This Monday, Columbus Day, marks 45 years that Arthur the ornate box turtle has lived as a pet. His longevity, as well as improved conservation…
45 Years of Artie
Mast Year
If you think you’re seeing more nuts than usual this year, you’re not alone. Our region is experiencing an abundance of mast, or tree fruit,…
Migrating Dragonflies
The green darner, Anax junius, is the largest dragonfly in our area. Adults migrate to the warm South in winter; a new generation arrives back…
Itsy Bitsy Wolf Spiders
Briefly detained in the name of science, this female wolf spider displays a distinctive Lycosidae behavior: carrying her brood upon her back.
American Plums
Measuring an inch or so in diameter, wild American plums are smaller than commercial varieties but packed with flavor. This native species also provides many benefits to local wildlife. Good Natured: American Plums September 8, 2023 A few weeks ago, on a very warm and very sunny afternoon, I set out to prepare for an
Farewell Monkey House
Look carefully at this photo and you’ll see the remains of the Monkey House, a structure that stood for more than a century in what…
Stoneflies
Stoneflies, even the common species, are increasingly hard to find these days. This stonefly nymph was found in Ferson Creek at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve…
Mayflies
A large mayfly rests next to its freshly cast skin. Mayflies are the only insects that experience a subimago, or sub adult, life stage in…
Caddisflies
Also known as River Bugs, caddisflies periodically emerge en masse from the Fox River and its tributaries. Their larvae live underwater for up to a…
Hummingbirds! Part 2
Mother Nature makes it best: A ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) samples the nectar at a butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) also known as butterflyweed.