{"id":135485,"date":"2024-10-11T02:43:06","date_gmt":"2024-10-11T07:43:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=135485"},"modified":"2024-10-10T18:12:22","modified_gmt":"2024-10-10T23:12:22","slug":"autumn-female-monarch-butterfly-in-my-viewfinder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/10\/11\/autumn-female-monarch-butterfly-in-my-viewfinder\/","title":{"rendered":"Autumn Female Monarch Butterfly In My Viewfinder"},"content":{"rendered":"

What’s up today? I’ve got a few female Monarch butterfly images I\u2019ve been meaning to share but I hadn\u2019t edited them until now. This morning seems perfect!<\/p>\n

\"FemaleFemale Monarch butterfly and blooming Meadow Sage \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1\/500, ISO 1000, Canon 100-400mm at 286mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

These three photos were taken at the end of September on a bright morning. All three images are of the same female Monarch. She took her time nectaring on the Meadow Sage.<\/p>\n

I was able to walk up close, sit down on a rock, and photograph her without disturbing her leisurely breakfast.<\/p>\n

\"MonarchMonarch butterfly nectaring on flowers \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1\/500, ISO 1000, Canon 100-400mm at 286mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I’m extremely fond of Monarch butterflies, and that fondness goes way back to my childhood in Michigan. When I was about 6 years old, I found a Monarch chrysalis not far from home.<\/p>\n

I brought the chrysalis home and watched as it changed, eventually seeing the Monarch butterfly emerge. I was awestruck and have loved butterflies ever since.<\/p>\n

Things with wings fascinate me, always have, always will.<\/p>\n

\"FemaleFemale Monarch butterfly in autumn \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1\/320, ISO 1000, +0.3 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 278mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

For a while, there were loads of Monarch butterflies here. I was seeing them consistently throughout the day as they migrated south. That has slowed down quite a bit, but there are still stragglers passing through.<\/p>\n

As I\u2019ve written before, Monarch butterflies are in trouble and need our help. If you can, plant some native milkweed for the caterpillars, which feed exclusively on it. Also, plant other native wildflowers for the adults to nectar on if you can.<\/p>\n

If we all help, even just a little bit, we can make a difference.<\/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":"

What’s up today? I’ve got a few female Monarch butterfly images I\u2019ve been meaning to share but I hadn\u2019t edited them until now. This morning seems perfect!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":135476,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13950,1171,13951],"tags":[4004,970,6098,6557,7353,15835,6041,6042,6040,4620,4070,6518,2217,13931,1799,15674,11012,1172,6044,15824,13966],"class_list":["post-135485","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arkansas","category-monarch-butterflies","category-sebastian-county","tag-adult","tag-autumn","tag-blooming","tag-blooms","tag-blossoms","tag-brush-footed-butterflies","tag-butterflies","tag-butterfly","tag-danaus-plexippus","tag-fall","tag-female","tag-flowering","tag-flowers","tag-garden","tag-insects","tag-meadow-sage","tag-monarch","tag-monarch-butterfly","tag-nectaring","tag-suburban","tag-yard"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/monarch-butterfly-female-mia-mcpherson-7412.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-zff","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":135857,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/10\/21\/male-and-female-monarch-butterfly-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":135485,"position":0},"title":"Male And Female Monarch Butterfly Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 21, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"As the Monarch butterflies made their way through Arkansas at the end of September, I had the chance to take a couple of photos that really show off the unique features between the males and females.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Monarch butterfly in autumn, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/monarch-butterfly-male-sedum-mia-mcpherson-9234.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/monarch-butterfly-male-sedum-mia-mcpherson-9234.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/monarch-butterfly-male-sedum-mia-mcpherson-9234.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/monarch-butterfly-male-sedum-mia-mcpherson-9234.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":141709,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/03\/16\/monarchs-at-a-crossroads-in-an-era-of-butterfly-decline\/","url_meta":{"origin":135485,"position":1},"title":"Monarchs At A Crossroads In An Era Of Butterfly Decline","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The contrasting fates of eastern and western Monarchs underscore that their future is still uncertain. With dedicated efforts, we can help butterfly populations rebound\u2014but time is running out.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female Monarch butterfly feeds on purple flowers, showcasing its distinctive orange and black wing pattern, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/monarch-butterfly-adult-female-mia-mcpherson-7435.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/monarch-butterfly-adult-female-mia-mcpherson-7435.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/monarch-butterfly-adult-female-mia-mcpherson-7435.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Last year I found plenty of Monarch Butterflies on the Rocky Mountain Bee Plants on Antelope Island and they were a delight to photograph as they fluttered around going from flower to flower sipping nectar from the delicate blossoms.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Monarch Butterfly nectaring from a Rocky Mountain Bee Plant, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, 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Flight","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 23, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Photographing birds while they are flying can be challenging and photographing Monarch Butterflies in flight can be just as challenging to do too.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Monarch Butterfly landing on a Rocky Mountain Bee Plant, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/monarch-butterfly-flight-mia-mcpherson-5916.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/monarch-butterfly-flight-mia-mcpherson-5916.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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