Monarchs are easily reared in classrooms. If provided with suitable temperatures, and adequate fresh milkweed leaves or plants, larvae will hatch, grow, and molt, eventually form a chrysalis and emerge as an adult. Small larvae can be raised individually in petri or other small dishes, and larger larvae can be kept on plants in a butterfly box or screen enclosure. We have found that frozen milkweed leaves can be used to feed larvae (thaw it for a few minutes before giving it to the larva), if you do not have a late season source of fresh milkweed. Adult butterflies can be tagged and released about 8 hours after emerging from the chrysalis.

When you order eggs, you will receive detailed rearing information from the supplier.

http://www.monarchlab.umn.edu/

This University of Minnesota project is an excellent source for eggs, larvae, information and teaching supplies:

http://www.monarchlab.umn.edu/

This University of Minnesota project is an excellent source for eggs, larvae, information and teaching supplies:

http://www.monarchlab.umn.edu/

This University of Kansas project is your source for tags for tagging adult monarchs before they migrate south and for information about the migration and recovery of tagged butterflies:

http://www.MonarchWatch.org/

This Journey North website has some monarch migration resources.

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/spring2000/species/monarch/

A Video Flex® camera can be used to enlarge and project an image of the living organism. This is useful because groups of students can observe the organism at the same time, and agree on terminology they are using to describe features or orientation of the organism. A videoflex can be used with a stereomicroscope to observe and project small details.