Looking very much like a creature from a Dr. Seuss story, the horned spanworm features odd structures known in entomological terms as ‘eversible tentacles.’
Horned Spanworm
Braconid Wasps
Judging by the yields in the community garden plots at James O. Breen Community Park in St. Charles, 2019 is a big year for local…
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…
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…
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.…
Viceroy Butterfly
Do you see monarchs mating? Look again! These two butterflies are viceroys, distinguished from monarchs by the dark line across the hindwing. Look for this species in moist areas where willows grow. Viceroy Butterfly September 22, 2017 A couple of weeks ago we took a look at the current darling of the butterfly world, the
Wooly Bears
October 10, 2014 Woolly Bears Instantly recognizable, woolly bear caterpillars are one of the insect world’s many ‘child stars.’ After pupation these familiar creatures lead quiet lives as Isabella tiger moths—medium-sized, drab-colored lepidopterans frequently drawn to porch lights on warm spring nights. “Where are they now?” It’s a phrase that seems custom-made for former child
Black Swallow Tail
The other day Joan Kramer, our gardener extraordinaire, came into the office and announced she’d found a friend in the garden. Now, that in itself was nothing new. Joan’s always bumping into old friends, and making new ones, as she works to keep the park district’s Native Plant Garden in top-rate condition. But this little
Wolly Bear
The entertainment world is full of former child stars—in fact, where would the “E!” channel be without them and their True Hollywood Stories? But the insect world has its share of child stars, too—little larvae that are instantly recognizable as youngsters, only to turn ordinary when adulthood hits. The antlion comes to mind; as juveniles