flowers in three phases

milkweed flowers in three states of maturity. large leaves typically obscure milkweed flowers, so i had never realized before today that the pink flowers turn a kind of dull yellow as they age. you can see the latex dot where i removed a leaf so we could appreciate the flowers better. there is milkweed blooming everywhere right now, but everyone is telling me that they are not seeing many butterflies this year. it has got me concerned. life without butterflies would be more than this naturalist could handle.

milkweed flowers (Asclepias syriaca)