Butterfly Weed

I love the bright orange of the butterfly weed. Some came back from seed that I put in the ground last fall. I also planted some in pots this spring and moved them to the garden. Hopefully they will bloom this summer.

Butterfly Weed Seed

The seeds of the butterfly weed are so interesting. I love how it floats through the air on its white fuzzy carrier to arrive at it's future planting ground. This seed landed on a salvia for the time being. God made sure this beautiful wildflower will continue to thrive for the butterflies that love it.

Milkweed bug, oncopeltus fasciatus

Did some research and found the following websites and info on this bug at http://insected.arizona.edu/milkinfo.htm and http://www.whatsthatbug.com/ It is a milkweed bug, oncopeltus fasciatus. Here's some info copied from one of the sites above. "Habitat... Milkweed bugs are usually found in small groups on milkweed plants, often on the underside of the leaves. Milkweed plants sometimes fill entire fields in good years, but usually are found along roadways. The plant produces a milky white sap when a leaf is removed. These plants are large (3-4 feet high) with sprays of small white flowers in the summer. In the fall, seed pods develop which are 4 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. When the seeds ripen the seed pods open up releasing the seeds which float on fluffy white parasols. Milkweed bugs can be found on seed pods piercing the wall of the pod to feed on seeds. Predators ... Milkweed bugs have few predators because they concentrate in their bodies bad tasting compounds found in the sap of milkweed plants. The bugs use the bright coloration to advertise their bad taste. Inexperienced birds that taste their first milkweed bug are unlikely to try to eat another orange and black insect! Some insects that do not taste bad use similar color patterns to fool birds. These are known as mimics." HELP - Can anyone tell me what these insects are. They are only on the butterfly weed seedpods. I am assuming they are no problem since they aren't on anything else. I am planning to leave the plant until all the pods have opened and the seeds have floated away on their fluffy parachutes.

Butterfly weed seed pods

The butterfly weed (Asclepias Tuberosa) seed pods are very interesting. After they have turned brown and dried, the pods crack open and the seeds are dispursed as the wind blows them. This is a great plant for the garden to attract butterflies, moths, bees, etc.

Flowers July 5, 2009

Raindrops on canna lily leaves

Butterfly bush - purple in front and white in back

Plumbago

Collage of Zinnias

Butterfly weed

Butterfly weed buds