As you likely already realize, it is absolutely essential for a monarch to hang upside down from their chrysalis immediately after emerging as a butterfly. The moment they emerge is also called “eclose”. ... If a monarch doesn't have adequate space or the ability to hang to dry, their wings will not form correctly.

Can a caterpillar chrysalis survive on the ground?

Can a chrysalis survive on the ground? The answers are yes, you may relocate the creatures once they make their chrysalis, and no, the caterpillars do not need to chrysalis on milkweed. In fact, Monarch and other chrysalises often are found as far as 30 feet from the hostplant where they ate their last meal.

Do caterpillars need to hang upside down?

At this point it needs to be in an enclosed cage, or it will wander away and you may not be able to find it. Monarch caterpillars like to attach their chrysalises so that the hang down. ... After attaching, the caterpillar will hang upside down in a “J” shape for about a day before it makes the chrysalis.