The Egg Stage

The egg stage is the very first stage of the Monarch’s journey to adulthood. The egg is tiny, round, oval, and is a delicate pale freen color. The female butterfly lays the eggs on the underside of a milkweed plant. In warm weather the egg grow rapidly and within three to four days the caterpillar will hatch. However, during the late summertime when the weather is cooler, it may take four to six days to hatch. Not all of the eggs that the mother Monarch lays hatch into caterpillars. Sometimes the eggs can fall into the water and drown, while others are be eaten by insects.