My first attempt at naming a butterfly went terribly wrong. I called it a Monarch in the title when, in fact, it was a Swallowtail.
This time I did some research before jumping the gun. I found that this time the butterfly is indeed a Monarch. Thank goodness for that Insect ID App. May there come a day when I no longer need it!
She (or he, I can't really tell) was flapping her wings faster than the frames of my cellphone camera could keep up. Wings flattened out, the Monarch sat in one spot long enough for a few pics.
There in the shadows, you can still see the distinct white spots along the tops of her wings. Better yet, they stand out in the sunlight below.
One last click of the camera before she flutters off slowly to find more flowers. Notice the white spots also on her head, making it look like she has the eyes of a spider.
And just to be certain before I sign off that it isn't again a Swallowtail, I'll place the image of that butterfly below. In contrast, there is a very clear difference.
Swallow the tail, but don't swallow any Monarchs. I hear they are extremely poisonous when ingested. Animals tend to leave them alone. Maybe that's why they fly so slowly.
Thanks for reading and viewing. And as always...
Bottom Image Courtesy Of Hive.io Brand Assets