The buzz
All Buzz Articles
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A dog-day cicada emerging from its exoskeleton on a tree trunk.
The buzz on cicadas: How this year's insects are different than last summer's headliners
7/14/2025That buzz you hear coming from the trees in your yard is coming from cicadas, but not the same kind of cicadas that were making headlines last year. These cicadas, called dog-day cicadas, emerge every summer, alerting us to their presence with their well-known buzzing sound.
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A wet dog shakes itself off and sprays water.
The dog days of summer are here, but it doesn't mean what you think
7/8/2025The dog days of summer are here, both literally and metaphorically. Be sure to stay safe outdoors during periods of high heat and humidity.
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A Halloween pennant dragonfly perched atop vegetation.
Mosquitoes driving you indoors? Attract dragonflies to your yard
6/30/2025Dragonflies can eat dozens of mosquitoes a day, so attracting them to your yard might help make your time outside more enjoyable.
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A person standing in a field with a star-filled sky above. A meteor is streaking across the sky.
Wish upon a shooting star: July a good month for meteor activity
6/27/2025Meteor activity will be heating up in July, with three meteor showers sending shooting stars streaking across the night sky.
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A capybara, with its brown fur, swims in water with two offspring behind it.
Wild Relatives: The capybara
6/25/2025What wallows like a pig, swims like a hippo and looks like a giant guinea pig? A capybara, the largest rodent in the world.
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A blue jay splashing in a bird bath.
Help wildlife beat the heat by leaving water out for them
6/18/2025What are you doing to beat the heat this summer? If you can, add leaving water out for wildlife to your list.
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Fireworks lighting up the night sky over a lake.
Booms in the night: Fireworks displays pose risks for wildlife
6/18/2025It's not just our pets who suffer around the Fourth of July. Loud, booming fireworks pose serious risks to wildlife too.
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Adult and juvenile bison standing in tall grasses and vegetation.
Quiz: Can you ace this bison test?
6/16/2025Here's your chance to test your knowledge of these amazing animals.
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An opossum curled up on the ground with its teeth bared while playing dead.
Nature curiosity: Why do opossums play dead?
6/13/2025Playing dead might not seem like an effective strategy for avoiding capture by predators, but for some animals it's just the thing.
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It's lightning bug season, so be on the lookout for these incredible insects
6/12/2025Catching lightning bugs is a summer rite of passage, but do you know how these bugs light up? Or why?
Current Headlines
Be a Trailblazer turns outdoor fun into a family affair
Liz Lyons of New Lenox has turned the Forest Preserve District’s Be a Trailblazer challenge into a fun-filled family tradition. From dancing in the rain to spotting tiny critters on the trail, challenge missions have become cherished memories.
Wild Science: Rare mussel search in Will County aids DuPage restocking effort
Forest preserve staff from Will and DuPage counties recently searched a Will County creek for rare mussels to support a native species restoration project. The collaboration could help reintroduce the ellipse mussel to DuPage waterways, where it has disappeared.