Touching frogs or toads won’t give you warts - that’s a myth. Warts are caused when human papillomavirus enters the body through a cut or scrape, not animals. Most viruses that cause warts are specific to a particular species. The bumps on frogs and toads are glands, not warts. While you can’t catch warts from them, some amphibians secrete toxins or carry bacteria that can irritate skin or make you sick. Always handle them gently with clean hands and wash thoroughly afterward

Fur, a collection of individual hairs that covers an animal’s skin, is one of the adaptations that sorts an animal into the mammal group. Fur is made up of keratin and contains multiple layers (down hairs and guard hairs) that can trap heat, create a water-resistant surface, protect skin from UV rays, and can help camouflage animals to their habitats. Other specialized hairs include whiskers, quills, and bristles. Fur is crucial to an animal's survival.

Woolly bear caterpillars are often seen during the colder months and can survive at temperatures as low as 90 degrees F below zero. They slowly freeze in the winter, but they produce a substance called glycerol that prevents their inner cells from freezing. During the fall, woolly bear caterpillars search for food and look for a place to spend winter. If the temperatures are above freezing, they "defrost." They can repeat this freeze-and-thaw cycle many times over the winter.

Will County’s Forest Preserve has protected local habitats and species for over 90 years. Illinois is home to about 54,000 species—around 3% of the world’s known biodiversity—thanks to its overlap with four of the U.S.'s ten biomes. Illinois has 15 natural divisions; Will County includes two – the Northeaster Morainal and the Grand Prairie. The Northeastern Morainal is the most diverse division in the state. The Grand Prairie is the largest division in our state.

Black bears once roamed Illinois and were important to Native tribes around the Great Lakes. By 1865, they were gone due to fear-driven killings and fur trade. Today, bears occasionally visit Illinois from nearby states and are protected by the law. Black bears are stocky with dark fur, climb well, and can run up to 30 mph. They are omnivores, eating 11 to 18 pounds of food a day. Black bears are deep sleepers - not true hibernators.

Owls don’t chew their food well and sometimes swallow their prey whole. Similar to a hairball, what cannot be digested, like fur and bones, forms into a pellet that the owl spits up typically once a day. Owl pellets are dark in color and turn gray as they dry and are often mistaken for poop. They can be found on the ground under roosting spots. The larger the bird, the bigger the pellet. Be sure to use gloves when handling or examining.

Detritivores are animals that eat dead or decaying plants and animals, helping nature recycle. Earthworms, millipedes and slugs are common detritivores that improve soil health by breaking down waste into nutrients. Without them, dead matter would pile up and plants would struggle to grow. You can help by composting at home. Visit Plum Creek Nature Center’s Compost Trail to learn more.

Chipmunks and 13-lined ground squirrels are both rodents that look alike, but differ in stripe patterns, habitat, and hibernation. Chipmunks have five wide stripes, live near woods, and store food. Ground squirrels have 13 narrow stripes, prefer grassy areas, and truly hibernate without storing food. Both are active by day and omnivores. In Illinois, chipmunks are easier to tell apart from tree squirrels like the eastern gray squirrel and eastern fox squirrel.