September 3rd: Birds do it, bees do it, and this is how monarch butterflies do it. The male has his wings outstretched. The thin black dot near the bottom of his wing contains a scent which has attracted this female. The fact that this pair is mating means they won't be flying south this fall. Their offspring will do that, being born without active sex organs, so they will have the strength to head to Mexico. If they get there, next spring, they will breed, with newly matured sexual organs. Their parents, seen here, have a lifespan of just 3-5 weeks as butterflies. Their great-great-grandparents arrived in Toronto this past spring. Die young, stay pretty?
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