Open fullscreen
Filename arlene-kjar-rustyframed.jpg
Entry Title Rusty Framed
Location In my flower garden in Northfield, MN
Equipment I used my Kodak Camera Z1015 IS
Entry Story This is a Rusty Patched Bumble Bee. I thought the seeds from Partridge Pea, Cassia fasciculata, did a beautiful job in framing it.
Open fullscreen
Filename Barbara-DeGraves-Spring-Robin.jpg
Entry Title Spring Robing
Location My backyard in a Blackgum tree
Equipment Photographed 4-17-2020 Canon 90D, 1/2000 sec @ f/13, ISO 800, 100-400 mm F 5-6.3 Canon lens Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop
Entry Story The sky was blue on this warm spring day in April in southern Kentucky. The Blackgum tree in the corner of our backyard was one of the last trees to leaf out. I noticed this American Robin perched on a branch ready to take a Crane Fly it had just caught to its hungry offspring. I grew this Blackgum from a seedling and thus it was rewarding to see wildlife benefitting from the habitat created in our backyard.
Open fullscreen
Filename Barbara-Zvirzdinis-Transformation.jpeg
Entry Title Transformation
Location In my yard
Equipment Dslr Canon 60d. Macro lens and telephoto lens. I used Snapseed appt. I didn’t know how to add a digital name to my file so I’m putting it here. Barbara Zvirzdinis at transformation.jpeg
Entry Story Noticed a caterpillar on my native Rattlesnake plant (I only thought they ate Milkweed)so I was so excited. Few days later found the chrysalis on the same plant(I have only one). Eight days later took the pic of the wing showing. Then later that evening saw it on my Joe Pye blossom🙂. My native garden is only two years old so I was happy beyond belief.
Open fullscreen
Filename Bob-Hulse-INcoming…Bob_Hulse.jpg
Entry Title Incoming…
Location 106 Richardson St, Lookout Mountain, TN
Equipment Olympus EM1-2, 300mmF4, mF4, 1/3200 sec, ISO 640, Post Production in CaptureOne. cropped to 16X10 for a screensaver.
Entry Story This pipeline swallowtail was easing around the meadow stopping at all of the Cupplant flowers and I was lucky enough to catch it in focus.
Open fullscreen
Filename CatherineBrylaBumbleBeeOnAster.jpg
Entry Title Bumble Bee On Aser
Location my back yard
Equipment canon power shot sx70
Entry Story This bumble bee spent an afternoon in the pollinator garden behind our garage.
Open fullscreen
Filename CatherineBrylaRedAdmiralButterflyOnBlackEyedSusan.jpg
Entry Title Red Admiral Butterfly On Black Eyed Susan
Location my back yard
Equipment canon power shot sx70
Entry Story This butterfly spent at least a half an hour basking in the sun and visiting flowers one afternoon in our backyard.
Open fullscreen
Filename Cathy-Streetts-Common-Eastern-Bumble-Bee-Bombus-impatiens-on-on-New-England-Aster-Symphyotrichum-novae-angliae.jpg
Entry Title Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens) on on New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Location My native home garden – Darien IL
Equipment Samsung S5
Entry Story I absolutely love New England Asters and the buzz that surrounds them late in the season. They are wonderful pollinator plants and the variety in color makes for a beautiful scene. If you wander up to a lone plant you can observe many different species enjoying the nectar. It also serves to help fuel up the monarch butterflies as they migrate.
Open fullscreen
Filename Cathy-Streetts-Two-spotted-Bumble-Bee-Bombus-bimaculatus-on-Wild-Bergamot-Monarda-fistulosa.jpg
Entry Title Two-spotted Bumble Bee (Bombus bimaculatus) on Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Location Chestnut Park rain garden, Darien IL
Equipment Samsung S5 phone camera
Entry Story This Two-spotted Bumble Bee was a nice find on a July day as the Wild Bergamot were showing their beauty and importance for native pollinators. This park was converted to a rain garden featuring native plantings a few years ago. I serve on Darien Garden Club’s board and we encouraged the Darien Park District board to change the turf lawn into a native plant rain garden along with other organizations. This project was completed with help, funding and encouragement from many organizations including the Darien Park District, the Gift of Carl Foundation, and The Conservation Foundation. I have visited the park weekly to photograph the changes in the floral and fauna and use the photos to encourage others on our club’s Facebook page as well as sharing the success with my WO’s chapter, West Cook.
