores on this resource page might have plants in stock:
note: The sap from milkweed is toxic and can cause corneal damaged if rubbed into your eyes. Always wash your hands after handling milkweed…
Some choose to take the extra precaution of wearing disposable gloves when handling milkweed to avoid potential issues.
Caterpillar Cages
I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a cage that can be easily cleaned and dried if you want to avoid monarch diseases. The fine mesh on these cages will also keep baby caterpillars from escaping and predators from entering.
Raising Cage for INSIDE?
If you want to raise up to 8 caterpillars and plan to raise on larger milkweed cuttings or small potted milkweed plant, this tall pop up cage should suit your raising needs:
1b. Buy a 15″ x 15″ x 24″ high butterfly cage to Raise up to 8 Monarch Caterpillars
1c. Buy a 24″ x 24″ x 36″ high butterfly cage to Raise up to 16 Monarch Caterpillars (not recommended for first time raisers)
Raising Cage for OUTSIDE?
1c. raised bed cart with wheels (place an indoor cage inside this)
1d. protective netting (to keep your growing monarchs safe from the elements and potential predators.)
1e. 4′ x 6′ heavy duty tarp (secure this to top of cage to keep chrysalises dry from overhead precipitation that could make them fall…if cage location protects them from rain, you don’t need this)
1f. Four 36″ bungee cords (2 linked together on each side to secure tarp)
Check out our full outdoor setup here ⬅️
I highly suggest having a second mesh pop-up for releasing and keeping butterflies overnight if there is inclement weather. Butterflies should never be kept in the same cage as feeding caterpillars because they can spread disease (OE spores) from their wings and bodies to the unsuspecting caterpillars below.
Caterpillar Cage Liner for Easy Cleaning
(If you buy the 14″ by 14″ cage liners below, make sure the cage length/width aren’t larger than 16″ by 16″ or you won’t have enough floor coverage.)💩
1e. 14″ Caterpillar Cage Liners ⬅️ (soft bendable platter)
OR
1f. 14″ CLEAR Cage Liner ⬅️ (hard support platter for 15″ floor cage)
(If you buy the 21″ by 21″ cage liners below, make sure the cage length/width aren’t larger than 24″ by 24″ or you won’t have enough floor coverage.)
1g. 21″ CLEAR Cage Liner ⬅️ (hard support platter for 24″ floor cages)
1h. If you’d like your indoor insect cages elevated for less bending over, this 48″ by 24″ adjustable-height table can easily fit three cages.
1i. If you want to keep a tabled cage in place (safe from curious cats 🐈 or accidental bumps) try putting a heavy rock or paver brick inside the cage to keep it in place. You could also use the outdoor cage inside to deter them.
If you haven’t signed up to participate in Raise the Migration 2025, sign up here to receive free raising tips delivered to your email inbox.
Butterfly Info + Raising Books
Raising monarch butterflies is a process. The better your process is, the more successful your results will be. If you’re not raising healthy monarchs with a 90% survival rate, take some time to review and improve your process… you (and the monarchs) will be glad you did!
1. Grow the Migration Newsletter: Raising Tips + Gardening for Butterflies ⬅️
2. How to Raise Monarch Butterflies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids
Raise On Stem Cuttings
Placing stem cuttings in water extends the life of your milkweed and keeps it hydrated until your caterpillar guests are finished.
For raising monarchs, we typically place milkweed stem cuttings in floral tubes/racks with regular lids:
For thin-stemmed cuttings you can also use floral tubes with little hole lids to prevent baby caterpillar drownings:
For Milkweed LEAF Cuttings: Cut the leaf on both sides of the midrib to stick the stem in further for less refilling. 1 leaf can easily sustain 1 caterpillar for at least a week:
Find Floral Tubes for Milkweed Stem Cuttings
Find Little Hole Lids for thin-stemmed cuttings
Find Food Containers for Larger Milkweed Cuttings
Find Vase Fillers or marbles (these can be used to hold floral picks in place or to secure stem cuttings inside food containers)
Monarch Eggs and Caterpillars
During the past decade, it has become increasingly difficult to find monarch eggs in gardens, parks, etc., so there are alternative options if you can’t find them locally.
note: USDA prohibits vendors from shipping west of the continental divide. Option 3c is a western option located in California. Before ordering, make sure the vendor delivers to your state:
3a. Eggs & Caterpillars from Rose Franklin
3b. Caterpillars from Monarch Watch
3c. Eggs & Caterpillars for AZ, CA, CO, ID, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY (no western vendors known at this time)
Feeding Adult Butterflies
- Floral Tubes + Racks for Fresh Cut Nectar Flowers
- Hummingbird Nectar
- Honey or Sugar Water
- Gatorade or Juicy Juice
- Cotton Pads to dip in options above
Check out the linked post for more info on How to Feed Adult Butterflies
Cage Cleaning Supplies
Some universities and butterfly breeders use a 5%-10% bleach solution mixed with water to clean habitat cages and other raising supplies. You could either mix it in a spray bottle or soak the cages in a tub. I would suggest starting with the 5% solution (1 part bleach to 19 parts water) before trying a stronger concentration. Mix the solution in a bucket, spray bottle, pressure sprayer, or soak mesh cages in a large tub, laundry tub, or bucket for about 20 minutes.
Bleach is corrosive and can irritate eyes and skin so use with caution…
Protect your caterpillars from monarch diseases by sanitizing their cage in between monarch batches and at the end of every season. Rinse and dry your supplies thoroughly after using bleach.
Some raisers use clorox wipes or similar brands to disinfect both cages and raising equipment such as cuttings containers. Rinse and dry your supplies thoroughly after using bleach wipes.
