Monarch Butterfly Emerges from Chrysalis

This butterfly was raised as a wild caught egg. The video was filmed October 30th, 2018, Los Angeles California. When the butterfly emerges from the chrysalis its wings are notably small. To get its wings full size the butterfly pumps body fluids through veins in its wings. The wings 'inflate' like a water balloon. Once the wings are full size, they expel the fluid from the tips of their wings. This is the secret to the ridged light wing structure of the butterfly.