Open fullscreen
Filename Cynthia-Cieckiewicz-Stocking-Up.jpg
Entry Title Stocking Up
Location My yard
Equipment iPhone 8, iOS 13
Entry Story I saw this beauty enjoying my New England Asters as I was getting the mail from our mailbox. The evening shadows really made the purples, yellows and blacks pop against the Asters’ green leaves.
Open fullscreen
Filename Daniel-Cruikshanks-Little-Critter.jpg
Entry Title Little Critter
Location Kalamazoo Nature Center
Equipment Nikon D5000 with Tamron 80-300 macro lens. edited with Picasa 3
Entry Story On an afternoon hike at the Kalamazoo Nature Center, we came across this huge caterpillar feeding in a plant. This little one was three inches long and making short work of the plant!
Open fullscreen
Filename Danielle-Bell-Painted-Lady.jpg
Entry Title Painted Lady
Location my front yard in Glendale, WI
Equipment Canon Rebel was used to take this photo
Entry Story Many people recognize a Monarch butterfly but to me, I enjoy seeing other butterfly species using the native plants in my yard. This painted lady was looking in my direction which is a rarity as they are very skittish and normally you are only able to take a photo from behind. I look forward to continuing to add to my pollinator list with more species each year visiting my urban oasis.
Open fullscreen
Filename Dawn-Marie-Staccia-Monarch-Migration.jpg
Entry Title Monarch Migration
Location Friends of the Monarch Trail, Wauwatosa, WI
Equipment Canon EOS 80D Zoom Lens 150 – 600 mm Software is: Microsoft Photos
Entry Story The Friends of the Monarch Trail is located on the Milwaukee County Grounds in Wauwatosa, WI. The monarchs migrate through this restored prairie and oak savannah each year. The photo was taken on Sept. 13th, 2020 as the monarchs were flying in to roost on the 150 year old Sycamore Tree.
Open fullscreen
Filename Dawn-Marie-Staccia-Monarch-on-Coneflower.jpg
Entry Title Monarch on Coneflower
Location My native garden in Eagle, WI
Equipment Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III Photo taken on July 16, 2020
Entry Story I have a mini native garden and I noticed this beautiful male monarch landing on the coneflower. I snapped the photo and voila!
Open fullscreen
Filename dennis-nagan-monarch-invasion.jpg
Entry Title Monarch Invasion
Location Memory Lake Booze Bar
Equipment I use my Canon Power Shot camera.
Entry Story This is my Monarch Waystation I created at Memory Lake 7 years ago. Every year the Monarchs come between August and September to get “drunk” on the nectar of my 78+ Meadow Blazing Star plants plus a wide variety of other native species.
Open fullscreen
Filename Elizabeth-Stanley-Monarch-on-Aromatic-Aster.jpg
Entry Title Monarch on Aromatic Aster
Location My home garden
Equipment Nikon D3300
Entry Story We have 3 different types of milkweed in our yard. Each year we have a multitude of monarch butterflies visit and stay to lay eggs. This monarch had recently emerged from his cocoon and was resting on the asters, drying his wings. Several hours later, he was able to take flight.
Open fullscreen
Filename Gary-Shackelford_mining-bee-at-pussy-willow_2207.jpg
Entry Title Mining bee on pussy willow catkin
Location Fair Meadows State Natural Area, WI
Equipment Nikon D500, Nikkor 500mm f/4 lens with 1.7x teleconverter, ISO 800, 1/1000 sec, f/6.7, tripod. Image optimized in Adobe Lightroom.
Entry Story A mining bee (Andrena sp.) is feeding on the pollen of a male pussy willow catkin (Salix discolor) in spring near my home in southern Wisconsin.
