Front and center in this arrangement, osage orange fruit brings bright color, a pleasant scent and a whole lot of history to holiday displays.
Osage Oranges
Kane County Badgers
The American badger is ideally suited to its role as fossorial carnivore, or a predator that digs. Its front claws are nearly 2 in. in…
Owl Ears
The long-eared owl’s namesake “ears” on top of its head are used for camouflage and communication, but not for listening. Its actual ears are located…
Box Turtles a Lifelong Commitment
Ben Franklin & Turkeys
The wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, was never a candidate for our nation’s symbol, but it did help Benjamin Franklin advance his study of electricity.
Ravenel’s Stinkhorn
A Ravenel’s stinkhorn grows amid the wood chips at a local playground. These powerful decomposers, it turns out, are mighty stinkin’ strong.
Scatter-Hoarding Squirrels
Its nose stained from burying nuts in wet soil, a squirrel pauses, and poses, in the midst of its scatter-hoarding activities.
A Crayfish Volcano?
Topped with a large hole, a crayfish chimney stands tall and volcano like at Ferson Creek Fen in St. Charles. A second, smaller hole, which…
KCCN Season Is Just Around the Corner
Learning experiences such as this very wet wetlands field trip help participants in the Kane County Certified Naturalist program understand the connections within our local…
Is That Big Turtle Native, Or Not?
Does it have a domed carapace? Do its feet lack webs? If so, chances are good you’ve found a turtle in need of rescue. Pictured…