Click to Enlarge A monarch butterfly starts as a tiny green egg attached to the underside of a leaf (1), usually on a milkweed plant. After about three days, it hatches into a tiny caterpillar (2) that grows quickly, shedding its skin several times.When it is about 2 inches long, it encases itself in a green chrysalis (3). After seven to nine days, a monarch butterfly emerges (4).   Marvelous Monarchs by Cindy Letchworth Watch them grow from tiny caterpillars to beautiful butterflies. Have you seen a monarch butterfly today? Late summer and early autumn are the best times to see these vivid black-and-orange butterflies. Millions of them pass through Missouri on their way to the mountains of Mexico, where they spend the winter. For the past four years, I have had the pleasure of observing and raising monarchs from their eggs. You can watch them in your own back yard. One good way to encourage monarchs into your yard is to plant milkweed, the favorite plant of monarch butterflies. When a female monarch is ready to lay eggs, she searches for an appropriate plant. Hovering and returning again and again to the same plant are clear signs that she's found a plant she likes. She then sits on a leaf and tucks her "tail" beneath it. She quickly lays an egg and goes to find another plant. If you keep your eye on the plants she chooses, you can carefully turn the leaves over and may find a tiny, dot-sized green egg beneath. In three days, if all goes well, a larva will emerge from the egg. It will be hard to see, but it looks like a piece of green dental floss with a black head. Once you find the black head, you will be able to see the whole caterpillar clearly. After hatching, the larva may eat its egg case before resting for a few hours. It then begins eating plant leaves. Between feeding periods, it molts, or sheds skin, as it grows. When molting, the caterpillar remains very still for as long as 24 hours. You may think it is dead, but don't touch it. Moving a caterpillar while it is molting will probably kill it. Once the caterpillar sheds its smaller skin, you will see a crumpled mass of dark material below its sitting place. This is its molt. As caterpillars eat, they grow bigger. Monarchs only eat plants of the milkweed family. Take a young caterpillar under your care only if you have enough milkweed readily available. If you don't have enough food, the caterpillar will crawl away in search of it. During next 10 days, the caterpillar will grow bigger and develop beautiful yellow, black and white bands on its body. When the caterpillar is about two inches long, it will stop eating and begin looking for a place to make its chrysalis. The chrysalis, or cocoon, is the case the caterpillar lives in during its pupal phase. A pupa is a stage of development between the larva (caterpillar) and adult. A caterpillar might take up to a day to choose a good location to attach its body. There it will weave a sticky, web-like anchor. After it inserts its tail into the anchor, it hangs in a "J" position and becomes very still. Within about 12 hours it will be completely encased in a lovely green chrysalis. It will have yellow-jeweled spots on the outside that reflect light. In about seven to nine days, a monarch butterfly will emerge. About a day before the butterfly comes out, you'll probably be able to see its wings beneath the green shell. After the butterfly emerges from its chrysalis, it takes about 20 minutes for its wings to dry and extend. It won't be interested in food at this time. When its wings are dry, the butterfly will catch the wind and fly away. Raising Monarchs You can bring monarch butterfly eggs inside and watch them develop from eggs to larvae, to pupae and adults. It's easy and fun, and you probably already have all the equipment you need somewhere in your house. Find a container that's clean and has tall sides.A pound-sized margarine container works well.So does a wide-mouthed glass jar, especially since you can see through it.The perfect temporary home for your caterpillars is a plastic or glass aquarium, Cover the container.You can use plastic wrap, but be sure to poke several holes in it so the caterpillar can breathe. Line the container with a paper towel and carefully change the towel when it gets dirty. You can keep picking fresh milkweed plant leaves, or you can pick a bunch and keep them fresh by wrapping their stem ends in a small piece of wet paper towel covered with plastic wrap. They'll stay fresh this way for 24 hours. Once the chrysalis forms, wait five days and then carefully move the aquarium or container lid to a big cardboard box with large holes that you've covered with mesh fabric. When it's time to release your butterfly, take the box outdoors and peel back the mesh.The butterfly will eventually find its way out of the box, and you can watch its miraculous flight to freedom.