Most folks know of the Monarch Butterfly? If not meet the Monarch Butterfly!

Here in our part of the high desert of Oregon we do not get many Monarch’s here at the house, but when we do I try my best to get some photographs! These photographs were taken in October of 2014.

Getting late in the season I thought for butterflies, in October I was a tad bit surprised to see the Monarch Butterfly here to be honest. Feeding on my spent Zinnia flower patch that gosh at the point I was not even watering the garden much anymore, getting ready for cold weather and all…..

My Zinnia flower patch seams to attract what Monarchs we do have in the area most every year! Monarch Butterflies if you have not heard have been having a hard time of it lately. I guard these visitors from the cats and other predators as much as I can, however I just do not have room to keep the Zinnia Patch in a more protected area, or I surely would! In 2015 perhaps I will put in some Zinnia seeds inside the fence of the kennel?? I do have a neighbor whose cats kill the bigger butterflies such as the Monarch Butterfly. I try to keep a good eye on such things and cats are not allowed in the kennel but my sons cat and only the front part of our rather big kennel.

Come to think of it, I believe I have photographs of one of my outings on a local farm I have permission to go onto which had Monarch Butterflies there…… that place has so many critters on that land it is just amazing seeing it is a working, productive farm.  I have not been through all my 2014 photographs, this is what cold winter days are for!

I have to give credit to Guy and my son for keeping a eye out for the Monarch Butterfly and the other creatures we have here at the house! They both keep their eyes open and tell me if they see something I need to pay attention to when they can. It always seam as if I am out front when something shows up out back or vice versa ha!

Every year for some time the Monarchs have been showing up here at the house, two times a year it seams. Always going to the Zinnia patch. What they need milkweed for the larva to eat, and I just do not grow milkweed here. However the farms around our town may have some milkweed growing ? Oh perhaps along the railroad tracks?? If milkweed would say grow along the water canals it would surely be sprayed with chemicals so if this is what is going on the Monarch Butterflies are not going to survive there. I actually have yet to be given a acceptable excuse, or any excuse as to why chemicals are dumped along the canal roads? These chemicals go into the water as well…. just does not make sense to me?

However I do understand controlling weeds….. just seams to me there is a better way to control weeds around the water.

This series of shots has not been my best though it was fun to see, photograph and document the Monarch Butterfly in October!

The shot above I had leaves in my way. The Monarch Butterfly being such a rich vivid color this one flying off still came out ok. I also thought it was interesting that this Monarch has no damage. None what so ever, so I am thinking it might be young?? In any case I sure hope it made it south , because our fall and winters can get cold!

I have one more photograph to share, though I think that photograph of the Monarch flying off is a good one to close this post with? Hope you think so as well?

Thank you for coming by to my write up of the Monarch Butterfly! Keep in mind the Monarch is a flashy, larger butterfly that frankly it sure would be a shame to see their numbers decline to the point our grand kids can not enjoy them like we do…..in California I hear they really gather!!

More reading of the Monarch Butterfly;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch_butterfly

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