08/25/2026
🦋 A Monarch takes about 28 days from egg to butterfly 2️⃣8️⃣
🥚 Egg….about 3–5 days
Tiny eggs are laid on milkweed
🐛 Caterpillar….about 10–14 days
They eat almost constantly, growing nearly 2,000 times its original size! (You can see we have several different sizes of caterpillars) They grow sooo fast and each day you can tell a huge difference! My favorite part is when they get big and it’s quiet enough you can literally hear them crunching on milkweed leaves!
🟢 J formation….about 12–24 hours
This isn’t a separate stage, but a fun event to look forward to!! The caterpillar attaches itself, hangs in a “J,” and prepares to become a chrysalis
💚 💛 Chrysalis….about 8–14 days
Inside the chrysalis, the caterpillar undergoes an its transformation into a butterfly. Before emerging, the chrysalis will look like it’s turning black, but it’s actually turning clear and you’re seeing the black wings through it!
🦋 Butterfly
The butterfly emerges (not “hatches”, the hatching happens in the egg stage) It dries its wings and then it’s ready to fly!
Our little monarchs are currently making their way through the early stages. We’re still waiting for our first J-formation and chrysalis, so stay tuned! 🥰🌿🦋
