Zoom in on - Butterflies

Photographing the fast fliers requires patience, but these snapshots from readers prove it's worth the wait.

Most of the sunflowers in my New Jersey garden bloom in August. I also have an abundance of fresh milkweed on my property, which invites monarch butterflies. One early afternoon, when the clouds provided some filter from the harsh sun, I photographed a monarch and a bumblebee on one of the sunflowers. I just love the combination of the butterfly, bee and flower together. It celebrates the height of the season.

Cheryl Fleishman WANTAGE, NEW JERSEY

A close-up look at this fiery skipper on a coneflower offers lots of details. I saw the tiny butterfly near the Calypso Cove Marina on Lake Thunderbird State Park in Norman, Oklahoma.

Stephen Ofsthun NORMAN, OKLAHOMA

This painted lady stopped and sunned itself on my hydrangeas for a long time. I was able to get several wonderful shots using a Canon EOS Rebel T7.

Ashley Veatch SEARCY, ARKANSAS