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...
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Willy's Wilderness
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- Jul 20, 2022
- 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, 2022
- 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, 2022
- 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, 2022
- 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, 2022
- 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, 2022
- 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, 2022
- 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, 2022
- 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, 2022
- 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, 2022
- 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...
- May 9, 2022
- 1 min
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, 2022
- 1 min
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, 2022
- 1 min
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, 2022
- 1 min
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...
- Apr 11, 2022
- 1 min
Fast Fact: Snapping Turtles
Snapping turtles are the biggest turtles in northern Illinois, and they are named for their snapping ability. Their bite is no joke and...
- Apr 7, 2022
- 1 min
Fast Fact: Beavers
Beavers are amazing animals for many reasons, but their building ability is top-notch. They are actually one of the few animals other...
- Mar 31, 2022
- 1 min
Fast Fact: Antlers
White-tailed deer are the only animal in Illinois that grows antlers. Only males grow antlers, and they fall off each winter as a new...
- Mar 24, 2022
- 1 min
Fast Fact: Cardinals
Thanks to their bright red color, you probably know a cardinal when you see one. They are one of the few red birds we see in our area,...
- Mar 16, 2022
- 1 min
Fast Fact: Mallards
Cows moo, pigs oink and ducks quack, right? It’s true, but not all ducks quack. In fact, most ducks don’t quack. The sound you think of...
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