Monarch butterfly drying its wings after emerging from chrysalis I spotted this Monarch butterfly resting on a garden flower in August. It didn't startle and fly away when a companion and I approached it. Rather, it was gently moving its wings. My companion observed that it had probably just emerged from its chrysalis and was letting its wings dry before it took flight. We were sorry to have missed its emergence but thrilled to see such a magnificent Monarch at such close range.