Creature features

The yellow garden spider is a large black, yellow and white orb-weaver with a zigzag silk pattern in its web. Common in gardens and fields, females are much larger and more colorful than males. They aren’t aggressive and rarely bite. These spiders spin neat webs, catch flying insects and often stay in one spot for the season. Females lay up to 1,000 eggs in silk sacs. Look for them in sunny spots from August to September in Illinois.

Tortoise beetles are tiny, colorful insects with turtle-like shells that help them hide from predators. Found in Illinois, they come in many colors like gold, green, or speckled. Some can even change color. They eat plants, live only about three months, and moms protect their young. As larvae, they build poop umbrellas (called fecal parasols) to hide and stink off predators. Keep an eye out for these clever beetles this summer.

Rose-breasted grosbeaks are striking black and white birds with rose-colored chests, seen in Illinois during breeding season. Only adult males have the rosy chest. Females and young are streaky brown. They eat seeds, insects, and fruit, nesting in trees with both sexes caring for the young. Their song is sweet like a robin’s, and their “eek” call sounds like a gym shoe squeak. Other grosbeaks exist in North America, but few are seen regularly in Illinois.

Not all bees make honey or live in hives, and honeybees aren’t native to the U.S. They were brought from Europe in the 1600s and spread across the country. Honeybees have a long history, with fossils dating back 34 million years. Humans began beekeeping over 10,000 years ago. Today, honeybees are key pollinators for many crops. A fossil found in Nevada shows honeybees once lived in North America long before European settlers arrived.

The eastern musk turtle, or stinkpot turtle, is one of the smallest turtles in the world, growing just 2 to 5 inches long. It prefers walking in shallow water, can climb low branches, and is most active at dawn and dusk. As an indicator species, its presence helps scientists understand water quality. Despite its size, it’s defensive—able to bite from birth and release a foul smell when threatened.

Yellow-bellied sapsuckers are migratory woodpeckers seen in northern Illinois during spring and fall. Unlike bright yellow birds, they have subtle yellow bellies and red foreheads. They feed on tree sap, drilling rows of holes in trees like maple and birch. Sap attracts insects and other wildlife. These forest birds nest in tree cavities and have a slow, irregular drumming pattern. They’re rarely seen at feeders but may eat suet or mealworms.

Illinois’ state amphibian is the tiger salamander. These secretive creatures start life in water and move to land as adults. They’re nocturnal, camouflaged, and can regrow lost limbs. Salamanders breathe through their skin and lungs and need moisture to survive. Though rarely seen, you can spot Ghillie, a tiger salamander, at Isle a la Cache Museum while his home at Hidden Oaks Nature Center is under construction.

Red-winged blackbirds are known for their bold behavior and striking males with red and yellow shoulder patches. Found near wetlands, they defend nests aggressively, even from humans. Males arrive early in the year, followed by females who build nests and raise young. Though widespread, their population has declined by 28 percent since 1966.