Narrow-Leaf Milkweed Fairies - August 26, 2023

 My narrow-leaf milkweed is letting loose its fairies.  

At least, I always called them fairies.  As a child, my friends and I would catch a fairy, make a wish, and blow it away again.  Apparently they are properly called "fluffs," but that isn't nearly so fun!  I read online that in some parts of the U.S. the wishes went to the North Pole for Santa.  We had general wishes, not necessarily for toys!  Turns out there's a children's finger-play poem.

In a milkweed cradle, snug and warm - make a fist

Baby seeds are hiding safe from harm.

Open wide the cradle, hold it high - open hand and hold it in the air

Come along wind, help them fly. - wiggle fingers or blow into the air 

This pretty bug, and it is a bug, a true bug, is a Small Milkweed bug.  Their larvae eat the seeds, which sounds bad, but it's actually beneficial in keeping milkweed from taking over!  I only learned this last year.  Before that I was removing them.   I still had plenty of milkweed, and there aren't very many bugs anyway.

I took this photos this morning, as the AQI is almost down to the orange Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.  I didn't stay out long, Unhealthy red is still not good to breathe.