Awakening

After a 16 day slumber my second Black Swallowtail emerged from its chrysalis this afternoon and Gail & I were fortunate enough to observe the process. The chrysalis had turned dark so I knew today was the big day. We kept the situation monitored all morning with cameras ready. First there was some wiggling, then a crack appeared and after another long wait the wet butterfly pulled herself out of the chamber.

The body was plumb and the wings were tiny but over the course of the next several minutes the wings grew and the body shrank to its normal size. Then the butterfly settled down to let her wings dry and harden. Another successful butterfly birth!