When a butterfly emerges from its chrysalis, it flaps its wings to help pump fluids through its body, essentially inflating its new adult form. You get a glimpse of that process here in this Ant Lab video, along with some spectacular slow motion footage of butterflies taking off. I’m always amazed to see how much butterfly wings flex with each wing beat! Even more impressive is the strength of the insect’s lift; as seen here, a butterfly is strong enough to take off while supporting both itself and a mated insect. (Image and video credit: Ant Lab/A. Smith)
Butterflies Emerging
