“Vibrant Summer Sunday” by Amy Williams

Plant(s): Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Photo Story: In the last couple of years I began transitioning my landscape to as many natives as possible. I have a few annuals for pollinators, but hadn’t had a ton of luck attracting them. That has completely changed with the addition of all our native plants. It fills my heart with joy!
Equipment: My husband’s iPhone!
Photo ID: 32960

“Monarch Butterfly on Meadow Blazingstar” by Ed Buchs

Plant(s): Liatris ligulistylis – Meadow Blazingstar
Monarch Butterfly -Danaus plexippus
Photo Story: This plant attracts monarch butterflies each year. This year due to drought the plant was not as strong as other years and while I usually see 14 or more monarchs, this year the most seen at one time was 4. This monarch provided an opportunity for a good close-up picture worthy of entry in the photo contest.
Equipment: Canon R6
Tamron 18-400 Telephoto Lens
Software for Raw processing Capture One.
Photo ID: 32961

“Widow Skimmer Dragonfly” by Ed Buchs

Plant(s): Petalostemum purpureum – “Purple Prairie Clover”
Libellula luctuosa – Widow Skimmer Dragonfly
Photo Story: I have had many dragonflies during the summer and while they are a predator on other insects, their presence is a good sign that there is ample insect population of other insects to feed on. This one perched on the spent flower of a Purple Prairie Clover which is now going to seed.
Equipment: Canon R6
Tamron 18-400 Telephoto Len
Capture One Software for RAW processing
Photo ID: 32962

“Sunrise at Home” by Ed Buchs

Plant(s): Tall Anemone/Anemone virginiana, Pennsylvania Sedge/Carex pensylvanica, Solomons Plume/Maianthemum racemosum, Anise Root/ Osmorhiza longistylis, Virginia Creeper/Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Jump-Seed/Persicaria Virginians, Solomons Seal/Polygonatum biflorum, Solomons Seal – Giant/Polygonatum commutatum, Blue Heart Leaved Aster/Symphyotrichum cordifolium, Burr Oak/Quercus macrocarpa, American Basswood/Tilia americana, Shag Bark Hickory/Carya ovata, Hackberry/Celtis occidentalis,Red Cedar/Juniperus virginiana
Photo Story: While taking an early nature walk at home I watched the sun come through my trees and took this photo. Our forest around the house is made up of Bur Oak, Shagbark Hickory, Basswood, Hackberry and Eastern Red Cedar. Woodland floor plants include Solomon Seal, Solomon Plume, Pennsylvania Sedge, Anise Root, Tall Anemone, Woodland Aster and Virginia Creeper among others.
Equipment: Canon 80D
Tamron 18-400 Telephoto Lens
Capture One Software
Photo ID: 32963

“Dragon Milkweed” by Roger Sorensen

Plant(s): Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca
Photo Story: While walking in the sunset hour I came upon this old, weathered and worn milkweed pod that was backlit by the setting sun. It reminded me of a dragon with a red, glowing eye.
Equipment: Canon DSLR
Photo ID: 32964

“Joe Pye Flowers at Home” by Ed Buchs

Plant(s): Spotted Joe-pye Eutrochium maculatum, Also seen is a Rusty Patch Bumblebee – Bombus Affinis
Photo Story: Joe Pye Flowers is one of my favorites for semi shade areas. It can get quite tall and has very large flowers. It is a favorite of pollinators in the late summer. This year a family of Rusty Patch Bumblebees have been enjoying the three week blooming period. The flowers are pretty by themselves and contribute to a great source of natural food for pollinators and seeds for birds.
Equipment: Canon R6
Tamron 18-400 Telephoto Lens
Capture One Software for RAW processing
Photo ID: 32965

“Brown Belt in Pollination” by Roger Sorensen

Plant(s): Brown belted bumblebee Bombus griseocollis, Blue wild indigo Baptisia australis
Photo Story: In summer my garden is always active with several species of bumblebees. Last summer (2022) was my first time have a Brown belted bumblebee visit with the Indigo was in full bloom.
Equipment: iPhone
Photo ID: 32966

“Monarch Flutter” by Barbara DeGraves

Plant(s): Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) & Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
Photo Story: Several years ago, I received a Swamp Milkweed seedling from a Wild Ones SoKY member. It grew well, producing some seeds that I harvested. That next winter I pushed some of the seeds into the wet ground near the original stem. Now, we have a nice cluster of about a dozen milkweed plants. Each summer I see a couple more Monarch Butterflies visiting the fragrant pink flowers. While photographing this female, I even got to watch her lay some eggs on the underside of the leaves!
Equipment: Canon 90D, 1/1600 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 2500, Canon EF-S Lens 18-135 mm
Adobe Lightroom
Photo ID: 32976

