Common in North America, giant mayflies have been around for 300 million years. They live for a few days as adults, existing only to mate and create offspring. Uniquely, they have two winged stages. Their nymph stage can last from four months to two years. As adults, they may swarm in large groups. Since they are sensitive to pollution, giant mayflies are indicator species giving humans insight of water quality.

Dragonflies and damselflies look similar but have key differences. Dragons are larger, rest with wings open, and have fused eyes. Damsels are slender, rest with wings closed, and have separated eyes. Both begin life as aquatic nymphs with unique gills and are skilled insect hunters. Dragons fly fast and high; damsels flutter low. Will County is home to many colorful species, including green darners, Halloween pennants, and familiar bluets.

The slender glass lizard is a legless reptile found in Will County that looks like a snake but is a lizard because it has eyelids and external ears. It lives in sandy habitats and can grow up to 42 inches long. Its tail breaks easily to escape predators and regrows shorter. Active during day or night based on temperature, it eats insects and small animals. Though rarely seen, it’s not endangered but is a conservation concern in Illinois.

The American bullfrog, the largest frog in North America, lives near permanent water and eats mostly animals. They can jump up to 6 feet and males have a loud, cow-like call heard up to half a mile away. Females lay up to 20,000 eggs, but only a few survive (2% success rate). Bullfrogs can take up to three years to mature from eggs to adults. The longer a bullfrog takes to fully mature, the bigger in size it will be. Males have larger eardrums and yellow throats during breedi

The blinded sphinx moth is part of the hawk moth family - family Sphingidae - which includes many of the largest moth species around. Despite its name, the blinded sphinx moth is not blind at all. They have “eye spots” on their wings that are meant to intimidate predators. However, their eye spots lack a fake pupil which is why these moths are called blind. Blinded sphinx moths do not have a mouth and put all their energy into reproducing. In Will County, they are mostly seen

Though you would think to find most crustaceans living in streams and creeks, crayfish, Cambarus diogenes, can live in water deep beneath the soil. Crayfish build muddy towers above ground called “chimneys” that can be found in fields, yards and along streambanks. Our devil crayfish, cousins to the lobster, have hard exoskeletons that darkens from a clear coat to a reddish-brown color as they molt and grow. Devil crayfish play incredible roles in supporting life and ecosystem

Chimney swifts are small, sooty gray birds that almost never stop flying - they even eat, drink, and bathe mid-air. They nest in chimneys and cling to vertical surfaces, like walls, instead of perching. Using their glue-like saliva to build their nests, both parents care for the young. Swifts can travel up to 500 miles and eat 12,000 insects a day! Their population is declining due to modern chimney designs, fewer nesting sites, and climate change.

Their songs, tail, flight, and their red and yellow shoulder patches, formally known as epaulets, all help the red-winged blackbird communicate. Their epaulets’ vibrance comes with age and is important when defending their territory and attracting mates. They show less color when perched outside their territory. Females rely on their body language, such as posing in “song spread” and “wing flap”, to communicate. Red-winged blackbirds are territorial and will mob out larger pr