Snakes move without legs using four types of motion: serpentine, sidewinding, rectilinear, and concertina. These are powered by strong muscles and up to 400 ribs. Serpentine is the most common, while sidewinding helps on smooth surfaces. Rectilinear and concertina involve scooting or stretching movements. Legless lizards, like the slender glass lizard, move like snakes but have eyelids and ear openings. Earthworms use a similar method, gripping soil with tiny hairs as they mo

Acorn weevils drill into acorns to eat and lay eggs. Their larvae hatch, grow inside, then chew a hole to escape when the acorn falls. They burrow underground to become adults, which can take up to five years. Leftover acorns are used by other animals and insects, including acorn moths. You can collect acorns to observe the process, but return any larvae to nature so they can complete their life cycle.

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.

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.

“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.