The woodlouse spider is noted for its deep red coloring and its large fangs, or chelicerae. Our cool and wet summer has led to an abundance of woodlice—a.k.a. sowbugs and roly-polies—and hence an abundance of woodlouse spiders. August 29, 2014 Woodlouse Spider Lousy. It’s a crummy term, even under the best of circumstances. That is,
Arachnid, Spider, Wood Louse Spider
He might not be stronger than a locomotive, or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. But somewhere out there in the DeKalb County countryside, there’s a chipmunk whose secret identity has finally been exposed. August 22, 2014 Secret Identities Secret identities. Our popular culture is full of them. Daily Planet reporter Clark
Chipmunk, Chippies, Critter
August 15, 2014 Grapevine Beetles Grown-up grubs: These male grapevine beetles (Pelidnota punctata), shown here feeding on their namesake plant, bear little resemblance to what they looked like as larvae. Ah, babies. Dontcha just love ’em? Over the course of a year, hundreds of babies, and their parents (or grandparents), come through the doors at
Bug, Grapevine Beetles, Insect
While her mate defends their territory, a female American goldfinch collects seed from purple coneflower. Although most songbirds in our area feed heavily on insects during the breeding season, goldfinches maintain their seed-eating ways year round. August 8, 2014 Goldfinch Did you hear what I heard? Every morning for the past week or so, as
Bird, Fly, Goldfinch
They’re creepy and kooky, and more than a little controversial. But beautiful nonetheless. Double-crested cormorants, resplendent in breeding plumage (note the double crests, one on each side of the head) take advantage of the sun’s rays to dry off and warm up at Fermilab in Batavia. Photo provided by Steve Myers, North Aurora. August 1,
Bird, Cormorants, Fermilab, Fly
A little creepy and a little kooky, double-crested cormorants are an increasingly common sight along the Fox River as well as assorted local ponds. July 25, 2014 Cormorants “They’re creepy and they’re kooky, Mysterious and spooky, They’re altogether ooky…” Right about now, you’re probably fighting the urge to snap your fingers, hum along, and fill
Bird, Cormorants, Fly
Tortoise beetle larvae protect themselves from predators by creating a shield of ‘distasteful’ items collected on forked structures at the tip of the abdomen. July 18, 2014 Tortoise Beetle Thar’s gold in them thar hills! But hold on a sec. Before you run for your pans and pick axes, we should probably clarify a couple
Insect, Larvae, Tortoise Beetle
July 11, 2014 No rattles, fangs or venom: This snake’s round pupil helps identify it as a nonvenomous western fox snake, Pantherophis vulpinus, a species that is locally common in areas throughout Kane County. Fox Snake I think it’s safe to say, most people in our area can recognize a garter snake. Smallish to medium
Fox Snake, Reptile, Snake
Stoneflies, even the common species, are increasingly hard to find these days. This juvenile, also called a nymph, was found underneath a rock in Ferson Creek at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles. July 3, 2014 Stoneflies It may seem, at first glance, that our Fox River Bugs are a pretty homogenous bunch. I
Bug, Insect, Stonefly
An Ephemeridae mayfly rests next to its freshly cast skin. Mayflies are the only insects that experience a subimago, or sub adult, life stage in which they are winged and capable of flight but not fully mature. June 27, 2014 Mayflies For many folks, the daily routine is more like a mad dash from start
Fly, Insect, Myflies