Here is a working dung beetle, pushing a large marble sized globe of dung with its hind legs to a patch of dirt, where it dug a hole and buried it.

Pollinators continue to carry pollen from flower to flower while being nourished by the nectar produced by the light eating plants in the win-win interdependence between, in this case, a bee and a butterfly milkweed.

This Snowberry clearwing, a member of the sphinx moth family, is attracted by the beautiful purple prairie clover flower found blooming in area prairies this time of year.

Monarda fistulosa, or beebalm, is a hardy, fragrant native wildflower loved by many pollinators, including this bumblebee.

There are many species of echinacea currently blooming across the state. In the east, the taller pallida species pictured here predominates. All are valued for their medicinal properties.

Put this on your bucket list: visit Ivan Boyd Prairie Preserve in June.