First butterfly photo of the year! A Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) sunning itself on our front sidewalk, even though there is snow in the grass. #butterflies #Lepidoptera #Illinois #nature #photography #photo

Happy Holidays everyone! #cats #cat #photography #photo

Catnap buddy.

Snow covered Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum) towering in the November prairie garden. #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #photography #photo

A eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly (Papilio glaucus) on prairie blazing star last July. #butterflies #lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #photography #photo

Another butterfly today! An eastern comma (Polygonia comma) sunning on a tree in the backyard. #butterflies #lepidoptera #Illinois #nature #photography #photo

A monarch butterfly on sweet Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum) in the prairie garden last July. #butterflies #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #photography #photo #SaveTheMonarch

A female monarch butterfly on butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) in the prairie garden last August. #butterflies #lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #photography #photo #SaveTheMonarch

A #bumblebee on New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) in the autumn prairie garden. #bees #bombus #pollinators #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #photography #photo

Dreaming of summer on this cold, gloomy day. A monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) on sweet Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum) in the prairie garden last August. #butterflies #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #photography #photo #SaveTheMonarch