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[bvar22]

The Purple Thistle (Canadian Thistle) is blooming in Minnesota. It is an invasive species, and is on the Minnesota Department of Agriculture list as "Prohibited noxious weeds". It is a nightmare for Grain and Cattle farmers, and has cost $Millions in failed attempts to control.
http://www.truehealth.org/acanthis.html
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/herbaceous/canadathistle.html

In spite of its bad reputation, I find the blooms beautiful. So do the Monarch Butterflys, and indigenous species in decline in this area. My Summer Quest is to take a GOOD Macro picture of a Monarch on a Thistle bloom.
The Thistles are quite cooperative. The Monarchs are very shy.
The following pictures are from yesterday's failed Quest.

All pictures taken with Nikon D200 & Nikon 18-200mm VR lens @200mm (Full Zoom)
ISO 100 Aperture Priority @ F/5.6
Manual Focus
Tripod, 1/2sec shutter delay, and remote shutter trigger, VR Off
Distance from subject approximately 15" (minimum for this lens which is not a Macro (Micro) lens)

NO post processing beyond cropping and resizing. All pics are straight from the camera in JPG format.



Canadian Thistle Bloom


100% crop from above photo





Younger Thistle Bloom


100% crop from above photo







Not sure exactly what this is. Giant Dandelion?


100% crop from above










These last photos were handheld
ISO 100 Aperture Priority @ F/5.6 SSPeeds below 1/200 VR On
Manual Focus



100% crop from above photo





I have ordered a set of Kenko Macro spacer tubes.
I want to get a little closer, and use this lens in its midrange where it is sharpest.

I am still questing for the Monarch on the Thistle. I am hoping to being able to slowly sneak up on one, but so far this method has had no results. The Monarchs are too shy.

[TahitiNut]

1. "an invasive species"??? So, the bigotry against illegal alien

... plants continues in Minnesota, huh? What's wrong with people? (Sheesh) I think amnesty is the only humane answer. After all, they're only growing where American plants won't grow, as you say ("indigenous species in decline in this area). (People who say otherwise must be specists.) Just because they grow cheaper shouldn't be held against them - they're just trying to live. (Coyotes bring them across the border.) It's unreasonable to think we can round them up and remove them.


:evilgrin:

[bvar22]

2. Someone should tell the "MinuteMen".

I demand a border fence.
You would think Canada would take some responsibility for their own!
:rofl:

[Blue_In_AK]

3. Ah, yes, the dreaded invasive species...

We have that issue up here, too, mostly with the dandelions, which I personally look forward to each year because they're the first thing to bloom each spring. Now, our local garden nazis are even harping on the venerable "May Day tree," which, granted, spreads like crazy, but looks beautiful when in full bloom. We have a huge one at the front of our property, and they'll take it down over my dead body. (Not my photo, but you get the picture.)



Your thistle pictures -- well, all of these, actually -- are really beautiful. I love the clarity.