Butterflies are easy. It’s a statement that naturalists make from time to time, and it refers to the fact that we don’t have to work…
Overwintering Butterflies
River bugs are back
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 year, and frequently are used as indicators of aquatic ecosystem health. River bugs are back June 2, 2017 Lots of people soon will flock to St. Charles’ annual extravaganza, Festival
Water Scavenger Beetles
Last week the mystery and allure of the Geneva Snake grew too strong to resist; I had to go check things out for myself. And while the snake itself proved elusive, I did see lots of other cool things: Argiope (a.k.a. “garden” or “banana”) spiders’ intricate work—delicate webs complete with a trademark “zipper” in the
Strag Beetles
Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District August 16, 2013 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 us,
Stag Beetles
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
Ticks
Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District May 31, 2013 To paraphrase Abe Lincoln, you can’t fool all the people all the time, but if you want to gross ’em out, every time, you only have to mention one word. Ticks.
OohEew
Objects in nature, as in life, can be divided into two distinct groups: The things that make you go, “Oooooh!” and the things that make you go “Eeeeew!” This past week, we were lucky enough to encounter both. The first item, an “ooooh,” appeared last Saturday, that lovely spring day where temperatures climbed into the