Crowded!

So much action on this one smallish butterfly weed plant! This plant is in the hayfield that we have made a path along the edge of for our walking purposes. It was cut down when the hay was cut not much more than a month ago, but I was delighted to see that today it is back, blooming, and COVERED with butterflies. Plus - can you see the monarch butterfly caterpillars? There are two in this photo. There were at least three on the plant that I could see. Butterfly weed is one of the milkweeds - a particularly pretty one. I used to have one in my garden, but it disappeared. This one has been coming up in this hayfield for years and years. It will probably be cut again before it sets seed - it gets mowed down twice every growing season, because it's in a hayfield. I'd like to get some seed from it, but it's not likely to happen. And it's next to impossible to transplant because it has a very very long taproot.

I'm going to add an extra - another of those Eastern amberwings - but I think this one is probably a female. Look at her FACE!!!!