We sustained major damage from the powerful storm that tore through this morning with hurricane force winds. If you are able, please JOIN or donate to assist us in repairing & rebuilding. Link in 🧵

The greatest thing that ever happened to me as an adult is every gardening and nature organization validating my desire to just not mess with the leaves.

A little bee Zen. This is flight school. #HoneyBees are born blind & work in complete darkness until almost 4 weeks old, when they gain sight, exercise wing muscles & learn to fly to become worker/forager bees in their geriatric 4th & 5th week of life #BeekeepersHour #Beekeeping

Often mistaken for hummingbirds (or flying shrimp) -- Hummingbird Moths are very cool little pollinators.

Just caught this one enjoying the phlox in our garden.

#nature #garden

Best thing about being outside in August heat is that there are more butterflies to see. (Their numbers peak in late summer.)

#nature #garden

You're looking at the smallest bird in the United States!

The Calliope hummingbird weighs about as much as a ping pong ball, and it's as cute as a button. Though small in size, it makes a large journey and migrates a distance of 5,000 miles each year. Photo:U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

A fly that mimics a ladybug. #Okotoks #Albertabugs

Giant Swallowtails seem braver than most butterflies. Love how they'll let you get up close instead of freaking out and flying away. Maybe it's their size -- at up to 7.4 inches (18.8 cm) across they're the largest butterfly in North America.

#garden #nature

The dragon headed caterpillar

The world disappears in the garden.
(Plus you get butterflies.)

Three hummingbird feeders, and every day, two hummingbirds fight over one feeder.

These long warm days means I actually get to see Scooter when I get home! He was waiting on the table then jumped down for a nice ‘Good to see you’ 🦖 roar!

Swamp Milkweed could really use a better name.

#nature #garden

Blue's a clue—

Tiger Swallowtail females have a lot of blue (males have very little or none at all.)

#nature #garden

#Milkweed is necessary for #Monarch #Butterflies .
Nobody knows more about Monarchs than Monarch Watch based out of Kansas University. KansasUniversity

➡️monarchwatch.org

A picture of the pipevine swallowtail in my yard yesterday and today. There was a tattered black swallowtail too.

“Prairie dreams is what I have…and [it’s] an invitation to others to dream, and perhaps imagine a grand project of their own.” Read this personal essay on starting a project to restore prairieland for pollinators and grassland birds. bit.ly/3iH0EkA @AudubonDakota

I had my first Giant Swallowtail in my garden today. May 30, 2022 Westland Michigan

Love how Lilliput zinnias keep pollinators happy (and the garden colorful) when native plants aren't in bloom.

#nature #garden

All I want is one weekend with decent weather so I can finish planting all the things.

#garden #nature