126 MYSTERIES OF THE FLOWERS 



In watching the insects at work on the milkweed, 

 it is quite exciting to see their struggles for free- 

 dom, and to speculate whether they will shake them- 

 selves loose, or remain entrapped to die of starva- 

 tion. 



All the members of the Milkweed family possess 

 the mechanism described, including the gorgeous 

 butterfly-weed, shown in our coloured plate. 



Spreading Dogbane — Apocynum androscemifolium 



June-July 



This flower sometimes entraps and holds its eager 

 guests. The dogbane is a low shrub bearing pink- 

 ish white blossoms resembling the bells of the lily- 

 of-the-valley. Its stigma is two-lobed, with a notch 

 between, and in this notch the tongue of the insect 

 is sometimes held fast. The flower exudes a sticky 

 substance by which it cements its pollen to the 

 tongues of bees and butterflies. 



There is a beautiful beetle which is usually to 

 be found on this flower — the dogbane beetle, or 



Chry SOCKS auratus, as 

 brilliant as a jewel in 

 his armour of bur- 

 nished green. His 

 faithful attendance 

 DOG BANE suggests that he may 



