Date: 09/09/2011

Number: 8

Stopped for lunch & supplies in West Union, Ohio, (Adams County) and caught sight of a large Monarch Butterfly. It hovered all around the flowers in a store garden center. It stayed mostly around the Echinacea (Cone Flowers) and other Rudbeckia & tall garden Phlox plants, & occasionally landing on a dark purple Buddleia. It was alone in its quest for food. After several nights camping in Shawnee State Park, we observed 6 or 7 of the Monarchs on 09/10/11. They gathered on the ground drinking from a small puddle that remained from the previous night's rain, and possibly basking in the sunlight for heat. What a beautiful way to take in an early seasonal display of their fall colors. The surrounding vegetation has just begun to change and we noticed quite a few trees with yellowing leaves and some splashes of red, here and there mingling in the brush & other leaves laying on still green grasses muddled with wild Ageratum blooms.

West Union, OH

Latitude: 38.8 Longitude: -83.5

Observed by: Diannah
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