An Aphrodite fritillary butterfly feeds ons the goldenrod flower
This beautiful wildflower is called a goldenrod. These are perennial flowers that are found throughout Maine. They scatter the mountainsides in the summer months. This photo was taken in Bethel, Maine (a small town of ~2500 people).
These large yellow flowers can grow to over three feet tall. Taking advantage of the pollen in this photo is an Aphrodite fritillary. These North American butterflies can be found in the summer months throughout the United States. They usually grow 2”-3” in size. Their erratic flying and beautiful white, black, and orange pattern make this an easy one to identify, but a tricky one to photograph.
Did you know? Thomas Edison experimented with goldenrod. He was trying to use goldenrod to make rubber (which goldenrod contains naturally). One of his experiments yielded a twelve-foot-tall plant!
Another fun fact! Henry Ford (Thomas Edison’s friend) gave Edison a Model T. The tires on that Model T were made from goldenrod.
Thomas Edison experiments with goldenrod
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