Is It a Good Year For Monarchs?

I know nothing about them, but see many in the garden. But as soon as I ran in the house and got the camera, they got scarce! Take a peek:

[Update – see, like I said, I know nothing! My friend Scott Olson advises that this is not a monarch, but an  Eastern Tiger Swallowtail! Hahaahha! But that’s one of the beauties of life (and the intertubes) – constant learning!