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The spiny softshell turtle stands out with its soft, flat shell and snorkel-like nose. Unlike most turtles, it has thorn-like spines along the edges of their shell and webbed feet that make it a fast swimmer. Found in freshwater habitats across the Midwest, it hides in sandy bottoms and uses its long nose to breathe while buried. Omnivorous and cold-blooded like other turtles, it basks in the sun to warm up. Males stay small and light-colored, while females grow larger and da

Fog is a cloud touching the ground, made of tiny water droplets in the air. In Illinois, radiation fog is most common, forming when the ground cools at night. Cold weather can bring freezing fog, while super fog forms with smoke from wildfires but is rare here. Some places like San Francisco have frequent fog because cold ocean air moves over warmer land, creating thick fog that can reduce visibility.

Carpenter bees drill into wood to nest and lay their eggs. They resemble bumblebees but have shiny abdomens. There is no queen bee, but rather a female hierarchy: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Females can sting but rarely do. Males guard nests but can’t sting. Though sometimes pests, damaging wooden parts of your home, they’re important pollinators and part of the food chain. You can deter them with paint or traps.

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.

Snapping turtles have existed for about 90 million years and lived with the dinosaurs. There are two snapping turtle species – the alligator and the common snapping turtle. The common snapping turtle can live up to 30 years in the wild and have a bite force of 210 newtons on average. However, they are no danger to swimmers. Their body is larger than their shells which offers less retractability for protection. Snapping turtles are omnivores and prefer shallow water with muddy

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

The common blue violet has been Illinois’ state flower since 1908. These ankle-high, purplish-blue blooms grow in forests, prairies and even lawns with partial sun. They bloom in spring and last into summer. While not a top pick for pollinators, some bees, flies, birds and rodents do visit or feed on them. Illinois shares this state flower with New Jersey, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.

Milkweed plants are important to both animals and humans. They are a great food source for monarch butterflies. They provide nectar to pollinators and can allow creatures to become toxic to predators by digesting its toxic sap. Milkweed has many medicinal uses including treating stings and respiratory issues. They are edible to humans if boiled in water, their stems can be used for ropes, their floss can fill pillows and blankets, and their pods make for great fire starters.

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.

Muskrats are social aquatic rodents often mistaken for beavers or otters. They have long, scaly tails that act as rudders, webbed feet, and waterproof fur. Smaller than beavers, they build lodges or burrows near water and can swim up to 3 mph. Male muskrats use a musky odor from their scent glands to communicate and to warn intruders. They splash their tails to warn of danger and have adapted to live in the water. Muskrats are omnivores and prefer marshes and wetland habitats

Northern short-tailed shrews are secretive, underground insectivores often mistaken for mice, though they aren’t rodents. They have poor vision and use echolocation to navigate. Surprisingly, they are the only venomous mammal in the U.S.—their saliva can paralyze or kill prey. They feed mostly on invertebrates but also eat small animals and some plants.

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.

The world is home to 40 wildcat species, but only one, the bobcat, lives in Illinois. They are more prevalent in the southern part of the state. Bobcats prefer forested areas with a dense understory that are near open areas where they can hunt. A bobcat’s fur’s color helps them blend in with their habitat. They can look similar to domesticated cats and are commonly mistaken for lynx. Bobcats can run up to 30 mph during short sprints and are great stalkers. They often live sol

Boreal chorus frogs are one of the first signs of spring, often heard calling near ponds as early as February. Males sing to attract mates, and females lay up to 1,500 eggs. These small frogs, only 0.7 to 1.2 inches long, live in shallow, still waters. They are green or tan with three stripes down their backs. With short legs, they can only make small hops on land.

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.

Redspotted sunfish, often called stumpknockers, come from a large family and are small freshwater fish with orange (males) or yellowish-brown spots (females). They prefer calm, plant-filled river backwaters. However, pollution, habitat loss, and invasive species led to their decline in Illinois, making them a state endangered species by 2009. Conservation efforts have helped - over 17,000 have been reintroduced, improving their status to threatened.

Robins are familiar birds with orange breasts, found across the U.S. year-round. Though known for eating worms, they also eat insects and fruit. Males and females look similar, with females slightly paler. They breed early, often having multiple broods. Their cheerful song is a sign of spring, though many robins stay quiet in winter. Named after European robins, they’re common in yards and parks and are part of the thrush family.

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.