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Mosquitoes may be pesky, but they play important roles like pollinating plants and feeding animals. Only females bite, using scent and heat to find us. Bug sprays use ingredients like DEET, picaridin, and natural oils to mask our scent or repel insects. Insecticides kill bugs but can harm helpful species, while repellents keep bugs away safely. For outdoor fun, wear light clothes and apply bug spray properly for bite-free adventures.

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.

Try a nighttime scavenger hunt to discover things you can only see or hear after dark like stars, bats, fireflies, glowing animal eyes and insect calls. Turn it into a team challenge with flashlights and silly selfies. Explore forest preserves or camp overnight for even more fun under the stars.

Stars look tiny and twinkle because we see them from far away through Earth’s atmosphere, which bends their light. The sun looks bigger because it’s closer to us. Stars vary in size, with some much larger than the sun. Planets can also appear to twinkle as they reflect sunlight. For the best stargazing, head somewhere dark and open. Apps can help identify stars, and local events offer chances to explore the night sky.

Cicadas are loud insects with unique anatomy. They have an exoskeleton, six legs, four wings, antennae, compound eyes, and a beak for sipping plant juices. Males make sound using tymbals—ribbed organs that click when flexed. Air sacs amplify the sound, which can be as loud as a lawnmower. They call to attract mates, express distress, or say “leave me alone.” Despite no lungs or vocal cords, their body design makes them some of the loudest insects on Earth.

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.

Plants may seem picky, but many survive in tough places like sidewalk cracks. Tiny roots find microscopic gaps in concrete, seeking water and soil. As roots grow, they widen cracks, letting in more water and helping the plant thrive. These hardy plants create mini-ecosystems for insects and pollinators. You can even watch root growth at home using seeds in a clear bag.

May brings blooming flowers, perfect for pressing and preserving. Place flowers between tissue or coffee filters inside a heavy book. Add weight and wait two to six weeks, replacing paper if damp. Use fresh flowers for best results. Try different types and use your pressed flowers in art, framed decor, or a nature journal with notes on species and location.

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.

Spring is full of sound—chirps, rustles, beeps and songs. Try “fox ears” by cupping your hands behind your ears to hear more. Stand still, close your eyes and take deep breaths to focus. Listen for bird calls, frog songs, rustling grasses, buzzing insects and woodpecker drums. Make it a game by counting how many different sounds you hear. Let the soundscape of spring guide your next outdoor adventure.

Earth is home to millions of species and is about 71% water. It’s not a perfect sphere, constantly changing shape due to tectonic activity and melting glaciers. Formed over 4.5 billion years ago, Earth won’t last forever as the sun will eventually die. The highest point is Mount Everest, the lowest is Challenger Deep. Earth’s name is unique among planets and its mantle is semi-solid, driving geological activity. Climate change threatens its ability to support life.

Make a rain gauge to see how much it rains in April. Cut the top off a 2-liter bottle, add rocks, and fill with water to a marked line 2 inches up. Mark half-inch measurements above that. Place the top back in as a funnel and set it outside when it rains. Record how much rain falls and track it in a notebook. See when it rained most during the month.

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.

Birds sing early in the morning in what’s called the dawn chorus, mostly to attract mates and claim territory. Mornings are quieter and safer, helping their songs carry farther. Studies show birds improve their singing as the day goes on, suggesting morning songs are like vocal warmups. While male birds do most of the singing, some females sing too. In cities, the chorus may start earlier due to artificial light. Spring and summer are peak singing seasons.

Owls swallow prey whole and later cough up indigestible parts like bones and fur in a compact pellet. This process is called casting. Owl pellets are often dissected in science class because they contain complete bones and are larger than those from other birds. Many birds cast pellets, but owls are the most well-known. Wild pellets should not be handled due to germs. Pellets show how different animals digest food and offer clues about what they eat.

A solar eclipse will occur on April 8, and Will County is in its path. The next one visible here won’t be until 2044, so don’t miss it! Never look directly at the sun. Use a DIY eclipse viewer made from a cereal box, paper, foil, and a pencil. Light passes through a small hole in the foil and projects the eclipse onto white paper inside the box. Stand with your back to the sun and look through the open hole to view the projection safely.

Some birds live in Illinois year-round, but many migrate to warmer places for food. In spring, eastern phoebes, barn swallows and great blue herons return. Phoebes and swallows eat insects, so they leave in winter. Herons migrate because their prey hides or slows down in cold water. Watch for these birds nesting in local parks and preserves. You might spot a returning migrator or even hear its unique call.

American and European robins share orange breasts, similar diets, and habitats, but they aren’t closely related. American robins are larger, darker, and belong to the thrush family, while European robins are smaller flycatchers. Both species eat insects, fruits, and worms and are common in parks and yards across their ranges. Despite bird declines overall, robin populations are growing, and both have migratory and non-migratory groups based on climate.

Robins eat more than just worms. In spring and summer, they eat worms, insects, and snails. In fall and winter, they switch to fruits and sometimes eat small animals like shrews or snakes. Worms are a favorite despite being hard to find. Robins have excellent vision and can spot worms as they move or surface in the soil.

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.