The monarch magic continues in our front yard prairie garden! #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #wildflowers #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch #wildflowerhour

Here's the current view of our front yard native plant garden. 🌻 #nativeplants #wildflowers #garden #Illinois #nature #photography

Here's the view from our backyard patio. This garden is visited by many bees, dragonflies, monarchs, and hummingbirds. #nativeplants #wildflowers #garden #Illinois #nature #photography

The monarchs are continuing to frequent our meadow blazing stars! Here's a closeup of a male in the backyard. #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch #photographylovers #wildlifephotography

Here's a view of our backyard from the front walkway. Yes, that is a monarch butterfly flying in the background. #nativeplants #wildflowers #garden #Illinois #nature #photography

Here's a male monarch butterfly feasting on a fasciated meadow blazing star that looks like a taco. 🌮 #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #macro #photography #wildlifephotography #photographylovers #SaveTheMonarch #TacoTuesday

Here's a gorgeous female eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) on our prairie blazing stars! #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #macro #photography #wildlifephotography

The monarchs are hitting the meadow blazing stars hard right now! I've been seeing three to five at a time in the yard. #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch #photographylovers #wildlifephotography

Here's a Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina) and two band-winged meadowhawks (Sympetrum semicinctum) at a local forest preserve on a steamy afternoon. #dragonfly #dragonflies #Odonata #Illinois #nature #macro #photography #wildlifephotography #photographylovers

Some more monarch action on the meadow blazing stars this week. #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch #photographylovers #wildlifephotography

It's my favorite time of year again when the meadow blazing stars start blooming and the monarchs find them! #monarch #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch #photographylovers #wildlifephotography

A female monarch butterfly visits our common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) next to the patio. #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #macro #photography #wildlifephotography #photographylovers #SaveTheMonarch

I released this pretty girl this morning. She flew from flower to flower for almost an hour before going on her way. #monarch #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch

A female monarch lays eggs on our swamp milkweed. The egg looks like a precious jewel nestled in the flower buds. #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #macro #photography #SaveTheMonarch

An Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria (Laphria thoracica) lurking on our Joe Pye weed. #insects #robberfly #Illinois #nature #photography #wildlifephotography

A closeup of a female monarch on our butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) yesterday. #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #macro #photography #wildlifephotography #photographylovers #SaveTheMonarch

A juvenile male widow skimmer dragonfly (Libellula luctuosa) in the backyard today. #dragonflies #Odonata #Illinois #nature #macro #photography #wildlifephotography #photographylovers

A female monarch on our butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) today. #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #macro #photography #wildlifephotography #photographylovers #SaveTheMonarch

The dragonflies are starting to make an appearance. A Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps) in the garden next to our patio this morning. #dragonfly #dragonflies #Odonata #Illinois #nature #photography #wildlifephotography

A couple of monarch caterpillar siblings sharing a snack on a common milkweed leaf. #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #SaveTheMonarch

They're back! An Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria (Laphria thoracica) feasting on a beetle in the backyard today. #insects #robberfly #Illinois #nature #photography #wildlifephotography

The monarchs are back! This female was laying eggs on our swamp milkweed this afternoon. If you look closely, you can see her depositing the egg. #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #macro #photography #SaveTheMonarch

A Ichneumon Wasp (Trogus sp.) looking for swallowtail caterpillars on our Golden Alexanders today. #wasps #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #macro #photography #wildlifephotography

Face to face with a male carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica) in our backyard today. #bees #pollinators #Illinois #nature #photography #wildlifephotography

A male carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica) hovering around our backyard patio today. #bees #pollinators #Illinois #nature #photography #wildlifephotography

Here's our Dunning's miner bee (Andrena dunningi) nesting area, which is densely populated. Unfortunately, the bees weren't that active above ground today. A bee finally makes an appearance at the end of the video. #bees #pollinators #nature

A female and a male Dunning’s miner bee (Andrena dunningi) in the front yard this morning. #bees #pollinators #insects #Illinois #nature #photography #Spring

Happy Easter! This morning, we received a visit from a male common green darner dragonfly (Anax junius). A beautiful spring gift indeed! #dragonfly #dragonflies #Odonata #Illinois #nature #photography #spring

Today's activities in the front yard with our resident Dunning’s miner bees (Andrena dunningi). #bees #pollinators #insects #Illinois #nature #photography #Spring

Dunning’s miner bees (Andrena dunningi) have emerged in the front yard again this year! #bees #pollinators #insects #Illinois #nature #photography #Spring