Fast Fact: Frost
Have you ever woken up in the morning and looked out the window to find everything covered in a thin layer of frost? It can be so pretty,...
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Willy's Wilderness
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Nov 29, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Full Moon
Have you ever wondered why the moon looks different in the sky each night? We see the moon in the night sky because it is being...
Nov 8, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Sandhill Cranes
Sandhill cranes are among the oldest birds on Earth! Fossils of these birds dating back 2.5 million years have been found in Florida....
Oct 25, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Shooting Stars
Have you ever made a wish upon a shooting star? These “stars” that streak across the sky are actually meteors and meteorites. They are...
Oct 11, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Pumpkins
Do you have pumpkins on your porch for the Halloween season? Pumpkins are native to Central America and wouldn’t grow here naturally if...
Sep 28, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Gray Foxes
Did you know Illinois is home to two fox species? In addition to familiar red foxes, gray foxes also live across the state. They are most...
Sep 12, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: White-Footed Mice
Have you ever seen a mouse in your house? Don’t blame the white-footed mice. Some mice species do make their way into our homes and other...
Aug 30, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Turkey Vultures
Turkey vultures are interesting-looking birds. Once you see one, you aren’t likely to forget what they look like. For starters, they are...
Aug 16, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: American Toads
Illinois is home to several frog species, but only two kinds of toads. And only one kind of toad, the American toad, lives in northern...
Aug 2, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Luna Moths
Lovely luna moths are one of the easiest moths to identify because of their green color and the long, curved tails on their hind wings....
Jul 19, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Northern Map Turtles
Northern map turtles are one of 17 turtle species living in Illinois and one of 11 living in Will County. They are medium-sized turtles,...
Jul 5, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Milksnakes
Meet our Illinois state snake, the eastern milksnake. These snakes are common across the northern third of Illinois and typically lives...
Jun 21, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Tornadoes
Tornadoes are one of the most violent weather phenomena on Earth. They are dangerous and scary, and tornado warnings should always be...
Jun 7, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Ants
Insects may be hard to recognize, but pretty much everyone knows an ant when they see one. There’s a lot of different kinds of ants,...
May 24, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Flying Squirrels
You’ve probably seen gray squirrels and fox squirrels scurrying about our forests and trees, but have you ever seen a flying squirrel?...
May 10, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Fog
Have you ever woken up on a foggy morning and wondered where all that fog came from or even what fog is? Essentially, fog is a cloud...
Apr 26, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Common Blue Violets
Did you know Illinois has a state flower? In 1908, the common blue violet was designated the official state flower. You can find our...
Mar 29, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Chorus Frogs
When you think of spring, what sounds do you think of? Probably birds chirping, maybe rumbles of thunder with some spring storms? How...
Mar 15, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Skunk Cabbage
When you’ve grown tired of winter, look for skunk cabbage as a sign that spring is on the way. This plant is one of the first to emerge...
Mar 1, 20231 min read
Fast Fact: Bison
Can you guess North America’s largest mammal? It’s the American bison, or what you might call a buffalo. Male bison can weigh as much as...
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