3. Paper Towels for cleaning/drying and lining sealed food containers (regular non-scented)
4. Cordless Computer Keyboard Vacuum this is a fantastic tool for sucking up caterpillar frass (poop) from the cage floor. It has just the right amount of suction (low-power to prevent pulling up cage floor) and is easy to empty and clean. We use the black version that several vendors offer for less than $30…highly recommended cage cleaning tool!
4. Boot Trays
In the summer we use these for holding cuttings containers while cleaning out the caterpillar cages. In the winter, they can also be used as saucers for potted plants.
Tagging & Tracking Monarch Butterflies
The following information only applies to those who are raising the final generations of monarchs that eclose in late August, September, and October.
Monarch Watch is a non-profit organization that engages citizen scientists in large scale research projects. Citizens who raise migration monarchs have a unique opportunity to help Monarch Watch gather research on the monarch migration.
How? You can order tracking tags to attach to your butterfly. When the butterflies are retrieved, those who find them can call a number on the tag to report information about the butterfly. For further information about this program and to order official tracking tags click the link below:
Eastern Monarch Tagging Program (You must live in North America east of the Rocky Mountains to order tags.)
Western Monarch Tagging Program (You must live in AZ, NM, UT, NV, Western CO to order tags. You need a permit to tag in California.
There are several tagging programs for the western monarchs so research to see which one makes the most sense for your region.
Raising Butterflies T-shirts, Sweatshirts, & Hoodies
1. Raise The Migration Butterfly T-shirt Collection
2. Mother of Monarchs Butterfly T-shirt Collection
3. Super Dad Butterfly T-shirt Collection
Raising Butterflies Articles
1. How To Start Raising Monarch Butterflies?
2. 21 Survival Tips for Raising Monarchs Indoors
3. How to Tell the Difference Between Monarch Male and Female Butterflies
4. Monarch Chrysalis Problems and Helpful Solutions
5. Common Butterfly Diseases and How to Prevent Them
6. 10 Ways to Stop Aphids from Taking Over your Milkweed Supply
Raising Resources for Schools
1. 21 Tips for Starting (or Improving) your School Butterfly Garden
A helpful checklist of all the important points to consider before starting your school butterfly garden.
2. Monarch Magic ~ Butterfly Activities & Nature Discoveries
An award winning book by author Lynn Rosenblatt that captures the magic of monarch metamorphosis with amazing pictures, scientific facts, classroom activities and experiments. Grades 3-6
The Monarch Teacher Network (MTN) is a growing network of teachers and other people who use monarch butterflies to teach a variety of concepts and skills, including our growing connection with other nations and the need to be responsible stewards of the environment.
6. Western Monarch Butterfly Resources
Get first-hand gardening/raising tips from experts in the western united states.
Had 338 larva
Tachnid predation took 15
2 larva died and 3 chrysalises died
Unfortunately when getting milkweed from a certain area we picked up a lot of tachnid flies….
94 % success
Hi Tony
I’ve been subscribed to your site for several years now, and want to thank you for the incredible amount of work you do, in encouraging, educating and enabling folk who are interested in raising monarchs. I can only imagine the number of monarchs that have been safely raised and released as a result of your incredible website, your knowledge, advice and enthusiasm.
This was a disappointing and troubling year for us in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, Canada. In 2024 we released 110 monarchs – our highest ever number. But in 2025 we saw far fewer adults from late June onward, and could only find and raise 43 monarchs. Our 2/3 acre yard is planted with common, butterfly and marsh milkweed in abundance, as well as many, many pollinator perennial species – especially liatris, black-eyed susan and goldenrod. But the monarchs just didn’t come to our area in the usual numbers. We did notice, like you, that butterflies in general were around much later into the year, and we’ve had the same lingering heat into October that you have in Minnesota. I think we live a little further south than you (and of course further east – between Georgian Bay and Lake Ontario), but I’m unsure of the reason for the decline in numbers this year.
However – my wife and I are undeterred and hoping for a successful migration, overwintering, and return to better numbers next year. I plan to build an outdoor structure around 8-10ft square that will house our tents, and also potted milkweed plants to feed the caterpillars. We’ll continue to bring eggs into the house until the caterpillars emerge and reach a good size for moving outdoors.
Thanks again for everything you do! I do see a growing interest in Canada, in raising and releasing monarchs in a healthy way, and I’m certain that more eggs survive predation, and more monarchs are reaching maturity, than would otherwise do so.
Hi Tony
I’m very grateful for your fantastic site! I need your advice regarding 2 butterflies that I have now, 1 hatched and 1 on Tuesday. I live in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada and the weather is about to turn very cold. The first one is the biggest I’ve ever seen and I found it by fluke.
Thank you
Andrea S
Hi Andrea, you still have plenty of time to release butterflies. You should have already released the first so it could migrate…there is no reason to keep them more than 24 hours unless there is inclement weather. Please check out this post for more details about releasing:
How to Safely Release Monarchs
good luck!
Hi again,
I asked my question because we are expecting very cold weather…below 0° overnight. I understand they cannot survive freezing temperatures.
I’m not new at raising as I have raised over 1000 in my years. I always struggle with the last releases because I don’t know what they can survive. Are there any groups that you would recommend?
Hi Andrea, I would release the day after the freezing temps…you have a good window of 60°F highs after that (and warmer lows) and that will give them the best chance to migrate…it’s illegal to move them into the US yourself or via shipping. Again, check out this article for more info:
How to Safely Release Monarchs
This is my first year trying raising monarchs. I bought a milkweed plant and quickly had 4 cats. They quickly ate up all the leaves and I went a bought a second. I was successful in hatching and release the four. I left my milkweed stems out to regrow and actually bought one more since I was the store. Once I notice eggs I bring them in my screened enclosures to raise them, after a few days I noticed some hatching, and quickly growing. Before I knew it I ended up with 54 Caterpillars!!!!! I ended up having to buy 8 more plants bc they would eat it up so quickly. I ended up only loosing 2 and currently have them all chrysalized in the enclose. The woman at the nursery told me when all is gone but the long stems to cut them down to 4 to 6 in stalks since it’s the beginning of the season so they will regrow, so me not being knowledgeable I did, since she was from the nursery. I’m not waiting for them all to emerge but I seemed to have found 7 more cats on my oldest plant that had regrown some, but it’s quickly depleting. Any advice on how to regrow my milkweed properly so I’ll soon have more food for them. I actually thought about putting them in garden netting to avoid anymore laying before they grow, but I really love doing this and need some food fast. It’s so enriching and rewarding. Any advice helps!!!
