Free Monarch Butterfly Pictures
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Enjoy Monarch butterfly pictures and the story of their yearly migration. Did you know they are one of a few that migrate like birds?

Monarch Butterflies are the best known migrating butterflies. Many butterflies migrate and even some moths. They travel in 1,000's even millions of insects together. You may even have seen them and not realized what you were looking at.

It's easy to view the images on this page. Simply click each of the thumbnails to reveal the larger view of the butterfly. Enjoy your adventure through these pictures. If you have any questions or special requests please feel free to contact me here.

Monarch Butterfly Pictures to View

Are you a real butterfly fan? Do you have some pictures of butterflies that will knock our socks off? Maybe you simply have a story or question you would like to ask.

Well I've set up a special submission process where you can do exactly that. Join our community of photographers and artists as we share, comment and explore the wonderful adventures in the world of art. Like Dodie who sent in this beautiful Yellow Swallowtail Picture.

Myrna from South Africa enjoyed sharing her Butterfly Messengers story. And recently Deni from FL shares how a Butterfly Stops for a Snack on Kibbles and Bits

Monarch Butterfly Migration Story Continues

These orange and black butterflies winter along the gulf of mexico and other soutern areas.

In spring the young female lays her eggs on the milkweed plants that have begun to grow. When caterpillars begin hatching they feed on the leaves of these milkweed plants.

When adult butterflies develop they fly north. There they lay eggs on milkweed that has just begun to grow in with the advance of spring.

And so it is that within a few months several generations of Monarch butterflies travel further north.

By late summer, descendants of the original Monarchs reach Canada. With cooler weather of autumn, surviving monarchs fly back south in great swarms.

There have been reports of swarms 20 miles wide. Year after year such masses of butterflies follow the same route.

They settle on trees and bushes by night while they travel thousands of miles. These roosting trees are often called butterfly trees.

The Monarch Butterfly is Enemy Resistant

Monarch butterflies are enemy resistant. They seem to taste bad to birds and so the birds leave these handsome orange and black creatures alone.

All Butterflies go Through a Metamorphosis

Adult life for the butterfly begins when it emerges from its pupal case. The Monarch legs break out, grab its case and pull the rest of its body free.

It takes about two minutes for a butterfly to break free. Then it hangs on the empty pupal case.

Fresh out of the case the butterfly has crumpled and small wet fleshy wings and a flat abdomen.

As this butterfly hangs there its abdomen pulsates vigorously. This causes fluid to circulate.

This pulsating goes on for about ten or twenty minutes. By the end of this time the wings will have expanded to full size.

This does not mean the metamorphosis is complete. Even after wings are fully expanded the butterfly remains hanging for several hours before taking its first flight.

This is a very sensitive time for the Monarch. But once they have completed the process, we get to enjoy their flight from flower to flower.

Use of these monarch butterfly pictures is free. There are a few limits though. They are not for commercial use. For Commercial use please contact Sally. They may be used on your own web site with a link back to Nature and Flower Pictures. Please read complete terms of use here.

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