Another great dragonfly monitoring workshop this past weekend with the amazing @phrelanzer.bsky.social! We also got a fascinating lecture on the Rubyspot genus Hetaerina by @cnanderson.bsky.social, which was a real treat. I can't wait to get out on the prairie

#NachusaGrasslands #Prairie #Odonata

Jealous of this luxurious warm coat these bison have in this cold weather!! Try to sneak a peek at these guys if they’re out and about at Nachusa Grasslands, an incredible project run by The Nature Conservancy ! #bison #illinois #nachusagrasslands #wildlifephotography

Prairie with clouds

November on the tallgrass prairie. #nachusagrasslands #illinois @nature.org #prairie #photography #nature

Dragonfly workshop with the amazing @phrelanzer.bsky.social today!

#nachusagrasslands #odonata

We had a big group today for seed collection! We harvested little bluestem, thimbleweed, and lead plant to be used in restoration plantings.

#nachusagrasslands #prairie #nativeplants

Volunteers walking in the prairie, with a limestone formation in the background

Bison wallow in the prairie

It was a beautiful morning for a seed harvest! Today our volunteer group harvested rough blazing star, little bluestem, pinweed, and spotted bee balm, among others. These will be used in a planting in a newly acquired parcel.

#nativeplants #nachusagrasslands #prairie

Traffic jam 🦬

#nachusagrasslands #prairie #bison

Beyond the Ridge
#prairie #NachusaGrasslands #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #grasslands #prairierestoration #naturephotography #hiking #thenatureconservancy #conservation #photography #ecology #ecosystem #Illinois

Black Saddlebag hanging on during a windy afternoon at #NachusaGrasslands

We're starting to see migration here in NW Illinois as well - I counted 34 Common Green Darners on Sunday.

#invertebrates #insects #dragonfly #prairie #illinois

Check out the pollen saddlebags on this bumble! She was really putting in the work on the Goldenrod.
📍Nachusa Grasslands

#foodforpollinators #prairie #nativeplants #insects #bumblebees #bees #nachusagrasslands

A Blue Dasher in the obelisk position. Taken while walking my dragonfly monitoring route at #NachusaGrasslands

#insects #invertebrates #odonata #dragonfly #InsectThursday #bugsky #illinois

For #InsectThursday, a duo of dainty butterflies enjoying Joe Pye Weed - Orange Sulphur and Tawny Edged Skipper.

#nativeplants #nachusagrasslands #illinois #prairie #butterflies

Black swallowtail butterfly on field thistle

Black Swallowtails feeding on native thistle. Their colors are so striking against the thistle!
📍Nachusa Grasslands

#butterflies #nachusagrasslands #illinois #prairie #nativeplants #pollinators

Yesterday I was brought to tears as I stood among the Swallowtails. This was taken at Nachusa Grasslands, 4000 acres of restored, remant prairie. Come visit, or if you're able, sign up to volunteer with us at a workday.
#butterflies #prairie #conservation #pollinators #nachusagrasslands #illinois

Nachusa Grasslands: See Bison, Savor Solitude, and Hike Through Biodiversity Hotspots BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED JULY 2024 Nachusa Grasslands is a wild and wonderful place and an environmental restoration success story. And to top that, it has...

90 Outdoor Destinations to Visit This Summer in Chicagoland
9/90

Nachusa Grasslands (Franklin Grove, IL)

tinyurl.com/4jpnpdcr

This 3,600-acre nature wonderland offers great hiking trails in a variety of ecosystems, 700 native plant species, bison, and 215+ species of birds. #nachusagrasslands