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Just like human babies, insect babies-- also known as larvae- sometimes bear little resemblance to the adults they become.

Good Natured: Insect Babies

Have you ever tried to match a picture of a baby to what s/he looks l...

Earwig droppings contain an aggregation pheromone that attracts both adults and nymphs, resulting in earwig clusters like this one inside some milkweed leaves. This plant was the only one among six milkweeds to host such a gathering.

Good Natured: Earwig Boom

The other day, just for kicks, I tossed out the word “earwig&quo...

The translucent 'balloons' on this sprig of bladderwort take in nutrients in the form of tiny arthropods. The other animals in the picture, such as the aquatic sowbug (right) and the beetle (below) are too large for the carnivourous plant to capture.

Good Natured: Carnivorous Bladderwort

Mention the word carnivore and folks tend to picture creatures known ...

Doesn't this milkshake look good!

Community Scoop: Kane County Shares Favorite Ice Cream Spots

This summer, Kane County Connects invited residents to share their fa...

Perched atop a small hackberry tree, a male red-winged blackbird eyes a curious naturalist walking along the Fox River Trail in Geneva.

Good Natured: Red-Winged Blackbird Season

Every year about this time, certain wild neighbors start making headl...

Kane County staff and Board members enjoy Swedish Days.

Kane County Joins in Swedish Days Parade

Kane County staff and Board members enjoyed walking in the Grand Para...

Miles from home, a displaced cicada sits, silently, as his next adventure awaits.

Good Natured: Cicadas Under Pressure

The other day I was puttering in the garage and listening, as I often...

Neither bumble bees nor naturalists can resist the sweet smell of Tilia blossoms; the aromas are equally alluring- and perhaps even more so- at night.

Good Natured: Basswoods in Bloom

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure St...

Kane County staff volunteers developed and maintain the 24-by-24-foot garden plot on the Geneva campus.

Third Annual Kane County Government Garden Growing Goodwill

The third annual Kane County Volunteer Garden is already taking ...

Poly Mothman, a polyphemus moth, used chemistry and mechanical means to make his way out of his sturdy cocoon.

Good Natured: Polyphemus Moth and Cocoon Part Two

Last week we spent some time getting to know Poly Pupa, the cocoon pr...

A handsome hover fly, which developed from a larva known as a rat-tailed maggot (or 'mousie' to ice fisher people) pauses on top of a flower. Photo credit: iStock

Good Natured: Rat-Tailed Maggots

As a little kid, I was really lucky...

Eastern phoebes show a preference for nesting in sheltered locations. They'll also refurbish and reuse their nests, often returning to the same site year after year. Credit: iStock/Carol Hamilton

Good Natured: Eastern Phoebes

Last month the St...

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