A Day for Monarchs
a monarch pair doing . . . you know what they are doing!
Recently I have sought after changing my “custom header” to a new monarch picture! I have found it very hard to find that ideal snapshot due to the strange shape the header needs to be!! So, after work I was off to Red House Lake in search of some monarch butterflies!
monarch caterpillar
Obviously I didn’t capture anything I liked but did find a bunch of monarchs! It started with the milkweeds in the Red House picnic area. Monarch caterpillars were everywhere! But none were in the right position or were located in the shade! All adults that I found were very worn and wasn’t my “ideal” picture! Then I found myself following this monarch around . . . . no wait another one is chasing it . . . . hey, what are you doing to her?? . . . . guess these individuals will not be migrating south (should be their babies making the trip south)!
Joe the Monarch along Red House Lake
I had a blast checking out the butterflies and shouldn’t be too long before the chrysalis in our office emerges!! Just maybe I can use them to capture my new “Custom Header” For now just enjoy a video that I was able to capture.
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
Once again, your photos are lovely. I especially like the fat caterpillar.
14 August 2007 at 9:14 pm
Tom, you need to work in the film industry. That Monarch in front of the lake is FANTASTIC. I want to learn to upload videos. You really inspire me.
14 August 2007 at 9:24 pm
So the porn won’t work for the header? Shame! ;D
Nice successful Monarch hunting though
14 August 2007 at 9:49 pm
Very beautiful!
14 August 2007 at 9:50 pm
Great pictures – really very nice video. Looking forward to the perfect Monarch shot.
14 August 2007 at 9:57 pm
@ Lynne – thanks and he is a chubby one! He looked almost ready to grow up into an adult!
@ Mary – blush, thanks Mary!! I will send you an email tomorrow on where I store my videos!
@ Marg – LOL, Not skinny enough for the header!
@ Barb – thanks!
@ N Shutterbug – thanks and hope it happens!
14 August 2007 at 10:20 pm
That caterpillar looks like I feel after a big meal. He’s pretty content. What great pictures, again! Love the butterflies.
15 August 2007 at 12:24 am
Wow .. now it’s easy to see why these guys were inspiring enough for you steal the name! :0) What a beautiful creature. We once made a butterfly house and my son and I raised them. He was five I think, and then let them go in the early summer sky. It really was a beautiful and memorial day. I have to agree with the other commentators (tho I don’t consider myself so much of a follower) but that caterpillar shot is really amazing! Really you have a natural talent at capturing what is really beautiful in the world.
15 August 2007 at 2:52 am
Oh, I think Joe the Monarch would make a beautiful header. Just need to crop him in Photoshop to make him the correct size.
15 August 2007 at 6:46 am
@ Linda – thanks and I know how much you love these guys!
@ aullori – thanks and I think every child needs to raise monarch’s at least once in their life! Blush, thanks!
@ jayne – thanks and did think about it!
15 August 2007 at 7:40 am
One of the things I miss about California is seeing the Monarchs. Santa Cruz is one of the places they came to winter, and it was quite a stunning sight. Fortunately, I get to see these beauties here on your blog. They are so lovely.
15 August 2007 at 10:34 am
I love the big monarch caterpillar, and of course the butterfly photos and video! The Joe Pye Weed is so pretty this year! Great photos / video! And I hope you capture the perfect monarch photo for your blog header! You could always do a montage of a few of your favorites for your header. That way you could use the first photo!
15 August 2007 at 5:40 pm
Why would “Joe the Monarch” want to migrate from such a beautiful place.
15 August 2007 at 6:27 pm
Such a serene video. And a Cardinal calling in the background (I think) –
Ya know – it’s becoming x-rated out in the fields and hedgerows this time of year. Lots of DNA being passed around amongst the critters.
15 August 2007 at 7:35 pm
Tom – I agree with NatureWoman about a montage of photos. I would love to see if you can use the caterpillar as well as a full-grown monarch – and throw in a chrysalis, too. ;o)
15 August 2007 at 11:55 pm
I have learned enough from my own monarch ranching experiment to see that the butterfly in the video is a girl!
16 August 2007 at 12:28 am
@ Robin – That is a stunning area for sure! One day I would love to visit their wintering grounds! You can be sure I will get multiple post out of a visit like that!
@ Pam – thanks we did get enough water for the Pye Weeds! Will think about it!
@ Grace – thanks and I know how much you love those videos!
@ Cathy – thanks and yes that is a cardinal! Never knew I would mix in a bird quiz! It is about time we see some DNA being passed around!
@ Mary C. will think about it!
@ Susan – it takes both a boy and girl to do what those monarch’s are doing in the first picture!
here is a great link for others interested in telling the difference between males and females http://www.learner.org/jnorth/search/MonarchNotes1.html#3
16 August 2007 at 2:30 pm