“Dutchmans Breeches in the Snow” by Ed Buchs

Plant(s): Dutchmans Breeches – Dicentra cucullaria
Photo Story: The Dutchmans Breeches in our yard bloom early each spring and are sought by dozens of Queen Bumblebees including Rusty Patch Bumblebees and other early pollinators. Occasionally we get late snows – the snow this year came when the flowers were in full bloom making for an interesting moment.
Equipment: Canon R6
Canon 50mm lens
Capture One Software
Photo ID: 32977

“Return to the Earth” by Courtney Denning

Plant(s): Meadow with grasses like Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia cespitosa) and Redtop (Agrostis gigantea), as well as forbs like Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa), and Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa).
Photo Story: Saint Kateri Preserve is a natural burial site in Calvary Cemetery, near where I live. I am interested in green burial for myself and found it soothing to visit and walk along the pathways in the preserve. Being part of this ecosystem after I’ve died is comforting to me. This small burial ground is full of life rather than a stark reminder of death.
Equipment: iPhone 13 Pro
Photo ID: 32979

“Rose Mallow blossoms in the Rain Garden” by Amy and Ryan Cutrell

Plant(s): Rose Mallow, Purple Coneflower, Black-eyed Susan
Photo Story: We first started planting in this area to stop the erosion from our neighbors’ storm water run off. We planted water-loving plants, and they thrived. Most importantly, the erosion problem ceased.
Equipment: cell phone
Photo ID: 32980

“Natives in the Front Yard” by Amy and Ryan Cutrell

Plant(s): Purple Coneflower, Wild Petunia, Golden Groundsel, Downy Skullcap, Royal Catchfly, Mountain Mint, St. Johns Wart, Dogwood, Katalpa, and Tulip Trees
Photo Story: Teen Advocates for Natives. At 15, Ryan Cutrell, won the St. Louis Chapter’s Front Yard Makeover in 2020 and expanded at every chance. Despite losing a large, Birch Tree to disease, we’ve continued on, planted trees and more wildflower and grass species in the front yard. Ryan hosted the summer tour in 2022 and hosted the August 2022 local meeting. Ryan is at DePauw University in his first year of college studying Environmental Biology. Joining the Wild Ones helped Ryan to “blossom.”
Equipment: cell phone
Photo ID: 32981

“Natives in the Front Yard” by Amy and Ryan Cutrell

Plant(s): Cup plant
Photo Story: Teen Advocates for Natives. Ryan spent time each day watching the various blooms and captured this beautiful butterfly. Ryan is at DePauw University in his first year of college studying Environmental Biology. Joining the Wild Ones helped Ryan to “blossom.”
Equipment: cell phone
Photo ID: 32982

“Natives in the Front Yard” by Amy and Ryan Cutrell

Plant(s): Maple Tree, Black-eyed susan, shinging Blue Star
Photo Story: Teen Cuts Honeysuckle, Replaces with Natives. In 7th Grade, Ryan Cutrell started cutting the honeysuckle behind his fence. He then replaced it with natives and planted a prairie rain garden in his backyard. Ryan is at DePauw University in his first year of college studying Environmental Biology. Joining the Wild Ones helped Ryan to “blossom.”
Equipment: canon6D
Photo ID: 32984

“monarch and coneflower” by Anne Bartels

Plant(s): Monarch butterfly on a purple coneflower
Photo Story: I like taking lots of photos in my gardens, and this monarch was very tolerant of getting its picture taken and staying still. This photo was submitted to a city contest for decorative wraps covering electrical boxes and it is now on an electrical box at a major intersection in downtown Marinette, WI.
Equipment: Canon powershot G7
Photo ID: 32985

“Swallowtail on Golden Alexanders” by Anne Bartels

Plant(s): Black swallowtail larva and Golden Alexanders in the garden
Photo Story: I take lots of photos in the gardens, and this guy was on the plant, making his way up to the flowers.
Equipment: Canon powershot G7
Photo ID: 32986

