Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District August 2, 2013 Think your lawn or garden doesn’t have a resident population of insectivores? Have we got shrews for you! Shrews aren’t the sort of wildlife that would normally grab your attention. Though
Mice, Mole, Pest, Shrew
Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District July 26, 2012 This year promises to be big for gardeners. Plenty of rain along with a few steamy days of what my grandfather the farmer used to call “good growing weather” have made
Hawkmoth, Hornworm, Tobacco Hornworm
Pam’s Perspective From the… C:\Users\selm\Desktop\P1030492.JPG Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District July 19, 2012 The heady aroma of fine cigars. The rise and fall of male voices, punctuated with deep, booming laughter. It didn’t take a girl popping out of a cake to tell
Beetles, Bugs, Insects
Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District July 12, 2012 Except for one time, 25 years ago, when I found myself eating ice cream in a supermarket with Prince Andrew and his then-wife Sarah, the Duchess of York, my brushes with
Queen Snake, Reptile, Snake
Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District July 5, 2012 Whoever said parenting is not for sissies knew exactly what he, or she, was talking about. I know this because I’ve recently taken on the completely self-imposed challenge of life in
Manny, Mantid, Praying Mantis
Pam’s Perspective C:\Users\selm\Desktop\Glowworm Phengodes.jpg From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District June 28, 2013 Life at Hickory Knolls is filled with many bright spots, small discoveries and tiny triumphs that make our outlook just a little bit sunnier. Like the day last week
Firefly, Glow, Glowworm, Lightning Bugs
Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District June 21, 2013 The other night a large, mosquito-like insect was flying around the kitchen. I waited until it landed, then let it outside. Not five minutes later, I spotted another. Out it went,
Bug, Crane Flies, Insect
Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District June 7, 2013 Over the past three or four weeks, we’ve gotten several calls about turtles. Turtles wandering through back yards. Turtles wandering through front yards. A turtle that, at first glance, appeared to
Reptile, Shell, Turtles
Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District May 24, 2013 Who doesn’t love a good berry? Strawberries! Raspberries! Blueberries! Crayfish? Yep, it’s crayfish-berry season in Kane County. Or, more correctly, it’s the season Kane County crayfish are “in berry.” Every year
Aquatic Invader, Crayfish, Rusty
Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District May 17, 2013 I’ve never, by any stretch of the imagination, been considered quick. I can’t dash, I don’t dart. In fact, the only time I recall moving with any speed at all was
Beetle, Bug, Insect, Six-Spotted Beetle