Hi Daniel, some people cover their plants so they have tome to recover…otherwise, it can e impossible to keep up with demand in continuous growing regions:
Growing Milkweed in Continuous Growing Regions
This is our first experience raising Monarchs and want to make sure we have the necessary tools. We purchased the Tower cage but the more we read it seems we might need additional cages. What would you suggest for beginners? We are extremely interested and excited. Thanks!!
Hi Suzanne, for beginners I think the ‘tall baby’ is a good option because it’s only 15″ by 15″ floor space but has the additional height (24″) if you want to use tall stem cuttings or small potted plants:
Tall baby Collection
Help ! The weather is 53 today, can I release the monarchs or should I wait for it to warm up abit. How long before they need to get nectar, I tried to give it some, but no luck yet, there are many more coming in everyday.
Hi Linda, if you still have 60 degree weather that’s better for release…they don’tneed nectar before you release them unless you have to hold on to them for multiple days. More info here: Releasing Monarch Butterflies
We have a nice patch of milkweed in our yard and have had several seasons of watching 30 to 40 monarchs hatch. This year we have had
3 amorous butterflies for quite awhile and have seen lots of caterpillars. Our milkweed is over half eaten but we don’t see chyrsalis.
Is something harming our caterpillars? Maybe something eating them?
Hi Laurel, check out this of:
Monarch Predators
Tony I have been raising monarch for a few years, we have had nice weather here in the Bay Area. And there are still monarchs laying eggs. The weather is getting into the 40’s at night and 60’s high. There are some to release. I have eggs Catterpillers different stages also chrysalis. Question is what should I do ?
Hi Linda, I would cut back milkweed to encourage monarchs to migrate to the coasts or further south. If you still have weather in the 60’s those are good days for release…good luck!
I have a question about my butterflies. This is the first year I’ve started raising them. So far I’ve had four complete their cycle from egg to chrysalis. I’ve noticed though when they’ve emerged from the chrysalis and dried their wings that their legs seem sticky and they have a hard time flying away. Is this normal? I don’t know if there is anything I can do to help them.
Hi Michael, I’m not sure exactly what you mean…if they’re having a hard time emerging from the chrysalis too and/or showing weakness, these can be signs of OE parasites
I can’t contain my excitement so I have to share.
Out of the blue this year when I took at a look at my planted milkweed (which I acquired from my nearby park a couple years ago), I saw a few Monarch eggs and instars as well as larger caterpillars. I previously purchased a couple of good butterfly habitats, so I decided I wanted to raise the Monarchs since I had earlier heard about their survival rate to become a butterfly; I wanted to be one to help them get there. I am excited to say that I’ve raised 9 (I caterpillar still remains) (I know, quite a small number but that’s all I could find at the time of my search) healthy Monarchs. A couple have been larger, some medium-sized, and some quite little. I could see that because of their size when they were traipsing up to the top of the enclosure, whether they would be larger or smaller; I had some really little caterpillars, and it surprised me since I read that they are about 2″ before they transition to chrysalis. Needless to say, each one was released and I look forward to the last one this season. Unfortunately I have been only moments too late to actually see them emerge from the chrysalis. This last one (last evening) was ready to come out (they’ve ALL emerged in the middle of the night) and I waited long into the night for it to emerge (you could tell it was ready). I was too tired and went to bed thinking I would see a butterfly when I awoke. To my astonishment it hadn’t so I kept an eye out. One final moment I left the area to plug in my phone hoping for a quick charge, and when I went back (literally 1-2 minutes later), there was my beautiful baby butterfly. So disheartening that I have yet to experience these final moments (I haven’t watched the complete chrysalis stage—but mostly). Several hours later I was happily able to release the very energetic baby.
I definitely learned a few things in this short time (it’s only been a month):
I learned about how to keep longer the milkweed (I started with a bottle of water with saran wrap on the top and put in the stems…they didn’t last long so I found that if you cut the stem on an angle and cut a couple of angled nicks up from the bottom, this works great—even for stems which are already wilting! My cuttings last for several days.
I learned that if you purchase those (pre-filled with water) stem holders from a florist, that they NEED to be emptied and washed and refilled–I believe they use that same solution that they give you when you purchase flowers; thankfully I realized only after a short time when I saw that the stems were dying. I took a look at the water and you could tell it wasn’t just water (you couldn’t tell at first). The butterflies weren’t affected thankfully.
I learned that sometimes they just don’t eat for a time because they’re going into their next instar phase (don’t worry if you see them just sitting there for a while).
I learned that if they fall to the bottom of the enclosure (while I was out of town–probably due to heavy handling by my house/cat sitters), that you ever-so-gently (and I mean gently), pick them up and carefully reattach them to the top of the habitat (probably with a sewing pin), and don’t squeeze at all (I didn’t realize when I tried to reattach it that it was so soft and some green fluid began to ooze). I hoped that it wasn’t over for that butterfly, but currently it doesn’t look like it’ll emerge from the chrysalis; it’s not completely black but mostly–I’m assuming the black death they mention for butterflies.
I learned that their chrysalis has beautiful gold specks throughout, but you’d never notice it when the butterfly hatches.
