When hiking or exploring out in nature, it’s always exciting when something you’re not expecting pops up. For example, this happened to me last week out at Wild Basin when this Monarch Butterfly crossed my path. I had to chase it up the trail for a bit to take a picture, but luckily it stopped for a photo opportunity on this flower.
As Monarchs, or Danaus plexippus, are native to North America and migrate to Mexico during the late summer/early fall, I was able to identify it as a Monarch right away. Being from central Texas, I’m pretty familiar with Monarchs and how they migrate this time of year, and how they lay their eggs on milkweed and use it as a food source. More on the Monarch Butterfly can be found here.
You can find my iNaturalist observation here.