Romeoville Kindergarten Teacher Wins July Forest Preserve Photo Contest

ROMEOVILLE, IL — A Romeoville kindergarten teacher won July’s portion of the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Preserve the Moment photo contest with a close-up shot of a bumblebee coated in pollen, the preserve shared in a news release.

Nancy "Gaby" Valladolid captured the shot of a two-spotted bumblebee as it inadvertently spread pollen while sipping nectar from an anise hyssop plant at Isle a la Cache preserve in Romeoville, the preserve said.

One contest judge said the photo was chosen as the winner because it beautifully portrays “one of nature's tiniest creatures doing one of its most important jobs.”

Valladolid said in a news release that she loves photographing bees, even though they are not always easy subjects.

“Sometimes I follow a bee for quite some time and it’s cool to see the different interactions with each flower,” she said.

Nature photography can be both joyful and educational, she added.

“I worked hard to capture this photo, but not as hard as these bees,” she said. “They are so valuable and precious. Now my 4-year-old son is learning how valuable honeybees and bumblebees are to our planet.”

Honorable mentions went to:

• Amy Miller of Joliet for a shot of the sun at Rock Run Preserve in Joliet.
• Mark Hanna of Romeoville for a photo of a 13-lined ground squirrel munching on dandelions at Prairie Bluff Preserve in Crest Hill.
• Joe Viola of Shorewood for a picture of fawns nursing at Rock Run Preserve.

The Preserve the Moment photo contest continues through Dec. 31, the preserve said. Monthly winners receive a $75 gift card. Overall winners will receive Mastercard gift cards worth $500 for first place, $250 for second place and $150 for third place. The contest is made possible through the support of The Nature Foundation of Will County.