Royal Butterflies

avatar

It's monarch season! Not the parasitic sort with the fancy titles, butterflies! Monarch butterflies are probably the only royalty that I can say I'm fond of.

We're about half overrun with zinnias and cockscomb and the butterflies seem quite happy about that. The swallowtails have mostly cleared out it seems but the monarchs have replaced them. Along with about million other, smaller flying things.

All the butterflies really seem to love the zinnias but the monarchs have been the most skittish by far. For all the other butterflies I've been able to shoot with my 50mm but for these I had to drag out my 70-300mm and ended up shooting almost exclusively at 300mm.

The zinnias are as tall as I am now so it's damn near impossible to shoot them from above. I was a bit surprised when this one landed on a marigold, I'd not seen them on those before but I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

Was trying my damnedest to catch them in the air but these suckers are fast. About like trying to find a squirrel with a rifle scope.

Had a few close calls but I was still off by a hair.

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Did y'all know Muhammad Ali was from here in Louisville?

This guy was just here to watch the show.

That's enough out of me, time to fly on out of here.

hive-194913 photofeed qurator proofofbrain photography vyb butterflies nature life outofthinair
0
0
0.000
9 comments
avatar

Such a huge contrast to the usual black and whites!!

0
0
0.000
Reply
avatar

Ha, yeah. Felt like it was time for a change of pace. I'd actually started editing black and whites today but wasn't happy with any of it. Remembered these and couldn't hardly pass up the color treatment.

0
0
0.000
Reply
avatar

Their appearance is simply amazing. An incomparable gift of God to complete the beauty.
Have we not learned from their metamorphosis? That to become "something" we must complete the process of growth and development with many sacrifices.

The quality of your photos is very good, Mr @coloneljethro.

0
0
0.000
Reply
avatar

They are indeed glorious. I believe you are right, they make an apt metaphor for the processes of life.

Thank you! And thanks for dropping by!

0
0
0.000
Reply
avatar

Lovely and beautiful captures of the butterfly and thanks for sharing.

0
0
0.000
Reply
avatar

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it :) Thanks for dropping by!

0
0
0.000
Reply