The buzz
All Buzz Articles
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Bloodroot in bloom on forest floor
Things we love: The aptly named bloodroot
4/13/2020Spring wildflowers are beautiful but fleeting. Keep your eyes trained to the ground when out for a walk to see if you can spot bloodroot, a fascinating ephemeral.
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View of lightning strike off in the distance
Myth buster: Lightning can strike the same place twice
4/8/2020Lightning can — and will — strike the same place twice, so always head indoors when thunder roars.
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A crappie fish being held in a hand
Things we love: Those fiercely protective crappies
4/7/2020Spring is spawning season for crappies, which offers an opportunity to get a good look at these fish.
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A blue-spotted salamander draped on top of a down log
Creature feature: The secretive blue-spotted salamander
4/6/2020Have you ever seen a blue-spotted salamander? Most people haven't, but they do live in Will County. Finding one is a matter of knowing where to look.
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A fox snake slithering on a trail
What's the difference?: Fox snake vs. eastern massasauga rattlesnake
4/4/2020Is that snake you saw a dangerous eastern massasauga rattlesnake or a nonvenomous fox snake? If you saw it in Will County, it was a fox snake. The massasauga does not live in Will County. In fact, no venomous snakes do.
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Yellow and green lichen on a log
Things we love: Those lovely lichens
4/2/2020Lichens are little known and not well understood, but they deserve our appreciation.
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Blue-spotted salamander on a log
Things we love: Those sneaky salamanders
3/27/2020When it comes to salamanders, a big part of the thrill is the hunt.
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Red-headed woodpecker perched on a branch
Nature curiosity: Why don't woodpeckers get brain damage?
3/23/2020Woodpeckers can peck up to 12,000 times a day! So how do they do it without hurting their brains?
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White-breasted nuthatch eating on a feeder
How to turn your yard into a haven for birds
3/20/2020Want to attract birds to your yard? You'll need to meet their basic needs: food, shelter and water.
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Great blue heron in the water on the hunt
Things we love: Those gangling great blue herons
3/19/2020Birds in Will County come in all shapes, sizes and colors, but it doesn't get any better than spotting a great blue heron gliding over a preserve or patiently stalking its prey on the ground.
Current Headlines
Music by land or sea? You choose at Surf-N-Turf Concert
Monee Reservoir will host its annual 'Surf-N-Turf Concert' from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, July 12. Visitors can listen to the music from the lake or the lawn. Kayak and canoe rentals will be available, and food trucks will be serving tasty treats.
Hybrid turtle 'Theodorable' serves as warning: Don’t dump pets in preserves
A hybrid box turtle was removed from a Will County preserve to protect a threatened species. Now living at Isle a la Cache Museum, he serves as an ambassador to educate the public about the dangers of releasing pet turtles into the wild.