“Mayapple Glowing” by John Kreutzfeldt

Plant(s): Mayapple
Photo Story: Mayapples line the wooden sidewalk which leads to our front door. The flower is sometimes hard to see, so I got down low to take the picture. The flower was glowing in bright sunlight.
Equipment: Kodak EasyShare, DX6489
Photo ID: 32417

“Native home” by Katie Brown

Plant(s): Milk weed, Wild bergamot, Ferns, Swamp milkweed, Butterfly weed
Photo Story: Katie Brown
Equipment: Phone camera
Photo ID: 32418

“Buttonbush in September” by Jim Vallem

Plant(s): Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Photo Story: Photo was taken from the the Trail #2 boardwalk crossing the marsh, Indiana Dunes State Park, on September 29, 2022.
Equipment: Pixel 3 XL
Photo ID: 32422

“Bumble bee on new England aster” by Wendy Gochenaur

Plant(s): Bumble bee and New England aster, symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Photo Story: I have been growing a lot of natives in my yard for the last six years and New England aster is one of them. It flowered for the first time two years ago when this photo was taken. The bees love it.
Equipment: Just my iphone
Photo ID: 32423

“Busy-Busy Bee” by John Hanley

Plant(s): Coneflower
Photo Story: Photographed in my garden
Equipment: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
ƒ/1.7
81/7976.86mm
ISO64
Photo ID: 32428

“Giving Thanks” by Denise Gehring

Plant(s): Sugar maple (Acer saccharin)
Photo Story: After helping to make maple syrup this spring, 2 year old River spontaneously ran up to hug the sugar maple tree and then acted out drinking it’s sweet sap. Then said, “Love maple tree, grandma” on a Mother’s Day hike at Pete’s Woods.
Equipment: iPhone 11
Photo ID: 32433

“Lupine” by Justin Gish

Plant(s): A bumble bee (broadly speaking) on a lupine flower.
Photo Story: I took out my front yard during COVID lockdowns and planted native wild flowers. It’s now 2023 and things are going as planned.
Equipment: iPhone SE
Photo ID: 32435

“Swamp Candle Garden” by Jim Natale

Plant(s): Lysimachia terrestris, Swamp Candle
Photo Story: In a recently beaver flooded and drained marsh at the Woody Hill Management area I found a lovely patch of swamp candles!
Equipment: S22 phone camera
Photo ID: 32440

“Sitting Pretty” by Mary Harris

Plant(s): Purple Coneflower
Photo Story: Sitting in my pollinator bed.
Equipment: iPhone 11
Photo ID: 32441

“Midewin Bison” by Tom Scheidt

Plant(s): The American Buffalo’s scientific name is Bison bison. The mixed forage species are unknown.
Photo Story: This was my fourth trip down to Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and the first time I was able to see the bison up close. Looked liked a good calving season and there were plenty of calves staying close to their mothers.
Equipment: Nikon D7200 with a Tamron 100-400mm.
Photo ID: 32442

“Coneflower Pollinators” by Lynda Parker

Plant(s): Coneflower, Eastern Bumblebee, Eastern Tiger Swllowtail
Photo Story: I was typesetting the newsletter for our Wild Ones chapter, inluding an article about native blooms and pollinators. I was wishing I had a photo to include with the article. I took a break to walk my dog and came upon this in a neighor’s front garden bed. I was able to finish laying out our newsletter with the perfect photo!
Equipment: Samsung Galaxy S22
Photo ID: 32443

“Bee on Bergamot” by Lynn Tillson

Plant(s): Bumblebee on wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa).
Photo Story: My very first native plants, in 2021. I was amazed that the Bumblebee was so happy on the flower that it totally ignored the human with the square thing (my phone) in it’s hand!
Equipment: Samsung Galaxy S21 cell phone
Photo ID: 32444

“Hawk-eye mouse-slayer” by Neelanthi Vadivel

Plant(s): I believe it is a Broad-winged Hawk
Photo Story: Caught this lovely bird enjoying a freshly caught critter on my front lawn. I gingerly edged the door open so I could snap this image, 1 of 2 snapshots, before my battery died.
Equipment: Nikon D40
18-500 lens
Photo ID: 32451

“Monarch Paradise” by Mary Zeise

Plant(s): Asters & Monarchs
Photo Story: While walking the bike path in Saint Francis, Wisconsin, on a sunny fall day, I saw this Aster loaded with Monarchs. It took me a while to believe what I was seeing!
Equipment: Phone
Photo ID: 32455

“If You Plant It, They Will Come…” by Virginia Miller

Plant(s): Swamp Milkweed and Monarch Butterfly Caterpillars
Photo Story: I have 3 large groups of Swamp Milkweed in my backyard. For five years now, I have watched Monarchs lay eggs on the Milkweed, collected the leaves with eggs, and ‘raised’ the little guys from eggs to Butterflies, using my backyard plants to feed their ferocious appetites. When I dreamed of retirement life, never did ‘raising’ butterflies enter the picture…But I planted the Milkweed, and they came! There is an indescribable joy and peace that comes with nurturing the nature around us!
Equipment: Android Cell Phone
Photo ID: 32456

“Song Sparrow in Summer” by Kali Longworth

Plant(s): There is a song sparrow on top of a white pine.
Photo Story: Photographer: Kali Longworth

