top of page

Search


Jan 314 min read
Weasel Wonders: Learn All About These Creatures
Have you ever seen a weasel? Weasels aren't rare critters, but they are unfamiliar to most people because they are not often seen even in...


Jan 213 min read
Pocket Gophers Are Tiny Digging Machines
Mother Nature is currently accepting resumes for the following position: underground support.  Position includes long hours digging...


Jan 175 min read
Get To Know the Mallard, Our Most Familiar Duck
When you walk around our local lakes, ponds and rivers, there is a good chance you will see mallards in and around the water. They are...


Dec 31, 20244 min read
Flying Squirrels Glide Through the Sky With Ease
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a squirrel? It turns out there are flying squirrels, but they don’t fly like birds and bats do. These...


Dec 10, 20243 min read
Mistaken ID: Northern Harriers Often Confused for Owls
Is that an owl flying over that grassland? Close! It’s the most owl-like hawk around: the northern harrier. They are great fun to watch...


Dec 5, 20244 min read
Hold Your Nose: Five Fun Facts About Skunks
Skunks are more than just stink and stripes. There's probably a lot you don't know about them, including about their well-known defense mech


Nov 6, 20244 min read
The Gray Wolf Is the Top Dog of the Canine Family
They are playful, intelligent and devoted to family. They care for their sick, educate their young and have complex social lives. Are we...


Oct 15, 20243 min read
Get to Know the Secret Lives of Eastern Red Bats
It’s spooky season! Look at all the spiderwebs, bones and bats decorating your neighborhood. Why not learn about the actual animals that...


Sep 20, 20243 min read
The Green Heron Is a Bird That Defies Expectations
As you walk along a pond or river trail, it’s common to see and hear evidence of animals nearby — water rings where a fish just jumped,...


Sep 17, 20242 min read
Don't Swat These Bugs; Crane Flies Are Harmless
Don't swat next time you see what you think is a giant mosquito. Get a good look instead because it might not be a mosquito at all....


Sep 13, 20243 min read
Turtles Out of Water: Box Turtles Are Land Lovers
When you think of turtles, what comes to mind? You might first think of their hard, protective shells. Or maybe you think about how...


Sep 6, 20244 min read
Keep Your Eyes Peeled for Common Spider This Fall
Who is that yellow, black and white patterned spider you found in your yard? It’s big, has eight long legs and an unusual web, and it is...


Aug 27, 20244 min read
Ordinary Flies Have Some Amazing Superpowers
We tend to swat flies away — from our faces, our food, our houses. But what if we took a closer look instead? Flies are so common, and...


Jul 9, 20243 min read
Bugs That Look Like Turtles? Meet Tortoise Beetles
Is that a turtle? Nope, it’s a beetle with some very cool features and behaviors! Tortoise beetles are tiny, cute and often striking....


Jun 28, 20243 min read
The Rose-Breasted Grosbeak: A Sweet-Singing Bird
For many people, the sight of a rose-breasted grosbeak at a backyard bird feeder or flitting about a forest is a welcome one. These birds...


Jun 11, 20243 min read
The Sweet History of the Honeybee
What do you think of when you hear the word bee? Do images of honey and hives come to mind? Or maybe the buzzing sound they make? There...


May 28, 20243 min read
Eastern Musk Turtles Are Small but Mighty
The eastern musk turtle, or common musk turtle, is one of the smallest turtles not only here in Will County, but all over the world! But don


May 10, 20243 min read
Whole Lot of Holes: Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers Leave Signs of Presence
Woodpeckers are one of those types of birds we can count on seeing all year long in northern Illinois. Even in the dead of winter, we can...


Apr 16, 20244 min read
The Secret Life of Tiger Salamanders
Did you know Illinois has a state amphibian? It’s the tiger salamander. Have you ever seen one? Most people answer no when asked this...


Apr 2, 20243 min read
Brown-headed Cowbirds Rely on Tricks for Successful Nesting
A rise in practical jokes and tricks happens in homes, schools and workplaces thanks to April Fool’s Day. Do animals have any tricks up...
bottom of page