Shrews
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…
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Artie the Turtle
Ah, 1978. Things were sure were different then. Jimmy Carter was president. I remember this because I drew his portrait, and all those pearly white…
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Woolly Bear Caterpillars
“Where are they now?” It’s a phrase that seems custom-made for former child stars-those little darlings who sang, danced or acted their way to fame…
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American Plum
I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve had quite the plum job these past couple of weeks. Since early September we’ve been conducting Wetland Ecology…
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Blue Jay Calls
There’s no mistaking the distinctive call of the blue jay. Or is there? Most folks can easily associate this common bird with its characteristic “Jeer!”…
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Elderberries
Given what I’ve been up to lately, I’d get it if you thought I was a Brewster. Old movie buffs and high school theater veterans…
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Black Swallowtails
All the hullabaloo about monarch butterflies and their potential endangerment has led me to wonder, What’s up with black swallowtails? I started looking for them…
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Nighthawks
I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not very good at texting. Half the time I don’t realize I’ve even gotten a text. And when…
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Sound of Silence
Did you hear what I heard? Every morning for the past week or so, as I’ve crawled out of bed to greet the day, a…
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Season of Shed Skins
Well, it’s that time of year again, the Season of Shed Skins. If you don’t believe me, just go outside and take a look around.…
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Zebra Jumping Spiders
Recently my nature coworkers and I got the chance to spend some time at Primrose Farm, another fine outdoor education facility operated by the St.…
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Investigative Naturalists
Recently I came across a treasure trove of memories from my childhood, in the form of several boxes of Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries.…
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Buzz Pollination
When was the last time you had a really good buzz? I’ll tell you one thing-it’s probably more recent than you think. In fact, if…
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Nature & Yardwork
Native pollinators have been in the news a lot lately and, for the most part, the reports have not been good. Powerful pesticides combined with…
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Insect Pollinators
Native pollinators have been in the news a lot lately and, for the most part, the reports have not been good. Powerful pesticides combined with…
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House Wrens
Whenever I hear the charming lilt of the house wren, I can’t help but think of Grandpa Atterberry. Save for a stint in the Army…
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Intoxicating Fragrance of the Basswood
I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure St. Charles has laws preventing public intoxication. Yet there I was the other night, stumbling in the…
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Ground Bees – Part 2
Ground bees, as we saw last week, are some of our area’s most beneficial insects. They provide spring flowers with the much-needed service of pollination.…
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Ground Bees – Part 1
The other day I was at Langum Woods in St. Charles, getting ready to work with some wonderful volunteers from Elgin Community College’S Phi Theta…
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Prescribed Burns
They’ve been common sights over the past several weeks: Billowing plumes of smoke erupting above our local parks and preserves. But instead of destruction, these…
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The American Woodcock
Thursday evening it was business as usual at Hickory Knolls. I was heading out toward the picnic shelter to set up for a campfire and…
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Excitement on the Soccer Field
I’ll be the first to admit, soccer has not played a big part in my life. I remember playing in a few awkward games in…
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The New Blanding’s Turtle Pond
People laugh when I say this, but you really can tell when a reptile is content. Its body posture, for example, is relaxed but not…
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The Salamander and the New Tail
The tiger salamander on the left displays a tail of normal length. The salamander on the right is in the process of regenerating its tail following an infection. Look closely to see the newly formed tip peeking out at the end. The Salamander and the New Tail March 16, 2018 It’s come to my attention
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