You continue to be generous with your help selecting your favorite photos from 2020. Thank you. Here’s the next batch. Please put the numbers of your favorite images from August in the comments section!
1.) Painted lady butterfly on native tall thistle. Helzer family prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 500, f/13 and 1/500 sec.2.) Long-horned bee and rosinweed. Helzer family prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 500, f/13 and 1/500 sec.3.) Ironweed and false sunflower. Helzer famiy prairie. Nikon D7100 and Tokina 12-28mm wide angle lens @12mm. ISO 500, f/13 and 1/500 sec.4.) Rosinweed and the Helzer family prairie. Nikon D7100 and Tokina 12-28mm wide angle lens @12mm. ISO 500, f/22 and 1/125 sec.5.) Woodhouse’s toad. Helzer family prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 500, f/14 and 1/160 sec.6.) Damselfly. Helzer family prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 320, f/16 and 1/125 sec.7.) Leaf beetle feeding on prairie cordgrass pollen. Lincoln Creek Prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 320, f/11 and 1/60 sec.8.) Bush katydid and pitcher sage. Lincoln Creek Prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 320, f/11 and 1/100 sec.
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I tried to pick only one of the next two photos (#9 and #10), which were taken only moments apart from each other, but couldn’t decide between them. The family vote was split too, so I just decided to throw them both in. I’ll be very curious to see which gets the most vote.
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9.) Big bluestem and hazy early sun. Helzer family prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 18-300mm lens @300mm. ISO 320, f/6.3 and 1/8000 sec.10.) Stiff sunflower and hazy early sun. Helzer family prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 18-300mm lens @160mm. ISO 320, f/6.3 and 1/8000 sec.11.) Annual sunflower. Helzer family prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 320, f/20 and 1/80 sec.12.) Chinese praying mantis. Lincoln Creek Prairie. Bush katydid and pitcher sage. Lincoln Creek Prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 320, f/22 and 1/2500 sec.13.) Sunrise on the Niobrara River. Niobrara Valley Preserve. DJI Mavic 2 Zoom drone.14.) Grasshopper on annual sunflower. Niobrara Valley Preserve. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 400, f/10 and 1/320 sec.
Mine are 4,5, 1
There is an interesting story about why compass plant (rosin weed) was sought but will have remember it, and it’s not for the chewing gum, had something to do with horses
On Tue, Dec 15, 2020 at 10:39 AM The Prairie Ecologist wrote:
> Chris Helzer posted: ” You continue to be generous with your help > selecting your favorite photos from 2020. Thank you. Here’s the next batch. > Please put the numbers of your favorite images from August in the comments > section! 1.) Painted lady butterfly on native tall th” >
Really hard to pick. They’re all excellent. I’ll go artsy and pick #10. Number 12 with the mantis reminds me of a movie I saw as a kid that gave me nightmares.
9! Because it is so difficult to highlight grasses to people, and your images do! Then also 5 is delightful. And 7, how nice to see a small critter consuming cordgrass pollen.
We get the Grassland Restoration Network blog posts and are glad that this practical information is being shared. We recently tried an experiment, rogueing native plantings from horseback, and shared our thoughts and observations about it in a recent article. We thought it might be interesting to your readers. Here is the article if it is something that you would like to share. Thanks for your work promoting native grassland restoration. https://www.hamiltonnativeoutpost.com/blog.php?post_id=49
7 & 9 because they show grass pollen, too. Lots of people miss grass pollen or don’t even realize grass has pretty pollen. They only know their allergies act up when grass pollen is high. ;) Also, since I’m always a sucker for pretty foreground with a sun-star in the background, so #4
Favorites-
#6- I never saw a damselflies mouth before (at least that’s what it appears to be)
#8- katydid looks like a perfect cartoon character
#9- simplicity
The Prairie Ecologist 
1, 4, 7, 9, 13
Love them all in this order: 13,12,7,6,2,1,9,4,8,14,10,5,3,11
I think 1. Is the coolest of the lineup.
4, 9, 12, 13 also liked 6 and 8 but not as much
1,4,6,9
1, 4, 7, 9, 11
2, 4, 7, 9, 10
I’m especially taken with numbers 1, 7, 9, and 13.
1 (my favorite), 4, 13, 14
Can’t just pick one. I choose 4 and 9 plus 13- in that order. Tough choice. Always enjoy the photos.Thanks. Kay Peters
Sent from my iPhone
>
1, 9, 13
4,5,10,12
While I like #13 particularly well, I love many of your images, and frankly, do not want to choose!
This time I’m just going to pick out one, and that’s: 1.) Painted lady butterfly.
Last year I saw hundreds of Painted ladies, and this year I didn’t see a single one :-(
1, 4, 5, 9, 13
2,9,14,8,5,7,13
4-Love Rosinweed’s take on either the start or end a day
1, 6
12, 10, 7, 4
#4,5,10
thank you for these little snaps of beauty!
Mine are 4,5, 1
There is an interesting story about why compass plant (rosin weed) was sought but will have remember it, and it’s not for the chewing gum, had something to do with horses
I’d love to hear the horse story if you find it!
2, 6, & 9
I think 2 is especially great. I imagine the long-horned bee PR rep will be in touch with you any day now!
Number 7
On Tue, Dec 15, 2020 at 10:39 AM The Prairie Ecologist wrote:
> Chris Helzer posted: ” You continue to be generous with your help > selecting your favorite photos from 2020. Thank you. Here’s the next batch. > Please put the numbers of your favorite images from August in the comments > section! 1.) Painted lady butterfly on native tall th” >
Really hard to pick. They’re all excellent. I’ll go artsy and pick #10. Number 12 with the mantis reminds me of a movie I saw as a kid that gave me nightmares.
I’m not going to choose. Just want to say “Thanks” for these gifts.
9! Because it is so difficult to highlight grasses to people, and your images do! Then also 5 is delightful. And 7, how nice to see a small critter consuming cordgrass pollen.
2 and 12 – love the close ups.
1
3
4
1, 4, 6, 5, 10
2, 5, 8, 9
10
Another tough call: 1,6,9,3,14
14,1,3,13,10,5
7 and 9!
9, 6, 14
4,9,12,13,14
9, 4, 12.
2 and 9
1, 9, 6, 2, 12 and 3.
6, 9, 2
We get the Grassland Restoration Network blog posts and are glad that this practical information is being shared. We recently tried an experiment, rogueing native plantings from horseback, and shared our thoughts and observations about it in a recent article. We thought it might be interesting to your readers. Here is the article if it is something that you would like to share. Thanks for your work promoting native grassland restoration. https://www.hamiltonnativeoutpost.com/blog.php?post_id=49
Thanks,
Elizabeth Steele
4, 5, 10 :)
3, 5, 7, 9, 13
10
Dale Funk !3,4,3
7 & 9 because they show grass pollen, too. Lots of people miss grass pollen or don’t even realize grass has pretty pollen. They only know their allergies act up when grass pollen is high. ;) Also, since I’m always a sucker for pretty foreground with a sun-star in the background, so #4
2, 13, 9, 1, 7
I like #2…
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, … & 13…. I thought I was going to end up selecting them all. Great stuff!
5, 8, 3, 13
Favorites-
#6- I never saw a damselflies mouth before (at least that’s what it appears to be)
#8- katydid looks like a perfect cartoon character
#9- simplicity
1, 3 and 14. It makes me smile to see we all pick out different ones.
4, 2, 9, 5, 7 Liked them all.
1, 5, 10, 12
1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, and 14.
7, 2
2, 14, 10 top 3 in order.