Explore with Willy

Firefly or lightning bug? People use different names for the same animals, so researchers use scientific names help them know exactly which creature they are talking about.

Coatis may look a little like raccoons, but these wild relatives have plenty of traits that make them unique.

Beavers build dams, but can you? Put your engineering skills to the test by building a a mini beaver dam at home.

The black and gold bumble bee is the state bee of Illinois. Learn where you might see if buzzing by.

What do animals do when summer gets too hot? For some, they enter estivation, a survival trick that helps frogs, turtles, snails and more beat the heat.

Ospreys are impressive birds of prey that are built for catching fish. Learn all about these impressive birds.

Discover how caddisfly larvae use silk, sticks, stones and leaves to build underwater homes, and learn why these tiny bugs are important to healthy waterways.

The plains pocket gopher spends almost its entire life underground, digging long tunnels through sandy soil. Learn how this little mammal helps the environment, what it eats and how to tell its tunnels apart from a mole's.

Get the scoop on kayaking the preserves, including cool spots to check out, how to stay safe and what to do on the water.