Lamkins Landscapes

23/07/2026

07/07/2026

It’s not every day that you have the opportunity to observe and photograph a threatened species!

Today, July 7th, I photographed a Southern Plains Bumble Bee (Bombus fraternus) visiting Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) in Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard’s Certified Nebraska Pollinator Habitat.

This marks my second encounter with Bombus fraternus during the 2026 season. The first was a queen I observed in May foraging on False Blue Indigo (Baptisia australis).

The Southern Plains Bumble Bee is currently classified as Threatened on the IUCN Red List and has also been petitioned for protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, although it has not yet been federally listed.

I like to call this my “spark bee” because it was the species that first ignited my passion for bumble bees. That first encounter completely changed the way I look at our native landscapes and the pollinators they support and every observation since has been a reminder of just how important habitat conservation is.

For more information: &

06/07/2026

A Monarch butterfly visiting Meadow Blazing Star (Liatris ligulistylis) today at the Kimmel Education and Research Center in Nebraska City, Nebraska!

Although Liatris ligulistylis is best known as one of the premier native nectar plants for migrating Monarchs later in the season, it’s already providing valuable nectar for Monarchs and many other pollinators here in early July.

Native plants like this play an important role by supplying food throughout the growing season, not just during migration.

04/07/2026

Happy 4th of July!

What better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than by highlighting the American bumble bee and a garden full of red, white, and blue blooms! 🇺🇸🐝

Photos 1–2: American Bumble Bee (Bombus pensylvanicus) visiting False Blue Indigo (Baptisia australis).

❤️ Red:
• ‘Jacob Cline’ Bee Balm (Monarda didyma ‘Jacob Cline’)
• Wild red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

🤍 White:
• Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
• Yucca (Yucca filamentosa)

💙 Blue:
• False blue indigo (Baptisia australis)
• Eastern bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana)

Here’s to celebrating our nation’s natural heritage and the pollinators that help keep our landscapes thriving. Happy Independence Day!

26/06/2026

A huge White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata) on invasive musk thistle earlier today. At least something is enjoying it!

24/06/2026

Wow! I’ve heard about this plant since my sophomore year of undergrad, and this is my first time visiting campus at the right time to see it blooming!

Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) is a large deciduous shrub native to the southeastern United States and is known for its striking upright white flower spikes that resemble bottlebrushes. It typically blooms in early summer and can become covered in pollinators when in full flower. Even after bloom, its bold tropical-looking foliage and wide-spreading habit make it a standout in the landscape.

Video taken on UNL’s East Campus on June 24, 2026.

22/06/2026

Happy Pollinator Week! I hope you enjoy these buzzing friends as much as I do!

19/06/2026

Another day, another round of daylily blooms.

Today’s blooms include ‘Bloom Where You’re Planted,’ ‘Burnin Down the House,’ ‘Respect,’ and ‘Madeline Nettles Eyes.’

Which ones have caught your eye so far?

18/06/2026

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) are putting on a huge show at the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center in Nebraska City, Nebraska!

These bright yellow wildflowers are a familiar sight across Nebraska prairies, roadsides, and pollinator habitats during the summer months. Their blooms provide nectar and pollen for a variety of bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

Tomorrow is the final day of Pollinator Week at Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard! We’ll begin at the Kimmel Education and Research Center at 8:00 a.m. with a presentation from a Xerces Society Ambassador before heading into the field for citizen science activities. Around 10:30 a.m., we’ll make our way to the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center for our Caterpillar Crawl and iNaturalist Walk.

Come explore, learn about pollinators and native plants, and help document the incredible biodiversity found right here in southeast Nebraska. 🌼🐝🦋