New England aster

A backyard naturalist in Illinois photographed a male monarch butterfly feeding on a New England aster, sharing the image with tags calling for monarch conservation. Monarch populations have declined sharply in recent decades, and observers regularly document the butterflies on native plants like asters, which provide crucial nectar during the fall migration south to Mexico.

Montreal amateur photographer Réjean Leroux shared an October 1 photograph of an autumn flower, which he identifies as likely a New England aster. The image, edited with GIMP, is part of his personal nature photography work being shared with online communities interested in wildlife, plants and photography.