After the storms moved through yesterday, the bee and ant enjoyed the sunny and drier day as they gathered on the milkweed blossoms.
Bee and Ant
Picture of the Day for July 11, 2022
Some of the road ditches and fields are showing balls of color as the common milkweed begin to bloom. More than 450 insects species feed on the milkweed, including the ant at the top of the flower. The decline in milkweed plants plays a significant part in the monarch butterfly population decline.
Common Milkweed Blooming
Picture of the Day for July 7, 2018
The milkweeds are blooming and it is a complex flower. From a distance, they appear as pink globes, but on closer inspection more components of the blossom appears. But the insects don’t care about the names of the flower parts, just that they are attracted to its nectar.
Milkweed Blossom
Picture of the Day for July 28, 2017
At first glance, this moth is often mistaken as a hummingbird as it hovers above the flowers gathering nectar. The hummingbird clearwing is a moth of the Sphingidae (hawkmoth) family which have a wingspan around two inches, if you can glimpse the moving clear wings as it darts from flower to flower, like this milkweed blossom.
Hummingbird Clearwing Feeding
Picture of the Day for July 14, 2014
The milkweeds are starting to bloom and the milkweed is important to many species, especially the monarch larvae which appears to feed exclusively on milkweeds and the monarch butterflies need the milkweed to lay their eggs.
Some people eat the milkweed flowers, using them in stir-fly, soup, casseroles and other dishes (after you wash the bugs out first). I prefer to just look at them and take pictures of the blossoms instead of eating them and I will leave them for the monarchs butterflies instead.
Milkweed Blossom