Open fullscreen
Filename Gary-Shackelford_snowberry-clearwing-moth-at-swamp-milkweeed_1014.jpg
Entry Title Snowberry clearwing moth at swamp milkweed
Location Fair Meadows State Natural Area, WI
Equipment Nikon D500, Nikkor 500mm mm f/4 lens with 1.4x teleconverter, ISO 1250, 1/3200 sec, f/8, fill flash, tripod. Image optimized in Adobe Lightroom.
Entry Story A snowberry clearwing moth (Hemaris diffinis) is feeding at a swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) in a planted prairie near my home in southern Wisconsin. The snowberry clearwing is also known as the bumblebee moth.
Open fullscreen
Filename Geri-Fox-Monarch-on-Marsh-Blazing-Star-ultra-close-up.jpg
Entry Title Monarch on Marsh Blazing Star ultra close up
Location my front yard, Oak Park, IL
Equipment iPhone 7
Entry Story I love being able to see the texture of the butterfly wings, like woven silk. His black-and-white polka-dots look furry. The petals of the marsh blazing star look almost like a sea creature. The butterfly’s eyes look like coffee beans, and I think he is smiling.
Open fullscreen
Filename Geri-Fox-Three-Newly-Hatched-Monarchs-Using-Marsh-Blazing-Star-as-a-Clothesline.jpg
Entry Title Three Newly-Hatched Monarchs Using Marsh Blazing Star as a Clothesline
Location my front yard, Oak Park, IL
Equipment iPhone 7
Entry Story I raise monarchs. Three hatched at once and used the marsh blazing star like a clothesline to drip-dry in the sun before flying away.
Open fullscreen
Filename jack-hambene-peek-a-boo.jpeg
Entry Title Peek-a-boo
Location Home
Equipment I Phone
Entry Story This is the first year I have attracted Spice Bush Swallowtails to my native Spice Bush. I found 5 or 6 at various instar stages and caught this little one early and watch him grow over several days. These caterpillars wrap themselves in a leaf for protection during the day.
Open fullscreen
Filename jack-hambene-waiting-for-my-family.jpeg
Entry Title Waiting for my Family
Location Forest Park St Louis
Equipment I Phone
Entry Story I am the landlord for several Purple Martin houses in Forest Park. I took this photo during one of my weekly nest checks.
Open fullscreen
Filename JackiKossik-Breakfast.jpg
Entry Title Breakfast
Location Winnebago County
Equipment Nikon D80 with Sigma DG 50-500mm 1:4.5 – 6.3 APO HSM lens, Elements 10
Entry Story I have a Highbush Cranberry bush very close to my house that keeps its berries all winter. This Spring I noticed Cedar Waxwings found it and were feeding. They did not like my dog laying under it and took off. I put the dog in the house and setup my tripod and camera and waited for them to come back. It took them two day to empty the bush.
Open fullscreen
Filename JackiKossik-Pollination-in-Action.jpg
Entry Title Pollination in Action
Location Green Lake County
Equipment Nikon D80, Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm 1:4-5-6 G, Elements 10.
Entry Story I was shooting a field of Sunflowers and caught this off to the side. It’s a Great Golden Digger Wasp on Whorled Milkweed.
Open fullscreen
Filename Janet-Allen-Good-to-the-last-drop.jpg
Entry Title Good to the last drop
Location My yard
Equipment Nikon D5100 18-200mm lens Lightroom and Photoshop
Entry Story My favorite bumble bee is the beautiful Black and Gold bee. This year for the first time I had an abundance of these bees. Their favorite flower — and the favorite of many bees and moths — is Monarda fistulosa.
Open fullscreen
Filename Janet-Allen-This-nectar-really-hits-the-spot.jpg
Entry Title This nectar really hits the spot
Location My yard
Equipment Nikon D5100 18-200mm lens Lightroom and Photoshop
Entry Story I love the little dotted buds of the black cohosh as much as the opened flowers. The bees love it, too!
Open fullscreen
Filename jean-leroy-bee-loving-on-culvers-root.jpeg
Entry Title Bee loving on the Culver’s root
Location In my front garden
Equipment I phone
Entry Story Purchased Culver’s root from Wild Ones plant sale 5 years ago. The bees are loving it.
Open fullscreen
Filename JeanneMHenderson-Bald-faced-Hornet-42mp.jpg
Entry Title JeanneMHenderson Bald-faced Hornet on Boneset
Location Chippewa Nature Center, Midland, MI.
