9.08.2012

Mexico Bound!

Upon driving up our driveway the past days,
I 've been welcomed home by droves of migrating monarchs,
peacefully flitting about.
 
I couldn't resist...
I had to get the camera out
and
 shoot a few pics.
The late afternoon sun
made for some beautiful
background bokeh effects.
 
Monarchs catching a little rest
 and
working the leaves of our fruit bearing trees...
crab apples, service berry and apricot.
 
Trees that all bloomed too early
 and
 got nipped by frost,
therefore,
little to no fruit
 was bared. 
 
 However,
 these are still the trees
 in our yard
 that the migrating monarchs
 choose to congregate in.
(crab apple tree)
 
Did you know...
Each season there are 4 to 5 new generations of monarchs,
 but just one generation migrates,
 the last generation of the year. 
 
These monarchs that are seen hanging in our fruit trees
 will not completely mature
 until they reach their Mexico destination. 

(apricot tree)
 
Once they arrive in Mexico,
 the long and warm days
 will trigger the reproduction organs
 to mature
 and they will begin to reproduce.

Migration of the monarch has always amazed me. 
 Having never made the migratory trip before,
 the offspring
will travel the same route
 as their past generations did...
no GPS or Google Earth needed!
 
Have a good weekend everyone,
Brenda

12 comments:

Kim said...

Just beautiful!

Catherine said...

Migrations have always amazed me. You are so lucky to be able to see this. Wonderful photos!

Lynn said...

Growing up in Windsor, Ontario, we would often visit nearby Point Pelee to see the monarch migration. This point is the most southern point in Canada and has the shortest crossing over Lake Erie for the monarchs' on their journey to Mexico. There can be as many as 10,000 monarchs land on the point in a single day!
I just loved your photos and it brought back so many memories of our trips to see the migration in progress.

gracie said...

Thank you for sharing such lovely pictures.

Grit said...

So beautiful pictures,
liebe Grüße Grit

Patty ♣ said...

Beautiful Pictures Brenda! They are flitting around in our backyard here in So. Cal. lately, on their way south. Always amazing to think about the journey they are on.

Tina said...

That is just so interesting! I didn't know anything about the Monarch Butterfly other than their beauty! I can't believe how many are on the trees. Thanks so much for such a wonderful post!

Bernadett said...

Wonderful photos!:)Thank you.:)

Merry Wind Farm said...

Those monarchs are amazing! Where do you live that you have so many? I have a butterfly garden, and consider myself lucky to have one or two!

I finished your Strawberry Hill box, if you would like to see it check my blog merrywindfarm.blogspot.com

Melinda

natalysneedle said...

AWESOME pictures!! They just give you a sense of peace.

gloriahanaway said...

Thank you so much for sharing your pics of the monarchs! One of my favorite butterflies (prolly b/c of the orange and black Halloween colors), their numbers have suffered so (fire and freezing temps)! It is good to see so macy of them! I saw a finish of "Black Cat Sampler" and it was so cute I had to dig mine out and pit it in my "to do" pile. I think it was on Pinterest. Thanks again for the monarch photos!

Paula said...

Gorgeous photos, gonna try using one of them as my desktop wallpaper.
Paula