Good Natured | Hickory Knolls Discovery Center

Chimney Swifts – Part 2

Last week we relayed the story of two young chimney swifts who found themselves in a spot of trouble, and the people who came to their aid. This week we’re taking a step back and looking at the species as a whole. As you’ll see, Chaetura pelagica is in a spot of trouble too. […]

Chimney Swifts

The other night around 8:30 my phone started blowing up with texts that, at that moment, were going to have to go unanswered. I was in the car with my 88-year-old mother, driving back from an afternoon of celebrating Cousin Ruthie’s 98th birthday. As we rode along we mused as to what all the commotion was about. […]

Stag Beetles

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, a stag party was underway in the pavilion of the Hickory Knolls Natural Area. Meanwhile, a stone’s throw away at the Discovery Center, another gathering of stags was in full swing: […]

The Jumper and the Pollinators

Location, location, location. It’s a cardinal rule for real estate, and for spider webs. Think about it. Where are the thickest, juiciest spiders? In webs near outdoor lights. Why? Because of all the insects-a.k.a. spider fodder-that are drawn to them. […]

Mourning Doves

From time to time at Hickory Knolls we hold a program called Superheroes of Nature. We look at how real-life turtles’ talents compare to those of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; how the special skills of spiders stack up against Spiderman’s superpowers; […]

Leeches

“Say Pam, how’s that leech of yours doing?” said no Good Natured reader, ever. But, just for conversation’s sake, let’s say someone did inquire about the Placobdella species we found last fall. I’d proudly respond that our little Loren is doing just fine, thank you very much. […]

Glowworms

A picture of a male Phengodes beetle on the Facebook page What’s Happening in St. Charles showed that this species is still alive and well in our area. It also put me in a nostalgic mood. Please enjoy this Good Natured column from Summer 2013: […]

Fireflies

For almost a week now-since 10:54 a.m. on Friday June 21– it’s officially been summer. Unofficially, it’s also firefly mating season, a last hurrah for these insects that have spent most of the last year or two under rocks and logs, living as predacious larvae that feed on earthworms, slugs and other invertebrates. […]

Dobsonflies

I can still remember my first dobsonfly. The date was July of 2002. The place, Red Oak Nature Center in North Aurora. The insect was contained within a two-quart Tupperware bowl–with holes poked in the lid for ventilation. The woman carrying it clearly was unsettled, […]

Male Fish Pitch In

This week, in honor of fathers everywhere, let’s take a look at some of the most devoted papas our area has to offer. A word of warning though, these guys don’t make many people’s lists of warm, huggable favorites. In fact, they’re kinda slimy. But that’s okay, because they’re fish. […]

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Tuesday-Saturday	10am-4pm
Sunday	12-4pm
Monday	Closed