Equipment Nikon D3300, normal lens(18-55mm), with close-up function.
Entry Story I happened to see this hornet on Boneset close to the trail I was walking on, and snapped the photo without disturbing it. I had written an article about this insect species last year and did not have many good photos, so I was happy to have this opportunity to photograph it!
Open fullscreen
Filename JeanneMHenderson-Nodding-Wild-Onion-22mp.jpg
Entry Title JeanneMHenderson Nodding Wild Onion & Bumblebee
Location my home in Bay City, MI
Equipment Nikon D3300, normal lens (18-55mm), with close-up function.
Entry Story Since retiring last Oct. 1, I have been spending more time in my backyard gardens. I have many bumblebees through out the summer visiting my native plants.
Open fullscreen
Filename Jessica-Jacob_swamp-milkweed_monarch-caterpillar.jpg
Entry Title Jessica Jacob_swamp milkweed_monarch caterpillar
Location Bloomington, IL – my backyard
Equipment iphone xr
Entry Story Planted our first pollinator garden this year using native plants to the Midwest. Had so many monarch caterpillars this year including the on shown in this picture. Loved coming out with my daughters and spotting them starting with eggs on our swamp milkweed although way to full grown!
Open fullscreen
Filename Jim-Rogers-Duet-in-Orange.jpeg
Entry Title Duet in Orange
Location My yard in Stevens Point, WI
Equipment iPhone SE
Entry Story A highlight of every Summer is watching monarchs make use of the butterfly weed in my wild garden. It’s quite a challenge to capture one in a “pose”.
Open fullscreen
Filename JoanBrandweinBeeAster.jpg.jpg
Entry Title Native bee on Native Aster
Location Saint Paul, MN
Equipment Sony A7R3, 90 mm Macro lens, Adobe Ligthroomn
Entry Story I have been developing native plantings in my small urban yard for several years. I have plants that bloom from early spring through late fall. This native bee was enjoying my fall blooming asters.
Open fullscreen
Filename JoanBrandweinMonarchLiatris.jpg.jpg
Entry Title Joan Brandwein Monarch Liatris
Location Saint Paul, MN
Equipment Sony A7R3, 90MM Macro Lens, Adobe Lightroom
Entry Story I have been developing native plantings in my yard in St. Paul for several years. My Meadow Blazing Star plants have brought many late summer Monarch visitors to my yard!
Open fullscreen
Filename Kate-Woodle-Tiger-Swallowtail-nectaring-Spreading-Dogbane.jpg
Entry Title Tiger Swallowtail
Location Trout Brook, Olmsteadville, New York
Equipment I use a Cannon Eos Rebel SL1 with a EFS 55-250 mm lens. I use PhotoShop for cropping, etc.
Entry Story This summer there was a large number of spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium in front of the cabin. There were many butterflies nectaring at the dogbane flowers, including great spangled fritillaries, tiger swallowtails and skippers. As soon as the sun was shining on the flowers, the butterflies would show up.
Open fullscreen
Filename Kim-Smith-Snowberry-clearwing-moth-feeding-on-blue-vervain.jpg
Entry Title Snowberry Clearwing Moth Feeding on Blue Vervain
Location Lake LaSuAn Wildlife Area, Pioneer, OH
Equipment Canon EOS 7D Mark II, 100-400mm lens
Entry Story I was walking a trail around a small lake, looking for dragonflies, when I came upon this hummingbird moth in a patch of blue vervain. These diurnal moths are much-sought-after photo subjects, so I felt I hit the jackpot when I managed to get a few photos of this one feeding on a native plant.
Open fullscreen
Filename Laura-Hedien-Coming-in-For-a-Landing.jpg
Entry Title Coming in For a Landing
Location Grayslake, IL
Equipment Nikon D5, 24-70mm lens. Cropped using Photoshop.
Entry Story Followed this Swallowtail around the backyard hoping to catch her/him in flight. Was lucky when she/he slowed down near some sunflowers. Shot many, many photos before getting this one. Love watching the butterflies in the backyard.
