“BB on Lupine” by Steve Schmidt

Plant(s): Lupine
Photo Story: Hiking to where I know will be a beautiful patch of Lupines, I no doubt will find a bee checking them out.
Equipment: Nikon D7200 w/ Tamron 150-600mm.
Photo ID: 32478

“Monarch on BFW” by Steve Schmidt

Plant(s): Butterfly Weed; Monarch
Photo Story: At first I was struggling to find and capture one of the many Monarchs here in Illinois Beach State Park, as they were sure elusive! This one stayed put for a while. I chose this shot because of the back light adding to the wing pattern.
Equipment: Nikon D7200 w/ Tamron 150-600mm.
Photo ID: 32479

“Happy Hour” by Jeff Culp

Plant(s): Fritillary butterfly (Argynnis Cybele); Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Photo Story: Fritillary butterfly (Argynnis Cybele) feasting on our Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Equipment: iphone 11 pro
Photo ID: 32483

“Ken Wellnitz monarch and meadow blazing star” by Ken Wellnitz

Plant(s): Monarch butterfly feeding on Meadow Blazing Star, liatris ligulistylis. The background color is created by Black Eyed Susans.
Photo Story: Photo was taken while the 4th generation monarchs were traveling to Mexico.
Equipment: Canon EOS rebel T2i with a Canon EF-S 60 mm macro lens
Photo ID: 32488

“Time to Unfurl” by Kathy Shafer

Plant(s): A Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe) and the Purple Fringeless Orchid (Platanthera peramoena)
Photo Story: My friend was taking pictures of the orchid when a hummingbird moth started flying around the flower. She called for me to come over but it flew away. I began to take pictures of the orchid when the moth returned. I started clicking away taking several photos! I was ecstatic to see I got an image of it ready to unfurl its proboscis and pollinate the orchid!
Equipment: Nikon Coolpix A900
Photo ID: 32489

“Little One” by Kelly Berg

Plant(s): Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) with monarch caterpillar, 1st instar
Photo Story: Taken in the our front yard native plant garden. All plants were from the MMSD sale in 2022.
Equipment: Iphone
Photo ID: 32491

“Monarch on coneflower” by RAY PINTER

Plant(s): Monarch on purple coneflower, also, Yellow coneflower
Photo Story: Photo taken in my butterfly garden started in 2016, approximately 35 species of plants, 90% native. Also, includes a butterfly puddling bath.
Equipment: Panasonic Lumix
Photo ID: 32492

“Female Regal Fritillary” by Marilyn Hessinger

Plant(s): Female Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia) on Asclepias (milkweed)
Photo Story: This endangered butterfly was seen on a guided tour at Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard Training Center in Pennsylvania. This protected grassland site provides the butterfly with its host plant the arrow-leaf violet (Viola sagittata).
Equipment: Cannon EOS R7
Photo ID: 32493

“Glorious rebirth” by Debbie Bunger

Plant(s): Monarch butterfly
Photo Story: After watching the chrysalis for several days, we were delighted to find the newly emerged monarch on Oct. 21, 2022
Equipment: Iphone 7
Photo ID: 32494

“Hummingbird Haven 3” by Mimi Sorkin

Plant(s): Red Buckeye-Aesculus pavia, Squaw-weed-Packera senecio, Columbine-Aquilegia canadensis, Wild Hydrangea-Hydrangea arborescens, Ostrich Fern-Matteuccia struthiopteris, Black Cohosh-Cimifuga racemosa, Pawpaw tree-Asimina triloba, Ohio Spiderwort-Tradescantia ohiensis
Photo Story: This shady understory garden at our yard’s edge is a soothing escape destination, quiet enough to hear an approaching Hummingbird on her way to sample the Columbine.
Equipment: Apple iPhone SE camera
Photo ID: 32495

“Hummingbird Haven 2” by Mimi Sorkin

Plant(s): Red Buckeye-Aesculus pavia, Squaw-weed-Packera senecio, Columbine-Aquilegia canadensis, Wild Hydrangea-Hydrangea arborescens, Ostrich Fern-Matteuccia struthiopteris, Black Cohosh-Cimifuga racemosa, Pawpaw tree-Asimina triloba, Ohio Spiderwort-Tradescantia ohiensis
Photo Story: This shady understory garden at our yard’s edge is a soothing escape destination, quiet enough to hear an approaching Hummingbird on her way to sample the Columbine.
Equipment: Apple iPhone SE camera
Photo ID: 32496

