Trailhead Jen
@thjen.bsky.social
I enjoy my (indoor) cat, butterflies, Katmai bears, native plants, and minimizing environmental collapse. Lawyer by profession, photographer by passion. Central Indiana.
I know many folks want to replace the White House rose garden, but hear me out - a more environmentally updated idea would be a pollinator garden of native plants. Move forward from the wreckage, not backward.
November 30, 2025 at 12:36 PM
I know many folks want to replace the White House rose garden, but hear me out - a more environmentally updated idea would be a pollinator garden of native plants. Move forward from the wreckage, not backward.
He thinks everything is bullshit too. #catsobluesky #cats
September 18, 2025 at 2:48 PM
He thinks everything is bullshit too. #catsobluesky #cats
This American Copper is the 33rd butterfly species I've identified on my 1-acre, non-HOA property on the edge of suburbia. It's nectaring on Devil's Beggarticks, an assertive but somewhat unlovely native plant that I let grow on my property. I love Coppers. #insects #photography #nature #butterflies
September 17, 2025 at 2:53 PM
This American Copper is the 33rd butterfly species I've identified on my 1-acre, non-HOA property on the edge of suburbia. It's nectaring on Devil's Beggarticks, an assertive but somewhat unlovely native plant that I let grow on my property. I love Coppers. #insects #photography #nature #butterflies
I caught a Salt Marsh Moth laying eggs on goldenrod this week. They lay eggs by the hundreds, in clusters. Four to five days later, the caterpillars hatch, and disperse. They're generalist feeders, so they chow down on a variety of plants. A beautiful moth. #insectthursday #nature #photography
September 4, 2025 at 11:45 AM
I caught a Salt Marsh Moth laying eggs on goldenrod this week. They lay eggs by the hundreds, in clusters. Four to five days later, the caterpillars hatch, and disperse. They're generalist feeders, so they chow down on a variety of plants. A beautiful moth. #insectthursday #nature #photography
August 27, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Some people like Christmas, but caterpillar season is my favorite. Cross-lined Wave on the left, Zebra Swallowtail on the right. #insects #insectthursday #nature #photography
August 21, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Some people like Christmas, but caterpillar season is my favorite. Cross-lined Wave on the left, Zebra Swallowtail on the right. #insects #insectthursday #nature #photography
Common name is False sunflower. Look for these guys on them. False Milkweed bugs - they feed mostly on the seeds of H. Helianthoides. Your prairie sounds like it’s doing great!
August 18, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Common name is False sunflower. Look for these guys on them. False Milkweed bugs - they feed mostly on the seeds of H. Helianthoides. Your prairie sounds like it’s doing great!
Eastern Tailed Blues tend to spend the night perched on leaves and stems. With classic tunnel vision, I was so focused on the Blue that I didn't notice there was a caterpillar photobombing it till my favorite iNaturalist identifier pointed it out to me. #insects #photography #butterflies #nature
August 15, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Eastern Tailed Blues tend to spend the night perched on leaves and stems. With classic tunnel vision, I was so focused on the Blue that I didn't notice there was a caterpillar photobombing it till my favorite iNaturalist identifier pointed it out to me. #insects #photography #butterflies #nature
Yesterday I saw Monarch courtship up close. I use that term loosely; it consists of a male careening in out of nowhere and slamming into her, knocking both to the ground. I went to get my camera, but when I came out the male was gone and she was eating again. Guess he got friend-zoned. #photography
August 14, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Yesterday I saw Monarch courtship up close. I use that term loosely; it consists of a male careening in out of nowhere and slamming into her, knocking both to the ground. I went to get my camera, but when I came out the male was gone and she was eating again. Guess he got friend-zoned. #photography
Here is a break from butterflies and moths for an adorable Gray Treefrog. This frog lives in Tippecanoe River State Park. They remind me of cats and their loafed sitting positions. #frogs #herps #photography #nature
August 7, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Here is a break from butterflies and moths for an adorable Gray Treefrog. This frog lives in Tippecanoe River State Park. They remind me of cats and their loafed sitting positions. #frogs #herps #photography #nature
August 4, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Yes they are! Look at that spotted abdomen. Just gorgeous.
August 4, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Yes they are! Look at that spotted abdomen. Just gorgeous.
