Natural History Wanderings

Yosemite National Park reports

You might notice there are some pink flowers beginning to bloom in Yosemite Valley’s meadows. These are showy milkweed, a special plant present in the Yosemite Valley. Showy milkweed defends itself from grazers by secreting a sticky latex when leaves are broken and is also poisonous to many animals. However, there are a few insects that have adapted in harmony with these plants. The showiest is the monarch butterfly, flitting around meadows on orange and black wings. Check out this episode of Yosemite Nature Notes and learn more about the relationship between monarchs and milkweed.