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Gray wolves are intelligent, social animals that live in family packs, communicate through howls, smells and body language, and play a vital role in nature by keeping deer populations in check. Once common in Illinois, they were hunted to local extinction but are now protected. While no full-time packs live in Illinois today, occasional wolves still wander in from nearby states.

House and purple finches can look alike, but timing and subtle features help tell them apart. House finches stay year-round in Illinois, while purple finches visit in winter. Males differ in red shades—house finches are orangish-red, purple finches are raspberry-colored. Females are brown, but purple finches have bold face markings. Both eat seeds and visit feeders. Cassin’s finches look similar but don’t live in Illinois.

Some birds, like juncos, migrate to Illinois for winter. Birds stay warm with extra feathers and need high-fat, high-protein food like suet. You can help by making your own suet feeders with lard, peanut butter, seeds, oats, cornmeal and fruit. Mold the mix into fun shapes and hang it outside. Watch for hungry birds all winter, but remember to remove suet feeders in spring when temperatures warm up.

Maples bring vibrant fall colors and much more. Common species like silver, sugar, and box elder maples vary in size, leaf shape, and use. Sugar maples produce syrup and boast brilliant foliage. Silver maples are common in neighborhoods, while box elders have compound leaves and support forest wildlife. Maple wood is used in everything from sports gear to instruments. These trees are vital to nature and everyday life.

Eastern red bats are furry, red-colored bats that live in trees, not caves. They wrap themselves in a tail “blanket” and hang by one foot to sleep, blending in like leaves. These small, solitary bats hunt insects after sunset and raise pups. In fall, they migrate south in groups called cauldrons and hibernate in leaf piles. Despite spooky myths, they’re helpful, harmless critters perfect to celebrate this Halloween.

“Leaves of three, let it be; leaves of five, let it thrive” helps tell poison ivy from harmless Virginia creeper. Poison ivy has three leaflets and causes rashes; Virginia creeper has five and turns bright red in fall. Poison oak and poison sumac also cause allergic reactions. About 85% of people are allergic to urushiol, the rash-causing oil. Rashes aren’t contagious but can last weeks. Severe cases may need medical care. Never ingest these plants.

Hay and straw look similar but serve different purposes. Hay is green and nutritious, made from grasses or legumes, and used to feed animals. Straw is yellow, hollow, and made from the leftover stalks of cereal crops like wheat; it’s used for bedding, mulch, decoration, and erosion control. Straw lacks nutrients but is fluffy and absorbent. Hay can even catch fire if stored wet, due to heat from microbial activity.

The spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect from Asia that damages over 100 plant species, including grapevines and maples. Though harmless to humans, it harms trees by feeding on sap and spreading fungus. First seen in the U.S. in 2014, it reached Illinois in 2023. It spreads fast and lays eggs on trees and man-made objects. Residents are urged to learn its life cycle, report sightings, and destroy the insect to help slow its spread.

Bird beaks come in many shapes, each suited to their diet. Cardinals have cone-shaped beaks for cracking seeds, while owls have hooked beaks for tearing meat. Robins and warblers use tweezer-like beaks for insects, and woodpeckers use chisel beaks to dig out bugs. Hummingbirds sip nectar with pipette-like beaks, and ducks strain food from water with colander-like beaks. Beak shape offers clues about what a bird eats and where it lives.

Rainbows form when sunlight hits water and bends, splitting into colors. You can make your own rainbow with a bowl of water, a mirror, and sunlight. Place the mirror in the water at an angle, face it toward the sun, and catch the rainbow on white paper. Sunlight must shine through the water for it to work. Rainbows don’t appear if the sun is blocked. Try changing the water level or mirror to see what happens.

Tree roots absorb water, which then moves to the leaves and evaporates through a process called transpiration. You can observe this by sealing leaves in a plastic bag for a few days—water will collect as it transpires. This process cools the plant and releases moisture into the atmosphere. Different plants may transpire at different rates, and in a survival situation, transpired water is safe to drink, though it may taste bitter.

You float more easily in saltwater because it’s denser than freshwater. In this experiment, an egg sinks in plain water but floats in saltwater. Adding salt increases the water’s density, making the egg more buoyant. Try adjusting salt or water levels to see if you can make the egg float in the middle.

Green herons are shy birds found near ponds and rivers. Their green-gray backs and chestnut necks help them blend into tall grasses. They hunt by standing still or using bait to lure fish. These birds nest high in trees and both parents help raise the young. Green herons migrate south for winter and return to Illinois each spring. Look closely on your next nature walk and you might spot one.

What looks like a giant mosquito may be a harmless crane fly. They do not bite or sting and most adults do not eat. Adults live only a few days to mate and lay eggs. They spend most of their lives as larvae feeding on plant matter in soil or water. Larvae can damage lawns but crane flies are an important food source and sensitive to pollution. If one flies indoors, gently move it outside rather than swatting.

Flies may seem pesky, but they have incredible abilities. They flap wings 200 times per second, land upside down, see in all directions, and process images faster than humans. They eat by spitting digestive juices on solids to liquefy them. Though often seen as dirty, flies groom themselves regularly. They play key roles by decomposing waste and pollinating plants. Despite their small size, flies help keep ecosystems healthy.

Eastern and ornate box turtles are land-loving turtles found in forests and prairies. They can close their shells like a box to protect from predators. Males have red eyes and concave plastrons; females have brown eyes and flat ones. Ornate box turtles mostly eat animals, while eastern ones eat plants and fungi too. Both brumate in winter. Ornate box turtles are threatened in Illinois, and one can be seen at Plum Creek Nature Center.

The yellow garden spider is a large black, yellow and white orb-weaver with a zigzag silk pattern in its web. Common in gardens and fields, females are much larger and more colorful than males. They aren’t aggressive and rarely bite. These spiders spin neat webs, catch flying insects and often stay in one spot for the season. Females lay up to 1,000 eggs in silk sacs. Look for them in sunny spots from August to September in Illinois.

Illinois prairies are full of color, life and inspiration. Visit preserves like Lockport Prairie or Midewin to see tall grasses, wildflowers and wildlife. Paint outdoors or use photos and sketches to create at home. Just be respectful of nature, clean up when done and let the prairie spark your creativity.

Beavers, the largest rodents in North America, are closely related to the Eurasian beaver. Both are herbivores and keystone species that shape ecosystems by building dams. Though similar in appearance, Eurasian beavers have lighter fur and narrower tails. Capybaras, native to Central and South America, are the world’s largest rodents. Both beaver species were once nearly extinct due to overhunting but have made partial recoveries through reintroduction efforts.

Gardening with native plants is low-maintenance, supports pollinators, and offers great learning for kids. It teaches environmental stewardship, supports physical development, and brings families closer. Start small, use kid-sized tools, pick quick-blooming plants, and involve kids in care. Track progress with a garden journal. Native gardening is a fun, hands-on way to connect kids with nature.