The Monarch Project
of Lake Forest
A local project following the life cycle of Monarch butterflies — from milkweed to chrysalis to release.
Monarchs Released
Tracking every Monarch butterfly hatched and released this season.
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All-time total: — Monarchs released
Registered Monarch Waystation #52084 through Monarch Watch
What's Happening Now
About the Project
The Monarch Project Lake Forest is a personal effort inspired by the Monarch butterfly's incredible story — their remarkable migration, delicate life cycle, and the urgent need for habitat along their journey.
Located on a 2-acre property in Lake Forest, Illinois, the project is a registered Monarch Waystation (#52084) through Monarch Watch. Since 2019, several hundred native plants have been established across multiple planting zones, creating habitat that supports Monarchs through every stage of their life cycle.
In 2024, we began formally tracking Monarchs hatched and released. This website shares that ongoing story with anyone interested — neighbors, families, students, and fellow nature lovers.
A simple mesh cage against the house — humble beginnings for what would become a much bigger story.
How It All Started
In 2024, the project began with a simple mesh cage nursery set up against the house — a protected space where milkweed could grow and caterpillars could safely develop without predators.
The setup was modest: mesh walls, a zipper door, and a few milkweed plants inside. But it worked. That first season, 41 Monarchs were successfully hatched and released.
It proved what was possible. And it set the stage for everything that came next.
The Incident
By the summer of 2025, the project was booming. We had over 150 Monarch caterpillars thriving in the cage and more than 100 chrysalises hanging from the ceiling. We were releasing 5 to 10 new Monarchs a day and couldn't have been more excited about the season ahead.
Then it happened.
One morning, about 10 chrysalises were simply gone. No trace. The next morning — over 40 more had vanished. We knew we had an intruder, but we couldn't figure out how it was getting into the cage. Every opening was sealed. Every zipper was closed.
We tried everything. Every kind of organic deterrent we could find went around and inside the cage. Nothing worked. The next day, another 38 chrysalises disappeared. Our hopes were dashed.
Out of ideas, we set up a simple bucket trap — just a bucket with a trapdoor top and a little set of stairs leading from the ground to the rim. For bait, we used Cheez-Its. Because what animal, man or otherwise, can resist a Cheez-It?
The next morning, we had our culprit.
The cutest little grey mouse you ever saw.
Fatter than most mice — and for good reason. We took the bucket down to the Lake Forest beach on Lake Michigan and let him go, no longer a threat to our efforts.
The incident led directly to the upgraded wooden nursery built for the 2026 season — designed to be completely mouse-proof from the ground up.
The Rebuild
After the incident, one thing was clear: the next nursery had to be built to last — and built to keep everything out.
For the 2026 season, we designed and constructed a full-sized enclosed nursery from the ground up. The outer layer is cedar painted white, giving it a clean look that fits right into the garden. Underneath, a reinforced 4x6" cedar base is buried deep enough to stop any hungry rodent from digging underneath.
The metal mesh frame on the exterior is reinforced with fiberglass screening — rodent-proof and built to last. Nothing is getting through these walls.
As an added layer of defense, we ring the perimeter with PredatorPee — a granular fox urine deterrent specifically formulated to scare off mice and chipmunks. Between the buried cedar base and the scent of a predator, no rodent is getting near this nursery.
The result: a nursery built for the long haul. More space for milkweed, more room for caterpillars, and complete peace of mind that every chrysalis will make it to release day.
From one mesh cage to a purpose-built sanctuary — the project keeps growing, one season at a time.
Meet Bentley
Guardian and protector of the Monarch nursery. Bentley keeps a watchful eye over the chrysalises, caterpillars, and every butterfly that emerges on the property.
The Life Cycle — Up Close
From tiny caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly — every stage of the Monarch life cycle happens right here on the property.
Watch a Monarch Hatch
Watch as a new Monarch emerges from the chrysalis — one of nature's most remarkable transformations, captured right here on the property.
The Release
After drying their wings, each Monarch is released into the garden to begin their journey.
From the Garden
Monarchs photographed on the property throughout the season. All photos taken in Lake Forest, Illinois.
Other Visitors
The native habitat attracts many species beyond Monarchs. Swallowtails, skippers, and other butterflies are frequent visitors to the garden.
