Monarch caterpillars are very tender creatures. They are fussy eaters and are very susceptible to health problems. But the attention you devote from capturing to breeding and releasing them will be well rewarded when you see the wings of a beautiful monarch butterfly emerge from the chrysalis. Only about 1 in 10 caterpillars make it to adulthood in the wild, so today you can become a foster parent for this little insect!
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Creating the Right Habitat
Step 1. Do some research
Before you go out and find your little friend, it is very important to do some basic research on the internet about caterpillars and monarch caterpillars in particular. The more informed you are, the better care you can provide to your new friend. Learn about the anatomy and common diseases of caterpillars and butterflies. That way, you know what to look for if your new friend gets sick.
Step 2. Purchase a suitable container
As with any other animal, the size of the container should depend on the amount of caterpillars you wish to raise. A carefully cleaned jar of pickles may be suitable for one caterpillar, but if you want to grow two or three, you'll need a larger container. Small pet travel carriers are a good choice and can be purchased for as little as 5 euros at most retailers. If you plan to keep larger broods, you can get larger clear containers.
Step 3. Put the right lid on
Unlike popular opinion, metal lids with holes provide poor ventilation, leaving the jar too hot or too humid. If you don't use a pet carrier that has a vented lid, replace your lid with a thin piece of fabric tied with a rubber band.
Step 4. Find the right place
Keep it in an air-conditioned room away from direct sunlight. Sunlight favors the formation of moisture inside the container, resulting in the growth of molds and fungi harmful to the monarch caterpillars.
Step 5. Add a substrate
While not critical to the caterpillar's well-being, it makes the habitat more pleasing to the eye. You can put soil from your garden or buy land from a nursery if you want to create a natural base. You can add newspapers, paper towels, or regular paper to make cleaning easier. Aquarium gravel can also be used to make the habitat more pleasant. If you want, you can put a layer of various leaves on the surface.
Step 6. Place at least one large twig for each caterpillar
This is the twig on which the caterpillar pupates. It is preferable that the sprig is devoid of leaves.
Step 7. Add some convenience
You can hang twigs, fabric or place cotton balls on the base. Some aquarium decorations or hamster cage accessories are just as good.
Step 8. Find and collect some milkweed
This is the only plant that monarch caterpillars eat. Do an online search and locate some milkweed variants that you can find in your area and then go and collect them. Euphorbia is a very common plant, but it is difficult to identify it. Once you have spotted a milkweed, collect about three leaves and add them to the habitat. You can possibly buy euphorbia in a nursery and collect it later.
Part 2 of 4: Finding or Catching the Caterpillars (or Eggs)
Step 1. Make sure the time is right
It is quite easy to find monarch caterpillars in most months of the year. It is more difficult to catch them in July or August and nearly impossible from November until January. In all other months, it is quite easy to find eggs or caterpillars.
Step 2. Look for euphorbia
Excluding dense or humid forests, wherever there is euphorbia, there is a good chance of finding monarch caterpillars.
Step 3. Look for them
Check the undersides of the milkweed leaves. Monarch butterflies lay one egg for each plant, so it could be on any leaf. If you don't find any eggs or caterpillars under the leaves, keep looking anyway. The eggs are light white in color and the newly hatched caterpillars are white with large black ocelli. When they reach a week old, they become black, yellow and white striped.
Step 4. Capture them
When you have found what you think is a monarch egg or caterpillar, remove the leaf or stem it is on. Do not touch it with your hands, as you could easily crush it. Even if you think you are as gentle as possible with the caterpillar, a simple light touch can still damage an organ.
Step 5. Determine how many caterpillars you want to breed
The size of the habitat is not the main issue. Monarch caterpillars very easily contract serious diseases. If even one catches a disease, it could infect the entire brood. The more caterpillars you want to breed, the more likely one of them will get sick. It is not recommended to keep more than three in one container, regardless of size. If you have a jar, just keep one. If you have even a large travel carrier, limit yourself to three.
Step 6. Transfer them
If you don't have a permanent container with you when you go hunting for caterpillars, put them together with the leaf in a jar and then transfer them to their prepared habitat.
Part 3 of 4: Caring for the Caterpillars
Step 1. Replace the milkweed leaves every day
Caterpillars get their hydration from the leaves of this plant, so it needs to always be extremely fresh! Additionally, older leaves may harbor mold or disease.
Step 2. Be considerate in taking care of it
Since caterpillars eat so much, it is also necessary to clean their feces. You can use a clean cloth or soft brush to scrub the residue every day. A dirty environment brings disease.
Step 3. Know the signs of disease
If one caterpillar gets sick, it could infect others. You can understand that it is not well because the body turns black and stretches. In this case it is necessary to remove it from the container and replace all the leaves and twigs present in the habitat.
Step 4. Create an alternate environment
This becomes a 'hospital' for sick caterpillars. It can also be just a small vase with a single euphorbia leaf.
Step 5. Be patient
When the caterpillar pupa, leave it alone. Do not move it or do not move the branch it is on. Remove all leaves, unless there are other caterpillars. The monarch butterfly will be born in about ten days.
Part 4 of 4: Releasing the Monarch Butterfly into Nature
Step 1. Don't help butterfly training
When it begins to emerge from the pupa, do not assist her. This phase allows the butterfly to relax the newly formed muscles just like a chick does when it comes out of the egg.
Step 2. Give the new butterfly some time and space
When it completely exits the chrysalis, it sends blood into the veins of the wings by moving them slowly, so make sure it has enough room to fully extend them. Once the time necessary for this phase has elapsed, the butterfly is ready and able to fly.
Step 3. Say goodbye
After a good couple of weeks of fun, the work has come to an end. Take the container to an isolated area (so that the butterfly is not eaten by a bird immediately), open the lid, and let your friend flourish out of the container. Congratulations! You have spread the species!
Advice
- Monarch butterflies may also like parsley; caterpillars are sometimes also found on parsley plants in some gardens.
- Create a nice habitat. A well decorated environment can be as beautiful as aquariums.
Warnings
- If you want to raise the caterpillar starting from the egg, try not to delude yourself too much! Even if the egg is white and you find it individually on a euphorbia leaf, it is not necessarily a monarch caterpillar; it could be another type of egg!
- Do not give your caterpillar a bowl to drink in. The container may become too hot or humid.
