Joanna, I raise them in GladWare containers and when they're bigger, Critter Keepers from the pet store. As for knowing the eggs, a lot of it is knowing the host plants. If you know what host plants the butterflies lay on, that goes a long way. There are books and websites that have pictures of the eggs, too. It's important to know if the butterfly lays single eggs or groups of eggs, for example. I imagine butterfly season is wrapping up in your area, so I'd suggest following the monthly butterfly thread where we all tend to congregate and talk about our experiences. By spring, you should be ready to go!
The thread "September 2016 Butterflies, Moths & Larva" in
Gardening for Butterflies, Birds and Bees forum
