“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“Fawn” by Renee Benage

Plant(s): n/a
Photo Story: I was with a group on a botany walk at Shaw Nature Reserve when we spotted a deer. We stood and watched as first one, then two fawns appeared.
Equipment: Canon PowerShot SX70HS
Photo ID: 32547

“Mountain Goats Grazing” by Neal Bringe

Plant(s): Elephant Heads (Pedicularis groenlandica)
Photo Story: I was heading to a hiking trail on the Beartooth Highway. It was cold even at 10 AM in the morning. The morning sun was shinning on a steep mountainside, so I stopped to explore there first. I was delighted to see some of my favorite butterflies (Colorado Alpine) among the daisies and took many pictures. Then I was stunned to see a group of mountain goats heading up the mountainside grazing among the wildflowers. They were quite far off, but I to my delight I managed to capture this colorful photograph with a soft focus.
Equipment: Cannon PowerShot SX70 HS
Photo ID: 32558

“Bison on the Prairie” by Bryan Dahlvang

Plant(s): Bison in prairie grass
Photo Story: This photo was taken in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge near Lawton, OK
Equipment: Canon 80D with 150 – 600mm zoom lens
Photo ID: 32580

“Exoskeletons” by Besa Schweitzer

Plant(s): lady beetle larva, Mexican plum
Photo Story: Predators grow quickly eating the aphids off my plum tree.
Equipment: phone camera
Photo ID: 32635

“Woolly Aphids on Speckled Alder” by Christel Maass

Plant(s): Woolly Aphids, Speckled Alder
Photo Story: Woolly aphids clustered together on a speckled alder, a host tree for this insect.
Equipment: iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Photo ID: 32722

“Cooling Off” by Donna Kaffenberger

Plant(s): Flora: Lonicera sempervirons
Fauna: Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Photo Story: This si the view from our front window. The birds love to gather in the thick honeysuckle vines and enjoy the bird bath. On this day, the juvenile red-tailed hawk was claiming the birdbath for himself.
Equipment: iPhone X
Photo ID: 32749

“The weaver” by Jule Groh

Plant(s): Early Morning Roadside Spider web with Queen Anne’s Lace ,clover, and other invasives
Photo Story: Jule Groh
Equipment: I phone 14
Photo ID: 32775

“Hopper” by Jon Henry

Plant(s): Red-banded leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea) on a Savannah blazingstar (Liatris scariosa var. nieuwlandii)
Photo Story: This is one of so many remarkable creatures that have visited our yard since we planted natives from our local Wild Ones plant sale.
Equipment: Fujifilm X100S
Photo ID: 32781

“Milkweed and Friends” by Bill Wickers

Plant(s): Common Milkweed with Milkweed Beetles
Photo Story: There were lots of beetles on the milkweeds this day, this was my favorite.
Equipment: Sony a6
Photo ID: 32819

“Symphony In Green” by Angelika Brinkmann-Busi

Plant(s): Cup Plant ((Silphium perfoliatum) and tree frog
Photo Story: On a hot August day a tree frog looked for protection and possibly a little moisture on the joined, opposite leaves of a cup plant.
Equipment: Google Pixle 3
Photo ID: 32868

“Walking on the Edge” by David Silsbee

Plant(s): Red Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus) on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca).
Photo Story: Though one of the most common insects in my milkweed patch in July, I never tire of photographing the red milkweed beetle. This one is teetering along the edge of a milkweed leaf.
Equipment: Canon 5D Mark IV, 100 mm macro lens.
Photo ID: 32902

“Spider’s Umbrella” by Deborah Rees

Plant(s): Eastern harvestman spider and echinacea purpurea
Photo Story: On a rainy day I spotted this spider who found the perfect umbrella
Equipment: Nikon D3100
Photo ID: 32947

“Finches & Pinecone Feeder” by Barbara DeGraves

Plant(s): Branch with Lichens, Pinecone from an Eastern White Pine Tree (Pinus strobus), Pair of House Finches (Haemorhous mexicanus)
Photo Story: It’s a Bird…It’s a Pinecone…It’s a Bird Feeder… My local Wild Ones SoKY chapter was hosting their 2nd annual “Bird Feeder Make & Take” winter event. So, I decided to create some pinecone feeder photographs for their social media pages. For the photography stage, I made a feeding station using a fallen branch with lichens in our backyard. Then, the hungry birds arrived just as some flurries started to fall. I set my camera in the windowsill and whenever I notice some bird activity, I snap a few shots. The branch has some homemade bark butter on it as well as on the pinecone with some cranberries and white feathers.
Equipment: Canon 90D, 1/1000 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 2500, Sigma Lens 100-400mm
Photo ID: 32957

“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

“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

“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

“Goldfinches Feasting on Coneflowers” by SUZANNE ATKINSON

Plant(s): Goldfinch – Spinus tristis, Cone flower – Echinacea purpurea
Photo Story: I have always loved Cone Flowers. I live in a wooded area and don’t have a lot of sun in my yard. I do have a small strip of my back yard that gave me enough sun to plant an area full of cone flowers. Much to my delight, late in the summer the Gold Finch come and feast on the flowers.
Equipment: Nikon Z5
Photo ID: 33036

“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

“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

“Chippie and cuppie” by Catherine McKenzie

Plant(s): Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
Photo Story: I have photos of butterflies, bees, and birds on the cup plant so was thrilled to add the delightful acrobatics of this chipmunk going for what must be delicious and/or nutritious seeds!
Equipment: Nikon D850 200-500 mm f/5.6
Photo ID: 33108

“Lunch” by Gloria Powell

Plant(s): *Asclepias sullivantii (Prairie Milkweed) *Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Danaidae), caterpillar (Monarch caterpillar)
Photo Story: I caught this fat cat munching on a prairie milkweed in the backyard.
Equipment: iPhone 8
Photo ID: 33111

“Stop and wonder” by Judith Koch

Plant(s): Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) with little black ant (Monomorium minimum)
Photo Story: I was trying to capture a monarch butterfly visiting the common milkweed in my yard, but it moved quite a lot so I couldn’t get a good shot. So I decided to just focus on the milkweed when I noticed a small ant. I followed it and caught the moment it looked up and seemingly just stopped to smell the flower.
Equipment: Nikon D40 with an AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm lens and an ultraviolet filter
Photo ID: 33334

“Brood Parasitism” by Melanie Moser

Plant(s): Brown-headed Cowbird egg
Photo Story: The Brown-Headed Cowbird lays her egg in an established nest of a bird of another species. This is called Brood Parasitism. This nest was found 2 feet from our front door near many native plantings. Melanie Moser
Equipment: Google Pixel 3a
Photo ID: 33341