I spotted this female Wanderer butterfly also known as the Monarch butterfly on my walk this morning. I'm not really so knowledgeable that I can tell a female from a male but on reading up on them today could see by comparing the pictures that this is a female. I thought she may have been asleep because I got quite close at first before she took off, however, it may be that she was waiting for a male to give him 'the come on'. It appears they spread their wings and try to look alluring to attract males. She was in the same spot yesterday but I couldn't get close enough for a shot and, unfortunately, today I did not see any other butterflies winging her way. Hope she didn't have to wait long. I had also been wondering about that plant she's sitting on, having seen it and photographed it previously.
While researching the butterfly I discovered that it's a narrow leaf cotton bush or milkweed (the caterpillar will only eat milkweed apparently). Those interesting looking flowers turn into hairy green orbs which burst open releasing fine, white strands like cotton. Another What's This? Wednesday avoided.
