Our second monarch chrysalis eclosed last night (5 pm) and looks perfect (to me). Spent the night (the butterfly, I mean :) hanging from the netting close to the chrysalis. This morning, after temperatures began to warm (from 40-ish degrees overnight), I found the butterfly on a towel I had put beneath the netting. Looking fine, clinging to the towel. So I placed it on a plant (actually let it climb off the towel and onto a planter filled with blooming annuals). During the day, the butterfly often spent time opening and closing her wings, and seemed ready to take off several times, but toppled over each time, eventually ending up hanging neatly from a hydrangea leaf most of the late afternoon.

My question: how long should it take for this butterfly to take off? Do I assume there is some problem if it doesn't leave within 24 hours of eclosing? Are the temps part of the issue? (got to the upper 60s during the day -- planter of flowers is in the sun although she spent much of the day climbing around on leaves and fluttering a bit).

I'm worried! Lost the first one to a bent wing. I really want to get this one through... how can I help her? My instincts are to let her work it out herself but if there's something I should be doing, I want to do it.

(Also, what should the abdomen be doing? She seems to lift it up frequently, sort of curving it above her wings?)