A monarch butterfly lands on a Verbesina alternifolia which is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family. Its common name includes wingstem or yellow ironweed and is native to North America. The monarch butterfly makes its way south for the winter during the monarch migration which lasts from September through November as they travel thousands of miles to warmer, southern environments. If you have a recent photo that showcases the beauty of the Mid-Ohio Valley, submit it to Art Smith at asmith@newsandsentinel.com for possible inclusion on this page. See more photos at instagram.com/parkersburg.news.and.sentinel. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

A monarch butterfly lands on a Verbesina alternifolia which is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family. Its common name includes wingstem or yellow ironweed and is native to North America. The monarch butterfly makes its way south for the winter during the monarch migration which lasts from September through November as they travel thousands of miles to warmer, southern environments. If you have a recent photo that showcases the beauty of the Mid-Ohio Valley, submit it to Art Smith at asmith@newsandsentinel.com for possible inclusion on this page. See more photos at instagram.com/parkersburg.news.and.sentinel. (Photo by Amber Phipps)