Not sure there is any better representative photo of August for me. Unless it's a caterpillar on a native plant, but the Black Swallowtails love the Wild Carrot. #insects #butterflies #nature #photography #caterpillars
August 4, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Not sure there is any better representative photo of August for me. Unless it's a caterpillar on a native plant, but the Black Swallowtails love the Wild Carrot. #insects #butterflies #nature #photography #caterpillars
I was wandering among the plants in my yard just now looking for stuff when the neon green of this Black Swallowtail caterpillar caught my eye. It's ready to make a chrysalis. Check out those guylines. Tomorrow's going to look very different!
#insects #photography #butterflies #stunday #nature
#insects #photography #butterflies #stunday #nature
August 3, 2025 at 10:19 PM
I was wandering among the plants in my yard just now looking for stuff when the neon green of this Black Swallowtail caterpillar caught my eye. It's ready to make a chrysalis. Check out those guylines. Tomorrow's going to look very different!
#insects #photography #butterflies #stunday #nature
#insects #photography #butterflies #stunday #nature
It's caterpillar season. Technically it's been caterpillar season for a long time, but there are more of them now. I went looking after dark tonight, and I found a Virginian Tiger Moth cat on some Devil's Beggarticks, chowing down. #insects #photography #moths #nature #caterpillars
August 2, 2025 at 2:04 AM
It's caterpillar season. Technically it's been caterpillar season for a long time, but there are more of them now. I went looking after dark tonight, and I found a Virginian Tiger Moth cat on some Devil's Beggarticks, chowing down. #insects #photography #moths #nature #caterpillars
July 26, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Buttonbush is always, ALWAYS a pollinator magnet when its in bloom. It likes wet soil, and probably has delicious nectar. This Silver-spotted Skipper thinks so, anyway. Saul Lake Bog Preserve, Michigan. #insects #butterflies #nativeplants #photography
July 25, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Buttonbush is always, ALWAYS a pollinator magnet when its in bloom. It likes wet soil, and probably has delicious nectar. This Silver-spotted Skipper thinks so, anyway. Saul Lake Bog Preserve, Michigan. #insects #butterflies #nativeplants #photography
The Bee Balm is spent here in central Indiana, but it's still going strong in southern to central Michigan. This is an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail in flight toward the nectar buffet. #nature #insects #butterflies #photography #nativeplants
July 24, 2025 at 11:46 AM
The Bee Balm is spent here in central Indiana, but it's still going strong in southern to central Michigan. This is an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail in flight toward the nectar buffet. #nature #insects #butterflies #photography #nativeplants
My trip through the Upper Midwest meant new leps, which always gives me a little dopamine hit. Here is an American Copper. Smaller than the Bronze Copper. Look at that fuzzy underbelly. Photographed at the beautiful Paw Paw Fen Prairie Preserve. #butterflies #insects #photography #nature
July 23, 2025 at 11:29 AM
My trip through the Upper Midwest meant new leps, which always gives me a little dopamine hit. Here is an American Copper. Smaller than the Bronze Copper. Look at that fuzzy underbelly. Photographed at the beautiful Paw Paw Fen Prairie Preserve. #butterflies #insects #photography #nature
World Snake Day almost passed me by! Shout out to this adorable little garter snake I photographed one year ago today. #snek #herps #snakes #nature #photography
July 17, 2025 at 12:57 AM
World Snake Day almost passed me by! Shout out to this adorable little garter snake I photographed one year ago today. #snek #herps #snakes #nature #photography
July 16, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Spent about an hour yesterday morning picking through Common Milkweed in the Sylvania Wilderness in Ottawa National Forest, looking for Monarchs. I found a few, though I had to have the adult pointed out because I was nose-deep looking for tiny cats and eggs. #monarchs #insects #photography #nature
July 16, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Spent about an hour yesterday morning picking through Common Milkweed in the Sylvania Wilderness in Ottawa National Forest, looking for Monarchs. I found a few, though I had to have the adult pointed out because I was nose-deep looking for tiny cats and eggs. #monarchs #insects #photography #nature
One of the things I enjoy about travel is the entirely new suite of species I get to learn. I'm in Duluth, Minnesota. We're getting the North country plants, like lupines and fireweed. Here is (I think) a Tri-Colored Bumblebee nectaring on some lupine.
#insects #minnesota #nature #photography
#insects #minnesota #nature #photography
July 13, 2025 at 2:08 AM
One of the things I enjoy about travel is the entirely new suite of species I get to learn. I'm in Duluth, Minnesota. We're getting the North country plants, like lupines and fireweed. Here is (I think) a Tri-Colored Bumblebee nectaring on some lupine.
#insects #minnesota #nature #photography
#insects #minnesota #nature #photography