7/16/19, LINCOLN, NE - For spells during a week or two in July, Monarch Butteries performed aerial combat in the backyard. They fed on a lone blooming liatris, then seriously fought, banging wings and long-extended legs while airborne. Driven by food or territory, they battled until apparently exhausted. I captured this series during the early evenings with a lens at 70 mm at f/3.5 between 1/4000th and 1/6400th a second. Because of their rapid movements and changing positions, approximately one in 20 shots were in focus. The shooting fatigued me. I have not previously observed such recurring behavior.