I had only spotted a dozen monarchs here at the farmstead in Central Maine the summer of 2015. Summer of 2018, there were nearly 100 in and around the garden. Two delightful specimens danced around the garden where I encourage milkweed to grow alongside the flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables that we harvest. I grabbed my camera just in time to capture one of our regal visitors pirouette upon the peppermint and inspired me to write this haiku. ~Bette A. Stevens
- To find out how you can help protect monarch butterflies—one of our amazing pollinators— download your free poster here:
PROTECT MONARCH BUTTERFLIES free-poster
- Find out how to tell a male monarch from a female monarch and discover other amazing monarch butterfly facts
- Enjoy monarch crafts, games, gardening and discover so much more
WHERE?
Download Bette’s free pdf here:
FUN & LEARNING with MONARCHS (free pdf)
Maine author/illustrator Bette A. Stevens
“Inspired by nature and human nature.”
Find all of Bette’s books at YOUR AMAZON.
Bette A. Stevens, Maine Author 
Comments on: "A Monarch Butterfly Haiku by Bette A. Stevens" (45)
What a nice, haiku, Bette. I have never seen monarch butterflies where I live…the picture you took is so clear and beautiful. Have a great rest of the week!
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Thanks so much for stopping by and for your lovely comment, Maia. The Monarchs are amazing–lit by the sunlight, their wings become miniature stained-glass windows–pure delight! ❤ They should start arriving here at the farmstead by mid June and I can hardly wait… Have an amazing week, my friend! xo
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Thank you for your reply. I hope you have been well and I hope the monarchs did visit you this summer. 🙂
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Lovely photo and message, Bette. What an amazing thing to see so many monarch butterflies after planting milkweed!
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Thanks for stopping by for a visit, Molly. Milkweed is just popping up and hopefully the Monarchs will begin to arrive mid-June. ❤ Have a great week!
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Beautiful Bette!
Bless you,
Jennifer
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Monarchs are so beautiful and cherished, Bette. Your haiku is lovely. Since, you don’t have a reblog feature, I am sharing on Twitter.
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Bette, a lovely haiku and beautiful photo of you and the monarch! It must be amazing to see over a hundred of the butterflies … a joy to behold. Thank you for sharing! ❤️
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The thoughts there are so much fewer butterflies is a bit disturbing! I bet it’s global warming, but I’m not going to say for sure unless I do more research…
Excellent photo!
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So lovely, Bette! You come to mind when I see butterflies. Blessings to you. XO
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How incredibly lovely, Bette!! Cher xo
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How wonderful that the population has increased. We had them on the farm in abundance but then we did have milkweed.
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beautifully
poet advice!
i miss seeing
them in these parts 🙂
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Bette, I do love your posts about the Monarch butterfly. In a couple of weeks I will
have them here too. Along with other beauties.
Wonderful Haiku.
Miriam
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Where I grew up there was an abundance of milkweed, so I got to enjoy the Monarchs. I found a very old short story I wrotevabout them as a youth recently.
Beautiful picture and Haiku, Bette:) I hope they make a come back this year in numbers.
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I have only seen them in pictures. They do look regal Bette.
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A precious moment to spot a monarch butterfly. This is a marvelous post and photo Bette.
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This is just bright, beautiful, and full of hope Bette! ❤ 😀
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After reading your post last autumn, Bette, Tornado Boy and I spread seeds for scores of milkweed plants. We’re hoping to see a bunch grow this spring and fill up with monarchs. Beautiful haiku. 🙂
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Beautiful, Bette!
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Reblogged this on mallie1025.
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Lovely and thanks for sharing. I have not seen a monarch for some time. Wishing to see one or more this summer. I am attempting to grow some sunflowers.
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Thanks for stopping by for a chat, MG. Our milkweed is budding and hopefully the monarchs will come… I usually manage to get a dozen or so photos from late June to early September and each sighting is a thrill. ❤ Wishing you a summer filled with blessings and butterflies! xo
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That is a great haiku! Thanks for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday on Mommynificent.com this week!
Tina
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Thank you, Tina. Have a wonderful week my friend! Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Follow The Magic,,, xo
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This is a beautiful photo, Bette! I haven’t seen many monarchs around this year in my part of Ontario.
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Hi, John. Thanks for the note. This beauty Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ left me a message and asked my to pass it along… Have an amazing week! 🙂
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Milk Weed here in Kansas is considered a noxious weed so many destroy them. We finally have some milkweed growing in our pasture, but they are too far away for me to see if any Monarch Butterflies land there. And I am sure by the time I walk to the plant any butterfly that had been there would fly away when they heard me approaching. Anyway, butterflies are always welcome on my property. Great Haiku!
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Thanks, Cindy. Thanks for stopping my to visit, my friend. Hoping some of the regal beauties will head to your garden too! 🙂
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Reblogged this on Kim's Author Support Page.
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Thanks, my awesome author, friend. Have a Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ MOST AMAZING WEEKEND Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ!
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They are amazing, aren’t they? Thanks for the poem.
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Absolutely amazing! Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Thanks so much for the visit, Joe. Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ
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Beautiful, Bette. I haven’t seen any monarchs around us, but lots of swallowtails.
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Hi, Noelle. So glad you stopped in for a visit. I managed to capture (with camera) more winged jewels yesterday (orange with dark spots/will have to look up the species). These treasures are a sheer delight and never cease to inspire me. By the way, I am working on your questions… Hugs! ❤
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We have had a couple Monarch’s, but lately I am see mostly swallowtails.
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I love all of our winged jewels, swallowtails among them, but monarchs have been a favorite of mine since childhood. Happy watching and thanks so much for stopping by for a visit! ❤
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Milkwood grows naturally in my little cottage garden. I have seen a few monarchs this summer, but I used to see dozens. Keeping my garden filled with plants that attract butterflies, I hope to see more next year.
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Same here, Barbara…looking forward to the return and regeneration of our monarch populations. They are such exquisite creatures and an indicator of how our environment is faring. Cheers for our magical monarchs!
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Love the Monarch’s. We get a few who rest on their way North and South. Lately they have been taking a different path so there are less of them.
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Glad to hear you’ve spotted a few, too. We used to have so many more and that’s why I like to get the word out…They need us and we need these amazing pollinators too. Have an amazing day, my friend! 🙂
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I haven’t seen a Monarch on Staten Island in many years. It’s my favorite butterfly. Great haiku verse, says so much in so few words.
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Hi, Micki! Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit and for your thoughtful day. You always brighten my day… xo ❤
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My milkweed has been blooming all summer. I saw some Monarchs early on as they migrated north, but none so far as they migrate south. Love, N 🙂 ❤
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It’s such a delight to spot these gossimer creatures…think they’ll be heading your way from way up north soon. Thanks for stopping by, Natalie. Have an amazing day! Hugs, Bette
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