About one hour after emerging from its chrysalis, the monarch's wings are full-sized, dry, and ready for flying. Here a newly emerged monarch uses it straw-like tongue, called a proboscis, to sip nectar from Hardy Ageratum (Eupatorium coelestinum). Four to six days after emerging from its chrysalis, a monarch butterfly is old enough to mate.....and so begins the life cycle of of the next generation.
