The buzz
All Buzz Articles
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A differential grasshopper on a leaf.
Hop to it with these five grasshopper facts
8/22/2023Grasshoppers are one of our more familiar insects, and this is your chance to learn all about them.
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A ruby-throated hummingbird drinking nectar from a feeder.
Hummingbirds have started migrating, but don't pack away your feeders quite yet
8/22/2023Ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate in waves, and some have already departed for their wintering grounds. But we'll continue to see the birds in Will County for weeks, so keep filling your feeders.
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A ruby-throated hummingbird at a feeder.
Hummingbird feeders abuzz with bees and wasps? Here's why — and how to fix it
8/21/2023If you are seeing more bees than hummingbirds at your hummingbird feeders lately, you're not alone. Learn why we see them more at this time of year and how you might keep them away from your hummingbird feeders.
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A reddish-pink water lily in bloom, next to a whitish-yellow American lotus in bloom.
What's the difference?: Water lily vs. American lotus
8/15/2023Not all those big green leaves growing on the water's surface are lily pads. American lotus can also be found in Illinois waterways. Learn to tell the difference between these two plants.
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A person standing next to a bridge on a trail.
Preserves We Love: McKinley Woods, because there's something for everyone
8/14/2023Guest services associate Kylee Beckwith tells us why she loves McKinley Woods — Frederick's Grove.
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An American coot standing on a log over the water.
Odd duck out: Coots share space with ducks, but aren't closely related
8/8/2023Is that a funny-looking duck or a chicken you saw by the water? It might be neither. American coots are a common sight by our waterways during breeding season, but they might have you doing a double take.
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A person standing along a dirt trail in a forest.
Preserves We Love: Raccoon Grove, for its fairy-tale feel
8/3/2023Interpretive naturalist Heather Van Zyl tells us why she loves Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve.
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A woman standing on a roof deck overlooking a forest.
Meet a Naturalist: Suzy Lyttle, a childhood dream fulfilled
7/28/2023Meet Suzy Lyttle, the program coordinator at Hidden Oaks Nature Center.
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Sunlight shining through the canopies in a line of trees.
Burning questions about the sun? Check out these five facts
7/26/2023We have the sun to thank for all life on Earth, but how much do you really know about the star at the center of our world?
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A frog emerging its head from water covered in duckweed.
Duckweed is world's smallest flowering plant
7/24/2023Want to see the world's smallest flowering plant? Look no farther than your local pond.
Current Headlines
Two Forest Preserve interpreters win national awards
Forest Preserve program coordinators Jessica McQuown and Heather Van Zyl both received Distinguished Frontline Interpreter awards recently from the National Association for Interpretation.
Hidden Oaks Nature Center reopens with oak-tastic vibes and family fun
More than 1,400 people attended the grand reopening celebration for the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook on May 3. The site was closed for 15 months for a $2 million makeover.