Raising Monarchs

Raising Monarchs has been one of the most rewarding experiences we’ve had here, and I encourage all of you to open your mind and attempt to understand the beneficial factors of human guidance. I will include a link at the bottom of this page that will further your education on Monarchs and how they mate and migrate. I want to keep this category fairly general, but also explain the process as best I can.

First and foremost, plant Milkweed! If you plant it, they will come. You can also go forage for eggs and cats (monarch caterpillars), but you need to make sure you have access to milkweed, and enough of it to raise them. You want to forage in areas where Monarchs could become prey for larger predators, or in areas in danger of deforestation or urban development. I’ve read in the past that there is a chance that the Monarchs that are raised indoors, or away from their wild natural habitat could have a hard time migrating all the way to their destination in Mexico. So above all your best option is to raise them in your yard on your homestead, or even if possible the surrounding wildlife areas.

You can buy protective netting for the milkweed plants, so that your Monarchs do not become the next meal for birds or other predators. You can also buy Monarch kits that have net cages you can raise them in until their release. This can still be done on a porch or outdoor setting so that they still get acclimated to the climate and weather environment around them. Be sure not to release them too soon or wait too long, there is a time frame that is ideal for release, so as always educate yourself as much as possible before venturing into this journey. It took me 2 years of studying, and reading, and watching, and even Monarch hunting without catching, just to get used to how things go, what to look for, and how to readily identify all that need knowing. Raising Monarchs is a big deal if you aren’t successful, because you’re losing otherwise good migration prospects to carry on generations of Monarchs.

This is why it’s important to see why we need to help guide migration, but not interfere completely. Everyone needs to be made aware of raising indoors and then releasing outdoors with the same expectations had they been raised outdoors to begin with. As someone foraging, I found a slight difference in size of the chrysalis on the few I raised here at home, as opposed to the ones I watched raise themselves outdoors. They were a bit smaller, and at times seemed to J hook a little faster than the ones outside, perhaps assuming that their life cycle as a caterpillar was complete before it actually was, altering the size of the body and stamina of the adult butterfly. This was based mainly on being fed milkweed as opposed to having an access to a full plant outside. It was a human lesson learned on my part, and I would advise against feeding monarchs, if you’re going to raise them, raise them on full milkweed plants, with full access to that milkweed. The moisture content of the milkweed starts to deplete from the leaves the second they are removed from the plant, I believe this is what alters their feeding process.

If you successfully raise the monarch from egg, to cat, to adult butterfly the end result is one of the most amazing things on earth to witness first hand. The hatching of the butterfly out of its chrysalis is so awesome it has no words. You just have to see it for yourself. The Monarch . org site I will post below, is probably the best website that there is when it comes to Monarchs. You can read up on everything from information about the eggs and growth to adulthood, to where and how they migrate, and you can also order tags, and register to become a Way Station.

Once you’ve started to dabble in this field, it’s really hard to stop yourself from not furthering your growth and experience. In other words, this lifestyle is quite addicting, in the most beneficial way possible. I am so grateful and thankful to be a part of it all, and I encourage all of you to teach your children, and grandchildren while they are young, how important it is to know the nature around you, and be aware of the evolutionary necessities of this planet that we call home!