Stage 1: Monarch Butterfly Egg

Stage 1: Monarch Butterfly Egg

Stage 1: Monarch Butterfly Egg

It’s time to learn about Stage 1: Monarch Butterfly Egg! A Female Monarch can lay anywhere from 250-500 eggs. They usually lay them on the underside of Milkweed Leaves, but they can leave them anywhere!! The Eggs are white, oval in shape, and if you look at them closely you can see ridges that goes down them.

***** Disclaimer: I am not a scientist and in no way claim to be the knower of all things Monarch. I am simply sharing the knowledge I have gained from hours and hours of research, and my own experience. I always encourage everyone to do their own research from multiple different resources*****

It’s so amazing how the female Monarch can tell if the plant isn’t healthy, or if there are too many bad insects on the Milkweed. They will skip it, and find a better looking plant to help ensure more eggs will survive!!

Once I have located an Egg I will mark the leaf with a string tied around the base of the left. I also try to keep track of when they were laid. Once I start to notice eggs I am constantly checking my milkweed. This makes it easier to keep track of how old the eggs are.

Caterpillars are usually in the Stage 1: Monarch Butterfly Egg for 5-8 days. When they are getting close to emerging you will be able to see the black head of the caterpillar. When I see the black head in the egg is when I move the egg into my cage. In previous years I tried to only take part of the leaf and move them into the enclosure as soon as I find them, but leaf tended to dry out too fast and kill the egg. By waiting until the caterpillar was close to emerging and moving the whole leaf I had much better success!! The caterpillar has plenty to eat and the plant will regrow a leaf if the whole thing is removed.

When the caterpillars emerge the first thing they do is eat their egg. This gives them the nutrients and protein they need to begin their lives. At this point they are extremely small. Less than a ¼ inch long, and you can barely see their coloring.

Ready to learn more?! Be sure to check out all our Monarch Butterfly Blogs!! https://rebeccachapmanphotography.com/category/monarch-butterflies/

Another Great Resource : Monarch Butterfly Garden