Articles & Photos

Each year I search for butterflies to photograph.

Yesterday I went to three of my favorite places to find and photograph butterflies – Sayen Gardens, Davidson Pond, and Farrington Lake — in Mercer and Middlesex Counties. I was extremely surprised that I didn’t find one monarch. It was the strangest thing. One year there were literally hundreds of monarch butterflies at Davidson Pond, but I didn’t have my camera with me (yes, I nearly cried). In years past, at the very least there were six to ten. This year, nothing. Maybe it’s the extreme heat and humidity. It certainly looks prime, with many butterflies bushes in full bloom, blue skies, sunny.

This morning I got up earlier and went out again. This time I found one, just one, Eastern swallowtail butterfly. I was able to snap off some pictures, but not many.

There were several of these little guys.

And many of these moths.

But this was the lone “star.”.

I did speak with a woman who was also stunned by the lack of butterflies.

She seemed to think it was a ominous sign. I hope not!

I waited, sitting under a large pine tree to keep out of the direct sun.

More images

Even more images

While there, if you click on the butterfly link on the right, you'll find a lot more pictures since these were taken!

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