Meet a Slow-growing Monarch
and Explore Climate Connections

This Monarch Grew Slowly!
It took forty days for this monarch to grow from egg, to larva, to chrysalis, to adult. On Tuesday, as soon as its wings were dry, it flew off on its migration to Mexico.

Monarch Growth and Temperature
Roughly speaking, a monarch can complete its life cycle in about one month. However, the exact timing varies because growth is controlled by temperature. When it's warm a butterfly can grow much more quickly. "Here in Texas a monarch can complete the cycle in only 16 days," says naturalist Carol Cullar. (That's when daytime temperatures soar into the 90s F.) It was cool in Vermont where this monarch was growing. Daytimes temperatures were in the 70s F and some nights were as cool as 50 F.

Migration and Climate Connections
Many people in the north are saying monarchs seem scarce this fall.