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<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n Maximilian sunflower is an native prairie plant;\u00a0 we had remnants of it here and there, and it’s spread under our management.\u00a0\u00a0 Butterflies nectar on the flowers, birds and other wildlife eat the seeds.<\/p>\n The Maximilian sunflowers are blooming well this year, though they’re all short, less than half the height they are when never short of water.\u00a0 But the Monarch butterflies don’t care, as long as the flowers are there.<\/p>\n Monarchs in fall nectar on a variety of plants: frostweed, gayfeather, Maximilian sunflower, and–the first time I’ve seen this–purple gerardia.\u00a0\u00a0 As it was a windy day, and this monarch was struggling to stay on the flower,\u00a0 I had time for only one shot–and it turned impressionist:<\/p>\n I saw several other Monarchs–including another one on Maximilian sunflower–but they were too far away, or flying too fast, or otherwise unsuitable subjects.\u00a0 However, though most of my Monarch pictures this year have been of males, the one that gave me the best images was a female (and spent a lot of time at each flower, allowing time for enough images to get that 5-10% of good ones.)<\/p>\n You can tell she’s a female because the veins on the wings are thicker and there’s not the scent-patch on the hind wing (shows as a wide spot on a thinner vein.)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Here’s a male (photographed two years ago on Liatris (gayfeather, blazing star):<\/p>\n You can see that the hind-wing veins are thinner, and one has a little ‘blip” on it.<\/p>\n Although it’s generally thought Monarchs don’t reproduce in September in our area, I’ve twice photographed Monarch larvae in late September.\u00a0 This year one appeared on a board 8 feet up in the air during construction of an arbor.\u00a0 Not the best place to pupate.<\/p>\n We were careful not to bump the board, but it disappeared overnight after a couple of days.<\/p>\n Monarchs aren’t the only butterflies out there: we’re still seeing both Tiger Swallowtails and Giant Swallowtails (neither will slow down for a picture right now),\u00a0 as well as many smaller butterflies: Gulf Fritillary, Variegated Fritillary, Hackberry Emperor, Empress Leila,\u00a0 Orange Sulphur,\u00a0 Common Buckeye, Queen, and more.\u00a0 Here’s an Orange Sulphur on one of the wiry little fall asters.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n