Monarch Butterfly Egg
A female monarch can lay eggs her whole life after a single mating. She affixes her eggs to the surface of the milkweed leaf with a special glue that holds the egg securely. Look closely at the base of the egg to see the ring of glue. The eggshell is hard and has a wax coating to protect the egg from dessication (drying out). Monarch eggs hatch in about 3-5 days, but the rate of development is temperature dependent. Development is faster in warmer temperatures.