“Hummingbird Haven” by Mimi Sorkin

Plant(s): Red Buckeye-Aesculus pavia, Squaw-weed-Packera senecio, Columbine-Aquilegia canadensis, Wild Hydrangea-Hydrangea arborescens, Ostrich Fern-Matteuccia struthiopteris, Black Cohosh-Cimifuga racemosa, Pawpaw tree-Asimina triloba, Ohio Spiderwort-Tradescantia ohiensis
Photo Story: This shady understory garden at our yard’s edge is a soothing escape destination, quiet enough to hear an approaching Hummingbird on her way to sample the Columbine.
Equipment: Apple iPhone SE camera.
Photo ID: 32497

“Hummingbird Haven 4” by Mimi Sorkin

Plant(s): Red Buckeye-Aesculus pavia, Squaw-weed-Packera senecio, Columbine-Aquilegia canadensis, Wild Hydrangea-Hydrangea arborescens, Ostrich Fern-Matteuccia struthiopteris, Black Cohosh-Cimifuga racemosa, Pawpaw tree-Asimina triloba, Ohio Spiderwort-Tradescantia ohiensis
Photo Story: This shady understory garden at our yard’s edge is a soothing escape destination, quiet enough to hear an approaching Hummingbird on her way to sample the Columbine.
Equipment: Apple iPhone SE camera
Photo ID: 32498

“Floating” by Leslie Jordan

Plant(s): Sticky purple geranium (Geranium viscosissimum)
Photo Story: Hiking along a mountain stream I found this one geranium blossom that had been knocked off its plant by a recent hailstorm.
Equipment: I Phone 8
Photo ID: 32499

“Floating ll” by Leslie Jordan

Plant(s): Purple sticky geranium(Geranium viscosissima)
Photo Story: This is a cropped version of an earlier photo entered into this contest. I was hiking along a mountain stream when I saw this single geranium blossom that had been knocked off its plant by a recent hailstorm.
Equipment: I phone 8
Photo ID: 32500

“Monarch at Play” by Michile Stoutenburg

Plant(s): Buddleja davidii Butterfly Weed
Photo Story: I am mapping the Older Persons Commission gardens as a volunteer in the Late Bloomers Garden Club. While getting pictures of the flowers in bloom, along came this Monarch Butterfly and landed on the Butterfly Bush.
Equipment: My I phone camera.
Photo ID: 32501

“Home Sweet Home” by Michile Stoutenburg

Plant(s): Foeniculum vulgate Fennel Bronze
Photo Story: Michile Stoutenburg I shot this photo in Rochester Hills Michigan at the Older Persons Commission. I volunteer with the Late Bloomers Gardening Club at (OPC). I was gathering photos of plants to place on the mapping I am doing of the gardens at (OPC). Sandy our in house native plant gardener mentioned that she had seen several caterpillars in the butterfly garden while working there earlier. For sure, there was the caterpillar in residence.
Equipment: My I Phone camera
Photo ID: 32502

“Michigan lily (Lilium michiganense )” by Gerhard Stegemann

Plant(s): Lilium michiganense
Photo Story: grown from seeds
Equipment: cell phone camera
Photo ID: 32507

“Fox in Flowers” by J Samuel L Wharton IV

Plant(s): Daisies and clover
Photo Story: This fox often crosses the meadow I maintain beside my house.
Equipment: Nikon D70 with an 18/200 zoom lens
Photo ID: 32515

“Swallowtail on Evening Primrose” by J Samuel L Wharton IV

Plant(s): Swallowtail Butterfly on Evening Primrose
Photo Story: The Swallowtails love the Primroses that grow just to the East of my studio.
Equipment: Nikon D70 with 18/200 Zoom lens
Photo ID: 32517

“Cup Plant Cutie” by Mary Ellen Van Slembrouck

Plant(s): Tiger swallowtail female on Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
Photo Story: I was trying to photograph the female laying eggs on my neighbor’s Sweet Bay Magnolia and she decided to feed on my Cup plant ! This photo is taken in my front yard which is certified as a Monarch Waystaion and a Butterfly Habitat with NABA.
Equipment: My Apple cell phone
Photo ID: 32520

