The Buzz

A world without mosquitoes might sound nice, but removing one species from its habitat can have far-ranging and devastating consequences.

Find out by answering these 10 questions.

The photo isn't easy to look at, but it's important to share it to raise awareness of how deadly the trash being left behind in the preserves can be to wildlife.

Is a snake a reptile or an amphibian? How about a frog? These two classes of animals have some similarities, but some key characteristics also set them apart. 

It's skunk mating season, and as male skunks are out and about searching for mates, we may have more close encounters with these animals, resulting in that telltale smell in the air. 

With scores of wildlife to be spotted around Will County, you never quite know what you'll spot in the great outdoors. 

It's an annual tradition at Shawnee National Forest. 

Climate change and habitat loss aren't the only factors affecting the bee population. A new study shows the use of pesticides called neonicotinoids can cause permanent brain damage in baby bumblebees. 

We're charting migrations this season, announcing when a variety of species hit major milestones on their travels north.

Icy is slippery; it's one of those things people just know to be true, like water being wet. But the science behind this fact has only recently become well understood. 

March includes the much-heralded start of spring, along with a supermoon and a great opportunity to see Venus in the night sky.

If you rely on the myth that moss only grows on the north side of trees to guide you through a forest, you're likely to get lost. 

The next time you order a drink from a restaurant, think twice before you unwrap the straw. Americans use millions of straws a day, and many of them end up as litter, eventually making their way into ours lakes and rivers. National Skip the Straw Day, held every February, aims to change that. 

Thanks to Journey North — a project run by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum — you can chart the hummingbirds' progress as they head our way.

The American badger isn't as well-known as many of the other mammals that call Will County home, but these fascinating creatures are exceptional diggers that are known to work alongside coyotes to hunt.