For Mudpuppies, Fall Is Crucial For Species' Survival
For most salamanders, spring is the season to get spruced up and travel to the ponds to find a mate. However, mudpuppies, along with a...
Willy's Wilderness
Willy's Wilderness
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- Oct 1, 2021
- 4 min
Go Batty For Beneficial Little Brown Bats
October is bat season! We love bats for Halloween decorations, and we tell spooky stories about them around the campfire. Plus, this is a...
- Sep 24, 2021
- 7 min
Meet The Turtles of Will County
Nature has a way of balancing itself out, and turtles are an example of that. These reptiles are among the slowest creatures roaming the...
- Sep 10, 2021
- 2 min
Hoary Bats Set Themselves Apart From Other Bat Species
The hoary bat is the largest bat in Will County, weighing 1.2 ounces with a wingspan of up to 16 inches. The name “hoary” describes the...
- Sep 3, 2021
- 3 min
It's Spider Season, So Keep An Eye Out For Intricate Webs
With summer coming to a close and fall on its way, this is the time of year we like to call spider season. Although spiders can be seen...
- Aug 31, 2021
- 3 min
Five Fun Facts About Our Beloved Butterflies
Butterflies are one of those creatures that always seem to delight us, sparking awe and joy as they flutter by. Butterflies belong to the...
- Aug 24, 2021
- 3 min
Scratch An Itch With These 5 Mosquito Facts
No one likes mosquitoes. They are annoying, and no one is safe from their itchy bites. They are just one of those things we have to put...
- Aug 10, 2021
- 3 min
Mussels in Our Streams Mean Waterways Are Clean
Mussels are interesting and important creatures, but they are often overlooked. More than 80 different types of mussels used to live in...
- Aug 3, 2021
- 3 min
Monarchs Begin Life As Very Hungry Caterpillars
Monarch butterflies are one of the most recognizable butterflies in Illinois. They are larger butterflies with bright orange and black...
- Jul 27, 2021
- 4 min
Light Bright: Five Fun Facts About Fireflies
A familiar flash of light in your backyard on a summer evening can mean only one thing: lightning bug season. These bugs are a summertime...
- Jul 16, 2021
- 3 min
Celebrate Cecropia Moths Right in Your Own Yard
Step aside, butterflies. We are going to take a moment to celebrate a lesser-known member of the Lepidoptera family. The big, colorful...
- Jul 2, 2021
- 3 min
Get To Know Our Resident Blanding's Turtles
Summer is the best time to see reptiles crawling, swimming and slithering about. There are snakes and lizards and turtles. If you are...
- Jun 25, 2021
- 4 min
5 Fun Facts About Bright And Colorful Orioles
Many of us get excited each spring when our migratory birds return. One of the birds that is most anticipated each year is the Baltimore...
- Jun 22, 2021
- 3 min
Skip Through Summer With Our Local Skippers
Summer is full of sunshine, flowers and insects! One group of insects are famous for their life cycle and fluttering. They belong to the...
- Jun 1, 2021
- 2 min
These Shiny Beetles Are Emerald Jewels of the Forest
The six-spotted tiger beetle is a beautiful, shiny insect. They are often seen on woodland trails, just a few steps ahead of you. As you...
- May 18, 2021
- 3 min
These Busy Bees Eat Holes in Your Leaves
When we think of bees, honeybees or bumble bees usually come to mind. But did you know that there are 500 different species of bees...
- May 14, 2021
- 2 min
Unassuming Dekay's Brown Snakes Are Harmless To You
Brown snakes are also called Dekay’s brown snakes. Their scientific name is Storeria dekayi. The Storeria part of the name honors an...
- Apr 28, 2021
- 4 min
Busting Myths About The Maligned Double-Crested Cormorant
Here’s a challenge for you today: Put on your nature detective hat to solve a mystery – the case of the much-maligned double-crested...
- Apr 13, 2021
- 3 min
Newts Undergo Fairy-Tale-Like Transformations
Newts are not just magical ingredients for witches’ brews. They are also the leading character in their own fairy tale. Each year, they...
- Apr 6, 2021
- 3 min
5 Fascinating Facts About Great Horned Owls
When you think of owls, it is probably the great horned owl that you first think of. It is the owl most familiar to many people. Great...