The conspicuous red-orange blooms of the wood lily are runway lights to certain overhead fliers, guiding them in for landing like air traffic control. Lilium philadelphicum requires a large vehicle for pollination; in our portion of the native flower’s range, the Eastern tiger swallowtail is the exclusive carrier. As the butterfly arranges itself to access the wood lily’s nectar, its wing gets painted russet by a perfectly positioned anther. It then taxis the pollen to the next lily, where it will inadvertently deposit the new cargo. Pictured is one of a handful of wood lilies growing in Truro on Bearberry Hill, a natural clearing with good visibility — the perfect spot for a botanical airport.
