Longhorn bee sleeping in a partridge pea flower Plant native plants, host adorable bee naps #NativePlants 🌱 #inverts #Minnesota

Mountain mint bringing the bees to the yard. Agapostemon sericeus, the silky striped-sweat bee Plant native mints, get cool native bugs #NativePlants 🌱 #inverts #Minnesota

Recent fly diversity from the garden Plant native plants, support diverse bugs #NativePlants 🌱 #inverts #Minnesota

Ha, just uploaded this from my camera. Sadly no catchfly in my garden

Bug hunting in the apocalypse...

Bombus affinis! The federally endangered rusty-patched bumblebee! In my yard! In my garden! On a plant grown from seed that I sowed! Plant native plants! #NativePlants 🌱 #inverts #Minnesota

There must be eggs or larvae already in the flower head? Any bug folks able to shine some light on who this is? #BugSky #inverts

An ichneumonoidea wasp depositing eggs into a gray-headed coneflower. Video in next post... 🌱 #NativePlants #invertebrates #Minnesota

Pretty sure this is the weirdest bug I've seen IRL. Brown wasp mantidfly. Mantidflies evolved mantis-like arms *independent of mantises*, and this one also evolved to look like a paper wasp. Plant native plants, get the weirdest native bug you've ever seen. #NativePlants 🌱 #BugSky #Minnesota

Not grey, not on a tree

Per iNat, this is likely Hemaris diffinis, the snowberry clearwing moth. AKA "flying lobster" Feeding on Monarda fistulosa, aka beebalm

Plant native plants, find cool native bugs! #NativePlants 🌱 #Bugsky #Minnesota

Per iNat, this is Megachile campanulae, the bellflower resin bee. They are also swarming the American bellflower.

Welcome back, beebalm. Plant native plants, get cool native bugs! #NativePlants 🌱 #inverts

Quote post a random photo from your camera roll

And a very happy Canada milk vetch to you!

This one was camping out in the butterfly weed!

Migrants belong here. #minnesota #inverts #NativePlants #AbolishICE

This shot ended up more eerie than expected. 12 spotted skimmer on a dead branch. #inverts

Lexapro and finding cool bugs

This is why leaving dead trees (where its safe) is important! This quaking aspen has nurtured so much life since the top half broke off in a storm give years ago. Don't just garden for yourself, garden for nature #birds #NaturalGardening

Live shot of my ancestors' disappointment:

There's a whole crazy world out here if we're willing to look for it #inverts

Year two of this hillside prairie garden. Three years ago this was all scrubby invasive brush. The flush of susans is such a brief beautiful stage in this process! So grateful to my clients who wanted something different than the standard suburban lawn! #NativePlants #Minnesota #FlowerReport

Penstemon is a great hummingbird feeder Plant native plants, feed native birds #NativePlants #Minnesota #birds 🌱

Scenes from a walk along the west bank of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis #Minnesota

Some Sunday morning pollinators. Plant Minnesota #NativePlants, grow #Minnesota native #inverts

Nap time for bumble #inverts #NativePlants #minnesota

Tiny little sky shrimp in the prairie garden! Per iNat, Carmenta ithacae, the Ithaca clearwing moth. Weird little guy. Plant Native plants, get weird little guys in your yard. #NativePlants #inverts #Minnesota