“Bumble-Bee-in-Blue” by Anita Willbrand

Plant(s): Blue Lobelia, Lobelia siphilitica
Photo Story: I am slowly incorporating natives to my garden areas and have been pleasantly surprised at the number of tiny bees and bumble bees that nectar daily on this blue lobelia. It is a delight and sometimes a challenge to capture these winged insects on a mission!
Equipment: The camera on my iPhone 13.
Photo ID: 33060

“Monarch caterpillar on Butterfly Weed buds” by Nancy Dawn Van Beest

Plant(s): Monarch caterpillar (not yet a pollinator); Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa).
Photo Story: This beautiful monarch caterpillar was discovered one June morning on the butterfly weed in my front yard, planted the summer before. I was surprised and delighted to see the caterpillar so early in the summer; the flower buds weren’t even fully open. It appears as curious to see me as I was to see it!
Equipment: Apple iphone 12 Pro, the Wide Camera lens — 26 mm ƒ1.6.
Photo ID: 33061

“Compass Plant (with insect)” by Nancy Dawn Van Beest

Plant(s): Compass plant (Silphium laciniatum); unidentified flying insect.
Photo Story: Compass plants grow to be very tall, and attract a wide variety of insects. I was drawn to this beautiful, tall plant at a favorite prairie, and had to aim the camera up toward the flowers. It’s said that you could find your way in the dark by feeling the leaves; thus the name!
Equipment: Canon EOS REBEL T5i; EF-S18-55mm ƒ3.5-5.6 IS STM
Photo ID: 33062

“monarch-on-common_milkweed” by Cecilia Devlin

Plant(s): Paw paw-Asimina triloba, Common milkweed-Asclepias syriaca, Hazelnut-Corylus americana (top left of photo)
Photo Story: The photo was taken in my backyard.
Equipment: iPhone8
Photo ID: 33063

“Hummingbird and Marsh Blazing Star 8-27-2023” by Mike Humcke

Plant(s): Marsh Blazing Star, Female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
Photo Story: I was photgraphing a Marsh Blazing Star, and the ruby-throated hummingbird popped into the picture just as I clicked.
Equipment: Nikon Coolpix P900 4.3-357 mm
Photo ID: 33066

“Purple Cone Flower with surprise!” by Nancy Dawn Van Beest

Plant(s): Purple Cone Flower (Echinacea purpurea). (Unidentified flying insect.)
Photo Story: I’ve been enjoying the many moods and views of cone flowers along the south edge of the garden shed this summer. In the photo, I wanted to see if I could capture the tiny drops of dew deep in the right side of the flower’s cone. It was fun to see a flying insect enter the picture, as they very often do when I’m photographing there — part of the delight of native species in your backyard!
Equipment: Canon EOS REBEL T5i; EF-S18-55mm ƒ3.5-5.6 IS STM
Photo ID: 33067

“Obedient Plant with hungry guest” by Nancy Dawn Van Beest

Plant(s): Obedient Plant, white (Physostegia virginiana.)
Photo Story: On a walk at Fitchie Creek Forest Preserve, I was delighted to discover a group of gorgeous pink obedient plants and took many photos. At the end of the walk I discovered all the photos were overexposed, so I headed back down the trail to see if I could find them again. It was worth it — this time I found several groups in both pink and white! This one was particularly elegant.
Equipment: Canon EOS REBEL T5i; EF-S18-55mm ƒ3.5-5.6 IS STM
Photo ID: 33068

“Fly on Rattlesnake Master” by Jeremy Smith

Plant(s): Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium)
Photo Story: Taken in my backyard garden. This is part of a native plot started three years ago.
Equipment: Canon Rebel T1i with EF 75-300mm lens
Photo ID: 33071

“Bee And Anise Hyssop” by Jeremy Smith

Plant(s): Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Photo Story: Taken in my backyard garden. This is part of a native plot started three years ago.
Equipment: Canon Rebel T1i with EF 75-300mm lens
Photo ID: 33072

“Peck’s Skipper on Joe Pye Weed” by Nancy Dawn Van Beest

Plant(s): Peck’s Skipper (Polites peckius), Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
Photo Story: Peck’s Skipper is a tiny butterfly and I almost didn’t see it in the Joe Pye Weed, which was outdoing itself with color. The long proboscis makes an appearance as the butterfly searches for nectar in the abundance of pink blooms.
Equipment: Canon EOS REBEL T5i
EF-S18-55mm ƒ3.5-5.6 IS STM
Photo ID: 33073

