Laboratory Rearing of Monarch Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Danaiidae), Using an Artificial Diet

An artificial diet for the laboratory rearing of larvae of the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus (L.), has been developed. Techniques of preparing the diet and rearing the larvae are described. Monarch larvae reared on this diet compared favorably with foliage-fed control animals. More than 90% of the larvae survived to pupation and achieved a mean pupation weight of 1.24 g in 14 days.