{"id":134664,"date":"2024-09-16T02:50:21","date_gmt":"2024-09-16T07:50:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=134664"},"modified":"2025-09-12T05:48:19","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T10:48:19","slug":"my-first-monarch-butterfly-in-arkansas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/09\/16\/my-first-monarch-butterfly-in-arkansas\/","title":{"rendered":"My First Monarch Butterfly In Arkansas"},"content":{"rendered":"

On the same day that I photographed the Carolina Wren<\/span><\/a>, whose photos I shared yesterday, I saw and photographed my first Monarch butterfly in Arkansas!<\/p>\n

\"MonarchMonarch butterfly in Arkansas \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1\/640, ISO 800, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

There were light clouds that afternoon, which softened the harshest light. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have even attempted to photograph the beautiful butterfly because the images would have been too contrasty. Thankfully, the photography Goddess was smiling on me!<\/p>\n

I grabbed my camera and walked up to the Monarch to take my images.<\/p>\n

\"MonarchMonarch butterfly close up \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f10, 1\/1250, ISO 800, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The Monarch butterfly was so busy nectaring from the butterfly bush that the colorful, winged thing didn’t pay any attention to me.<\/p>\n

I’ve seen Monarchs all over the country, but I worry about this species because they are in steep decline for several reasons.<\/p>\n

If you want to help Monarch butterflies, rip up some lawn grass, which is pretty much sterile for insects, and plant a milkweed garden. Be sure to select a milkweed species native to your area.<\/p>\n

Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed plants. Monarchs have to have milkweed, that’s a fact.<\/p>\n

Additionally, creating an environment with a variety of nectar-producing flowers that bloom throughout the season provides food for adult butterflies.<\/p>\n

\"MonarchMonarch butterfly nectaring in Arkansas \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f10, 1\/500, ISO 800, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

One other thing you can do to help Monarch butterflies? Avoid the use of pesticides and herbicides.<\/p>\n

Pesticides and herbicides can harm Monarchs and their food sources. Limiting or eliminating pesticide and herbicide use, especially on milkweed and other flowering plants, can help protect Monarchs<\/span><\/a>. Even small amounts of pesticides and herbicides put these beautiful butterflies and other insects in danger.<\/p>\n

Butterflies can’t speak for themselves, we need to speak for them.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see my insect and spider galleries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On the same day that I photographed the Carolina Wren, whose photos I shared yesterday, I saw and photographed my first Monarch butterfly in Arkansas!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":134655,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[13950,1171,13951],"tags":[4004,6041,6042,15673,4142,6040,5226,13931,1799,11012,1172,6044,2315,8018,13966],"class_list":["post-134664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arkansas","category-monarch-butterflies","category-sebastian-county","tag-adult","tag-butterflies","tag-butterfly","tag-butterfly-bush","tag-close-up","tag-danaus-plexippus","tag-decline","tag-garden","tag-insects","tag-monarch","tag-monarch-butterfly","tag-nectaring","tag-summer-3","tag-urban","tag-yard"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t