The buzz
All Buzz Articles
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A river otter with just its head above the water.
Quiz: Can you ace this river otter quiz?
4/30/2025Test your knowledge on this 10-question quiz.
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A person standing in a field with a star-filled sky above. A meteor is streaking across the sky.
Spend spring nights gazing up at the stars
4/29/2025Enjoy warm spring nights under the stars, and don't miss the eta Aquariids meteor shower.
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A person pushing a lawn mower across a lawn. Half the lawn is freshly cut and half is full of dandelions.
Give your mower a rest in May. Do it for the bees.
4/28/2025Participating in No Mow May isn't just a way to cut down on your yardwork for a month. You'll be helping bees and other essential insects too.
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A Baltimore oriole on a tree branch.
Migration watch: Orioles have landed in Will County
4/24/2025Time to stock up on oranges and grape jelly. Baltimore orioles are back in Will County for the season.
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A northern flicker sitting in the branches of a crabapple tree dusted with snow.
Want winter wildlife in your yard? Plant these trees now
4/23/2025When planning your spring plantings, consider incorporating trees that will be a draw for wildlife in the winter too.
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A fennec fox laying in sand.
Wild Relatives: The fennec fox
4/22/2025Fennec foxes are the smallest fox species in the world, and they thrive in the extreme conditions of the Sahara Desert.
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A badger emerging from a hole in the ground.
Quiz: How much do you know about badgers?
4/22/2025Find out by answering these 10 questions.
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A monarch butterfly atop a green leaf.
Migration watch: Monarchs have landed in Illinois
4/17/2025We're charting migrations this season, announcing when a variety of species hit major milestones on their travels north.
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The pink blooms of an eastern redbud tree in a forest.
Pretty in pink: Eastern redbuds provide pop of color in spring landscape
4/15/2025Eastern redbuds are one of the first pops of color in the forest each spring, providing splashes of pink in the canopy before the green creeps in.
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A ruby-throated hummingbird perched on a hummingbird feeder.
Migration watch: Hummingbirds have landed in Will County
4/14/2025Get your hummingbird feeders out! The tiny birds have been spotted in Will County.
Current Headlines
Lace up for the Spring Scamper Fun Run at Hadley Valley
Ready to run, walk or sprint into spring? Sign up now for the 2.5-mile Spring Scamper Fun Run before registration closes on May 7. The event includes food and lawn games and participants can take home a seed-planting kit.
From college to colony: Meet Plum Creek's new beekeeper
New beekeeper Dade Bradley brings curiosity, conservation and community spirit to Plum Creek Nature Center. Get to know him and more about bees at the monthly Meet a Beekeeper programs at Plum Creek starting Saturday, May 10.