Monarch in September

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Monarch in September

September 14, 2015 by Mike Powell

My favorite marshland park is abloom with yellow flowers. This past Friday, I spotted a Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) at the edge of a meadow feeding on one of those flowers. I thought the Monarchs had flown south for the season already, but was delighted to see they are still around.

I tried to frame the image so that there would be yellow flowers in the background and the results were even better than I had anticipated.

Yellow seems to be a happy color and somehow I can’t help but smile when I look at this image. I hope that it has the same effect on all of you.

Posted in Butterflies, Flowers, Insects, Nature, Photography | Tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 50D, Danaus plexippus, Huntley Meadows Park, monarch butterfly, Tamron 150-600mm telephoto | 12 Comments

12 Responses

on September 14, 2015 at 5:28 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions

I’m glad you’re seeing monarchs there, and getting great shots of them too!
- on September 14, 2015 at 5:36 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  This is the first time in the past few years that I have seen Monarch on several different occasions. As I recall, I didn’t see a single one last year.
on September 14, 2015 at 8:11 am | Reply Sue

It’s been a good year for Monarchs here too. We have Fall weather already, but you photo is a wonderful reminder of summer warmth with that rich yellow color!
- on September 14, 2015 at 7:26 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Sue. I am not quite ready to give up on summer, despite the calendar. There are still flowers blooming and insects flying, all waiting to be photographed.
on September 14, 2015 at 9:33 am | Reply Lyle Krahn

Now that is an explosion of colour!
- on September 14, 2015 at 3:27 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  There were a lot of yellow flowers, but I was quite frankly surprised when the background came out almost solid yellow. Believe it or not, I used to have a car that was pretty much that color–a Toyota Matrix that was Solar Yellow. You could see me coming from a long way off.
on September 14, 2015 at 12:56 pm | Reply gaiainaction

Lovely butterfly, but also absolutely love the bright yellow background, very uplifting and effective
- on September 14, 2015 at 7:23 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks so much. There is something about yellow that makes folks happy and I was thrilled with the way this photo turned out.
on September 14, 2015 at 4:36 pm | Reply Leanne Cole

Stunning Mike
- on September 14, 2015 at 7:22 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Leanne.
on September 20, 2015 at 4:24 pm | Reply Charlie@Seattle Trekkker

Monarch butterflies are one of my absolute favorite creatures, I would give anything to get photos like the one you displayed in your post.
- on September 23, 2015 at 6:11 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Charlie, for your wonderful comments. I too love Monarchs and lament the fact that I see them so infrequently.