#butterflies – 67Steffen.com

The Buckeye Butterfly

The common buckeye butterfly takes on a special look when its beautiful colors are contrasted with old brick and rusting metal in our eclectic yard.

In a year of many negatives mostly related to Covd-19, there was one photo I took that picked me up. A monarch butterfly came to our backyard on October 14, 2021 when I thought the season was over–last year I saw none. Instead, the counts of this long-distance traveler (adults live about two weeks withContinue reading “My Favorite Photo for 2021”

12,000 Strong!

Local TV news reported last night that there are an estimated 12,000 monarch butterflies this year at the Pacific Grove Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. Last year there were none at this time. l assume monarchs that stop at my backyard are on their way to the sanctuary which is about 4 miles away by car andContinue reading “12,000 Strong!”

Late Arrival…

On November 30, yesterday, I happened to see a monarch float into our backyard. During the previous 10 years no monarchs had been sighted in the yard later than October 16. Yes, I keep track. Very unscientific, I know, but something is going on with the weather. There’s been a warm wind the past week–todayContinue reading “Late Arrival…”

The Last Butterfly…

I was surprised yesterday to see a “small” painted lady butterfly fluttering into the backyard. Its size is probably the result of reduced food opportunities as we approach winter. The butterfly season typically ends in mid-October with the arrival of monarchs on their way to Mexico.

Hanging On…

This painted lady is hanging on to a cosmos during the final weeks of the flower/butterfly season. A major storm is expected to hit California this weekend, perhaps, ending the season early.

Don’t Forget Me…

In all this rush to capture a few shots of a monarch, I almost overlooked a painted lady that showed up in the lantana a foot or so from a monarch. I see the lady from May through October while the monarch visits for but a few days each year.

Monarchs Return for Day Two

Monarchs returned to the backyard for a second day, this time joining thousands of honey bees working the English ivy. Of course, they also visited the cosmos flowers. But there haven’t been any clusters of monarchs as is the case about five miles north in Pacific Gove.

Monarch Dancing on a Cosmos

I waited a full year for monarch butterflies to stop by our backyard in their annual migration to Mexico. Yesterday, I saw the first one celebrate its arrival by dancing on a cosmos flower a few inches from me. Surrounding communities have reported monarch sightings this week. Last year the nearby Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary,Continue reading “Monarch Dancing on a Cosmos”