ZEU 853

“ZEU 853”

Judy Royal Glenn Photography

I released this male monarch butterfly last year in memory of Todd Fielding Cooper who was tragically killed when he was only 16 years old. In this photo, the butterfly is drying his wings.

A small tag was placed on the butterfly, that I purchased from Monarch Watch, to track his migration. His specific tag letters and numbers were ZEU 853.

To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:

www.judyroyalglennphotography.com

 Location: Athens, Georgia

My Favorite Five – “Goliath”

My Favorite Five – “Goliath”

Judy Royal Glenn Photography

I decided before I post my best of nine Instagram posts for 2018, I would post my favorite five posts from 2018 and see what the difference is. It was hard making my decision and when I started compiling them, I noticed a trend. This year was the years of firsts. It was my first time raising monarch butterflies, photographing frozen soap bubbles, and getting to hold Lulu, a three-toed sloth, then photographing her. It was only my second year photographing black bears. I guess they are my new loves and that is why they all made my favorite five!

Backstory:

Goliath was a very large monarch caterpillar. He was nicknamed Fat Boy by my husband and me. I thought it would be nicer to have a more majestic name, hence the name Goliath. His Monarch Watch tag number is ZEU 843

Location: Athens, Georgia

To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:

https://www.judyroyalglennphotography.com

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Goliath

“Goliath”
Judy Royal Glenn Photography

Goliath was a very large monarch caterpillar. He was nicknamed Fat Boy by my husband and me. I thought it would be nicer to have a more majestic name, hence the name Goliath.

Location: Athens, Georgia

To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:

https://www.judyroyalglennphotography.com

Georgia

“Georgia”

Judy Royal Glenn Photography

Georgia is my first male monarch butterfly that I have raised from an egg. It has been a rewarding, yet arduous process. 

He wasn’t doing very well and wasn’t thriving. He would lie on his side and not do anything. I turned my guest bathroom into Georgia’s spa. I warmed the room with a small heater, cut up fresh orange slices, and made some honey water for him to feed on.

He got much stronger, and I released him two days later due to all the rain from hurricane Florence.

He was tagged with a special tag from Monarch Watch. This tiny tag can be used to track their migration to Mexico. If found, the tag should be reported through the Monarch Watch website.

Backstory:

I now have an inkling of an idea of how it feels to have lived in the depression. Milkweed, their source of food, was a rare commodity. I purchased one milkweed plant in the spring and a female monarch laid a billion eggs on it. I had to drive out-of-town to buy more because none could be found in Athens.

Those four plants I bought also had a billion eggs! This cyclical cycle played out over and over again leading me back to buy six more plants.

There were times that I did not know if I would have enough to feed my babies. I adopted three caterpillars to a friend and helped feed her monarchs from my plants knowing I may not have enough. 

Scraps of leaf bits fell into the pots, and I would scrounge up what I could to put in the center of the caterpillar cage to create a smorgasbord of food.

Another friend helped by giving me some of her milkweed, and she knew where I could adopt out some of my caterpillars. In total, I adopted out 26 caterpillars.

My friend that I adopted three caterpillars to knew someone which led to her bringing me two young milkweed plants. I now know I will have enough. The Lord provided milkweed right when I needed it!

Note how he has his head turned to look at me. I have never seen a butterfly do that!

Here is Georgia's spa:

To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:

https://www.judyroyalglennphotography.com

Location: Athens, Georgia