Nature Queen butterfly

Queen butterfly · **3 Likes**

At first I thought a Monarch, but it's a Queen, pretty closely related.

**MikeNArk** · 12-09-2021, 06:52 PM

This is a very nice capture of the Queen butterfly. Like the Viceroy butterfly, the Queen is often confused with the Monarch. All of these are beautiful. The Monarchs' mass migration and diminishing numbers and habitat draw much attention. This year, I only got one poor photo of a Monarch and butterfly numbers in general were lower than normal. I hope all butterflies rebound, I love seeing them and taking photos.

**CBM** · 12-09-2021, 07:15 PM

Originally posted by MikeNArk

This is a very nice capture of the Queen butterfly. Like the Viceroy butterfly, the Queen is often confused with the Monarch. All of these are beautiful. The Monarchs' mass migration and diminishing numbers and habitat draw much attention. This year, I only got one poor photo of a Monarch and butterfly numbers in general were lower than normal. I hope all butterflies rebound, I love seeing them and taking photos.

Thanks Mike - I don't think I've even seen a Monarch in this part of Florida in the past 3 years - they are a great subject, and sometimes surprisingly fast in flight!

**blues_hawk** · 12-09-2021, 08:23 PM

He's very nicely isolated in this shot. I haven't seen any monarch's in Virginia for years now. It could be because I live deep in the river valley and used to live up top on a ridge. I even thought about adding milk thistle to try to attract more butterflies but I worry about it invading. Easy enough to get though, pretty much any cow pasture will have one somewhere.

**SelrahCharleS** · 12-09-2021, 09:05 PM

Nice shot!

OrchidJulie · 12-10-2021, 06:48 AM

Not being a butterfly expert, I think this is the first image of a Queen that I've seen. I don't recall any Monarchs around here for a long time, sadly. Beautiful image!

5ks · 12-10-2021, 06:49 AM

Very pretty, and very well captured.

**CBM** · 12-10-2021, 07:35 PM - **2 Likes**

Thanks all - here's another from this morning - better light I think.

**MikeNArk** · 12-10-2021, 08:54 PM

Agree, better light and brighter colors. A very nice follow-up.

**ToddK** · 12-11-2021, 09:44 AM

Very nice images! I like the lighting of the second, but I really like the composition and beautiful bokeh of the first image. The butterflies have been plentiful here in south Texas into December and I was able to take some photos this week. It might come to a halt now, however, because we are starting to dip into the upper 20's at night.

**CBM** · 12-11-2021, 01:52 PM

Originally posted by MikeNArk

Agree, better light and brighter colors. A very nice follow-up.

Originally posted by ToddK

Very nice images! I like the lighting of the second, but I really like the composition and beautiful bokeh of the first image. The butterflies have been plentiful here in south Texas into December and I was able to take some photos this week. It might come to a halt now, however, because we are starting to dip into the upper 20's at night.

Thanks guys - they are a bit like book ends, late afternoon and then early the next day - you feedback is most appreciated!

**luftfluss** · 12-11-2021, 02:11 PM

Originally posted by MikeNArk

This is a very nice capture of the Queen butterfly. Like the Viceroy butterfly, the Queen is often confused with the Monarch. All of these are beautiful. The Monarchs' mass migration and diminishing numbers and habitat draw much attention. This year, I only got one poor photo of a Monarch and butterfly numbers in general were lower than normal. I hope all butterflies rebound, I love seeing them and taking photos.

Good news:

California Has 50 Times More Monarch Butterflies Than Last Year

Quote:

Tens of thousands of monarch butterflies are flocking to the California coast for the winter, filling tree branches with fluttering orange wings — a remarkable rebound from years of near-extinction.

Millions of monarchs used to winter in California each year, but their numbers haven't breached half a million since the 1990s. In 2018, the population crashed to new lows: there were fewer than 30,000 monarchs in the state, according to a count that the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has conducted each winter since 1997.

The butterflies hit a devastating record low last year, numbering fewer than 2,000 across California.

"We were pretty concerned last year that we were potentially facing a reality where there would no longer be monarch butterflies in the Western US," Sarina Jepsen, director of the endangered species program at the Xerces Society, told Insider.

**blues_hawk** · 12-11-2021, 05:58 PM

Originally posted by CBM

Thanks all - here's another from this morning - better light I think.

Excellent! I can see why they get confused with monarchs in this shot.

