I had given up on Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) for the season, so I was thrilled when I spotted several of them on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I do not know if these are local butterflies, but I like to imagine that they are temporary visitors who stopped in to visit during their magical migration journey to warmer locations.
I photographed these two butterflies in different parts of the wildlife refuge. I thought about using only one of the two photos for this posting, but decided that I really like the impact that the images have as a pair, presenting a kind of yin-yang contrast in light and shadows and overall mood. What do you think?
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Yes, love both photos as a set. Nicely contrasting and shadow. Genius!
Thanks, Suzette. I appreciate your input. Generally I just follow my instincts when it comes to posting photos, but I always welcome feedback so I can see my own photos through the eyes of other people.
Always a pleasure Mike.
Very nice Mike! I like them as a pair of images!
Thanks, Reed. Normally when I present multiple photos they are part of an action sequence, but at other times, the connection between the photos is not quite as obvious.
Real wonders of nature !
Thanks, Rudi. I find the metamorphosis of butterflies to be nothing short of miraculous and the fact that some like Monarchs migrate for such long distances seems incredible.
You’ve still got time to see more. There are a few here yet. A nice background like the second is good for isolation but I really like your first shot. I generally am not fond of the word Bokeh but it fits here and is very nice.
Both images as a set, Mike!
There were a lot of migrants passing through MA this month, so maybe the uptick is from those heading south. I really like the light-filled shot – it has everything I love: sunshine, flowers and a butterfly!