The more you know

Scales protect animals, but they vary by species. Reptile and bird scales are keratin-based and form a continuous layer. Fish scales, made of dentin and enamel, are made up of individual scales and come in four types: placoid, cosmoid, ganoid, and elasmoid. Each of these scales can help scientists determine valuable information such as a fish’s age and illnesses. Scale size and type affect locomotion and protection. You can view live examples at Four Rivers' large fish tank.

Fox and gray squirrels are common in Illinois and look alike, but fox squirrels have reddish-brown fur and are slightly larger, while gray squirrels have gray backs and white bellies. Gray squirrels prefer dense forests while fox squirrels prefer open woods. Other Illinois squirrels include red squirrels and southern flying squirrels. Black and white squirrels aren’t separate species. They get their unique color from genetic mutations like melanism, leucism, or albinism.

Animals don’t care what we call them, but naming helps us understand, appreciate, and protect them. We use different names for different types of animals in the same species - like a doe (female deer) or a kit (young skunk). Learning names makes animals more interesting and can inspire us to care for their habitats. Surprised by any group names? Curious about others? That curiosity is a great reason to learn more!

Robins find worms using sight, not sound, smell or touch. They tilt their heads to look into holes they or others have made, spotting visible worms below the surface. Studies show robins ignore sounds or smells and only react when they can see a worm. Other birds eat worms too, like killdeers and woodcocks. Woodcocks do a unique dance once thought to help find worms, but it may actually be a warning signal to predators.

Many animals are nocturnal, meaning they’re active at night and rest during the day. This behavior helps them avoid predators, reduce competition, hunt more effectively, or stay cool in hot climates. Some species are also becoming more nocturnal to avoid humans. These animals often have special adaptations like sharp hearing, enhanced night vision, or echolocation. However, threats like light pollution and climate change may disrupt their nocturnal habits and ecosystems.

Most animals hunt for food day by day. However, some animals, like squirrels and chipmunks, hoard and bury their supply of food while others, like chickadees and nuthatches, hide their food under loose bark, chimneys, and sides of buildings. Animals who eat live prey will dig underground chambers filled with their food source, like moles, or will hide their leftovers with surrounding scraps of terrain, like bobcats and foxes.

The sky looks blue because of Rayleigh scattering. Sunlight is made of many colors, each with different wavelengths. Blue light has shorter wavelengths and scatters more when it hits molecules in the atmosphere. This scattered blue light reaches our eyes, making the sky appear blue. We don’t see violet skies because the sun gives off more blue light and our eyes are more sensitive to blue. At sunrise and sunset, light travels farther, so reds and oranges shine through.

It is never truly too cold to snow because moisture, not temperature, is the key factor. Snow can fall at any temperature above absolute zero. While heavy snow is more common at 15 degrees or warmer, it can still occur in colder places like Yakutsk, Russia. Colder air holds less moisture, so snow tends to be lighter and fluffier with a higher snow ratio, meaning more inches of snow from less water.