The NENA Butterfly Garden

06/01/2026

Join us for NENA meeting and learn more about the ESO and NENA!

Special venue for NENA Monthly Meeting 7 pm, Thursday, June 4 at the offices of Elgin Symphony Orchestra (ESO), 20 DuPage Court. Did you know that Elgin Symphony Orchestra (ESO) was recently recognized as the best professional orchestra in Illinois? Or that Music Director Chad Goodman was the top professional conductor in the state? Maybe you’re even a subscriber. But you are still guaranteed to learn something new from our host and special guest speaker, CEO Marc Thayer, about how ESO goes far beyond classical music performances to bring value to greater Elgin residents.
And NENA meetings are a great way to stay engaged with the neighborhood.
Hope to see you there!

05/27/2026

Anyone able to help us pull up the crab grass from one of our garden beds this eve (Wednesday)? 6ish-7:30ish?
Many hands make light work!

05/27/2026

Come meet the artists! Stay for the Open Mic! Both are on June 20!! It will be an evening of art!

05/26/2026

Spend the LONGEST day of the year with us! All are welcome!!

05/07/2026

Sometimes, it feels like the hardest part of conservation is talking to other people. So we’re here to help! 🗨️🐝

If you garden for pollinators, there’s a good chance you already know to reduce your own pesticide use as much as possible. However, your neighbors might not be on the same page yet, and the pesticides they use on their yard can easily drift over to your space.

Talking with a neighbor about pesticides can feel challenging, so we have put together strategies, talking points, and resources to help you successfully navigate the conversation!

➡️ beecityusa.org/blog

05/07/2026

Free education program--do you know what a soft landing is? Learn about that and more!!

https://www.lcfpd.org/calendar/from-canopy-to-groundlayer-with-heather-holm/20260521/

05/06/2026

We're kicking off a monarch biology series, where we're sharing more about the monarch life cycle, anatomy, and other fun facts!

First up: the monarch egg.

Monarch eggs are tiny (smaller than the size of a pinhead), creamy white, and shaped like a miniature football. If you look closely, you’ll notice ridges along the egg and small structures on one end called "micropyles," which allow fertilization to occur.

Female monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed plants, and in about 3 to 5 days, a tiny caterpillar will emerge from each egg. One of the first things it does? It'll turn around and eat its own shell!

Stay tuned for the next post in our monarch biology series!

Photo credit: Rebecca Wagner

05/06/2026

Another awesome resource for you!

Happening Tomorrow!

The Less Lawn More Life Challenge kicks off with a live event featuring Robin Wall Kimmerer. 🌿

Join thousands of people across the country taking the first step toward turning lawns, yards, balconies, and everyday spaces into real habitat.

If you’ve been wanting to support pollinators, plant more natives, or make your space matter more for nature, this is a great place to begin.

Tomorrow's kickoff starts the free 12-week challenge with practical weekly actions and expert guidance all season long.

Thursday, May 7th at 7 PM ET / 6 PM CT / 5 PM MT / 4 PM PT

👉 Join now: https://www.lesslawnmorelife.com/?ref=wildones

Wildr Places

04/29/2026

Has anyone seen a monarch yet??

Last week, we received our first reports of monarch butterflies from the states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and South Dakota.

These sightings are earlier than last year, when Wisconsin's first sighting didn't come until May 15 and Michigan's came on May 5.

Sightings vary from year to year. Going back a little further, Michigan's first photo-verified report in 2024 came on April 30, and its first photographed report came on May 13 in 2023. In Wisconsin, 2024's first photo-verified report was on May 3, and 2023's came on May 5.

To look into your state's reports, visit the Journey North data portal. And of course, when you see a monarch butterfly this year, report it to Journey North!

11/10/2025

FREE lawn care class...(if you care, get rid of your lawn ;)

🌿 Wild Ones Honorary Director Larry Weaner has helped shape how we think about native landscapes—both in philosophy and in practice.

🌸 His Washington, D.C. Native Garden Design brings his ecological approach to life, showcasing how a home landscape can weave together meadow, shrubland, and woodland habitats. Each element serves a purpose: 🌾 meadows for pollinators, 🌳 shrub thickets for songbirds, and layered plant communities that build resilience over time.

Join us Thursday, November 20, for Larry’s free webinar, Living in the Liberated Landscape: My Yard, where he’ll share how to design gardens that evolve naturally and thrive with minimal maintenance. 🌱

📥 Explore the D.C. design and download the plan: nativegardendesigns.wildones.org/washington-dc/

🎟️ Register for the webinar: wildones.org/living-in-the-liberated-landscape/