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Willy's Wilderness
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Aug 31, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Garter Snakes
Garter snakes are the most common snake we see in Illinois and many other places. One of the reasons they are so common is because they...
Aug 22, 20221 min read
Fast Facts: Muskrats
No one would blame you if you confused a muskrat for a beaver, especially in the water, where they can look similar. Both muskrats and...
Aug 17, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Mosquitoes
Would it surprise you to learn that mosquitoes are the most deadly animal on Earth? They are, because they can transmit illnesses like...
Aug 11, 20221 min read
Fast Facts: Skunks
Maybe you’ve never seen a skunk, but you’ve most definitely smelled one. The foul-smelling spray emitted by striped skunks is a pretty...
Aug 3, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Great Blue Herons
Great blue herons are big birds, among the biggest we see here in Illinois. They can stand between 3 feet and 4 1/2 feet tall. Their...
Jul 25, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: 13-lined Ground Squirrels
Not all squirrels live in trees. Some, like the 13-lined ground squirrel, are burrowers, digging a series of complex tunnels and burrows...
Jul 20, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Monarchs
The monarch butterfly might be the most recognizable insect in the United States, but this is just the final stage of its four-part life...
Jul 13, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Lightning Bugs
Have you ever stayed up late on a summer night to catch lightning bugs in the dark? Lightning bugs, which are also called fireflies,...
Jul 6, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Poison Ivy
Have you heard the saying “Leaves of three, let it be”? This well-intentioned saying can help you avoid a run-in with poison ivy, which...
Jun 27, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Ruby-throated Hummingbirds
The ruby-throated hummingbird is the smallest bird that lives in Illinois, and they are tiny in every way. They are only about 3½ inches...
Jun 22, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Northern Water Snakes
Northern water snakes are one of the most common snakes we see in northern Illinois. In the spring and early summer you can often spot...
Jun 15, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Big Brown Bats
Did you know bats are mammals? Even though they fly like birds, they are classified as mammals. They are actually the only flying mammal....
Jun 8, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Earthworms
Earthworms don’t have any arms or legs, but they sure can move. To get around underground, they rely on muscles in the walls of their...
Jun 1, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Painted Turtles
Painted turtles are among the most common turtles in the United States. They are easy to identify from the yellow and red markings on...
May 23, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Thunderstorms
Did you know that thunder is the sound that lightning makes? That means you can’t have a thunderstorm without lightning. We don’t see...
May 18, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Samaras
You probably call these helicopters or whirligigs, but these little things are actually called samaras, and they are the seeds from maple...
May 9, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Bullfrogs
Did you hear that? Was it a cow or a frog? If it was a bullfrog, it might just be hard to tell. Bullfrogs got their name because of their...
May 4, 20221 min read
Fast Facts: Eastern Chipmunks
Alvin, Simon and Theodore may be the most famous chipmunks of all, but we’ve got another chipmunk in our midst here in northern Illinois....
Apr 28, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: Dandelions
Dandelions get a bad rap, but they aren’t all bad. We spend a lot of time and money trying to keep them out of our yards, but they can...
Apr 20, 20221 min read
Fast Fact: River Otters
River otters are very playful, with groups of otters often seen slipping and sliding on the ground and then splashing into the water. All...
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