Milkweed popularity II
A second shot with a Pipevine swallowtail butterfly (Battus philenor) as well as a skipper gathering nectar from the Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) blossom. My butterfly source says: "They feed on chemically noxious pipevine plants like snakeroot and Dutchman's pipe. These caterpillars are able to build up an internal store of the distasteful chemical that stays with them as they develop. This renders the adult butterfly unpleasant to eat, so birds, reptiles, and other predators learn to avoid eating caterpillars and butterflies. Other butterflies with similar coloring benefit from the Pipevine Swallowtail's bitter-tasting reputation." This reference doesn't mention the milkweed plant.
Milkweed popularity II
A second shot with a Pipevine swallowtail butterfly (Battus philenor) as well as a skipper gathering nectar from the Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) blossom. My butterfly source says: "They feed on chemically noxious pipevine plants like snakeroot and Dutchman's pipe. These caterpillars are able to build up an internal store of the distasteful chemical that stays with them as they develop. This renders the adult butterfly unpleasant to eat, so birds, reptiles, and other predators learn to avoid eating caterpillars and butterflies. Other butterflies with similar coloring benefit from the Pipevine Swallowtail's bitter-tasting reputation." This reference doesn't mention the milkweed plant.