Starring the Monarchs in: Summer Romance

It was Sunday morning, and I accompanied my husband to the local gameland for his weekly jog. There is a large stand of milkweed plants on the hill above the closed road, and every time I go there, I find butterflies. So I was on butterfly patrol!

I saw lots of tiger swallowtails; you know, the big yellow ones. One was very battered and torn, missing some pieces of wings. However, I discovered a perfect specimen, a female, which you may see in the extras (has blue at bottom of back wings --> female).

I finally spotted a perfect monarch, a female, feasting on milkweed. And I was zooming in on her, getting some great shots, when suddenly, she was ATTACKED from above! Another creature flew at her, hit her, and knocked her onto the ground!

Oh no!!! My butterfly was being murdered before my very eyes! So I stepped closer, trying to keep taking pictures, trying to see what was happening. I suddenly realized that there were two butterflies on the ground, rolling around, twitching, and fighting! (You may see a photo of the ground activity in the extras.) Oh no. STOP THAT!!!

But then, the two butterflies flew up, up, off the ground, together, just as you see, and landed on a nearby twig. And I realized what I was witnessing: the monarch butterfly mating ritual! My butterfly was NOT being attacked; apparently, this is how baby monarchs are made! Wow!

The soundtrack song for this posting is the Doors, with Hello, I Love You.