The buzz
All Buzz Articles
-
A green frog on the left and a bullfrog on the right.
What's the difference?: Green frog vs. bullfrog
8/31/2023Can you tell a bullfrog from a green frog? Here are a few clues to help tell these two similar frog species apart.
-
Feet in hiking boot walking along a natural surface trail.
Earbuds out for the latest fitness trend: Silent walking gaining traction
8/30/2023Keeping up with the latest fitness trends? Then put your earbuds away and enjoy the silence on your next walk.
-
A person standing on a wooden bridge with a lake in the background.
Preserves We Love: Lake Chaminwood, for its transformation to tranquility
8/29/2023Director of planning and land preservation Colleen Novander tells us why she loves Lake Chaminwood Preserve.
-
A man standing in front of a courtyard full of hanging hummingbird feeders.
Meet a Naturalist: Bob Bryerton, a naturalist from his earliest days
8/28/2023Meet Bob Bryerton, the program coordinator at Plum Creek Nature Center and Monee Reservoir.
-
A woman standing in a prairie
Preserves We Love: Kankakee Sands, for its parallels to parenthood
8/24/2023Restoration program coordinator Juli Mason tells us why she loves Kankakee Sands Preserve.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
Current Headlines
Preserves, visitor centers to close for Christmas holiday
All forest preserve visitors centers will be closed after noon on Tuesday, Dec. 24, and all day on Wednesday, Dec. 25, for the Christmas holiday. Also, all preserves, including dog parks, will be closed on Dec. 25.
Mark your calendar for exciting 2025 events
The Forest Preserve District's 2025 calendar is chock full of exciting events and exhibitions ranging from Eagle Watch and a Smokey Bear art exhibition in January to Pelican Party and Woods Walk in the fall.