Turtle Power: The Mighty Snapping Turtle
Common snapping turtles are known for their bite, but like most animals they would rather avoid humans than bite them. These turtles, one...
Willy's Wilderness
Willy's Wilderness
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- May 14, 2019
- 2 min
Pretty Punctuation: The Question Mark and Eastern Comma Butterflies
There are many beautiful butterfly species, and trying to learn them by name can be difficult, especially when they are similar in size,...
- May 2, 2019
- 2 min
The Big and Beautiful Great Blue Heron
Great blue herons are big birds, much larger than the birds we often see in the trees in our yards and parks. They look a little awkward...
- Apr 30, 2019
- 2 min
Bug Out With These Fun Roly-Poly Facts
Who hasn't seen a roly-poly and given it a gentle touch to watch it form into a little ball? Rolling into a ball is how these bugs...
- Apr 25, 2019
- 1 min
Red-Headed Woodpeckers Are Birds To See and Hear
Woodpeckers are a bird with a perfect name, because they are known for pecking wood. And red-headed woodpeckers are even more perfectly...
- Apr 18, 2019
- 3 min
Everything Earthworm
Do you love earthworms? Do they creep you out? Either way, there are thousands under your feet all the time. We want earthworms under our...
- Mar 22, 2019
- 2 min
Creature Feature: The Odd-Looking Opossum
Have you ever heard the phrase “playing possum” and wondered what it meant? Playing possum is the same as playing dead. It’s something...
- Mar 11, 2019
- 1 min
Great Horned Owls Are a Real Hoot
We don’t often think of birds as predators, but the great horned owl is a strong hunter, able to take down animals even bigger than...
- Feb 28, 2019
- 2 min
Meet Nature's Dance Off Champion: The American Woodcock
What in the world is a Woodcock? An American Woodcock is a shorebird that thought the shore was overrated. These small plump short-legged...
- Feb 25, 2019
- 2 min
Snowy Owls Live Up to Their Name
If you take one look at a snowy owl, you can probably guess how they got their name. These snowy-white birds can be a beautiful sight,...
- Feb 12, 2019
- 2 min
Have You Ever Seen a Vole?
You probably know many of Will County’s resident rodents. We have beavers, squirrels, chipmunks, rats, mice, and woodchucks. But one of...
- Jan 29, 2019
- 2 min
Groundhogs Go By Many Different Names
In honor of Groundhog Day and our mascot, Willy, here is a closer look at groundhogs. The groundhog becomes a celebrity once a year, when...
- Jan 22, 2019
- 3 min
Butt-Breathing Snapping Turtles Are a Real Gas
Snapping Turtles bring new meaning to the words “butt breath.” But in this case it’s not an insult; it’s a way to survive! When you...
- Jan 17, 2019
- 2 min
Red Foxes: The Silent Hunters
At first glance, the red fox looks like an animal you might have as a pet at home, but these creatures are designed to live in the wild....
- Dec 17, 2018
- 2 min
Beavers Are Big, Busy Rodents
If anyone has ever told you that you’re busy as a beaver, they definitely know at least a little something about these crafty critters....
- Nov 14, 2018
- 2 min
Wild Turkeys Aren't Just for Thanksgiving
Turkey will probably be on the menu for your Thanksgiving feast, but these birds aren’t just a source of food for us. They’re our...
- Oct 29, 2018
- 1 min
Meet the Fast Flying Merlin
Despite a name to the contrary, there’s nothing magical or mysterious about merlin falcons. The Merlin falcon has a name that sounds a...
- Oct 19, 2018
- 1 min
Turkey Vultures Are Nature's Clean-Up Crew
They'll eat things that would make you sick. Nobody will ever say turkey vultures are the prettiest bird they have ever seen. But they...
- Oct 3, 2018
- 2 min
An Up-Close Look at Praying Mantises
Praying mantises are a common insect in Illinois, but their excellent camouflage means we often don’t see them even when they are near....
- Sep 20, 2018
- 1 min
The Big, Beautiful and Loud Sandhill Crane
Sandhill cranes are a magnificent sight. Sandhill cranes are big, majestic birds. They have long legs and necks to make them stand tall,...