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Monarch butterfly migration began about two weeks ago, and it won't be long before monarch butterflies have left northern Illinois. Monarchs from the eastern U.S. migrate to the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico to overwinter, the only butterfly known to make a two way migration. They fly 50-100 miles a day, roosting at night, and can take up to two months to complete the journey.  They overwinter in cool mountain forests which have the right amount of humidity so they don't dry out, clustering in thousands to stay warm.

Poked the lens through the flowers and weeds for this photo.  The edges are dreamy and unfocused because there were plants closer than the butterfly in the frame.  I like a darker unfocused background for depth (check!), and a little bit of blue sky (favorite color, check).  It was overcast this afternoon, but managed to get the only small patch of blue sky we had in the picture.