Monarch - Danaus plexippus LIFE CYCLE STUDY

On 2/25/2014, I observed a Monarch laying eggs, singly, all over a few stalks of Mexican Milkweed - Asclepias curassavica. I collected the leaf with the egg and brought it inside to do this life cycle study. Although other Milkweeds exist in our yard and nearby, A. curassavica is the sole milkweed that Monarchs lay their eggs on in our yard, here in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. We learned that it took 25 days to make a Monarch, and that time as a pupae was only 10 days.

All photos on this site are by Jan Dauphin and are copyright protected and may not be used or published elsewhere without the permission of Jan Dauphin

Mexican Milkweed - Asclepias curassavica is a caterpillar food plant/host plant of the Monarch. Of the many milkweeds in the LRGV, Mexican Milkweed seems to be their preferred choice.

3/1/2014 at 0755hrs. Day-4 from when the egg was laid. Caterpillar is beginning to eclose.

3/1/2014 at 1300hrs. Day-4 from when the egg was laid. Day-1 as a caterpillar. The caterpillar is 2mm long.

3/4/2014. Day-6 from when the egg was laid. Day-4 as a caterpillar. Caterpillar is 6mm long.

3/6/2014. Day-8 from when the egg was laid. Day-6 as a caterpillar. Caterpillar is 14mm long.

3/8/2014. Day-10 from when the egg was laid. Day-8 as a caterpillar. Caterpillar is 22mm long.

3/11/2014. Day-13 from when the egg was laid. Day-11 as a caterpillar. Caterpillar is 33mm long.

3/13/2014 at 1959hrs. Day-15 from when the egg was laid. Day-13 as a caterpillar. Caterpillar is 35mm long. The caterpillar is making its silk pad.

3/13/2015 at 2115hrs. Day-15 from when the egg was laid. Day-13 as a caterpillar. The caterpillar has reversed itself and attached its back end to the silk pad.

3/13/2014 at 2253hrs. Day-15 from when the egg was laid. Day-13 as a caterpillar. The caterpillar has formed a "J".

3/14/1235 at 1235hrs. Day-16 from when the egg was laid. The chrysalis has formed, beginning Day-1 as a chrysalis.

3/14/1235 at 1258hrs. Day-16 from when the egg was laid. Day-1 as a chrysalis. The chrysalis has elongated and closed up the bands at the top of the chrysalis.

3/14/1235 at 1511hrs. Day-16 from when the egg was laid. Day-1 as a chrysalis. The white spots near the top of the chrysalis are now underlined in black

3/22/2014 at 1757hrs. Day-24 from when the egg was laid. Day-9 as a chrysalis. The wings and antennae can be seen.

3/22/2014 at 2217hrs. Day-24 from when the egg was laid. Day-9 as a chrysalis. The wings and antennae are even more pronounced.

3/23/2014 at 0617hrs. Day-25 from when the egg was laid. Day-10 as a chrysalis. The chrysalis has darkened greatly, overnight, indicating emergence of the Monarch will be soon.

3/23/2014 at 0820hrs. Day-25 from when the egg was laid. Day-10 as a chrysalis. Notice that the butterfly has started breaking itself loose from the top of the crysalis.

3/23/2014 at 0824hrs. Day-25 from when the egg was laid. Day-10 as a chrysalis. In just 4 minutes from the previous photo, the butterfly has started to emerge from the chrysalis.

3/23/2014 at 0824hrs + 40secs. The butterfly has started to expel a lot of fluid from its abdomen.

3/23/2014 at 0824hrs + 50secs. Some fluid continues to be expelled, and some fluid is being pumped into the wings.

3/23/2014 at 0825hrs. Fluid continues to be expelled, while some is being pumped into the wings.

3/23/2014 at 0825hrs + 30 secs. Some fluid continues to be expelled, and more is being pumped into the wings.

3/23/2014 at 0826hrs. Fluid expulsion is complete, but the fluid continues to be pumped into the wings to expand them.

3/23/2014 at 0839hrs + 455secs. The drying process is complete. The butterfly has been flexing its wings.

3/23/2014 at 0850hrs. Day-25 from when the egg was laid. Day 10 as a pupae. The butterfly is ready to be released.

3/23/2014 at 0914hrs. Day-25 from when the egg was laid. Day 10 as a pupae. The female Monarch has been released back on the Mexican Milkweed.

3/23/2014 at 0917hrs. Day-25 from when the egg was laid. Day 10 as a pupae. The female Monarch finally opened her wings long enough for me to get a dorsal photo.