I took this photo a few weeks ago in my backyard, and loved the beautiful colors of both the bird and the tree as well as it’s contrast.
Equipment: DSLR camera, 200-400 mm lens.
Photo ID: 32458

“Brand New Monarch” by Susan Shopland

Plant(s): Monarch on swamp rose mallow
Photo Story: I have a marshy area on my property where I have planted rose milkweed and swamp rose mallow. The Monarchs love it. I came across this one hanging next to its chrysalis on the swamp rose mallow last October.
Equipment: iPhone
Photo ID: 32459

“Monarch on Coreopsis” by Kylie Schedler

Plant(s): Monarch Butterfly, Coreopsis
Photo Story: This photo was taken at my wonderful grandfather’s house. He is committed to providing a natural landscape and habitat for all species. The monarch sat perfectly still just long enough to take a picture!
Equipment: iphone
Photo ID: 32460

“Black Tiger Swallowtail” by Sandy McCreery

Plant(s): Black Swallowtail, Gray Dogwood
Photo Story: I was walking at Scout Lake and spotted the Swallowtail.
Equipment: iPhone 8
Photo ID: 32461

“Mallard Ducks and Lilly Pads” by Sandy McCreery

Plant(s): Mallard sucks and Lilly Pads
Photo Story: I was walking the trail at Scout Lake and spotted the ducks.
Equipment: iPhone 8
Photo ID: 32463

“Paw Paw in Bloom” by Suzanne Asaturian

Plant(s): Paw Paw Asimina triloba
Photo Story: I hike daily and especially in the spring. One of my favorite trails for wildflowers is Rocky Bluff Trail in Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge. The Paw Paw tree produces this delicate, yet beautiful flower which becomes a yummy fruit later in the spring/summer.
Equipment: Canon Camera and macro 100mm lens
Photo ID: 32465

“Nectar Landing Pad” by Suzanne Asaturian

Plant(s): Epalpus signifer fly on Harbinger of Spring flower
Photo Story: Trillium Trail in Giant City Park is full of diversity of flora and fauna. I frequent this trail to take photographs of spring flowers and their pollinators. I sat in the grass for an hour observing and photographing pollinators on the flowers. I love this fly with the iridescent glow from the sun.
Equipment: Canon Camera and 100 mm macro lens
Photo ID: 32466

“Serene Evening at the Refuge” by Suzanne Asaturian

Plant(s): Wild Roses and a beaver swimming
Photo Story: This photo was taken in the evening during a quiet walk at the refuge. I crouched quietly with my camera on a monopod and watched the beavers and muskrats swim back and forth along this narrow neck of the bay. I loved the reflection of the roses in the water and the quiet still of the water.
Equipment: Canon camera and zoom lens 100-400 mm
Photo ID: 32467

“Shooting Star in Denver” by Jen Bolger

Plant(s): Shooting Star Columbine, Aquilegia elegantula
Photo Story: Purchased seeds from Botanical Interests. Took a few years to bloom. But totally worth the wait.
Equipment: Canon Mark II
Photo ID: 32469

“Tufted Evening Primrose” by Jen Bolger

Plant(s): Tufted Evening Primrose, Oenothera caespitosa
Photo Story: Begged the High Plains Environmental Center Native Plant Nursery Manager Stephen Hornbeck for just one Tufted Evening Primrose. And he gave in.
Equipment: Canon Mark II
Photo ID: 32471

“Mirabilis & Hornworm” by Jen Bolger

Plant(s): Angels Trumpets, Mirabilis longiflora with Hornworm
Photo Story: Grew Mirabilis longiflora from seed (Select Seeds) and this Sphinx Moth caterpillar enjoyed the buffet.
Equipment: Canon Mark II
Photo ID: 32472

“Rocky Mountain Bee Plant” by Jen Bolger

Plant(s): Rocky Mountain Bee Plant, Cleome serrulata
Photo Story: One packet of seeds from BBB seed purchased several years ago has yielded a prolific Rocky Mountain Bee Plant patch, which all sorts of bees and hummingbirds enjoy.
Equipment: Canon Mark II
Photo ID: 32473

“Sea Holly Lady” by Jen Bolger

Plant(s): Sea Holly, Eryngium planum
Photo Story: One packet of seeds from Botanical Interests has yielded hundreds of baby plants. Takes a while to bloom, but when it does, it’s quite spectacular. Covered in aphids, this Ladybug enjoyed an All-You-Can-Eat.
Equipment: Canon Mark II
Photo ID: 32474

“Spiderwort” by Steve Schmidt

Plant(s): Spiderwort
Photo Story: My annual May trip over to the Nachusa area provides for many chances for birds, wildflowers and insects. This shot, the way the flower and it’s leaves are arranged, shows this nice example in a simple design w/in the frame.
Equipment: Nikon D7200 w/ Tamron 150-600mm.
Photo ID: 32476

“Last Year’s Milkweed” by Steve Schmidt

Plant(s): Milkweed
Photo Story: Hiking at Illinois Beach State Park, I ran across the many desiccated milkweed. In my viewfinder, behind the plant was tall grass swaying back and forth. When blurred as it is here, the grass creates an interesting backdrop to the subject.
Equipment: Nikon D7200 w/ Tamron 150-600mm.
Photo ID: 32477