From Becca Tucker, Program Manager for the Twin Cities metro area:

If you're interested in seeing bumble bees, monarchs, or many many other pollinators in the next week, go find your local patch / field / corridor of bee balm, Monarda fistulosa. It's seriously in bloom at the moment and is a nectar plant for a wide range of insects (and a good habitat for birds!). Best thing about monarda specifically is that since it has so many individual flowers on one inflorescence, the bees take their time working all the way around the flower head, giving you more time for photography!

These pictures are from the Woodbury pollinator corridor here - https://maps.app.goo.gl/iXCPASo1RD52orcN9 - which we worked on through the Butler Pollinator Seed Initiative grant, I highly recommend giving it a visit. This planting has changed significantly over these first few years of establishment, but this is by far the most flowers and pollinators I've ever seen. (For context, this is a walking path on a gas pipeline right of way, all of which used to be mowed turf grass just a few years ago).

So head out, probably even in your very own neighborhoods, look for these bloomin' spiky balls of purple, and go stalk some bees!

Photos taken by Becca Tucker.