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Yesterday morning on the chance that a monarch would return to our backyard, I set up a tripod and camera a few feet from the cosmos flowers. I wanted the sharpest photo possible. I checked the area frequently without seeing a monarch. Finally around 4 p.m. a painted lady arrived. Click.

I could go to a nearby preserve known for attracting thousands of monarchs and hundreds of tourists at this time of year. But, that would be too easy. Additionally,, the pandemic has put a damper on going to a crowded place and, besides, I like the challenge of having only a few seconds to capture a rare butterfly appearance. And there’s always a painted lady.