The more you know

Bald eagles are a well-known symbol of the United States, serving as our country's national emblem and national bird. The golden eagle may not be a traditional symbol of America, but other countries have adopted it as one. The golden eagle serves as the national symbol of Albania, Austria, Germany, Kazakhstan and Mexico.

You can estimate temperature by counting cricket chirps. According to Dolbear’s law, count the number of chirps in 15 seconds and add 40 to get the temperature in Fahrenheit. Crickets chirp faster in warmer weather because they are cold-blooded. Only male crickets chirp to attract mates, using a method called stridulation—rubbing wing parts together. This method works best between 55 and 100 degrees and varies by species and other factors.

Turkey vultures and black vultures help clean the environment by eating dead animals. Turkey vultures are more common in northern Illinois and have red heads and dark brown feathers. Black vultures have black heads and black feathers with white wing tips. Turkey vultures use smell to find food while black vultures rely on sight. Though turkey vultures are bigger, black vultures often work together to compete for food.

Wolves and coyotes are wild canines often confused due to similar looks. Wolves are larger, with blockier snouts, smaller ears, and elevated tails when walking. Coyotes are smaller, have pointed snouts and ears, and droop their tails. Wolves once lived in Illinois but are now rare. Coyotes are common across Illinois and North America. Wolves were removed from the endangered species list in 2020 and may be removed from the Illinois list in 2025.

In summer, ponds and lakes bloom with aquatic plants like duckweed, water lilies and American lotus. Though similar, water lilies have pink flowers that float and notched leaves on the water’s surface. American lotus has yellow flowers on tall stalks and large, round leaves above the water. Both grow from rhizomes in calm waters. Water lilies ripen seeds underwater, while lotus seeds float. Lotus is native to Illinois, though some water lily varieties are ornamental.

Cicadas, often mistaken for locusts, are harmless, noisy insects that benefit ecosystems. Locusts, a type of grasshopper, form destructive swarms that devastate crops in parts of the world but are extinct in North America. Illinois has dog-day cicadas, which appear yearly, and periodical cicadas, which emerge every 13 or 17 years. Cicadas spend most of their lives underground feeding on tree roots and help aerate soil before emerging to mate.

Summer is full of beetles, including favorites like fireflies, ladybugs and June bugs. Fireflies glow at night and eat nectar or other bugs. Lady beetles, which come in many colors and spot patterns, eat garden pests like aphids. June bugs are harmless night beetles that munch on leaves. Beetles are the largest order of insects and come in many shapes and sizes. You might be surprised how many you already know.

Cattails are entirely edible if prepared properly. The brown part, or the spike, is made of tiny flowers: males that contain pollen and females that hold seeds. You can use the pollen in baking or eat green female flowers like corn on the cob after boiling. Peel the stem for a cucumber-like snack, use the leaves in salads, and even dig up rhizomes for a potato-like treat. Always get permission and check with a knowledgeable adult before you taste!