I am always excited to see Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus). Over the years there have been numerous reports of this species becoming endangered, primarily because of the loss of habitat. Some years, I have spotted only a few Monarch during an entire summer. This year I have been fortunate enough to see them at several of the locations that I frequent.
I spotted this spectacular Monarch butterfly yesterday while visiting Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in nearby Vienna, Virginia with some fellow photographers. Each of us has a different style of shooting and preferred subjects and we usually shoot separately. It is always a lot of fun when we reassemble after shooting and share our photos and experiences with each other over dinner at a restaurant.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
So good to see one! We have seen fewer and fewer each year. We have even planted two kinds of milkweed, but to no avail. Last year we saw two caterpillars but something likely ate them because they were gone the very next day.
Nice shot. I’ve only seen 5 or 6 so far this year.
Simply beautiful !!!