iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 13/11/2025

Looking around my yard for flying squirrel evidence. I know I have some. I don’t see a carrying notch but it’s a round hole to nibble the acorn and they ate pretty neatly. Any flying squirrel thoughts? #virginianativeplants #leavetheleaves #backyardhabitat

Acorn eaten with half remaining. Excavated in a round hole.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 13/11/2025

Did some backyard relaxing and exploring today. Found this salamander resting in one of the kids toys under the fallen leaves. #leavetheleaves even if they cover your kids stuff. 😆 #backyardhabitat #nativeplants #virginianativeplants

Red backed salamander hiding in shallow bucket under some leaves. Yes, he can get out.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 22/09/2025

My hearts-a-busting is busting and it’s so cute. (Aka strawberry bush, yes I barely ever get deer.) #nativeplants #virginianativeplants #backyardhabitat #berries

Four red berries bursting out of the shell with the dainty leaves of strawberry bush.

Light pink bumpy berry shells with red berries bursting out.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 22/09/2025

I saw a monarch going into its chrysalis! It was wiggling a bit and the chrysalis looked so crazy, like a grub almost. I had to leave but when I came back, it looked normal and had hardened. #monarchs #backyardhabitat

Monarch wiggling into chrysalis with shed skin on left.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 18/09/2025

I came home from work at the perfect time the other day. A monarch had just emerged from its chrysalis and I got see it drying its wings. #backyardhabitat #bugsky #monarchs

Monarch butterfly resting on flower right next to its chrysalis.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 18/09/2025

Really good monarch season in our yard. Love that my milkweed is finally getting some attention. First year with caterpillars. #backyardhabitat #bugsky #caterpillars

Teensy tiny day old monarch caterpillar.

Few day old caterpillar on swamp milkweed.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 06/09/2025

Velvety turtlehead now in bloom. I saw a bumblebee visit today. 💚 #bloomscrolling #virginianativeplants #nativeplants

White tubular flowers that bumblebees have to push open to get into.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 26/08/2025

I am loving my cutleaf coneflower I planted last year. Does so well in part shade/almost full shade conditions. #nativeplants #virginianativeplants #bloomscrolling

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 26/08/2025

Jewelweed up close. I really want some in my yard. Any tips on best way to grow? From seed or plant some in the spring? #nativeplants #backyardhabitat #bloomscrolling

Pretty orange flower that hummingbirds love.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 08/08/2025

Looking at my dwarf fothergillas yesterday and was like where did all the leaves go? Then I found three Polyphemus moth caterpillars! Love imagining the adult flying around laying eggs on my plants. They’re in the witch Hazel family so it’s a host plant! #bugsky #nativeplants #virginianativeplants

Fat bright green caterpillar stretching along branch to eat leaf.

Tons of caterpillar poop from all their munching!

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 05/08/2025

Milkweed tiger moth caterpillars on butterfly milkweed. #bugsky #backyardhabitat #caterpillars

Black, white and orange hairy caterpillars chomping away on milkweed.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 05/08/2025

I thought from far away this was a Chinese Chestnut tree but then found out it was a Chestnut Oak up close. It really clicked why they call it a chestnut oak. 😆 The acorns were so pretty and there were so many. #trees #virginiatrees #oaktrees #treelover #nature

Sinuate style leaves I believe—leaves with wavy edges and pretty lime green acorns.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 05/08/2025

Love these mushrooms that look like agate or the Grand Canyon. #fungiphotography #mushrooms #nativehabitat

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 04/08/2025

That is a female! They have thicker black veins and the males have a black dot on each of their lower wings.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 02/08/2025

I have mountain mint and this same type of wasp in my yard! I found out it’s a grass carrying wasp and they line their egg holes with grass.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 27/07/2025

Found this grass sticking out of my bee hotel. Looked it up and learned it’s the Grass Carrying Wasp! She’s emerging right in the corner of one grassy tube. #bugsky #backyardhabitat #pollinators

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 27/07/2025

I had my back turned in the garden and then I turned around and it was so close! Female eastern tiger swallowtail. #bugsky #backyardhabitat #pollinators

Yellow swallowtail butterfly with blue stripe on lower wings on pink Joe pye weed.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 27/07/2025

Tiny mint moth on swamp milkweed. Dainty and pretty! #bugsky #bakyardhabitat #pollinators

Orange and brown small moth on pink flower.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 26/07/2025

I think I took a photo of that kind of flower at Green Spring Gardens in Annandale, also this week! Cardoon it’s called, I think. So pretty! And awesome artwork!

