The Queen Anne’s lace, also known as wild carrot, has many mimics including its poisonous close relative, the poison hemlock. Both are part of the Apiaceae family and require attention to detail to tell them apart. Queen Anne’s lace has more of a flat top, a small purple flower in the center, fuzzy leaves and stem, and can curl upwards as the flowers ripen. A poison hemlock is more rounded, does not have a purple flower at its center, has a smooth stem and leaves, and does no

Bobcats live across Illinois, mostly in the southern half, after recovering from near elimination. They are nocturnal and rarely seen. About twice the size of house cats, bobcats have short, bobbed tails and tufts of fur on their ears. They are skilled hunters, stalking and pouncing on small animals like rodents, rabbits, and birds, biting their prey in the neck to catch it.

All spiders make silk, but most do not use it to spin webs. Many use it to build nests, wrap prey, create cocoons, or help them move. Some even produce different silks for different tasks. Spider silk is stronger than any other natural or man made fiber because of its unique protein structure. Scientists are working to develop a man made version with the same strength and flexibility.

Tiny crayfish, also known as crawfish or crawdads, look like and are closely related to lobsters. These ten-legged crustaceans can regrow lost limbs, molt as they grow, and eat plants, animals, and decaying matter. Found across the U.S., including Illinois, some species like the rusty crayfish are invasive. Though they are keystone species (vital to freshwater ecosystems), 32% of crayfish species are threatened with extinction due to habitat loss, pollution, invasive species,

Daddy long legs, also called harvestmen, are not true spiders. They are arachnids but are more closely related to ticks and scorpions. Unlike spiders, they do not make silk, have only one body part, and just one pair of eyes. They use their long legs for walking, sensing, and even breathing. They eat small insects, eggs, plants, fungi, and more, and are preyed on by birds, frogs, and lizards.

Garter snakes are the most common snakes in Illinois due to their adaptability to many habitats, including cities. Named for their stripe patterns, they eat only animals like worms, insects, fish and even other snakes. They swallow food whole and are not venomous to humans. No snakes in northern Illinois are dangerous to people.

Though they may look like an ant, the ant-mimicking jumping spider only has two body parts (cephalothorax and abdomen), eight legs, and no antennae, whereas insects have three body parts (a head, a thorax and an abdomen), six legs, and antennae. This spider looks like an ant to protect itself from potential predators since many species avoid eating ants. Ant-mimicking jumping spiders mimic two different species of ants during their lifecycle and can engage in certain ant beha

With no clear definitions, lakes and ponds mainly differ by depth and size. If shallow and sunlight reaches the bottom, it’s a pond. If not, it’s likely a lake. Illinois has 2,900 lakes and 8,400 ponds. Lake Superior is the world’s largest freshwater lake, and Lake Michigan is the largest lake located entirely in one country. The Great Lakes hold 21% of Earth’s fresh surface water and serve over 30 million people in the U.S. and Canada.