The Butterfly Lifecycle In Your Garden: Explained

Of all the insects gracing our garden, few capture our attention quite like the Monarch butterfly. Each monarch undergoes a complete metamorphosis with four distinct stages: the egg, the larva (caterpillar), the pupa (chrysalis), and finally, the adult butterfly. These beautiful pollinators spend most of their life on milkweed (Asclepias), a hardy native perennial that is heavily laden with nectar, serving as their sole host plant. Without milkweed, we wouldn't have Monarchs! Join us as we dive deeper into each stage of the Monarch butterfly lifecycle as it unfolds in real time on the swamp milkweed planted in our own gardens.

Monarch butterfly egg on a milkweed plant

Stage #1: Egg

3-8 days

The first stage in the Monarch butterfly lifecycle, adult butterflies will lay a single egg on the underside milkweed plants so there may be food available for newly hatched larvae. While a female Monarch butterfly typically will only lay 1 egg at a time, she can lay up to 300 eggs during her lifetime. Eggs will hatch anywhere between 3-8 days later, moving on to the next stage of the Monarch butterfly lifecycle.

Stage #2: Larva (Caterpillar)

2-3 weeks

The second stage of the Monarch lifecycle is the larval stage, also known as the caterpillar stage. Monarch butterflies are rapidly growing in this stage, and they require plenty of fuel (food) to keep going. During this time, the larva will feed on the leaves of milkweed plants and grow larger, molting its skin five times in separate stages of development called instars. Toward the end of this stage, larvae begin to move farther from milkweed to find a safe and sturdy place to start their chrysalis.

Monarch caterpillar feeding on a milkweed plant

Monarch pupa (chrysalis) hanging on the side of a house

Stage #3: Pupa (Chrysalis)

8-15 days

When the caterpillar reaches its final stage, it will leave the milkweed plant to find a sturdy, elevated, and protected structure to enter the pupa stage of their lifecycle. The pupa is considered the transformation stage, where the caterpillar forms a chrysalis around its body to protect itself while it completes its metamorphosis into an adult butterfly. During this time, they will begin to develop reproductive organs and wings, remaining within their chrysalis for anywhere between 8 and 15 days until their transformation is complete.

Stage #4: Adult

2-6 weeks

After metamorphosis is complete, the adult Monarch butterfly breaks out of its chrysalis and spends a few hours pumping fluids into the wings. Once the wings have absorbed enough fluid, they will begin to unfold, and the Monarch butterfly will fly away in search of nectar and a mate. Many generations of Monarch butterflies can be born during the summer, and the final generation that emerges in late summer will be the one that migrates to central Mexico for the winter. After winter, they begin to migrate North, starting the lifecycle all over again!

Adult monarch butterfly on spent flowers

Support Monarch Butterflies With Milkweed:

If you have questions, let us know! Comment your questions below or reach out through our contact us page. We have a team of horticulturalists who are here to help!