Beyond Monarchs: Black Swallowtails
In 2026, we planted fennel in the garden to see if we could attract Black Swallowtail butterflies. It worked — four large caterpillars appeared on the fennel and were moved to a separate enclosure. Two have eclosed and been released so far, with two more chrysalises remaining.
Black Swallowtails use fennel, parsley, dill, and rue as host plants — a great addition to any pollinator garden.
The Amazing Journey of the Monarch Butterfly
One of nature's most remarkable travelers passes through Illinois each year on a journey that spans thousands of miles.
The Life Cycle
Monarch butterflies go through four distinct life stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult butterfly. A female Monarch lays her eggs exclusively on milkweed plants — the only food source Monarch caterpillars can eat. After hatching, the caterpillar feeds on milkweed leaves for roughly two weeks before forming a jade-green chrysalis. Inside, a complete transformation takes place over approximately 10 to 14 days, after which an adult butterfly emerges.
Source: Monarch Joint Venture, "Monarch Biology"; NDSU Extension, "Monarch Butterfly: Migration and Life Cycle"The Four Stages
Egg
3–5 daysTiny eggs are laid on milkweed leaves. Each is about the size of a pinhead.
Caterpillar
10–14 daysThe larva eats milkweed constantly, growing through five instars over two weeks.
Chrysalis
8–15 daysInside the jade-green chrysalis, an incredible transformation takes place.
Butterfly
2–6 weeks (or 8–9 months for migratory generation)A Monarch emerges with crumpled wings that expand and dry before first flight.
Life cycle durations based on Monarch Joint Venture research
The Migration
Each fall, Monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains undertake a multi-generational migration to overwintering sites in the mountains of central Mexico. In spring and summer, successive generations move northward, with Monarchs arriving in Illinois typically between late May and early June. The fall migration south begins in late August through October. This journey — one of the longest insect migrations known — relies on suitable habitat along the entire route.
Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, "Monarch Butterfly"; USDA Forest Service, "Monarch Butterfly Migration and Overwintering"The Migration Route
Migration route — approximately 2,000 miles
The Fall Migration
Each autumn, Monarchs from Lake Forest join millions of others funneling south through the I-35 corridor — known as the "Monarch Highway" — before crossing into Mexico. They arrive at the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán by early November, clustering in oyamel fir forests at elevations of 2,400 to 3,600 meters.
Sources: USDA Forest Service, Monarch Joint Venture, U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceWhy Milkweed Matters
Milkweed (genus Asclepias) is the sole host plant for Monarch caterpillars. Without milkweed, Monarchs cannot reproduce. Illinois is home to several native milkweed species, including common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), and butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa). Loss of milkweed habitat across the Midwest has been identified as a significant factor in Monarch population declines.
Source: Monarch Joint Venture, "Milkweed"; University of Illinois Extension, "Support Monarchs: Plant Native Milkweeds"Challenges Monarchs Face
Monarchs face multiple threats including habitat loss, reduction of milkweed in agricultural and developed landscapes, climate variability, and degradation of overwintering forest habitat in Mexico. Conservation organizations have documented significant declines in Monarch populations over recent decades, though annual counts can vary considerably from year to year.
Source: Xerces Society, "Monarch Butterfly Conservation"; U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceHow You Can Help
Residents in Lake Forest and surrounding communities can support Monarchs by planting native milkweed species, adding nectar-producing native wildflowers to gardens, reducing or eliminating pesticide use in yards, and participating in community conservation efforts. Even a small patch of milkweed can provide critical habitat for egg-laying and caterpillar development.
Source: Illinois Monarch Project; Monarch Joint Venture, "Create Habitat for Monarchs"Planting Native Habitat
Since 2019, the project has established several hundred native plants across multiple zones on the 2-acre property. The plantings include common milkweed, swamp milkweed, butterfly weed, native wildflowers, and prairie plants — chosen to provide continuous bloom throughout the growing season.
The habitat serves multiple purposes: milkweed provides essential host plants where Monarchs lay their eggs and caterpillars feed, while native wildflowers offer nectar sources that fuel adult butterflies during breeding and migration. Together, these plantings create a functioning waystation along the Monarch's migratory path through Illinois.
Native plants also support a broader community of pollinators. Visitors to the garden include Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, Red-spotted Purples, and many other butterfly species, along with native bees and other beneficial insects.
Questions or Sightings?
Have a question about the project? Spotted a Monarch in Lake Forest? We'd love to hear from you.
