Sunflower and Friends
by Nikolyn McDonald
Title
Sunflower and Friends
Artist
Nikolyn McDonald
Medium
Photograph
Description
In mid to late summer, the sunflower is a welcome sight to those who wander the plains and prairies of the Midwest. Its bright yellow flashes cheerfully in what is often a neutral toned landscape. Obviously, it is as welcome a sight to insects as to hikers. This sunflower (Helianthus annuus or Healianthus petiolaris) was growing in a field in eastern Nebraska, up on the bluffs not far from the Missouri River and north of Omaha. It is being visited by four insects including two soldier beetles, a spotted cucumber beetle, and a small bee. Pollinators, parasitoids, and predators all frequent these blooms.
Featured: Visions of Spring, Glimpses of Summer
Uploaded
February 7th, 2024
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