Pretty maids all in a row – there are over 140 known species of milkweed, which produce some of the most complex flowers in the plant kingdom. When a pollinator visits, often their legs are trapped by the spaces between the flower parts where a pair of pollen sacks wait to hook onto the insect’s leg. Upon struggling free, the insect carries its precious package to another flower. A complementary pair of leg-grabbing slots on another flower pulls the pollen sacks off and “hey presto”, flower sex! If you see some flowering, stop for a minute and watch the bugs get caught.

Pretty maids all in a row – there are over 140 known species of milkweed, which produce some of the most complex flowers in the plant kingdom. When a pollinator visits, often their legs are trapped by the spaces between the flower parts where a pair of pollen sacks wait to hook onto the insect’s leg. Upon struggling free, the insect carries its precious package to another flower. A complementary pair of leg-grabbing slots on another flower pulls the pollen sacks off and “hey presto”, flower sex! If you see some flowering, stop for a minute and watch the bugs get caught.

Leave a Reply