Open fullscreen
Filename laura-kane-juvenile-grasshopper-on-milkweed.jpeg
Entry Title Laura J Kane – Juvenile Grasshopper on Milkweed
Location Landing, New Jersey
Equipment I shot this photo with my iPhone 8.
Entry Story My husband and I volunteer to tend the native garden on the grounds of the Lake Hopatcong Foundation, a nonprofit organization located in Landing, NJ. The garden has been lovingly designed and planted over the past few years by volunteers using a wide variety of native plants. It was especially rewarding to see everything come to life this spring during the pandemic. With no one around we found weeding and planting there a great way to do something useful and get outside. While we waited for monarchs to discover the common milkweed we were entertained to find this creature exploring the garden on July 4, 2020.
Open fullscreen
Filename Leanne-Phinney-Red-Admiral-on-Butterfly-Weed.jpg
Entry Title Red Admiral on Butterfly Weed
Location Shoreview MN
Equipment Panasonic Lumix FZ300 Photoshop – cropped
Entry Story This photo was taken at one of our Wild Ones chapter’s projects where I volunteer – a native plant garden at Island Lake Elementary School.
Open fullscreen
Filename Leanne-Phinney-Tiger-Swallowtail-on-Joe-Pye-Weed.jpg
Entry Title Tiger Swallowtail on Joe Pye Weed
Location Shoreview MN
Equipment Panasonic Lumix FZ300 Photoshop cropped
Entry Story This lovely butterfly visited the Joe Pye Weed in my yard this July
Open fullscreen
Filename lori-ann-ohare-magnificent-female-monarch
Entry Title Magnificent Female Monarch
Location My yard
Equipment iPhone 11
Entry Story The last 4 years I have been turning my yard into a weigh station for Monarch butterflies as well as all pollinators. I have over 50 common and swamp milkweed plants which is the only host plant for the monarchs and it has paid off with the females laying lots of eggs and lots of caterpillars munching on the milkweed. This beautiful female just eclosed 10 minutes before I took the picture
Open fullscreen
Filename Mark-Eclov-A-Winged-Pollen-Snowball.jpg
Entry Title A Winged Pollen Snowball
Location 474 Retrac Road, Lexington, Ky
Equipment This photo was taken from a Samsung Galaxy SM-G965U smart phone. F 2.4 ; 1/347 seconds ISO 50; 4.30 mm: auto WB; no flash.
Entry Story My wife and I have have created a series of perrenial beds in our back yard that provide colorful plants that attract bees , butterflies and birds. We have a dozen types of plants that attract pollinators. We have seen a variety of bees and bumble bees this year. The bumble bee in this photo looks like he fell into grandmas flour jar!
Open fullscreen
Filename Marty-Kane-Visiting-Grasshopper.jpg
Entry Title Visiting Grasshopper
Location Landing, Roxbury Township, NJ
Equipment I-Phone 8.
Entry Story Photo taken at the Lake Hopatcong Foundation Native Garden (mass planting section) in August 2020. Grasshopper was spotted on the Rudbeckia then in bloom. I help manage this garden.
Open fullscreen
Filename Mary-Jo-Adams-ButterflyMilkweed_4727b.jpg
Entry Title Butterfly Milkweed Closeup
Location In one of my native prairie plots
Equipment Canon EOS M6 MarkII, with an 18-150 mm lens. Handheld. Lightroom.
Entry Story I loved getting close to Butterfly Milkweed, as the different colors of the blooms showcase the plant, and the insect was just a bonus!
Open fullscreen
Filename may-farnsworth-Bumblebee-and-Sneezeweed1.jpg
Entry Title Bubble Bee and Sneezeweed
Location Geneva NY
Equipment I used the camera on my cellular phone (a Samsung Galaxy 8), which has a macro feature.
Entry Story This is a photo taken in a rewilded patch of my garden. I love the bright and happy sneezeweed and the bumblebee visitor all covered in pollen.
Open fullscreen
Filename Michael_Banco_CupPlant_and_Swallowtail.jpg
Entry Title Cup Plant and Swallowtail
Location Horicon Marsh, Wisconsin
Equipment Sony A7Riii with Sony 200-600 mm lens. This photo was shot at 1/1000 s, ISO 400, f11 at 600mm. Minimally processed in Capture One software.
