SHE WAS BORN ["eclosed"]

Solomon Grundy,
Born on a Monday,
Christened on Tuesday,
Married on Wednesday,
Took ill on Thursday,
Grew worse on Friday,
Died on Saturday,
Buried on Sunday,
That was the end,
Of Solomon Grundy.

Here is her story told the short Solomon Grundy style (although we hope that she will make it to Mexico to overwinter and lay a few eggs in the spring of 2023 on her return through Texas, headed north) :

This is what the butterfly looks like just before emerging.  We didn't get to see this one in that stage, but I'm sure this is also how she appeared.  The chrysalis is transparent.After the chrysalis has been softened and often become transparent the butterfly will push through first with its legs also removing the triangular piece covering its eyes and proboscis. The butterfly then crawls the rest of the way out of the chrysalis, exposing the abdomen and wings.

When Charlie and I came home from an afternoon of volunteering at Good Samaritans, one of our local food banks, we found a healthy female butterfly in the Jar.

HOW DID WE KNOW IT WAS A FEMALE?

WHY RESCUE MONARCH CATERPILLARS?

According to most sources such as "Journey North", it is estimated that 95% of Monarch caterpillars do not survive to adulthood in the wild. The converse is true for Monarch caterpillars that are rescued as 95% of them are said to survive and be released as butterflies.  As of July, 2022, the Monarch Butterfly has been on the endangered species list.