Butterflies are often considered an “indicator species,” offering a sign of the health of a local ecosystem. A study by researchers at North Dakota State University is examining the impact of land management techniques on butterflies in cattle-grazing grasslands in the Great Plains. Pictured here is a silver-bordered fritillary (Boloria selene), nectaring on a thistle (Cirsium spp.). (Photo credit: Brooke Karasch)