Entry Story I visited Horicon Marsh for the first time in August of this year and the butterflies were as abundant as the birds. I believe this is a black form female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. The Cup Plants were at least 6 feet tall and were being visited by many bees and butterflies at once. Photo taken 8/11/20
Open fullscreen
Filename Michael_Banco_Milkweed_and_Monarch.jpg
Entry Title Milkweed and Monarch
Location Bong State Recreation Area, Wisconsin
Equipment Sony A7Riii with Sony 200-600 mm lens. This photo was shot at 1/1000 s, ISO 500, f8 at 404mm. Minimally processed in Capture One software.
Entry Story I just started bird photography this year. While I’m hiking around, I take time to photograph landscapes, flowers, and butterflies as well. Bong State Recreation area is near my home and I’ve enjoyed hiking the trails there almost weekly since February. This photo taken 7/13/20
Open fullscreen
Filename Michael-Sternberger-Green-on-Yellow.jpg
Entry Title Green on Yellow
Location My wife’s garden Lexington, KY
Equipment Canon EOS 7D camera with Sigma 17-70mm Macro lens. Affinity photo software.
Entry Story There are many pollinators attracted to her garden but I was very inspired by the the color contrast of the green sweat bee on the coreopsis. Being able to get close almost creates and abstract of color and shape.
Open fullscreen
Filename Michael-Sternberger-Paper-Wasp-on-Milkweed.jpg
Entry Title Paper wasp on milkweed
Location My wife’s garden, Lexington, KY
Equipment Canon EOS 7D Sigma 17-70mm macro lens. Affinity photo software.
Entry Story I like the expression of this wasp as he/she is busy doing the important work of pollinating.
Open fullscreen
Filename Nan_Pokerwinski_Monarch_Caterpillar_On_Milkweed.jpg
Entry Title Monarch caterpillar on Milkweed
Location Croton, MI
Equipment Nikon Coolpix camera, Photoshop Elements used for minor edits.
Entry Story We’ve been encouraging milkweed and other native plants on our property since we moved to Newaygo County in 2011. Last year we had a veritable forest of milkweed in one area. This caterpillar found a feast there.
Open fullscreen
Filename Nan_Pokerwinski_Swallowtail-On_Coneflower.jpg
Entry Title Swallowtail On Coneflower
Location Croton, MI
Equipment Nikon Coolpix camera, Photoshop Elements software used for minor edits.
Entry Story Every summer the coneflowers in our native plant garden attract multitudes of butterflies. This year we didn’t see as many as in previous years, but a few monarchs, fritillaries, and swallowtails like this one were welcome visitors.
Open fullscreen
Filename ney-collier-WildMonarchPye.jpg
Entry Title Monarch butterfly on Joe Pye Weed
Location My back yard.
Equipment I used a Nikon D70s camera with a closeup lens.
Entry Story This butterfly had just emerged from its pupa. I released it into my back yard where it remained for a few minutes without moving.
Open fullscreen
Filename ney-collier-WildMonBee.jpg
Entry Title Monarch and bee on cup plant
Location My back yard
Equipment I used a Nikon D70S digital camera with a with a closeup lens. Camera was on a tripod.
Entry Story I raise monarch butterflies on my back porch. Their caterpillars have many predators including birds, ants and spiders. Very few of them survive to pupate and emerge as butterflies in the wild. In order to take this photograph,I stood perfectly still in the scorching sun for half an hour. Sweat was trickling down my back.
Open fullscreen
Filename Olimpia-Gutierrez-Milkweed-bugs-Feeding-.png
Entry Title Milkweed bugs Feeding
Location Gibson Woods
Equipment iphone 6
Entry Story This photo shows two life stages of the Large Milkweed bug feeding on the seed pods of a Common Milkweed plant in the medicine wheel garden at Gibson Woods. The bugs on the vertical pod are all juvenile nymphs. The bugs on the horizontal pod are a combination of nymphs and the larger adult stage with more prominent black markings. Large Milkweed bugs require the seeds of the Common Milkweed plant for development through the nymphal stages. I had never noticed these bugs before and I was drawn to the bright orange color contrasted with black.
