Butterflies Flutter By - Geneva, IL

Time to visit my travel bug at Peck Farm Park in Geneva, IL

 

 

 

Monarch - bigger than I remember.  Maybe 4" across.  Four generations of monarchs make the great monarch migration (Nova PBS special).  The first generation from Canada makes a 2000 mile journey to Mexico.  They will hitch rides across the great lakes, and studies have shown that if captured, and release elsewhere (i.e. other states, the Caribbean, etc.) they get their bearings and continue on to Mexico. 

The second generation born in Mexico, starts the migration north and lay eggs in the continental US somewhere.  The third generation born in the continental US, continue the migration north and end in Canada, laying eggs and starting the cycle again. 

 Common buckeye

 

 

 Pipevine swallowtail

 

  Male Julia (a little wounded but still fluttering around)

 Palomedes swallowail (wouldn't stop fluttering - always in motion)

 

 Zebra

 

 

 Male great southern white

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 After the butterfly house, wandered around the farm nature center

 

 

 

This lovely barn swallow stayed for the longest time.  Guess he wanted to make sure I got a good picture.

 

 The view of the farm from the pond.

 

 The orientation barn - nothing going on there today.