Fast Fact: Red Foxes
Are you as clever and cunning as a fox? A fox’s clever and cunning behavior serve it well in the animal kingdom, where it’s often eat or...
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- Sep 19
- 1 min
Fast Fact: Bobcats
Did you know bobcats live in Illinois? They were once nearly eliminated from our state, but their population has since recovered. They...
- Sep 14
- 1 min
Fast Fact: Spider Silk
If you’ve ever walked into a spider web, you probably know how sticky it is. The stickiness comes from a glue-like substance the spiders...
- Sep 8
- 1 min
Fast Fact: Daddy Long Legs
A daddy long legs might be one of the few spiders you recognize, so it might surprise you to learn they aren’t really spiders at all....
- Aug 31
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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
- 1 min
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...