Knowing the difference between wild parsnip and golden alexander could save you from a painful, burning rash.
The cold-weather seed distribution of around 350 different plant species is scheduled for 14 preserves throughout Will County.
While jerks out in the preserves can cause a number of problems for normal, everyday visitors, jerks on the water can be even more problematic.
Can you ace this 10-question quiz?
Can't tell the difference between a Cooper's hawk and a sharp-shinned hawk? You're not alone. These two birds are strikingly similar in appearance, but there's a few things to look for to help tell them apart.
Males bees, the drones, have an unusual way of showing affection for the queen – they try to blind her. It may sound bizarre, but it makes perfectly good sense from the drone's perspective.
Birds don't hatch knowing how to fly. Much like babies learning to walk, learning to fly is a process for baby birds, one that often involves a lot of trial and error.
American white pelicans make their presence known in Will County twice a year, so get to know more about these biannual visitors in our creature feature.
Spider silk is stronger than any other fiber on Earth, but how do these eight-legged creatures make it? They are specially equipped for making silk, with glands and structures designed for just that purpose.
Thirty members of law enforcement recently scooped, plucked and netted insects from pig carcasses during a death investigation entomology workshop at a rural forest preserve.
Food scraps don't decompose as fast as you might think, so leaving your apple cores and banana peels behind is bad news for many reasons.
Trillions of cigarettes are littered each year, creating a lasting impact for the environment. And now, with the rising popularity of e-cigarettes, litter from smoking includes both hazardous and electronic waste.
The Forest Preserve District's Board of Commissioners approved a $25 million capital plan at its November 14 meeting.
Can a bird survive with a broken beak? It often depends on where the injury is and how severe it is, as well as whether the bird can still eat.
Plenty of clues are starting to pop up that signal warmer days are on the horizon.
Three types of swans populate our waterways, but these white birds can be hard to tell apart from one another. Learn what features can help you distinguish between trumpeter swans, tundra swans and mute swans.
Nearly two-thirds of the bird species in North America — 389 of the 604 species — are at risk of facing 'unlivable climate conditions across most of their current ranges by 2080 if global temperatures remain on track to rise by 3 degrees Celsius.'
Can you tell the difference between a lichen and a moss? They often look very similar, but there are a few key differences.
Ask any teacher, emergency room nurse or police officer about the full moon, and they'll surely have some stories to tell. The idea that the full moon makes us a little loony may be deeply ingrained in our culture, but in reality it has never been conclusively proven.
They are magnificent birds, traveling and foraging in large flocks making them nearly impossible to miss.
With warmer weather right around the corner — along with all of those spring wildflowers in The Forest Preserve District of Will County's many preserves — now is a great time to planning ahead for some trips into nature to see what it has to offer.
It's apparently the season for animals getting themselves in all sorts of uncomfortable situations.
The bald eagle was minding its own business, tending to two eggs in the nest that's being monitored by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
Carter Wright's interests in photography and wildlife are the perfect complement to his work as a volunteer interpreter at Lake Renwick Heron Rookery Nature Preserve.
The name of the green dragon plant conjures up some fantastical images, but in reality you have to have quite an imagination to see the plant's resemblance to a fictitious reptile.
Answer these 10 questions to see if you are an osprey expert.
Is that creepy crawly covered in legs a centipede or a millipede? Here's how to tell.
Next time you're at a local pond, resist the urge to feed the ducks and geese. They don't need our help, and we are actually making them sick.
Red-winged blackbirds have a bad reputation ... but they're not alone when it comes to birds doing whatever it takes to make sure everyone knows where they stand in the pecking order of nature.
Many males play a key role in giving their offspring a much-needed jump-start.
Birding can be a rewarding experience, but also tricky in getting those identifications just right.
That duck nest you think is in a bad spot probably isn't. The duck knew what she was doing when she built it, and moving it will cause more harm than good.
For the Swift family, caring for the animals at Plum Creek Nature Center taught them new skills they can now use at home.
For Mother's Day, we're honoring the incredible things these local moms do for their young
Both hummingbird feeders and wildflowers can help attract ruby-throated hummingbirds to your yard, but don't forget about including plants that host insects, another important food source for these tiny beauties.
Spring is migration time for many songbirds, including warblers. These small birds add to the sights and sounds of the forest this time of year.