“Autumn Dew” by Courtney Denning

Plant(s): Heath Aster (Aster ericoides) and Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
Photo Story: The colors in my Pocket Prairie are usually bright and vibrant shades of yellow, purple, pink, and orange. But when fall arrives, the colors soften. Heath Aster blooms with clusters of white petals, and the bronze leaves of Showy Goldenrod highlight their fading yellow flowers. The many ripening seed pods of blazingstar, aster, milkweed, and grasses add shades of brown, tan, and grey to the little prairie. I love this visual reminder that fall is coming, a time to slow down and rest like the plants and many creatures I share my outdoor home with are preparing to do.

The dew on the flowers in the morning is an extra delight I look forward to seeing and photographing on foggy mornings in the garden.
Equipment: iPhone 13 Pro
Photo ID: 33075

“Magenta Bloom” by Courtney Denning

Plant(s): Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea)
Photo Story: I have a lot of favorite native plants, but Purple Prairie Clover is definitely in the top tier of that long list. I love the contrast of the soft, feathery leaves against the dazzling magenta-purple blooms. The first time I saw a bumble bee frantically collect its red-orange pollen was a delightful surprise. Purple Prairie Clover is a slow-growing plant in my Pocket Prairie, but it’s well worth the wait.
Equipment: iPhone 13 Pro
Photo ID: 33076

“Rocky Blooms” by Courtney Denning

Plant(s): Bird’s Foot Violet (Viola pedata)
Photo Story: I’ve always loved violets. They look magical in the spring, popping up in the woods or lawns (of people who let them). When I learned of the many different species of violets native to my home state of Ohio, I wanted to invite as many as I could to my gardens. This Bird’s Foot Violet is growing in a garden bed I filled with sand and gravel to improve the drainage of my heavy clay soil. It is doing well, and I look forward to its enchanting spring and fall blooms.
Equipment: iPhone 13 Pro
Photo ID: 33077

“Well good morning my Friend” by Kimberly Downs

Plant(s): Deer among tall prairie grass and grapevines
Photo Story: During an early morning watering of my organic heirloom roses and garden, this majestic creature came to visit. After my initial greeting, she then found a spot next to our garden and lied down in the grass. One of my best gardening moments ever.
Equipment: iPhone
Photo ID: 33078

“Faceoff” by Nan Pokerwinski

Plant(s): Fritillary butterfly on purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Photo Story: One of many fritillaries and other pollinators on the native coneflowers in my front yard garden this year.
Equipment: Nikon Z 6 II camera; Nikon 105 mm macro lens
Photo ID: 33080

“Swallowtail” by Nan Pokerwinski

Plant(s): Tiger swallowtail (Papillio sp.) on native purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Photo Story: Swallowtails are occasional, but much-appreciated, visitors to the native species in my front-yard garden.
Equipment: Nikon Z6 II camera; Nikon 105 mm macro lens
Photo ID: 33081

“Monarda Macro” by Nan Pokerwinski

Plant(s): Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Photo Story: Seed head from a plant growing wild in the gas pipeline right-of-way that runs across our property. I have planted various other natives in that area, but the ones that come up volunteer are doing best.
Equipment: Nikon Z6 II camera; Nikon 105 mm macro lens
Photo ID: 33083

“Planting sunshine” by Catherine McKenzie

Plant(s): Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata), False sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)
Photo Story: A few years ago my friends sowed a couple of acres with native plant seed. They have been enjoying the prairie progression ever since. This year they loved the explosion of pinnate prairie coneflower!
Equipment: Nikon D850 16-35 mm f/4
Photo ID: 33084

“Opening” by Nan Pokerwinski

Plant(s): Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Photo Story: I find the green, opening flowers at least as beautiful as the fully opened, colorful blossoms. Every year I can’t resist photographing a few and marveling at their intricacies.
Equipment: Nikon Z6 II camera; Nikon 105 mm macro lens
Photo ID: 33085

“New hobby” by Catherine McKenzie

Plant(s): Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)
Photo Story: A few years ago my friends sowed a couple of acres with native plant seed. They have been enjoying the prairie progression ever since. This year they loved the explosion of pinnate prairie coneflower! They commented on how many more insects and butterflies they are seeing.
Equipment: Nikon D850 16-35 mm f/4
Photo ID: 33086

