How to Hang a Monarch Chrysalis

Co-authored by Sophia Latorre

Last Updated: June 1, 2020

Monarchs are amazing creatures that transform from a caterpillar to a chrysalis and into a butterfly in just a few days. Monarchs don’t always choose the best locations to form their chrysalis and although their silks are surprisingly strong, they can occasionally break and cause the chrysalis to fall. If you’re raising monarchs and need to relocate a chrysalis, or if you find a fallen chrysalis, you can hang it up pretty quickly and easily.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Detaching a Chrysalis

1
Lay a towel down under the chrysalis to protect it. If the chrysalis is in a precarious location, place a towel or soft cloth underneath it in case it drops.^{[1]
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- If the chrysalis falls, breaks open, and starts oozing liquid, it can no longer be saved. Placing a towel down may prevent the chrysalis from breaking open and allow you to still rehang it even if it falls.^{[2]
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2
Wait a full day for the chrysalis to harden before moving it. For the first several hours, the chrysalis will be wet and is more likely to break open if you try to move it. If possible, give it a day or 2 to dry and harden before relocating the chrysalis.^{[3]
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- If the chrysalis is about to fall or is attached in a dangerous location, such as a doorway, it may be worth it to try to move it before its ready.
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3
Tie a piece of thread around the tip at the top of the chrysalis. The small black tip on the top of the chrysalis is called the cremaster. Wrap a piece of thread or waxed dental floss that’s at least 4 inches (10 cm) long around the top of the cremaster, right where the cremaster and silk meet. Carefully secure it with a knot.^{[4]
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- While you can wait and tie the thread or floss around the cremaster after you’ve taken the chrysalis down, tying it on now allows you to hold onto the string while you loosen the silk and help keep the chrysalis from falling once it’s detached.
- If you plan to rehang the chrysalis by its silk with a pin, you can skip this step.
4
Insert a needle into the silk and pull it loose. First, stick a very thin needle or pin into the middle of the silk that attaches the chrysalis to its current location. Then, gently wiggle the needle back and forth while simultaneously pulling the chrysalis away from the item or structure it’s attached to by the thread or with your other hand. Continue to wiggle and pull with the needle until you’ve loosened the silk enough to pinch it free.^{[5]
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- You can pinch the chrysalis free with your fingers if there’s enough slack or use a pair of needle-nose tweezers.
- If you’re having trouble getting the silk to loosen, spray it with a bit of water to make it easier to detach.^{[6]
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5
Lay the chrysalis down on a soft surface, if needed. If you need to put the chrysalis down to prepare to hang it up, place it on a soft, secure surface such as a towel or cloth. Put the towel in a location that isn’t drafty or windy to make sure the chrysalis doesn’t blow around and fall to the floor.^{[7]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Hanging a Chrysalis

1
Tie the thread around a branch or wire enclosure if you have one. If you’re not using a mesh cage to house your monarchs, simply wrap the loose end of the thread around a branch or wire. Tie it into a secure knot.^{[8]
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- You can also attach the thread to a branch or wire by with a clothespin instead of tying a knot.^{[9]
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- Be careful not to jostle the chrysalis while you’re tying it up in its new location, as this can cause it to fall or break open.
2
Pin the chrysalis to a mesh monarch cage for a simple solution. Hold the chrysalis up at the top of the cage so that the thread you attached to the cremaster touches the mesh. Then, stick a pin down through the mesh, through the thread, and back up through the mesh.^{[10]
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- If you found a chrysalis after it fell and it has a long silk still attached, you can pin the chrysalis to the mesh by the silk instead of thread. Be aware, however, that the attaching it by the silk may not be as secure as thread or waxed dental floss.^{[11]
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3
Tape the chrysalis up if you’re attaching it to a flat surface. If you’re hanging the monarch chrysalis on a flat surface, such as the inside of a cabinet or a piece of wood, you can simply tape the thread in place.^{[12]
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- If you’re taping the chrysalis to a mesh or wire enclosure ceiling, place another piece of tape over the top of the enclosure so that the sticky sides press together around the mesh or wire.^{[13]
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