I’ve learned a great deal more but I figured I’d end with my tirade information.
I hope to partake next year in God’s beautiful creation! I would like to add swallowtails to my raising, but we’ll see; I can tell it’s a bit harder to rear them due to their lack of food sources. One way or the other, I’ll send on more Monarchs. I think I’ll plant my seeds and grow some more milkweed myself (perhaps in my house). I have some I purchased, and also seedpods I’m waiting on.
Thank you for allowing my to share my excitement!
Hello Tony,
Thank you for the site here!
I’m trying my hand at raising three caterpillars. If I’m successful I hope to continue to do more.
I purchased a poop platter from my local nursery.
I see that one of my caterpillars seems to have climbed up the side about an inch and then stopped. He has another inch to go before her is over the other side to find the side of my mesh cage. Will he make it? Do they rest on the way? I read that once they are ready to make a Chrysalis they climb pretty quickly.
Should I help him in some way?
Thanks,
Judy
Hi Judy, some move around the cage several times before choosing a spot, while others are more decisive. They will usually figure things out with a little time.
Hi Tony,
Love your website! I have planted milkweed for many years but this is my first time trying to cut the top off a plant and put it in a floral pick. They just sag and die, even though they are in water. It’s the tropical. When they snap out of it the leaves are ruined. Any advice? Is the time of day important?
Hi Kim, check out some tips for using:
Milkweed Cuttings to feed caterpillars
My milkweed plants are covered with aphids. How do I get rid of them?
Hi Carol, here are some short and long term strategies for dealing with: Oleander Aphids
I am hatching Monarch caterpillars f rom eggs…they are in tupperware containers with a paper towel in the bottom..the leaves they are on are cleaned with filtered water and kept fresh with floral picks…a few have made it to a week, but a number of others have hatched, started eating, and then stop when they are about a day old…I’ve kept them several days to make sure they are really dead but sadly they are…wha t is happening to them?? It’s heartbreaking 🙁
Hi Geri, I’m not sure but too much moisture trapped in the container can cause mold issues.Otherwise, are you sure the milkweed source is pesticide free? I will be posting more about my exact process in upcoming posts…
Hello,
I am wondering how to safely transfer multiple monarch caterpillars from old cuttings to new cuttings without touching or injuring them. Thanks
Hi Tom, just place new cuttings containers next to them and they will crawl over…
Thanks Tony – So far I have 49 cats split up into 9 Tupperware containers. Should I put holes in the top for air? At what point should I move them to my Monarch tower?
Hi Jeff, I typically move them after a couple days. I don’t put air holes in the food containers.
I recently planted about a few milkweed plants in large pots in my backyard. From those few plants, I raised a dozen cats that made the full transformation to Monarchs. As a result, I figured I would expand the operation… I plated 15 more plants I purchased from my local nursery. Since that first batch of cats, I have had little success. Most of the chrysalis’s have died. I also figured out the hard way that plating Milkweed in the ground made it easier for lizards to feast (5 cats disappeared in the last two days from the plants in the ground) none of the cats were large/old enough to wander off to transform. I found both an alligator and blue belly lizards on the plants. Three questions:
1. Once I see a cat no matter how small should I them with cuttings to a container? I purchased your butterfly habitat yesterday.
2. I have counted 70 eggs on my plants. Should I cut off the leaves with the eggs and move them to a container? If so, what is the best process?
3. Any suggestions on ways to stop lizards from feeding on the cats?
Any other info you would suggest for a newbie?
Hi Jeff,
check out the info here to get started:
Start Raising Monarchs
Hunting & Gathering Monarch Eggs
Predator Info
One tip that may be obvious to raisers, but the first year, it did not occur to me, duh . . . Make sure the nursery you buy the plants from does not spray the plants with pesticide. I went to a huge local nursery that had all kinds of tropical milkweed out front. I asked them if I sprayed them. They had. I nicely said you know pesticide on the leaves kills monarchs. They just gave me a blank stare. I said thanks for listening and walked out. LOL. It can be unnerving at first to see them die. My two tips for at least a good batch of them: take in eggs or small cats inside asap to a porch and put them separately on leaves in pipette floral tubes to keep leaves, stems fresh longer. I now disinfect the leaves/stemmed leaves in a tub with a small amount of bleach and then let them dry. A lot of work, I know, but this has helped. Read all of Tony’s info, his book has so many good tips.
I have only been raising Monarchs for a month or two. I have 4 enclosures and of 9 egg to butterfly I lost 2. One never made it out of the chrysalis’ the other had a broken wing and although I tried to fix it, it died. My most recent problem is getting healthy plants. I live in Florida and cannot get a healthy plant from my garden. I am getting the plants from a nursery. I have 6 new tiny cats I found outside and am going to try to grow some new plants inside, bug free. Thank you for the tips.
I have collected 6 eggs in the last two days and one is hatching at the moment. So exciting to watch! I collected them on large single leaves and have put them in plastic container vases just as you have demonstrated. All are doing well except for one. The leaf that it is on has wilted and is drying up. The only difference is that the leaf is considerably smaller than the others but I guess Mrs. Monarch chose that one for a reason. Is there any way I can save this egg? Can it hatch on a dried up leaf if I keep a healthy leaf beside it?
Thanks for any advice.
Hello! I’d like your opinion. I’m in Arcadia, a suburb of Los Angeles. My husband bought some milkweed on a whim. This is my first time raising monarchs. We brought in and raised from eggs. We had two butterflies eclose today!