“Teen Goes Wild….Ones” by Amy and Ryan Cutrell

Plant(s): Background – Paw Paw and Black Walnut (formerly Honeysuckle). Foreground with Ryan (goldenrod, black-eyed susan, Cup Plant
Photo Story: Teen Cuts Honeysuckle, Replaces with Natives. Starting in the 7th Grade, Ryan Cutrell started cutting the honeysuckle behind his fence after watching the documentary Before the Flood. He then replaced it with natives and planted a prairie rain garden in his backyard to stop an erosion problem. You can see the Black Walnut and PawPaws in the background (in his subdivision’s common ground) with the prairie and Ryan in the foreground in his backyard. In the Environmental Fellows Program, Ryan is a freshman at DePauw University studying Environmental Biology. Joining the Wild Ones helped Ryan to “blossom.”
Equipment: canon6D Photo by Mike Heine (all Canon6D Photos are by Mike Heine)

Plus I meant to place the last photos of Ryan in camaraderie category. Sorry I’m a mess.
Photo ID: 32987

“Mockingbird with Black Chokeberry” by Richard Hitt

Plant(s): Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
Photo Story: I have several Black Chokeberry plants in my yard. Their fruit is always popular with birds in late summer. The plant in the picture is near a large window, so I can hang out inside and take pictures because the birds don’t notice me due to the reflection of outside in the window.
Equipment: Nikon Z7 body, Nikon FTZ Adapter, Nikon AF-S 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens
Photo ID: 32993

“Bharti-Katbamna-Hovering-Calligrapher-On-Bellflower-Stigma-2023” by Bharti Katbamna

Plant(s): Tall Bellflower (Campanula strum), Eastern Calligrapher (Toxomerus geminatus)
Photo Story: This magical image was taken at the Portage Creek Bicentennial Park in early July 2023 when hover flies are buzzing around the gorgeous bellflower stigma.
Equipment: Nikon D3200
Photo ID: 32995

“Fern Valley” by Kathleen Walsh-Piper

Plant(s): foliage
Photo Story: I saw this beautiful fall of leaves at Stacy Park, Olivette
Equipment: i phone
Photo ID: 32996

“Poppy” by Kathleen Walsh-Piper

Plant(s): California Poppy
Photo Story: Saw this poppy growing in fron of the hotel
Equipment: iphone
Photo ID: 32997

“Sweet Joe” by Mark Yost

Plant(s): Sweet Joe Pye Weed
Photo Story: Mark Yost
Equipment: iPhone 12
Photo ID: 32998

“Who, me?” by Nancy Mathias

Plant(s): Butterfly weed and monarch caterpillar
Photo Story: This butterfly weed was nestled into a small sunny spot between raspberries and traditional landscaping bushes on the south side of the house just for the monarchs. This little caterpillar posed in a question mark for a late afternoon photo.
Equipment: iPhone SE
Photo ID: 33000

“Pollinators busy on a native cone flower” by Brian McDonald

Plant(s): Carpenter bees and cone flower
Photo Story: Wild Ones membership is a household membership under Taylor Hixson ID: 99159
Equipment: samsung SM-S536DL
Photo ID: 33002

“Pollinator busy inspecting a cone flower” by Brian McDonald

Plant(s): Carpenter bee and cone flower
Photo Story: Wild Ones membership is a household membership under Taylor Hixson ID: 99159
Equipment: samsung SM-S536DL
Photo ID: 33003

“Heads or Tails” by Nancy Mathias

Plant(s): Butterfly weed and monarch caterpillar
Photo Story: Photo taken in side yard, in tiny garden beside raised raspberry bed. This little caterpillar found the butterfly weed planted just for him.
Equipment: iPhone SE
Photo ID: 33004

“Dragonfly Resting” by David Carson

Plant(s): Dragonfly resting on arrow arum
Photo Story: Watched a number of dragonflies flitting around a pond when finally one came to rest for a moment and I was able to capture it.
Equipment: Nikon D5000 55-300mm telephoto lens
Photo ID: 33006

“Hummer on Flame Azalea” by David Carson

Plant(s): Ruby throated hummingbird on flame azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum) which is an endemic native to this area.
Photo Story: This beautiful bird and plant found while walking the paths in the native plant collection of the Connecticut College Arboretum.
Equipment: Nikon D5000 with 300 mm telephoto
Photo ID: 33007

“Fern Shadow” by David Carson

Plant(s): Native Ferns and Fungi
Photo Story: Captured fern shadow cast on mushrooms along a trail at Devil’s Hopyard Sate Park
Equipment: Nikon D5000 with 300 mm telephoto
Photo ID: 33008

“Wintergreen Wonderland” by David Carson

Plant(s): Striped Wintergreen
Photo Story: Discovered this small world of wintergreen on the trail behind our house.
Equipment: Nikon D5000 300 mm telephoto
Photo ID: 33009