Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle

Study of the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly is quite interesting as it goes through fours stages and four generations in a single year. Originally from North America, the Monarch butterfly is also found in Australia, New Zealand and certain parts of Europe. Orange and black color pattern of the wings is a characteristic feature of Monarch butterflies; wingspan of these butterflies range from 8.9-10.2 cm.

Life Cycle of Monarch Butterfly

The Monarch butterfly life cycle is quite interesting to study. Out of the four generations which complete their life cycle in a single year, the eggs for the first one are laid in the months of February and March. Final generation (fourth) from the previous year comes out of the hibernation phase in February-March. These butterflies travel to the east and the north in search of mates. Laying of eggs by these butterflies marks the beginning of the first phase of the first generation. Let's discuss its life cycle in the following paragraphs.

Phases of Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle
Their life cycle timeline spans between the months of February-March of the current and that of next year. Here is a description about each of these phases in short.

Egg Phase: Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on the leaves of milkweed plants. These eggs need 4 days to hatch and thereby, transform into the larval stage. The information about next i.e. larval stage/phase is presented below.

Larval Phase: The larva/caterpillar hatches from eggs. It feeds voraciously on milkweed leaves. After feeding for about 2 weeks, the caterpillar grows to its full size. This larva then stops eating milkweed leaves and finds a place (stem) where it can stay attached. Process of metamorphosis begins at the end of the larval phase.

Pupal Phase: The chrysalis/pupa makes use of silk in order to stay attached to the stem. Pupal stage lasts for 10 days. The pupa though appears to be dormant from the exterior, it however, undergoes rapid changes during these 10 days. This phase of transformation converts the pupa into an adult butterfly with beautiful body parts including wings.

Adult Phase: The butterfly in its adult stage feeds on flowers. Lifespan of the adult butterfly is just six weeks. At the end of this phase, the butterflies lay eggs and die.

Four Generations of Monarch Butterflies
As stated earlier, the first generation of Monarch butterflies begin their life cycle in February-March. It gets completed by May-June. The second generation starts its life cycle at the same time. Third generation starts this cycle in the months of July and August. September and October are the months when the fourth and final generation begins its life cycle. It is observed that the first three generations complete their life cycle in a period ranging from 2-6 weeks. However, the fourth generation lives for 6-8 months. Migration to places of warmer climates is an important phase in the life cycle of fourth generation Monarch butterflies.

Facts about Monarch Butterflies
Here are few facts about Monarch butterflies that one would find interesting. Butterflies are delicate/sensitive creatures which indicative of the changes taking place in nature. Let us have a look at some of the interesting facts about Monarch butterflies.

• The growth of caterpillars takes place quickly by feeding on milkweed leaves. Interesting fact about the leaves is that these are poisonous. This poison is used by monarch butterflies for the purpose of defense.
• Monarch butterfly migration takes place in the months of winter. Millions of butterflies move to the forests of Central Mexico during the cold weather.
• One can find the whole trees of pine and eucalyptus covered with Monarch butterflies in the winter season.
• Eggs are laid by Monarch butterflies on their way back to the north in the spring season.

The facts about Monarch butterfly life cycle for kids and in general presented above, should help understand more about these creatures. It is interesting to note that all the four generations complete their life cycle and make way for the future ones in a time-bound manner. Nature works in a systematic way to allow life to flourish and also perish at the right time.