Open fullscreen
Filename Peggy-Steichen-Majestic-Monarch.jpg
Entry Title Majestic Monarch
Location Our Garden, Kane County, Elgin IL
Equipment Mobile phone, samsung galaxy S9
Entry Story Raised monarch caterpillar. Released this female caterpillar in our prairie area.
Open fullscreen
Filename Peter-Boychuk-Bumblebee.jpg
Entry Title Bumblebee
Location Luxemburg, Wisconsin
Equipment Samsung Galaxy S10 phone camera
Entry Story I caught this Bumblebee buzzing around the Red Turtlehead beside our house. It did not seem at all disturbed by my proximity, being intent on collecting nectar.
Open fullscreen
Filename Peter-Boychuk-Bumblebee-Closeup.jpg
Entry Title Bumblebee Closeup
Location Luxemburg, Wisconsin
Equipment Samsung Galaxy S10 phone camera
Entry Story I was able to photograph this bumblebee from many angles as it gathered nectar from the Red Turtlehead that grows beside our house.
Open fullscreen
Filename RandyKlauk-Bees-Eyes.jpeg
Entry Title Bees Eyes
Location My backyard in Minneapolis, MN
Equipment iPhone 11. I downloaded to my Mac in the Photos program and then exported to make it below the size requirement for the contest.
Entry Story I have a huge clump of White Aster in my backyard and the bees love it. I walk by every day and pay attention to the types of bees as I’m trying to learn the distinguish the various species. This one caught my eye and I was able to capture this photo.
Open fullscreen
Filename RandyKlauk-Many-Monarchs.jpeg
Entry Title Many Monarchs
Location My backyard in Minneapolis, MN
Equipment I used my Nikon 5300, digital SLR to take this photo. I used a zoom lens at 70mm so I was relatively close. I imported to my Mac and used the Photos program to crop the photo a little and increase the contrast.
Entry Story I have had Joy Pye Weed as part of my garden for many years as it’s one of the favorites of bees & butterflies, especially Monarchs. In this photo, I believe there’s four Monarchs and a couple of bumblebees.
Open fullscreen
Filename rappaport-bret-odonata.jpg
Entry Title Odonata
Location Boulder Colorado
Equipment Nikon D800 with a 28-300 Nikor Zoom lens.
Entry Story My wife, son (who is a wildlife biologist) and I took a short walk through a wetland outside of town – dragon flies galore greeted us. It was a good walk.
Open fullscreen
Filename Rory-Williams-Yellow-Bumblebee-by-Blue-Lupine.jpg
Entry Title Yellow Bumblebee on Blue Lupine
Location Just west of Neshkoro WI on Public Lands
Equipment Canon EOS Digital Rebel Xti with a Canon 75-300 Zoom Lens. No software was used other than to look at the picture, this file is as the photo was taken
Entry Story While documenting a colony of Gorgone Checkerspots (Special Concern Butterfly for WI) we found this Yellow Bumblebee (Bombus fervidus) pollinating blue lupine. The yellow bumblebee is also a species of Special Concern
Open fullscreen
Filename Russell-Myers-Goldenrod-Black-Tie-Affair.jpg
Entry Title Goldenrod Black Tie Affair
Location Myers home circle rain garden
Equipment Olypus E-M1 MarkII body, Olympus M.40-150 F2.8 Lens plus MC-14 teleconverter. Focal length 56mm, Shutter 1/800, F-stop 7.1, exposure compensation -0.3, ISO 200. Captured as Olympus RAW ORF format, Developed using Olympus Workshop software. The original image was cropped but no additional post-processing was applied to the image.
