Milkweed Seed Pod

Here is the larger view of the milkweed pod with the seeds inside.

 

A sure sign of summer is when the common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is in bloom. You’ll find this plant in fields, meadows, and along roadsides. If you find milkweed, you’re also likely to find monarch butterflies. Monarchs need milkweed to survive. The butterfly lays its eggs on milkweed plants. The growing larvae (caterpillars) eat milkweed leaves. These leaves contain toxins- poisonous chemicals. These toxins don’t hurt the caterpillar, but they do make the caterpillar poisonous to most predators. Because it eats milkweed leaves as a caterpillar, the monarch butterfly is also poisonous. The survival of the monarch butterfly depends on this self-defense system provided by the milkweed.

 

More here: Sign of Summer - Monarchs and Milkweeds

Done