Monarch Butterfly Eclosion

"Eclosion" is a new word for me. Minnesotastan knows more about butterflies than anyone else I know. He's posted a lot of butterfly information before, but a post documenting how a Monarch in his yard emerges from its chrysalis and prepares to fly away is fantastic. Important: "helping" a butterfly will likely cause its death.  

Now comes the crucial phase; we never disturb a Monarch at this point.  He has to hang with his wings vertical and pump fluid from that distended abdomen through those dark veins to "inflate" the wings.  If he loses his grip and falls to a flat surface, he has to find somewhere to climb quickly, because if the wings harden in a crinkled shape he will be unable to fly.

Follow the process in many pictures at TYWKIWDBI. Link