How long does it take for Monarch eggs to hatch?

16 years ago

I was searching through a patch of Common milkweed growing by my dads house and found 17 monarch eggs. I put them on a damp paper towel in a ziplock bag and now have them sitting by a windowstill waiting to hatch so I can raise them to adulthood?

How long will it be before they hatch out?.

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Comments (2)

tdogmom
16 years ago
First, get them OFF the window sill and out of the bag. You don't want them baking. :)

It usually takes about four days for a Monarch caterpillar to hatch from the egg. It will eat the eggshell first then start looking for a leaf to eat. You will know when it is about ready to hatch because the egg begins to darken and you can see this dark 'spot' at the top which is the caterpillar's head.

Check out my Kindergarten class' blog for some additional info if you haven't raised Monarchs before.

Here is a link that might be useful: Monarch info
tdogmom
16 years ago
Okay, you asked how long it takes for Monarch eggs to hatch, right?

Well, I collected my first batch of eggs on May 24th. I collected 45 eggs that day. This morning when I went to feed my Gulf Frit and Monarch cats I found that of the eggs I had collected on the 24th, 25th, and 26th that a total of TWENTY had hatched! Since today is the 29th then that means that it took between four and five days for them to begin hatching.

Keep us posted on your eggs, ficus-spider-man!

OH, and also keep in mind that some eggs are NOT viable.
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Penny, I have mine inside also but I turn the heat on in the mornings to get these old bones and joints functioning as well as possible. I will let you know if mine hatch soon. The nights down here are still cold - low 40's. At least that is cold for me now. I don't know how I survived once survived New England and Indiana winters when I was young. Murray
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No indeed. That is not too long. Unless the crystalis has turned totally black and shriveled up, it is probably viable. Just tell your friend to be patient. I love Monarchs : )
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Miss Sherry, I'm sure you mentioned having a loupe, and in lots of cases you can see plenty at 8-14X. But, yes, once in a while it really does show more to go up to 30x. Oh, and nearly every day I use it to "dissect" one of my fingers to get a thorn out. You can't do that with one hand holding a loupe:-) However, you might save a few hundred dollars if you can find one of those magnifiers you wear on your head that goes up to 30x or so. I don't know if there are any. My surgeon friend gave me his 5x headpiece when he retired and it really does reveal a lot and leave both hands free. Jmcat, I don't have the set up to get pics. I did microphotography in a class before, but not with living things. But, with my naked eye I've watched a caterpillar eat the egg shell before. It was a treat to catch that! Gotta dash downstairs and check my eggs again...
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How long does it take for Monarch eggs to hatch?

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tdogmom

tdogmom

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