The monarch butterfly took a brief rest on the milkweed leaf before going back to the milkweed blossom for nectar. Female monarchs lay their eggs on the milkweed leaves.
Monarch on Milkweed
Picture of the Day for May 31, 2020
I noticed more butterflies today when mowing like the Morning Cloak, the Red-spotted Purple and a Monarch (even though the milkweeds plants I just beginning to sprout up).
May Monarch
Picture of the Day for August 9, 2019
The summer flowers are attracting bees and butterflies but I didn’t have my camera while mowing today so I could only watch the giant swallowtail butterfly checking out the blossoms. A few days ago the blazing star flowers were a popular spot for fritillaries and monarchs.
Summertime Monarch
Picture of the Day for August 8, 2017
I noticed more butterflies, especially the Monarchs, while I was mowing today. But before the beautiful butterflies can appear, they first were eggs, which hatch into tiny caterpillars. The caterpillars eat milkweeds for about two week to grow full size, when then they transform into a chrysalis which undergoes a remarkable transformation, called metamorphosis. The end result is a beautiful butterfly, all from a caterpillar.
Monarch Caterpillar
Picture of the Day for September 16, 2016
As the leaves begin to display autumn colors, the flowers seem to fade into the background with just a few reminders of summer blossoms remaining like the wild asters which are providing nectar for bees and butterflies.
Monarch Enjoying Wild Asters