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12-09-2021, 06:52 PM	#2
MikeNArk Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 15,105	This is a very nice capture of the Queen butterfly. Like the Viceroy butterfly, the Queen is often confused with the Monarch. All of these are beautiful. The Monarchs' mass migration and diminishing numbers and habitat draw much attention. This year, I only got one poor photo of a Monarch and butterfly numbers in general were lower than normal. I hope all butterflies rebound, I love seeing them and taking photos.

12-09-2021, 07:15 PM	#3
CBM Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2021 Location: Delray Beach, Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 377 Original Poster	Originally posted by MikeNArk This is a very nice capture of the Queen butterfly. Like the Viceroy butterfly, the Queen is often confused with the Monarch. All of these are beautiful. The Monarchs' mass migration and diminishing numbers and habitat draw much attention. This year, I only got one poor photo of a Monarch and butterfly numbers in general were lower than normal. I hope all butterflies rebound, I love seeing them and taking photos. Thanks Mike - I don't think I've even seen a Monarch in this part of Florida in the past 3 years - they are a great subject, and sometimes surprisingly fast in flight!

12-09-2021, 08:23 PM	#4
blues_hawk Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Patrick Co. Virginia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,534	He's very nicely isolated in this shot. I haven't seen any monarch's in Virginia for years now. It could be because I live deep in the river valley and used to live up top on a ridge. I even thought about adding milk thistle to try to attract more butterflies but I worry about it invading. Easy enough to get though, pretty much any cow pasture will have one somewhere.

12-09-2021, 09:05 PM	#5
SelrahCharleS Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 935	Nice shot!

12-10-2021, 06:48 AM	#6
OrchidJulie Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Magic City Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,932	Not being a butterfly expert, I think this is the first image of a Queen that I've seen. I don't recall any Monarchs around here for a long time, sadly. Beautiful image!

12-10-2021, 06:49 AM	#7
5ks Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Southern Finland Posts: 681	Very pretty, and very well captured.

12-10-2021, 08:54 PM	#9
MikeNArk Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 15,105	Agree, better light and brighter colors. A very nice follow-up.

12-11-2021, 09:44 AM	#10
ToddK Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,532	Very nice images! I like the lighting of the second, but I really like the composition and beautiful bokeh of the first image. The butterflies have been plentiful here in south Texas into December and I was able to take some photos this week. It might come to a halt now, however, because we are starting to dip into the upper 20's at night.

12-11-2021, 01:52 PM	#11
CBM Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2021 Location: Delray Beach, Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 377 Original Poster	Originally posted by MikeNArk Agree, better light and brighter colors. A very nice follow-up. Originally posted by ToddK Very nice images! I like the lighting of the second, but I really like the composition and beautiful bokeh of the first image. The butterflies have been plentiful here in south Texas into December and I was able to take some photos this week. It might come to a halt now, however, because we are starting to dip into the upper 20's at night. Thanks guys - they are a bit like book ends, late afternoon and then early the next day - you feedback is most appreciated!

12-11-2021, 02:11 PM	#12
luftfluss Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,619	Originally posted by MikeNArk This is a very nice capture of the Queen butterfly. Like the Viceroy butterfly, the Queen is often confused with the Monarch. All of these are beautiful. The Monarchs' mass migration and diminishing numbers and habitat draw much attention. This year, I only got one poor photo of a Monarch and butterfly numbers in general were lower than normal. I hope all butterflies rebound, I love seeing them and taking photos. Good news: California Has 50 Times More Monarch Butterflies Than Last Year Quote: Tens of thousands of monarch butterflies are flocking to the California coast for the winter, filling tree branches with fluttering orange wings — a remarkable rebound from years of near-extinction. Millions of monarchs used to winter in California each year, but their numbers haven't breached half a million since the 1990s. In 2018, the population crashed to new lows: there were fewer than 30,000 monarchs in the state, according to a count that the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has conducted each winter since 1997. The butterflies hit a devastating record low last year, numbering fewer than 2,000 across California. "We were pretty concerned last year that we were potentially facing a reality where there would no longer be monarch butterflies in the Western US," Sarina Jepsen, director of the endangered species program at the Xerces Society, told Insider.

12-11-2021, 05:58 PM	#13
blues_hawk Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Patrick Co. Virginia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,534	Originally posted by CBM Thanks all - here's another from this morning - better light I think. Excellent! I can see why they get confused with monarchs in this shot.