Monarch Migration - Butterfly is a photograph by Nikolyn McDonald which was uploaded on September 21st, 2018.
Monarch Migration - Butterfly
If you look closely at this monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), photographed from beneath against the blue of the late summer sky, you will notice... more
Title
Monarch Migration - Butterfly
Artist
Nikolyn McDonald
Medium
Photograph
Description
If you look closely at this monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), photographed from beneath against the blue of the late summer sky, you will notice a round, opaque patch on one of the lower wings that contrasts with the translucency of the rest of the wings. That is a tag, gently placed there by a volunteer working with the Monarch Watch program. The purpose of tagging these beautiful and useful insects is to help determine their migration pathways, how weather patterns affect them, how many survive the trip, and so forth. This year my zinnias (eastern Nebraska) were particularly dense and tall – many of the late blossoms were six feet high – so I found taking pictures of the butterflies as they rested or fed on the colorful flowers all but impossible. I got the idea to lie on the ground under the plants and shoot up, hoping for shots such as this. After numerous attempts, I was finally successful and got several nice photos of which this is one.
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Uploaded
September 21st, 2018
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