“Poppy Potential” by Nan Pokerwinski

Plant(s): Wood poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum)
Photo Story: Flowers just opening on one of several wood poppies I planted along a path on our property several years ago.
Equipment: Nikon Z6 II camera; Nikon 105 mm macro lens
Photo ID: 33087

“Spring salix discolor” by Catherine McKenzie

Plant(s): Salix discolor
Photo Story: Four years ago we planted most of our small urban lot with native plants, including this pussy willow (Salix discolor). It is always a treat to see it bloom after a long winter. The bees are happy to see it as well!
Equipment: Nikon D850 200-500 f/5.6
Photo ID: 33088

“Wintering” by Nan Pokerwinski

Plant(s): Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Photo Story: I noticed these snow-capped seed heads on my way to the mailbox one wintry morning and appreciated their stark beauty.
Equipment: Nikon Z6 II camera; Sigma 18-300 mm lens
Photo ID: 33089

“Cup plant sunshine” by Catherine McKenzie

Plant(s): Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
Photo Story: Four years ago we planted most of our small urban lot with native plants, including two tiny cup plants. I was not familiar with them, but I saw in the description that they would grow tall so I positioned them in the back of the bed, luckily! They have proudly reigned over the garden ever since! The cup plant brings so much life to our yard – bees, butterflies, birds, and even the chippies love it. They are one of my favorite plants.
Equipment: Nikon D850 70-200 f/2.8
Photo ID: 33090

“Swamp milkweed stages” by Catherine McKenzie

Plant(s): Swamp or Rose Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Photo Story: A few years ago we bought some wetland acreage and we have been thrilled to see the amount of swamp milkweed that has emerged out of the seed bank, once the invasive monoculture of reed canary grass was removed. There are always monarchs flitting around the field during the summer.
Equipment: Nikon D850 105 mm f/2.8
Photo ID: 33092

“Milkweed for Breakfast” by Alice Kahn

Plant(s): Annual milkweed, monarch caterpillars, and an ant (unknown variety)
Photo Story: Although the monarch caterpillars are quickly seen in this photo, look closer at the pollinator ant climbing the stem of the annual milkweed. I have seen ants whose legs have been trapped in milkweed flowers, but this one is not so unlucky.
Equipment: iPhone 14 Pro
Photo ID: 33093

“Prairie at the end of the Driveway” by Alice Kahn

Plant(s): Annual milkweed (foreground), Prairie dock and Cup Plant in the background.
Photo Story: I turned the dry, sunny area at the end of my driveway into a native plant garden. In this photo, the blazing stars have already gone to seed, and the cup plant flowers are on their way out. However the milkweed is holding on, as are wild ageratums and coneflowers, although they are not visible in this photo. This little “prairie” hosts lots of pollinators, as well as many birds, mammals and a few reptiles.
Equipment: iPhone 14 Pro
Photo ID: 33095

“Winecup” by Catherine McKenzie

Plant(s): Purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata)
Photo Story: I’ve been adding these purple poppy mallow to the fronts of our garden beds and they never fail to delight with their brilliant little winecup flowers! My neighbor requested these when we planted a native garden for her.
Equipment: Nikon D850 200-500 mm f/5.6
Photo ID: 33099

“Wild about gardens” by Catherine McKenzie

Plant(s): Tall joe pye (Eupatorium fistulosum), Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa, Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Sweet coneflower (Rudbeckia subtomentosa), Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
Photo Story: We planted all these and more in the front garden of our small urban lot four years ago. They were all tiny plugs and we didn’t know quite what would happen, being new to native plants at the time. It’s a wild look but contained with a brick border and the sidewalks. This garden has become a haven for bugs, birds, and bees of all types. Several neighbors have added native plants and whole native gardens to their yards since then. Walkers and bikers and even the occasional driver pulls over to tell me how much they like it. We have not gotten a single negative comment.
Equipment: Nikon D850 16-35 mm f/4.0
Photo ID: 33103

“What will you do for a blazing star?” by Catherine McKenzie

Plant(s): Meadow blazing star (Liatris ligulistylis)
Photo Story: If you plant it, they will come. Meadow blazing star brings all the monarchs to the yard. We only have one spike of it currently, due to the bunnies, but there are monarchs on those 8 little blooms for hours each day. This one was a little faded and threadbare, and thrilled to find this meadow blazing star!
Equipment: Nikon D850 200-500 mm f/5.6
Photo ID: 33104