A Monarch (at Last)

[Brian Bailey]

I visited the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton yesterday and finally saw a Monarch for 2013:

Also an Eastern Amberwing perched on a waterlily while I was composing a shot (a bit of a reach for my lens):

He had me going for a bit with the ID, because he seemed too slim for an Amberwing.

BB

[Howieh]

Unfortunately, I think I've used this line before - Brian, you may have seen a monarch but the butterfly in the picture is actually a viceroy.

[Brian Bailey]

OOPS!  :oops: I guess it's been so long I've forgotten what they look like.  (That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :wink:)

Actually, considering I was in a place full of flowers there were remarkably few butterflies.  This Viceroy was the only one I saw (yes, no Monarchs at all), I saw one Red Admiral, a few unidentified skippers and dozens of what I guess were Cabbage Whites, although they were moving very fast and I never saw one stop for a second (it was quite warm).  There did, however appear to be quite a good variety of bees. I was seeing 3 or 4 different kinds on a single plant.

BB

[Bluffs Birder]

Yesterday, I saw a Monarch (my 4th of the year) flying and feeding on various flowers in the Garden Centre of Loblaws at Victoria Park and Gerrard.  Also, while looking over the Butterfly Bushes I had a Red Admiral land and begin feeding.

I read on a local butterfly board that all this hot humid air that's come up from the south has brought a few more butterflies in to the province including a few Monarchs.

Walter