Out of a green chrysalis, a yellow butterfly

Almost three weeks ago, I posted a photo of a green caterpillar (... Pooping caterpillar) that was eating a kale leaf on my desk. I had it in a large canning jar, with a piece of cloth over the open mouth to provide air, but keep it contained. Three days later, it had formed a chrysalis on the underside of the cloth.

Chrysalis, day one.

I've been checking it several times a day; nothing was happening until this morning (Monday), when the colour seemed to be paler. Around noon, there were two small yellow patches on the sides.

But I was busy cooking and packing for our trip up the Sunshine Coast tomorrow, and I didn't watch closely enough. When I checked again, a little after 4 PM, the butterfly was out of the chrysalis, drying her wings.

Cabbage white butterfly, and old chrysalis.

The cast-off case.

Showing the split down the top front, where the new butterfly emerged.

The wings looked greenish at first, but as I watched, they lightened up and turned yellow. Most of the cabbage whites I see have lost enough feathers that they are mainly white.

Her wings still have creases where they were folded inside the chrysalis.

At first, she sat there, not moving, but when I got too close with the camera, she fluttered off, landing on my curtains, ...

One spot is visible. The others are hidden in the folded wings. She is a female; she has two spots on each wing.

... and then, on the hedge outside.

The wings are still crinkly, 10 minutes later. The two spots are visible, barely.

She sat there, on the leaf, not moving. Now, even when I brought Laurie to see her and tickled her antennae, trying to encourage her to open her wings for him, she sat perfectly still. (Good thing, too; the chickadees and sparrows were feeding under her shrub; if she had moved, she would have been dessert.)

Face view.

Green spotted eyes, and a coiled feeding tube. (Click for the full-size photo.)

I went back at intervals to see if she'd moved. For well over an hour, she rested in the sunshine. After supper, she had gone.

Happy flying, little one!