The more you know

Grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets are all part of the insect order Orthoptera – known for their strong, back legs and sound-making abilities. Males produce sound using stridulation to attract mates. Crickets sing at dusk with a comb-like clicking, katydids call later at night, and grasshoppers call during the day, sounding like sandpaper rubbing. Crickets are dark in color while katydids are a bright green with long antennae and grasshoppers are an earthier green with shor

A green layer covering waterways can be duckweed—a tiny, floating plant with a single root and leaf-like thallus. Duckweed reproduces rapidly by cloning and can double in number in less than a day. They also produce the smallest flower known on our planet. In fall, duckweed forms buds called turions that sink and regrow in spring. Though often seen as a nuisance, duckweed supports wildlife in many ways and helps clean polluted water.

Fawns are born with very faint scent due to undeveloped scent glands, making it hard for predators to sniff them out. Their white spots mimic dappled sunlight, camouflaging them in tall grass. Does leave fawns alone to avoid rubbing their scent off on them but stay nearby to nurse. Fawns can walk hours after birth and are weaned by 4 to 5 months. If you find a fawn alone, don’t interfere—its mother is likely close. Only contact a wildlife rehabilitator if it’s injured or cryi

Honeybees die after stinging because their barbed stingers get stuck and tear from their bodies, but other bees, wasps, and hornets can sting multiple times. Only female bees sting, and many bee species don’t sting at all. If stung, remove the stinger quickly, clean the area, and apply ice or a baking soda paste. Use creams or pain relievers for swelling. Seek medical help for stings to the mouth or signs of an allergic reaction.

Galls are plant growths caused by insects like wasps or flies to protect and feed their larvae. A female lays eggs in plant tissue, triggering the plant to form a gall. Galls don’t harm plants and serve as food and shelter for larvae. Predators like birds and squirrels may still break them open. Galls vary in shape, size, and color based on the egg-laying species. Even after larvae leave, galls can shelter other insects.

Soil and dirt aren’t the same. Soil is a complex mixture of decomposing organic matter and other particles while dirt is just what's left when soil breaks down. Soil contains minerals, organic matter, water and air, all working together to support life. It forms very slowly over time and varies by region. Soil is essential for plants, trees, and crops, and it's alive too! It breathes, needs water and oxygen and contains organisms that keep it healthy.

The idea that daddy long legs are deadly but can’t bite humans is a myth. The term daddy long legs can refer to crane flies, harvestmen, or cellar spiders. Harvestmen aren’t spiders and have no venom. Cellar spiders, the true spiders in question, do produce venom, but it’s harmless to humans. The myth likely came from their ability to kill dangerous spiders like black widows, but they use silk, not venom, to do so. Only a few spider species worldwide are actually harmful to h

Prairies and savannas are both grasslands, but prairies have fewer trees. Savannas feature scattered trees, often oaks. These habitats often blend together. Illinois' prairies formed after glaciers shaped the land, with tallgrass prairies once covering much of the state. Rich prairie soil led to most prairies being converted to farmland. Today, few native prairies remain. Globally, grasslands make up 20 to 40% of Earth’s land and are called a few different names.