Shared Moment: Milkweed Pod Cast

A photographer captures a cascade of seeds dispersing

• Photograph by Carolyn Derstine
• PhotoZone
• Sep 28, 2016

SUSPENDED BY A SILKY THREAD, a common milkweed seed—one of hundreds nestled in a single pod—seems poised to catch the next breeze in northeastern Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains. While many nature photographers train their lenses on colorful leaves in fall, Carolyn Derstine’s favorite autumn images feature the milkweed pods that burst open at this time of year. “This one especially appealed to me,” she says, “because of the angle of the pod and how the seeds seem to be just spilling down.”

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More from National Wildlife magazine and NWF:

Catering to Butterfly Royalty
Habitat Highways: Roadsides Provide Vital Sanctuaries for Pollinators
Garden For Wildlife: Plant Milkweed