I’m concerned about one of them. It had some difficulty pupating. It was leaking clear fluid from the area on it’s back where it should have begun splitting the skin. I couldn’t see it’s filaments, and it appeared that it had started splitting the skin near that area around the head. I can’t say for certain since it was in a mesh cage that didn’t allow me to see great detail. Anyway, I left it and it remained that way for over an hour, but then it did complete the chrysalis. After it hardened, a few of the lines on the chrysalis looked brownish, but no spots (like OE spores). When the butterfly emerged today, she had some trouble with the chrysalis seeming to be stuck to her, but she looks strong and crawled away from it until she got loose. A small strand of the chrysalis is still attached to one of her antenna. Her wings on one side took a little longer to expand. I’m not sure if that’s unusual, but one is just slightly shorter than it’s counterpart, maybe a couple of millimeters. She’s moving around the enclosure and appears healthy. If everything else progresses normally and she appears ready to fly in a few hours, should I go ahead and release her? Should I try to remove the chrysalis piece from her antenna? Given all the little difficulties, would you euthanize or keep this particular butterfly as a pet on the chance it has OE? I have 3 other chrysalides in the same enclosure, they should all eclose over the next week. Also, I took lots of pictures and video which I’d be happy to share with you if it would help. Thanks so much, your site has been a great resource!
Hi AJ…congrats on raising your first monarchs! You live in a region where OE is a serious issue so my guess would be the butterfly is affected. I would carefully try removing the chrysalis…try spraying it with water first to see if that helps. If she’s strong enough to fly, i would release her, but if not, I would euthanize. More info on:
Monarch Diseases & Parasites
Hello! What do you think of a (2-gallon?) glass jar with a coffee filter over the top as a final cage if I don’t have a mesh pop-up? My husband bought a milkweed on a whim, so we’re trying to quickly learn how to successfully raise monarchs. We have four caterpillars that hatched 5-7 days ago. Today we bought another milkweed, in case the first one didn’t have enough leaves. The new plant has a big cat in it! I’m not sure how old it is, it’s about 1.5″ long, much bigger than my week-olds. So I’m trying to make sure it’s got a place to pupate. I put the clipping in a floral vial and placed it in the jar. I’m nervous about moving a chrysalis, so hoping to leave it in the same place.
Hi AJ, the problem with glass is that the butterflies can’t crawl up the sides if they fall and it doesn’t provide good air flow like mesh does…still, it’s a viable alternative solution. Here’s some info about the chrysalis stage
Thank you for the great ideas. I have raised and released 17 monarchs with my students so far this year. I must admit that I have gotten a little hooked on watching these little guys. I will definitely use some of your tips from the site. The first time around was a learning curve. I can not wait to get my butterfly garden started.
Hi Jolene, it’s definitely a learning process, but you will get better at it over time and have more success (and enjoyment) raising and releasing butterflies…congrats to you and your students and thanks for helping to support the monarch population! Good luck with your garden…
I have a Monarch Chrysalis that will be ready to open in the next day or two. I live in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. There has been thick smoke from the nearby fires and strong Santa Ana winds expected to continue through the end of the week. I assume I should keep the butterfly indoors until it is safe to release.
Hi Ingrid, I’m not sure how thick smoke affects monarchs, but I would probably wait to release until the smoke lifts. Good luck to you and the butterfly!
Thanks. She emerged this morning and is beautiful. Unfortunately, another fire broke out along the 405 fwy near the Getty Center, and that smoke affects us too.
Hello!
Thank you so much for those very helpful info! I just moved my 33 4-5 instar inside. They look stressed out and are climbing the mesh without really caring about the leaves on the bottom. I covered them with mesh food covers and the bottom is paper towels. They’re each about 1’x1’x1′ so I made two “cages”. They’re about 1.5-2″ long now and thought moving them inside would give me more room for feeding them something else if I run out of milkweed (I heard cucumber?) and protect them from predators when they turn chrysalis. It’s my first batch and I’m so excited to contribute!!
Please any advice is welcome!
Thanks!
Hi Sophie, please check out raise the migration for lots of helpful raising tips and tricks:
Raise The Migration
Hello 🙂
I’ve really enjoyed reading all of your articles and stories. I live in Southern CA and I’m going on my 5th month of raising Monarchs. So far, I have released 23 beautiful Monarchs. I’m up to 3 mesh cages and 2 small cages. I like to be very organized. Do you keep track of all of your eggs, cats, and butterflies? What are your suggestions for ease of tracking what I have? I’ve been writing down what’s in each container. Just wondering if you have a spreadsheet or something? Thank you!
Hi Andrea,I know there are people that keep physical journals, or use spreadsheets/word documents to keep track. The only thing I’ve done the past few years is keep track of males and females. It really depends on what info you would like to track…
Hello, love your website. It has been invaluable to me throughout the process of raising my first batch of monarchs. I have a question regarding temperature. I have 34 chrysalids(sp?) that have been raised since eggs in my house in upstate NY. It’s not air conditioned but cooler than outside temps. I am going on a somewhat of a last minute camping trip in the adirondacks next week and plan on taking my chrysalids with me, as I anticipate many emerging while I am away. I have already mapped out some potential wildflower fields near my campsite that I can release them into. My concern is the temperature change. In the adirondacks, it’s several weeks “ahead” of me in season changes. It’s going to be significantly cooler, in addition to them being in my (big) tent, exposed to nighttime temps possibly dipping into the 40’s. I assume that the daytime temp plus our body heat will keep the tent a lot warmer, but I”m still concerned about the temperature affecting them. Will it hurt them or shock them? I don’t mind if it slows their emergence, as I’d rather release them back on my farm, but I’m concerned about their health. What do you think?
Hi Kelly, 40’s in a tent is fine for your monarchs…I know some people travel with chrysalides in pill bottles surrounded by cotton…I’m sure this would work in larger containers too…good luck!
Thank you for your reply! That’s a great idea about the insulation – I suppose at night I could drape a towel over their butterfly house, which should help keep the heat in if it gets too cold. Looks like high 60’s/low 70s daytime with 50s at night (forecast so far). perfect!
