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.