PHOTOS: Ekabhishek via Wikipedia and Ron Rowan via Urquhartbutterfly.com PHOTO:  Holli Webb Hearn At cycle’s end, the monarch chrysalis POPS open…an adult butterfly pushes its way out of its crystal sleeping bag to flutter and fly high up in the sky…then glide and soar on majestic wings to an unknown place 2,500 miles away to the Oyamel fir trees of Mexico or the cypress groves and eucalyptus trees of California…snuggling together with thousands for a long winter’s rest.

An “Angelversary” - a Monarch Butterfly Tribute from a Loving Mother to her Son On 7/4/2008, Melinda Bradley lost her son. He was killed in an automobile accident along with two of his friends. The family released butterflies in his memory on his first “Angelversary.” The gathering was at a house with a swimming pool and as the family dangled their feet in the pool talking and reminiscing … miraculously … three butterflies returned to the party. The family knew then, that these butterflies were special! Melinda is a mail carrier, and almost everyday, she sees a butterfly [...]

PHOTO: Lynn M. Rosenblatt, Photographer and Author Alabama State Insect Alabama designated the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) as the official state insect in 1989. Seven states have adopted the monarch butterfly as an official symbol. Alabama also recognizes an official agricultural insect (queen honeybee) and an official state butterfly and mascot (eastern tiger swallowtail). Alabama State Insect The migratory monarch is a native butterfly well-known to Alabama. Both caterpillar and adult butterfly are brilliant in color as a warning (the Monarch butterfly ingests toxins from the milkweed plant which are poisonous to predators). [...]