David Jakubiak
@davidjakubiak.bsky.social
Fresh water is life. Renewable energy, fish (gar), fishes (gars, sturgeon, etc), native plants, garden, cook, two teen household, dog, indoor cat, baseball, too. Libraries bring hope. You have to eat to live.
The annual removal of the moorings is underway at Monroe Harbor, which means soon ice watch will begin.
November 13, 2025 at 4:42 PM
The annual removal of the moorings is underway at Monroe Harbor, which means soon ice watch will begin.
One of my favorite spring ephemerals (and I have many) is bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)! These brilliant white blossoms last about a day, and if pollinated, things get really fun! Bloodroot seeds are dispersed by ants which bring them home to their nests 1 — the ideal habitat for germination!
November 11, 2025 at 5:56 PM
One of my favorite spring ephemerals (and I have many) is bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)! These brilliant white blossoms last about a day, and if pollinated, things get really fun! Bloodroot seeds are dispersed by ants which bring them home to their nests 1 — the ideal habitat for germination!
To everyone in Chicagoland waking up to a snowscape, I have good news! It’s only four months until crocus season!
November 10, 2025 at 2:49 PM
To everyone in Chicagoland waking up to a snowscape, I have good news! It’s only four months until crocus season!
As the first snow flies in Chicago, I thought I’d share this adorable skipper on a woodland sunflower.
November 9, 2025 at 7:06 PM
As the first snow flies in Chicago, I thought I’d share this adorable skipper on a woodland sunflower.
This week, remember:
November 4, 2025 at 8:08 PM
This week, remember:
Stand up! Purple prairie clover stands at attention!
November 3, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Stand up! Purple prairie clover stands at attention!
Holy cow. Look at the moon, Chicago!
November 3, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Holy cow. Look at the moon, Chicago!
Meadow blazing star is magnet for monarch butterflies, but this orange sulfur seemed to enjoy it as well.
November 3, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Meadow blazing star is magnet for monarch butterflies, but this orange sulfur seemed to enjoy it as well.
Prairie Trillium (Trillium recurvatum) is a stunning spring ephemeral with mottled leaves and a scarlet bloom. I shot this one at a restoration site in NE Illinois, where dense buckthorn was removed and this beauty returned. A slow grower, it can take young plants 10 years to bloom!
November 1, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Prairie Trillium (Trillium recurvatum) is a stunning spring ephemeral with mottled leaves and a scarlet bloom. I shot this one at a restoration site in NE Illinois, where dense buckthorn was removed and this beauty returned. A slow grower, it can take young plants 10 years to bloom!
To many, fleabane is a weed. But if you can and it’s native to where you garden, let it go. It’s small daisy-like flowers are loved by hover flies and small bees and in the right light it can be incredibly charming.
November 1, 2025 at 12:05 AM
To many, fleabane is a weed. But if you can and it’s native to where you garden, let it go. It’s small daisy-like flowers are loved by hover flies and small bees and in the right light it can be incredibly charming.
Psst. Wanna see a monarch butterfly on boneset? Studies have shown monarch butterflies- particularly males - consume toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids from plants like boneset. They believe this likely helps protect them from predators and may enhance pheromones that help attract a mate.
October 30, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Psst. Wanna see a monarch butterfly on boneset? Studies have shown monarch butterflies- particularly males - consume toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids from plants like boneset. They believe this likely helps protect them from predators and may enhance pheromones that help attract a mate.
Bumblebee on a NewEngland aster.
October 29, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Bumblebee on a NewEngland aster.
This Golden Northern Bumblebee really got into penstemon season last spring and made sure there’s plenty of seeds for this year’s winter sow!
October 28, 2025 at 8:01 PM
This Golden Northern Bumblebee really got into penstemon season last spring and made sure there’s plenty of seeds for this year’s winter sow!
A purple cone flower being visited by what I think is a red admiral.
October 27, 2025 at 10:41 PM
A purple cone flower being visited by what I think is a red admiral.
She’s a mid-mod cat.
October 25, 2025 at 3:00 PM
She’s a mid-mod cat.
Hey, @drfishsg.bsky.social! How about this bumblebee on New England aster?
October 24, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Hey, @drfishsg.bsky.social! How about this bumblebee on New England aster?
This late boneset made a tiny opportunity between train tracks and a paved walk work. It made it to bloom.
October 24, 2025 at 1:58 AM
This late boneset made a tiny opportunity between train tracks and a paved walk work. It made it to bloom.
What’s up, cuz? -Brookfield, Illinois, fam.
October 12, 2025 at 11:43 PM
What’s up, cuz? -Brookfield, Illinois, fam.
It was truly a great day with lots of young people learning about our fishes and other aquatic species, doing some dip netting of their own and even trying out kayaking! Can’t wait to do it all again next year!
October 6, 2025 at 1:38 PM
It was truly a great day with lots of young people learning about our fishes and other aquatic species, doing some dip netting of their own and even trying out kayaking! Can’t wait to do it all again next year!
And here is, I think, a sneaky virile crayfish (a native to Salt Creek) and crabby rusty crayfish (an invasive in the creek).
October 6, 2025 at 1:38 PM
And here is, I think, a sneaky virile crayfish (a native to Salt Creek) and crabby rusty crayfish (an invasive in the creek).