My friend Pat, from Winsted, Connecticut gave me this jar containing two
    monarch catapillers. The picture above was taken on September 5. The
    next two were taken a day or two later.

    They made their chrysalises several days apart, so I was surprised
    to see that they had both emerged from them on September 22.

    One flew off within a few minutes of leaving the jar. The other
    stayed around for a couple of hours. Here it is on my hand. Later
    it crawled up my arm, then my neck, and then to my glasses. I
    took this picture while holding the camera out in one hand while
    the monarch sat on the other. A bit awkward.

    I was able to hold the camera in two hands for this
    one, but nevertheless, it came out a bit blurry.

Monarch butterflies - 2019

  HOME   

    Eventually it left my glasses and settled under one of the back steps.
    It stayed there from mid-morning until about noon. If I had more
    patience, I would have stayed and waited until it flew off. I don't, so I
    just checked  on it every 15 minutes or so until it was gone. I saw the
    first one fly off, but didn't get a picture. It headed south. I don't know if
    they always do that, or if they have to fly around a bit to get their
    bearings. Maybe this one headed south for the few seconds that I
    was able to watch it because that's the direction where it could see
    open sky. The house was blocking the sky view to the north.