Butterflies are migrating

This weekend I finally saw monarch butterflies in my yard.  They were resting in our maple trees.

I had not seen them in trees before.  Thought they only liked flowers.  They stayed for a while to rest, then continued on their flight.

This was the second monarch that rested.

He flew into the tree too.

This painted lady seemed to be taking a rest break too.  He stayed around for quite a while.

The flowers are pretty close to the house, so I was able to keep snapping pictures.

This was the third monarch that has come to visit.

The same painted lady.  I loved watching these butterflies the last couple of days.  They are just so beautiful. I wish they could stay around a while longer.

Peck Farm Park, Geneva

After our visiting of the Lipold and Glenwood Reserves the other day, we traveled on to the Peck Farm Park in Geneva.  The area around the farm has been naturalized and becomes a perfect place for school age children to learn about nature. There are programs about insects, butterflies, plants, and the environment. There are field trips to the farm or they will present programs at the schools.

Today we wanted to see the butterflies. It was wonderful. The butterflies were very active. We had to watch where we were walking, as they were on the ground as well as on the flowers.

Buckeye, The distinction is the 8 eyespots.

Julia,  This butterfly is more a native to Florida Keys.  

Zebra

White Peacock, is mainly a southern range butterfly.  It is not as strong a flier as the Buckeye. It likes S Florida and S Texas.

Monarch

Buckeyes

Painted Lady can be found in all of North America, as well as south to Panama and naturalized in Hawaii.

Painted Lady and Monarch

Monarch

White Peacock

Julia

Julia

Pipevine Swallowtail

I think this is the Cloudless Sulfur

Pipevine Swallowtail

:Painted Lady

Julia, this is the male.

A tattered Julia

Buckeye and White Peacock

Pipevine Swallowtail

Buckeye

Male and female, Julia

Male and female Julia

Painted Lady

Julia

Cloudless Sulfur

Cloudless Sulfur, I was able to catch it with its wings down It is the one above.  They usually sit with their wings folded.

I think this is a Sleepy Orange Sulfur enjoying the Petunia

Painted Lady sat on my shoulder.

See the swallowtail on the bottom of the sign.  It is a Spicebush Swallowtail. It seemed to want to let you know this was his picture!

Here is a closeup of the Spicebush Swallowtail, that is missing part of his tail.

Monarch

Great Southern White

Pipevine Swallowtail

Julia

The facility has a card that shows which butterflies they usually have on display. The one black butterfly, I am not sure of.  It did not look like any on the card.
There was another person there taking pictures of the butterflies, too.  I find them fascinating, and oh so colorful.