The more you know

Beetles have adapted for survival in many ways. They have outer shells, formally known as exoskeletons, that act as an armored shield, they can excrete unpleasant smells that are stored in their bodies to keep predators away, and some have evolved to be red which is a color that indicates warning in nature. Their red shells is a way of saying stay away to predators. Some beetles, like the ladybug, play dead and can release smelly blood from their legs in a process called refl

Many people mistake harmless northern water snakes for venomous cottonmouths, but no venomous snakes live in Will County. Cottonmouths, also called water moccasins, only live in southern Illinois. While both snakes look similar, cottonmouths have thicker bodies, block-shaped heads, and heat-sensing pits. Northern water snakes are thinner, with round pupils and no pits. If you see a snake in the water here, it’s not venomous.

Hundreds of years ago, lions, bison, black bears, cougars, elks, gray wolves and porcupines use to roam modern day Illinois. However, as land use in the state began to change during the 1800s, so did the plants and animals that lived here. Prairies and forests were replaced with agricultural fields causing animals to move to more suitable habitats while others were hunted or driven away.

The 34,000 species of spiders are categorized based of the number of eyes they have and their arrangement. While most spiders have 8 eyes arranged in pairs, some spiders do not have any eyes and others can have as many as 12. Typically, the most central eyes detect size, shapes, and colors while eyes on the side of their head detect motion. Though some spiders have good vision, most spiders do not and can rely on other senses like taste, touch, and vibration to survive.

All animals within the mustelid family, such as skunks, minks, and badgers, can produce bad-smelling secretions. All mustelids have scent glands that can emit secretions with a foul odor that serve different purposes. This secretion can be used to mark territory, attract mates, or as a defense against predators. Other animals outside of the mustelid family and insects with odor-secreting abilities include bombardier beetles, opossums, stink bugs, vultures, and muskrats.

Baby animal names can be as adorable as the animals themselves. Some are playful, like porcupette (porcupine), puggle (platypus), and chuckling (woodchuck). Others are cute by sound, like pinkies (rats) and squeaker (dove). Many use suffixes: owlet, snakelet, spiderling, and antling. Unique names include joey (opossum), cygnet (swan), polliwog (frog), wriggler (mosquito larva), and eyas (hawk/falcon).

Thunderstorms need two basic things to develop: moisture and quickly rising warm air. Lightning bolts can instantly change nitrogen in the air into a gas that plants can absorb - nitrogen oxide – giving grass its green color. Normally, rain and soil microbes help convert nitrogen for plant use, but lightning speeds up the process. After a storm, especially one with lightning, grass may look noticeably greener. Just remember to observe safely and wait 30 minutes after the stor

Birds use a variety of materials to build nests, from twigs and grass to feathers and bark. It's safe to offer natural nesting materials like sticks, pine needles, and grass clippings—but avoid hazards like human hair, yarn, plastic, dryer lint, and pet fur (if treated with flea meds). Leaving your yard a little untended or putting materials in feeders, shrubs, or even a muddy patch can help nest-builders. Just be sure what you offer is safe and bird-friendly!