A Hopeful Upturn in Butterfly Appearances!
This morning, on my way to my car and past my "butterfly" garden, for the first time in two years, I spotted a Monarch Butterfly.
This is an ecological "big deal" given the virtual absence of Monarchs and other butterfly species in recent summers.
On my way to a morning appointment, although tempted to go back inside and get my camera, I promised myself upon getting back home, I'd hang out by the garden with camera and tripod and hope the Monarch would return to the Zinnias therein.
Not yet; but, in the last few days, other butterfly species have begun to appear after their recent-year absences/scarcities. Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies in both yellow and black phases are showing up and, if you know me I was there.
Here is one of this afternoon's best shots and hopefully, I'll get others throughout the rest of the day.
I am pleased with this one.
The photographic challenge with photographing the Tiger Swallowtail in the dark phase, is to get everything correctly exposed, or, as much of the shot as possible. To maximize the possibility of a well-exposed image, is to set the metering to "spot" and thus have the overall exposure based on the dark butterfly. I think this one is decent. The flower is a Cosmos.
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Trust me, I'll be looking for that Monarch.
Good to hear that you saw a Monarch, Mac.
We've been absent butterflies this year, but they are starting to show up now.
A Mac
Beautiful picture
I have noticed a lot more butterflies of various types in the garden this year in comparison to the last couple of years and didn't really know why, just enjoyed the beauty and tranquility they bring to the garden.
Trust me! I'll be watching and waiting for those pictures! I've seen a few butterflies this year, nothing like when I was a kid though.
I love how the flower and the butterfly are color-coordinated! Beautiful!!
If you really want a lot of Monarchs, you've got to plant milkweed. Monarchs only eat milkweed, although they may sip the nectar from other plants, they prefer milkweed.
Here is a fact sheet that tells you what kinds of milkweed to plant, regionally. It's a .pdf file, if you want to print it up!
I love the swamp milkweed best, but the orange one, Butterfly Milkweed seems to be what they prefer...
You pretty much have to plant the native plants that they will enjoy, or they won't come. And talk to your neighbors about not spraying neonicitinoids in their herbicides...
I love your pictures!!!
Dowser,
I have Milkweed growing wild and profusely around my house in the Pocono Mountains; no Monarchs for at least two years. This year, the Great Spangled Fritillary is plentiful but no other species are.
It's troubling.
Still waiting on that Monarch, meanwhile, the Swallowtail keeps on comin' -- see the second shot just posted.