Time sure flies for this busy Entomologist! It was a great season and felt so good to be more busy with work again. On my 7th season with Mississippi Park Connection I was able to talk insects with a plethora of fantastic National Park visitors at Owamni Yamni/Saint Anthony Falls. I love being a part of that area and had a great time with the dogs and the people in the neighborhood. The wildlife in the Mississippi corridor in downtown Minneapolis has been refreshing. It aids in my insect themed chats and helps with my connection to the earth and reminds visually how connected in our space we are.

I have been working hard on a great contract I got this year with the Prairie Island Indian Community. I am doing an insect survey working with photos and with a collection of sweepnet samples. The bugs are all pinned and I have just begun with the identification. I am living my best life. I just identified a Male velvet ant!

Metro Blooms continues to be a great partner with insect outreach and education. I am on contract with them working on topics connecting to Monarch butterflies and the Rusty Patch Bumble Bee. It is so great to see this company grow and expand ties to my longtime favorite and home, South-side Minneapolis.

I just saw a Flicker woodpecker sipping water from a fallen maple leaf. I hope this extra inspires you to leave the leaves.