Tony,
We planted two milkweed plants recently and within a couple of weeks after we found monarch eggs. We brought one indoors and have done A LOT of reading on the rearing of monarch caterpillars. I just ordered a cage for our little guy but I’m wondering exactly where indoors to place the cage/caterpillar?? Is there an indoor location that you suggest or should the cage be left outside?? Thanks…
Hi Jessica, we raise ours in a 3-season porch so they’re exposed to normal heat, humidity minus extreme weather and predators. this has worked well for us. I would raise indoors before out, because of potential predators getting into the cage…good luck!
Hello,
Quick question,
I have four black swallowtail chryslids in my 24x16x16 netted cage. Would it be bad or a problem to put my monarch hatchlings and eggs in same cage? I already de-frassed cage and wiped down with bleach solution. The BST should emerge in next 10-15 days.
Hi Matt, as long as you keep them separated by using stem cuttings, I have not heard of problems…keep in mind, it can take swallowtails twice as long to go through their metamorphosis.
I have a caterpillar who is probably only days away from forming a chrystalis. Is there something I should put in the cage for it to hang off of? I have milkweed cuts in there now but I’m worried that if he tries to attach it I that it might be wilted badly before it becomes a butterfly.
Hi Julie, most of ours form a chrysalis on the cage roof. If the milkweed cutting is in water, it should be fine if you keep refilling the floral tube/cutting container. Sometimes I just remove the leaf the chrysalis is on and tape it up:
Chrysalis problems and solutions
We brought in two cats from outside a few days ago and they both formed chrysalids. My husband brought in another last night and put it in a dish with a milkweed plant. This morning the plant was wilted and laying in the bottom of the dish. I got a fresh milkweed and was going to put the cat on it. As I gently lifted him off the wilted plant I realized he had already started forming his silk pupation pad! ? I put him on the new plant but now I’m concerned that he won’t form a chrysalis! Is he doomed or will he possibly reattach and still form a chrysalis? We are brand new to this and have done minimal reading. Obviously we need to educate ourselves more! What are your thoughts about this cat? Thank you!
Hi Nicole, it’s not good to disturb them at this point BUT they have lots of silk. If the caterpillar is healthy, it should still be able to spin a new pad. Yes, raising monarchs is a learning process, but you’ll get better as you gain more experience….good luck!
21 Tips for Raising Monarchs Indoors
I have an old aquarium I have been raising cats in for years. Last year I had a huge amount of monarchs but they seemed to die before they reached the chrysalis stage. Is there a maximum amount per container? Container not sterile? ( I did not clean with bleach) Or both? My container is 3′ x 1’x 1′ approx. thanks for any help
Hi Brenda, caterpillars should not be overcrowded. You can give them a little more room by raising with stem cuttings as opposed to letting them crawl around on the cage floor, which can also expose them to potential disease. Regular cage cleaning is important, and cages should be disinfected between each batch you are raising. An aquarium is a bit harder to clean if it is heavy…this is what we use:
Caterpillar Cages
Stem Cuttings for Raising caterpillars
21 Tips for Raising Monarchs
Hi. I have a question. My school system requires a science unit in which we raise monarchs. Unfortunately it has not been very successful. As of now I have thriving larvae (unlike last year where they all died in short order). They are currently feasting on actual milkweed plants (also raised by the county). It is my understanding that they will stay on the plants until they are ready for the next part of their cycle. My question is: Will the larvae crawl up the sides of the mesh cage and attach to the top or do I need something special in that they use for attachment? Thank you so much and thanks for this very helpful website.
Hi Kim, most will climb to the top of the cage and hang from the mesh ceiling. Every once in a while they will hang from plant leaves. Good luck with your monarchs!
Hi Tony,
Any tips on how to best care for newly found/picked up monarch eggs? I am raising indoors but found over 50 eggs today, way more than expected. I have the space and enough milkweed, but want to make sure I am following best practices for better results.
Should I keep eggs in container and later transfer cats to cage as they grow? Is there an ideal temperature/environment I should keep the eggs at?
Thank you.
Hi May…congratulations on finding monarch treasure! Here’s info about bringing in monarch eggs for raising:
How to Hunt, Gather, and Protect Monarch Eggs
Good luck!
Awesome. Thanks Tony.
The 50+ eggs have been hatching just fine. Excitement at the house.
Great stuff on your site!
Hi Tony,
I’m a little confused. I get conflicting advice on sterilization of the cubes after final release. Is it 5% or 20% bleach, or somewhere in between. I live in Southern California so, from what I’ve read, the OE disease is as much as 40%. So I more than likely had an infestation, especially since many of my brood came from friends in caterpillar forms of varying developmental stages. Some had trouble flying and I had to euthanize a couple, as well as I lost a full batch of cats from NPV (?).
Hi Hollie, please check out this post for cage cleaning info:
Caterpillar Cage Cleaning
I live in Jacksonville, Florida and for the second year in a row, I have tons of Monarchs catipillars hatching every day on my milkweed. I rarly have any in the spring and summer but come fall (Nov.) they are everywhere. The problem is I’m not sure they will survive due to the cooler temps. and dwendling sources of nectar once they become butterflies. I have raised many indoors over the years, but this late in the year, I worry about their ability to survive once released. Is there a reason for this late laying cycle? Will they survive this late in the year?
Thank you for any info. that may help me to understand this better.
Hi Connie, the weather in your region is perfect for releasing butterflies this time of year…no need to worry unless highs are mid 50’s or below. Enjoy your extended season!
Great news!! Thanks for your reply.!
