Two Thousand Times in Just Two Weeks How Much Would You Weigh? The moment a monarch hatches from its egg it begins to eat. The first thing it eats is its very own shell! Can you find the two larvae in this picture? (Click to enlarge.) Monarchs spend the larval stage of their lives eating — and growing. In fact, the typical monarch increases in mass by 2,000 times while it's a caterpillar. This amazing change takes place in only about 9-14 days. Can you find the two larvae in the picture to the right? They are shown at the beginning and end stages of growth. Imagine gaining weight the way monarch larvae do! Journaling Question How much would you weigh if your weight increased 2,000 times? With your answer, name something that weighs the same amount. Then see how other students answered. National Sciece Education Standards Use math in all aspects of scientific inquiry. Copyright 2006 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form