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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Today I saw one of my favorites, a shadow darner dragonfly (Aeshna umbrosa)! #dragonflies #Odonata #Illinois #nature #photography #wildlifephotography

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Here's a male monarch butterfly on a New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) this afternoon. #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #photography #wildlifephotography #SaveTheMonarch

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Today I saw one of my favorites, a shadow darner dragonfly (Aeshna umbrosa)! #dragonflies #Odonata #Illinois #nature #photography #wildlifephotography

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

A painted lady butterfly welcomed the warmth of my hand on this chilly September morning. #butterflies #Lepidoptera #Illinois #nature #macro #photography #wildlifephotography

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

We had a beautiful painted lady butterfly visit our Mexican sunflower in the front yard today! #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #sunflower #Illinois #nature #photography

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

This yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia) first appeared 3 weeks ago. I hadn't seen her in 2 weeks, and now I've found her nice and plump next to the house. #spiders #arachnid #Illinois #nature #photography

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Here's a skyward shot of a male monarch on our Mexican sunflower in the front yard today! #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #sunflower #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Here's a red-spotted purple butterfly (Limenitis arthemis) in our black raspberry patch today! #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #photography #photographylovers #wildlifephotography

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

The sawtooth sunflowers (Helianthus grosseserratus) are looking spectacular in the backyard! #nativeplants #wildflowers #sunflower #Illinois #nature #photography

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

A male monarch on our 8-foot-tall sawtooth sunflower (Helianthus grosseserratus) in the backyard today! #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #sunflowers #Illinois #nature #photography #wildlifephotography #SaveTheMonarch

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Here's a juvenile male common green darner dragonfly (Anax junius) that landed nearby when I was walking in the backyard. #dragonfly #dragonflies #Odonata #Illinois #nature #photography

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

For a third day in a row this male monarch has been visiting our Mexican sunflowers in the front yard! #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #sunflower #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

A closeup of the head of a common green darner dragonfly (Anax junius). I've always loved the marking that looks like an extra eye spot. #dragonfly #dragonflies #Odonata #Illinois #nature #macro #photography

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

A painted lady butterfly welcomed the warmth of my hand on this chilly September morning. #butterflies #Lepidoptera #Illinois #nature #macro #photography #wildlifephotography

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

We had a beautiful painted lady butterfly visit our Mexican sunflower in the front yard today! #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #sunflower #Illinois #nature #photography

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Here's a skyward shot of a male monarch on our Mexican sunflower in the front yard today! #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #sunflower #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

The sawtooth sunflowers (Helianthus grosseserratus) are looking spectacular in the backyard! #nativeplants #wildflowers #sunflower #Illinois #nature #photography

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Here's a juvenile male common green darner dragonfly (Anax junius) that landed nearby when I was walking in the backyard. #dragonfly #dragonflies #Odonata #Illinois #nature #photography

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

For a third day in a row this male monarch has been visiting our Mexican sunflowers in the front yard! #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #sunflower #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

24 hours later, this male monarch is still feasting on the Mexican sunflowers! #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #sunflower #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Here's another male monarch that spent the afternoon on the Mexican sunflowers. #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #sunflower #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

This newly emerged male monarch has spent all morning feasting on our Mexican sunflowers! #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #sunflowers #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

This gorgeous female monarch was on one of our last blooming meadow blazing stars this morning. #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #wildflowers #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

This male monarch is ready to be released, waiting in his mesh enclosure. This is the fifth monarch I have raised this year. #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Here's a male carpenter bee on our African blue basil, which is an absolute pollinator powerhouse and does a great job filling the void when other flowers are winding down. #flower #flowers #herbs #pollinators #bees #nature #photography

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I don't normally recommend non-native plants, but African blue basil is a phenomenal pollinator plant. I've had around 25 bumblebees on my potted plant at once. It doesn't produce seed, so you don't have to worry about becoming invasive. #flower #flowers #herbs #pollinators #bees #nature

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

This newly emerged male monarch has spent all morning feasting on our Mexican sunflowers! #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #sunflowers #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

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Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Here's another monarch visiting our Mexican sunflower in the front yard. #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #sunflower #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Here's a wandering glider (Pantala flavescens) that landed right in front of me in the front yard. They are the most widespread dragonfly species in the world and have the longest known insect migrations. #dragonflies #Odonata #Illinois #nature #photography #wildlifephotography

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

The Mexican sunflowers are one of the main attractions for the monarchs in the front yard today! #monarch #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #sunflower #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Here is a mating pair of monarchs perched in our hackberry tree in the backyard! #monarch #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #Illinois #nature #photography #SaveTheMonarch

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

This black saddlebags dragonfly (Tramea lacerata) landed right in front of me on a meadow blazing star in the garden this morning! #dragonflies #Odonata #Illinois #nature #macro #photography #wildlifephotography #photographylovers

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Reposted by Back In The Yard

Back In The Yard @backintheyard.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Here's a closeup of the only common buckeye (Junonia coenia) I've seen this year on a sweet black-eyed Susan in the garden. #butterfly #butterflies #Lepidoptera #nativeplants #Illinois #nature #photography #wildlifephotography

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