I live about 30 minutes north of Jacksonville, we brought in 40 cats over the holidays. We now have a ton of butterflys in a large mesh enclosure. They will not eat on their own. Is there an easier way to feed the adults rather then placing them individually on orange slices? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Sean, there’s info about feeding adult butterflies here:
Releasing and feeding Adult butterflies
1. Your books are so good and I learned a lot! So when will you have Book III? I think they’re for everyone to read – excellent for newbies.
2. I haven’t used a floral tube before but the ones that came in the mesh cage are great…much easier than individual leaves.
3. In one of your posts there was a cordless hand held vacuum that you liked. Which one was it? I can’t find your post again.
Thank you for sharing your vast knowledge with us!
Thank you Judy…I’m glad you are finding the books helpful. I will continue to revise both books and send free updates. If I ever created a volume 3, I’m not sure what it would be about at this point.
Yes, floral tubes + cuttings containers with water make the milkweed stay fresh much longer. I can’t imagine raising without them now.
For cage cleaning we use the vacuum linked in this post:
Cage Cleaning for monarch Caterpillars
If you have a baby cube cage, this is also a good option to make cleanup easier:
Poo Poo Platter
I live in southern California and have an 6 by 10 foot greenhouse. I want to convert it into a Monarch “hatchery”. There is no commercial purpose; I just like Monarchs. I thought that I could put in a swamp cooler for the hot dry summer temperatures and a heater for cold winter days. Are there websites that can help me do this right?
Hi Gerald, I would ask this question on a facebook group to get some ideas from those with first-hand experience with this type of setup:
The Beautiful Monarch good luck!
Tony,
I have raised over 180 monarch butterflies this year alone. The first few months I was raising them outdoors, until the dreaded paper wasp and other predators discovered my butterfly garden. I have since moved my hobby indoors.
Last year I raised them with cuttings in water filled large soda cups contained in a large covered storage container, however the cutting wilted too quickly, and some smaller cats got down in the water.
This year I am again using the large storage container, uncovered. Occasionally I have had a few caterpillars escape. I have found them on various pieces of furniture in the living room and on my fake ficus tree. It gives me a little chuckle, they are called my ‘little surprises’.
I am using the plant directly from the nursery in the open storage container. I have learned their behavior over the years and when they start wandering I put them on a “round-a-bout” that I designed. It is a 3 gallon plant pot with a tomato cage stuck in the pot. There is always food available for them in case I misjudged their wandering. I supply them with other forms of things to J on, like branches from bushes outside and fiberglass posts that are sturdy enough to support the chrysalis.
I of course have not had 100% success, but I have raised more than what would have made it outside.
I purchase all of my milkweed from DeBary Nursery, they never spray their milkweed and it is always in good health.
I thank you for all of your information that you have provided those of us who have decided to help the Monarch butterfly continue to survive. I hope you will continue to supply us with your advice.
My first Monarch enclosed this morning. That’s the good news. That is the only cat I have found. I have tons of Monarchs in my garden, but I’m becoming convinced something is eating the eggs and/or cats. I have lady bugs, tarantula hawk wasps (ugly guys) and a few ants. Any suggestions on what to do?
Nancy
Mountains of So. California.
Hi Nancy, monarchs have a growing list of predators and it’s hard to stop them. One of the best solutions is planting more milkweed species and spreading out patches. Raising a few indoors also boosts their numbers. Here’s more info:
Monarch Predators and Saving More Monarchs
Tony
I have raised a few Monarchs and would like to get additional cages. I’m thinking a “floor standing” model would be good – maybe 3-5 ft square. I would like to be aware of all cages now available. I went on Amazon, but didn’t see anything particularly interesting, but Amazon did have many choices.
Thanks for your response.
Gary Zuck
Hi Gary, we use smaller cages that are easy to clean and disinfect when necessary. Big, bulky cages are good until you have a diseases issue. Here’s more info:
Monarch Butterfly Cages
Hello! I get Monarch eggs off of the milkweed plants in my garden and for the first time last year I had parasitized caterpillars. I didn’t realize the little maggots were present until the caterpillars were in their chrysallises. What do the parent wasps look like? And are they spreading across the US? Any advice? Thanks, Sandy
Hi Sandra, those are tachinid flies…it’s really hard to tell the difference between them and other flies pollinating your milkweed flowers. If stick to bringing in eggs you can prevent having to deal with them. They usually don’t bother small instar 1-2 caterpillars either, but it’s possible:
Monarch Diseases and Parasites
PS…they are a problem across the country
Hi, wondering about your butterfly cages. You say to clean them with bleach. Can you clean the cube one with bleach also? I’m also interested in possibly ordering your book, but I can’t find reviews anywhere on it. Do most people find it helpful?
Hi Christine,
you can soak the cages in a 5% bleach solution (w/ 95% water). During the season (between batches) some people also use clorox wipes. Sorry about the current ‘no review’ platform, but that will change in the off-season. The book has been revised 3 times (for content and updated resources), and I’ve never had anyone ask to return it.
We started offering the cages because that’s what we use to raise monarchs at home, and have received great feedback from those who have purchased. If there is any issue with the cage, it can be returned or a new one sent out. Even if you buy from someone else, the mesh cages are the best solution for raising monarchs, in my opinion…
Some very helpful tips. Thank you. I have been learning some as I go and managed to set about 20 Monarchs loose this fall. No caterpillars in January but I’m seeing a few now. Especially liked your water containers; I had just been replenishing milkweed cuttings once or twice a day
Hi Kathleen, I am glad you are finding the page helpful. Yes, cuttings containers will make your raising life much easier. Have a great season…
I am interested in raising Monarchs. Last year I planted several Milkweed plants around our garden. We live in Connecticut . Any info you could provide would be helpful. Things that we will need and to educate ourselves would be great.
