Capturing the Monarchs of fall before they fly to their winter home

Yesterday was a hot day and you know how butterflies love that.  I am glad to have spent some time at Meadowlark Gardens yesterday afternoon because today is cooler and much less promising for capturing butterflies.  For all that I spent an hour in the gardens, I spent significantly more time than that sorting photos on the computer.  Sorting through them all and getting them finally to the blog is akin to ripping off the blue tape after you have spent all day painting your living room:  Voila and Tada!

My flickr set is linked below the photos, do take a look:  I promise you there are only 34 total photos. 

Enjoy the photos of my favorite butterfly (and another one I cannot identify, but isn't she pretty?) and look out next month for photos from their winter home in Pacific Grove, California (on the Monterey Peninsula).  The East Coast Monarchs go to Mexico for the winter, whereas the West Coast Monarchs fly to Pacific Grove. 

Picture roving gangs of butterflies, traveling at 10,000 feet, buffeted by the winds.  How many will make it?  What if the East Coast Monarchs crossed paths with the West Coast Monarchs?  Would there be a brawl?  Would tiny rap songs be written about the event?  How would they even know which coast was home?  So many questions to ponder.  hahaha

And here are all thirty-four of them:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skywalkerbeth/tags/meadowlarkbutterflies/show/