Lions and tigers and bears, oh my? Maybe in some parts of the world, but not in Illinois. The mammals that live here are a little more...

What is soil? It’s the unconsolidated mineral and organic matter that is on the immediate surface of the earth. Let’s break that down....

More doesn’t always mean better. One good example of that is spiders and their eyes. Most spiders have eight eyes, but most don't have...

You may have heard that a snapping turtle has a powerful bite. So much so that it’s a good idea to keep your distance if you see one in...

When it comes to animals that produce a bad smell, a certain black-and-white critter immediately comes to mind. However, skunks aren't...

Almost nothing in nature is cuter than a baby animal, but some of the terms used for baby animals are almost as cute as the babies...

June is the start of thunderstorm season in Will County. And thunderstorms have a weird side effect. They make grass greener! But how...

At the Forest Preserve District, one of the more common questions we get is whether a particular snake is poisonous or if there are any...

Have you ever looked at a bird’s nest up close? It is impressive how they are able to weave together their nesting materials into such a...

Walking up to Plum Creek Nature Center, visitors see a big blue cement creature named Spot. Spot is on our signs, in our playground and...

Cats kill billions of birds every year in the United States and Canada, but there's another culprit in as many as 1 billion additional...

Do you love dandelions or hate them? They can be a pretty pop of yellow in your yard in the spring, but many people do not like them...

Water is essential to all life on Earth, but it cannot be created. Instead, it has been cycling in the same way since long before people...

When we’re outside, dirt is always underfoot. Did you ever wonder where it came from? When we talk about the dirt outdoors, what we are...

"There's fungus among us" may just be a clever saying, but it rings true. Fungus is all around us, in more places than you probably...

Animals don’t wear any clothes. They don’t even wear underwear! But most of us do. You’re probably wearing underwear right now. But what...

Has anyone ever called a dog you know a "mangy mutt”? It seems innocent, maybe reserved for a lovable dog that got itself into trouble on...

At some time or another, you’ve probably heard that humans swallow eight spiders a year while sleeping. No matter how you feel about...

We have many animals living in habitats all around us that are semiaquatic, which means they spend time both on land and in water. It can...

While walking in the preserves, you may find yourself listening to the sounds around you. You might hear noises like the wind rustling...