Thank you
Hi Elsa, I just finished revising my raising guide and published it last weekend. It outlines the raising process I use to raise monarchs with a consistent 95% survival rate. Check out this page for more info:
How to Raise Monarchs Guide
Our gardener planted a butterfly garden for my 2 children and I’ve been thrust into raising monarchs now. We have our first round of chrysalises and I brought two of them indoors. The first butterfly emerged and abruptly fell down. I moved it outside to try and get it to hang on the branches of a rosemary plant that the rest of the chrysalises are on. It kept falling off. Now, 2 days later a butterfly emerged on one of the chrysalises outdoors and again, he fell down quickly after emerging. I tried for over an hour to get him to hold on upside down. Sadly, both of them did not make it. Two questions: 1. Is there anything i can do if the butterfly falls before its wings are dry? My understanding is that they hang holding onto their chrysalis while their wings dry. 2. The chrysalises and caterpillars don’t look infected. Could they have OE? I had no idea what this was before reading your website. My daughter is devastated after following their progress daily for the past few weeks. Thanks.
Hi Jessica, sorry to hear this and that your daughter is so upset. You can great reduce the risk of diseased butterflies if you start raising indoors from eggs. When they’re too weak to hold on to their chrysalis or the top of a mesh cage, it is best to euthanize. If you want to learn more details about the process I use to raise with a 95% survival rate, check out my newly revised raising guide. Once you improve your process, you and your daughter will have a much better raising experience:
Raise More Monarchs, with Less Effort, and at least a 90% Survival Rate
PS…if a butterfly falls in a mesh cage it should (if it’s healthy) be able to climb back up the mesh wall
Thanks to your website and ebook I have sucessfully raised and released nearly 80 healthy Monarchs this past summer and fall. My dilema now is that I had an explosion of cats in early December (I believe due to some very warm Southern California weather) and as I was cutting back my milkweed I found 46 cats and of course moved them all inside. Now they are beginning to eclose and the temps are only 63 in the day and as low as 43 at night. What do I do? They have a large room all to themselves with space to fly but I am not sure how long I should keep them. The temps are not going to get any warmer than that any time soon. Days have been from sunny to part cloudy and no more rain as of this week. Any suggestions would be appreciated for this newbie 🙂
Hi Selene, congrats on all your healthy releases this season! I am happy to hear you found the book and website helpful. 60’s is warm enough for release, especially if it’s sunny to partly cloudy. I wish you continued success in 2016…
Hi Tony I live in south Florida and I have started growing Monarchs – I had milkweed and I thought it had died. To my surprise I had to caterpillars so I went to my local nursery and bought another milkweed and a butterfly net container. While at the nursery they gave me 3 more caterpillars. I brought them home and put them all in the container. 3 out of the 5 survived. I also cleaned up what I thought was my dead milkweed only to discover that when I replanted it in two separate pots they came back to life. So I have 3 milkweeds and I saw the other day a butterfly laying eggs on all three of my plants. My question is – can I remove the leaves and put them in a secured container until the eggs have hatched? My larger milkweed has ants on it and I don’t want them to eat the eggs. I am in the process of working on a housing unit to hold all the plants to keep them protected.
Hi Shanna, congrats on raising your first monarchs. Here is some info about monarch eggs you should find helpful going forward:
How to Keep Monarch Eggs Safe
Thank you so much for this awesome website!!
I too am in CA [33.79 latitude] and I have never seen monarch caterpillars until now. I found two very large plump caterpillars on an aphid infested plant that I never planted. I took some pics and found this website to id them. They almost got squashed with cabbage loopers on the next door tomato plant. Most local garden centers were out but I found a whole bunch of milkweed plants at Lowes. They had lots of caterpillars on them already (fingers crossed that they survived and will fly off healthy!). I’ve ended up with 7 confirmed caterpillars, two of whom are now in chrysalis. The plants are outside and I’m worried about them in our current chilly weather.
Hi Renee, congrats on taking the monarch plunge! I wouldn’t worry about your tropical milkweed. It can survive temps below freezing and is cold hardy to zone 8. Good luck with your first releases. Here’s some info that might help:
Safely Releasing Monarch Butterflies
This Spring I had about a dozen caterpillars one day & the next they were gone. Is it the birds that a getting them? This happens often . I was really disappointed . I have two itty bitty caterpillars now, don’t know how long they will last. I have a really bad infestation of Aphids. Cut back the one plant that was infected & threw in trash. I see damaged leaves on remaining 5 plants that are very tall & loaded with blooms, threw them out, the leaves, not the plants. Neem Oil is expensive & to use it as directed, I go through one bottle a week. Has anyone used Non-fat Milk diluted one on one with water. I would be interested to get an opinion. I am really brand new to this, live in So. Cal. & really want to make this work. I look forward to your advice. Thank you.
Hi Gloria, I would avoid foliar sprays that you leave on plants because monarchs probably won’t lay eggs on treated leaves. Here’s some aphid info you may find useful:
How to stop Aphids from taking over your Milkweed
Hello Tony,
I have been enjoying your website and varied information over the past months since I seriously started planting specific flowers and plants to attract pollinators and hopefully some Monarch butterflies…
Am I correct that as a resident of Trinidad, CA that I cannot purchase pupae or eggs?
I did sight one monarch in flight here this summer, but here on the coast there are very few – this was the first monarch seen in my 15 years living here! A wonderful sight!
Please let me know if there is a resource within CA for purchasing eggs, as I would love to encourage them.
Thank you, julie
Hi Julie, I don’t know of any vendors that are able to ship to California, but will be sure to update this page if I learn of any.
Thank you Tony! In the meantime I’ll keep trying to make my garden more attractive to them!
Best wishes, Julie
Julie,
I have purchased Asclepsias (sp?) butterfly weed plants with eggs & catepillars already on them at Home Depot & Lowes…I am in the Inland Empire area, Riverside CA….anywhere from 9 to 13$…I am obsessed with them now!!!! lol