Entry Story The rain garden in our circle drive had a wonderful crop of volunteer plants in 2020 including this tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima L.). All the colours were brilliant in the afternoon sun and the flowers were buzzing with activity. I was trying to take a picture of the Double-banded Scoliid Wasp, who was busy drinking nectar, when I was photo-bombed by the female Bald-faced Hornet. With their bold black and white colors it seems they were attending a black-tie event! 9/18/20 13:29
Open fullscreen
Filename Russell-Myers-Summer-Tanager-In-Ashy-Sunflower.jpg
Entry Title Summer Tanager in Ashy Sunflower
Location Myers home front flower bed
Equipment The picture was taken with an Olympus E-M1 Mark II body and an Olympus M.40-150 F2.8 Lens with an MC-14 teleconverter. The focal length of the shot was 210mm, the shutter speed was 1/500. F-stop 4.5 with exposure compensation of -0.3. The image was captured in Olympus proprietary RAW ORF format and was developed using Olympus Workshop software. The original photo was cropped but apart from that no post-processing was applied.
Entry Story We planted a somewhat formal bed of natives in the fall of 2019 and the Ashy Sunflower (Helianthus mollis) was one of the plants. Over the course of the spring and summer we have been rewarded by almost constant activity of both insects and birds. In this picture the morning light, together with the complementary colors of the sunflower and the immature Summer Tanager, made this a striking photo. The photo was taken at 8:53AM on the 13th of September 2020
Open fullscreen
Filename Ruth-Oldenberg-Downy-Sunflower-with-Visitor.jpg
Entry Title Downy Sunflower with Visitor
Location my yard in Belmont MI
Equipment iPhone 11 Pro, iphoto software
Entry Story I was observing pollinators when I shot this photo with my phone in my 1/2 acre prairie. This is a Downy Sunflower (Helianthus mollis) with a bumblebee.
Open fullscreen
Filename Ruth-Oldenburg_Mayapple-and-Moth.jpg
Entry Title Mayapple and Moth
Location My backyard in Belmont, MI
Equipment iPhone pro, iphoto software
Entry Story I have a patch of Mayapple in my backyard along the edge of the woods. I was looking at a Mayapple flower backlit by the sun. On closer inspection I saw this moth. It is a White Slant-line moth. (Tetras cachexiata)
Open fullscreen
Filename ScottLancelle_BeeonSpiderwort.jpg
Entry Title Bee on Spiderwort
Location Our prairie in Caledonia WI
Equipment Nikon D7100 with AF-S Nikkor 40mm lens; Microsoft picture software to crop photo
Entry Story In 2014, we planted a praire on an old agriculture plot. Never did we think the variety of forbs would provide such a variety of pollinators species to visit us!
Open fullscreen
Filename ScottLancelle_HummingMoth_at_Milkweed.jpg
Entry Title hummingbird moth at milkweed
Location Our prairie in Caledonia WI
Equipment Nikon D7100 with AF-S 18-209mm Nikkor lens; Microsoft pictures software for cropping
Entry Story At first I thought that a hummingbird buzzed past my head, but when it hovered over flowers, I knew it was something unique! After capturing it digitally, I learned it was a hummingbird moth. They frequent our prairie every year; every year we see more and more.
Open fullscreen
Filename Barbara-Ryan-Fully-Loaded-Bee-and-Cup-Plant.jpg
Entry Title Fully Loaded Bee with Cup Plant
Location My backyard
Equipment iPhone
Entry Story I was watching my Cup Plants (Silphium perfoliatum) for butterflies when I observed this bumblebee moving slowly. It took off from the Cup Plant like an overloaded harrier jump jet, rising vertically and then slowly flying away. I think it might have been overloaded with pollen.
Open fullscreen
Filename PatThomas.-Tricolored-BumbleBee-onWildGeranium.jpeg
Entry Title Tricolored Bumble Bee on Wild Geranium
Location our back yard
Equipment i use canon EOS 60D, 100 mm macro lens. i did the cropping for this image on my macBook Air laptop
Entry Story I teach gardening for insects classes through our local community education program. from early spring through late fall i’m out there camera in hand. i was thrilled to get this bee in motion and the wild geranium does so well in our yard
Open fullscreen
Filename PatThomas.Monarch-nectars-during-migration.jpeg
Entry Title Monarch nectars during migration
Location our front yard
Equipment i use a canon EOS 60D with a 100 mm lens. i cropped the image and checked the lighting on my macBookAir laptop
Entry Story we have a rain garden in the front yard. each fall the migrating monarchs stop and nectar as they journey to mexico