All this summer I have been waiting and hoping that I would have a chance to see lots of Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus). There is something so classically beautiful about the Monarch, from the white-dotted body to the gorgeous orange and black. So far this summer I had seen only an occasional Monarch.
Today, however, my wishes finally came true and I saw quite a few Monarch butterflies at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA. That does not necessarily mean that I had an easy time getting good shots of the Monarch, because the Monarchs today did not seem to like to linger very long on a flower. Consequently, more of my shots were rushed than I would have preferred.
Here is an assortment of my shots from today. None of them is spectacular, but I nonetheless am pleased I was able to capture some of the majesty of the Monarch in my images.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Really nice!
Nice shots.