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 20/07/2025

Shout out to Kentucky! Lots of good butterflies on a trip there. Got this American snout butterfly to crawl on my finger. #bugsky #butterfly

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 20/07/2025

Waiting for my swamp milkweed to bloom. Love these pentagon shaped buds in such a pretty color. #bloomwatch #nativehabitat

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 20/07/2025

Red banded hairstreak #butterfly visiting my mint plant. Captured its defense mechanism! They move their lower wings while feeding and resting to look like a false head. #bugsky #nativehabitat

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 04/06/2025

New bug in our yard—Eastern Phantom Crane Fly. Looked very cool hopping and almost drifting along like it was a jellyfish in the ocean. #bugsky #habitatgardening

Black and white crane fly, the eastern phantom crane fly

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 12/05/2025

When you buy a plant and they warn you, “this is gonna spread.” And I answer, “do you promise??” #nativeplants #rewilding #virginianativeplants

Blue mist flower with tag ready to be planted.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 01/05/2025

I think about 5 years old. Started with three plants. Got some wild geranium mixed in with them.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 01/05/2025

Fireworks in the spring time. These started out as cute little green mouth looking things. Golden Alexander. #bloomscrolling #nativeplants #virginianativeplants #bloomwatch

Bright yellow flowers of Golden Alexander

Funny little green buds the flowers start as

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 01/05/2025

Northern blackberry about to bloom. Sometimes I do the cardboard method to suppress the invasives and then start over new but it’s so great to find what’s already in your yard that’s native. Any favorite “already there” or volunteers you’ve found? #BloomWatch #NativePlants #VirginiaNativePlants

White blossom about to bloom on blackberry plant.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 01/05/2025

Flowers take time. Strawberry bush aka Hearts-a-Bustin’ has red berries that look like they’re bursting out of hearts in the fall. Last year I only had one beautiful berry even though I had lots of flowers so hoping for more this year! #BloomWatch #NativePlants #VirginiaNativePlants

Little red beginnings of flowers on Strawberry Bush.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 27/04/2025

Starting to bloom and then there it is! Jacob’s Ladder. This is doing so well in that tough spot on the side of the house that’s mainly shade. Northern exposure area—can be tricky! #BloomWatch #NativePlants #VirginiaNativePlants

Glistening pale purple flowers fully bloomed.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 23/04/2025

So delicate, so luminous, so deserving of a close-up. Wild geranium. #bloomscrolling #nativeplants #virginianativeplants

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 22/04/2025

Flowers on long stalks take their time…first their buds, then they stretch their stems until finally you get…cheery golden ragwort! Worth the wait. I love how the buds start out purple, like the undersides of some of the leaves. #bloomwatch #bloomscrolling #nativeplants #virginianativeplants

Close up of golden ragwort flowers. Yellow with long narrow petals.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 13/04/2025

The funny little bunch of green turned into a flower and it’s GORGEOUS! Dwarf Fothergilla, native to Virginia coastal plain. I haven’t seen any bees on it so I’m hoping the moths are enjoying it at night. #bloomwatch #nativeplants #virginianativeplants

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 13/04/2025

Wild strawberry poking through like a little ray of sunshine! It went from blossoms to blooms fast. #bloomwatch #bloomscrolling #nativeplants #virginianativeplants

Little wild strawberry buds not yet in bloom.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 13/04/2025

Slug eggs in the garden. But I’m letting them stay. Firefly larvae (or I like to call them lightning bugs) eat slugs and snails. So lots of slugs = beautiful light show in the summer. #bugsky #virginianativeplants

Clutch of clearish eggs laid in the soil.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 11/04/2025

Waiting over several weeks for one of my favorite trees to bloom. Eastern redbud. The wait was worth it. I love how the individual flower looks like a mini orchid. #bloomwatch #bloomscrolling #nativeplants #virginianativeplants

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 11/04/2025

This funny little bunch of green is going to be so beautiful! I can’t wait to see it. #bloomwatch #nativeplants #virginianativeplants

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 09/04/2025

Can’t wait to see this bloom. Such interesting little shapes on the buds forming. Hint to #nativeplants lovers, it’s a host plant for black swallowtail butterflies. #BloomWatch #VirginiaNativePlants

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 09/04/2025

One of my fave parts of gardening is waiting for buds to bloom. Whatever your #plantlife, any flower will do! Share your snaps of a bud waiting to bloom and then share a progress shot when those #flowers shine! Tag your posts with #BloomWatch Let’s go in the garden and see what flowers bloom!

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 04/04/2025

Where have I been with this book? Absolutely love it and will definitely use it in the Garden Sprouts summer camp I’m planning for my work. Book read and bug walk with turning over logs anyone? Followed up by planting seeds to take home, of course. #picturebook #booksky #naturebooks #kidlit

Picture book cover for How to Say Hello to a Worm with adorable tot and worms.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 03/04/2025

I’ve been seeing posts of skunk cabbage but it’s yellow. I was like where’s that from? This is Virginia’s skunk cabbage. I was so excited to find it while sledding last year. It can melt the snow and ice around it when it starts to bloom in February! #nativeplants #virginianativeplants

Skunk cabbage (mottled reddish brown flower) blooming in snow.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 03/04/2025

I’ve always loved this quote. When my daughter took this picture of a daffodil up close I thought of it: “When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else.” -Georgia O’Keefe ❤️🪻 #bloomscrolling #flowers

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 24/03/2025

Removing invasive English ivy this weekend and found three Eastern redbacked salamanders under a log. They love rocks and logs. No chemicals continues to help my #backyardhabitat. #nativeplants #Virginianativeplants

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 24/02/2025

I need this reassurance sometimes.

Emojis representing a range of different feelings.

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 01/02/2025

It’s starting! Got my badge and so excited for the weekend. #scbwiNY25

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Katie Sivinski @katiesivinski.com · 30/01/2025

So excited to learn and make new connections at #scbwiNY25 this weekend! Comment if you’re going and I’ll follow you.

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