“Changing Instars” by Vicki Alldritt

Plant(s): Tall milkweed, Asclepias exaltata
Photo Story: The photo was taken on the grounds of the Washburn School District High School.
Equipment: Olympus Tough 6
Photo ID: 32521

“The Family Plant” by Rebecca Unger

Plant(s): Wild Geranium, Wild Ginger, Whorled Mountain Mint, Bee Balm, Rattlesnake Master, Royal Catchfly, Flowering Spurge, Columbine, Sweet Coneflower (Henry Eilers Rudbeckia), Staghorn Sumac
Photo Story: My family gathered in June 2023 from both coasts of the USA (including Sal, our gardening dog) to plant a native garden in place of a non thriving barely grassy parkway. The garden, designed by my horticulturist son, grows under an existing Crabapple tree on the south end and a freshly planted Sumac on the north end of the parkway. In addition to the Crabapple and the Sumac, the parkway has 17 types of native plants, most of which were resourced from the WestCook WildOnes native plant sale. The webinars, the conversations, and the gathering of plants that went into planning of this family garden will nurture me every time I step out of my house and every time I return home.
Equipment: For picture – Iphone was used
Photo ID: 32523

“Pink Lady’s Slipper” by Neal Bringe

Plant(s): Pink Lady’s Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium acaule)
Photo Story: On April 28th I went hiking for the first time in the hills of North Carolina and near the end of a day I saw this stunning wildflower that looked remarkably like a lady. I took several photographs and I think this one represented the special design of the flower well.
Equipment: Cannon PowerShot SX70 HS
Photo ID: 32524

“Labor of Love” by Rebecca Unger

Plant(s): Whorled Mountain Mint, Wild Ginger, Wild geranium, Bee Balm, Columbine, Elm Leaf Goldenrod, May Apple, Joe Pyeweed, American Spikenard and a Crabapple tree
Photo Story: My son is putting the finishing touches on the planting of our native garden by hammering in the edging hoops to offer just enough protection and definition of the space. My family gathered together in June, 2023 to plant this garden that was designed by my horticulturist son. Underneath the shade of an existing crabapple tree and along a sunnier spot near a freshly planted Staghorn Sumac, we gave our parkway a much needed new garden with 19 different species of flowers, grasses and trees. From the beginning conversations and planning, to the resourcing plants through native plant sales, to the actual planting, this has been a true labor of love.
Equipment: Photo – IPhone
Photo ID: 32525

“perfect pair” by Brian Killen

Plant(s): Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and green sweat bee (Augochloropsis metallica)
Photo Story: I started a native garden last year in my yard. I enjoy seeing the native pollinators that I find.
Equipment: iPhone
Photo ID: 32529

“Golden Digger Wasp on Rattlesnake Master” by Jill Anderson

Plant(s): Rattlesnake Master
Photo Story: Rattlesnake Master seems to be a favorite plant for this wasp. Although they are considered ‘solitary’, I watched three of them jockey for position on the “blooms” .
Equipment: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon Macro 100mm lens
Photo ID: 32530

“Frog Eggs” by Jane Slade

Plant(s): Northern Leopard Frog eggs
Photo Story: This was found in our water feature in the backyard of our home.
Equipment: Cyber-Shot by Sony DSC – W810
Photo ID: 32532

“Lucky shot” by Krista Rakovan

Plant(s): Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) and what I think is a hover fly
Photo Story: I was walking through the ML Red Trabue preserve in Dublin, Ohio, and the buttonbush was in bloom. I just happened to get this photo.
Equipment: iPhone 11
Photo ID: 32535

“Painted Lady feeding on a New England Aster” by Vicki Miller

Plant(s): Painted Lady (vanessa cardui) on New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-anglia)
Photo Story: I love taking photos of insects on my smart phone and don’t always see how beautiful my “photo capture” is until I come home and look at it on my computer. I love how I was able to capture this beautiful painted lady feeding on nectar on one of her favorite flowers – New England Aster.
Equipment: Smart phone – no special equipment.
Photo ID: 32536