Weather

Despite attempts to eradicate it, the spongy (formerly gypsy) moth continues to impact trees throughout our area. This female, full of eggs, was found in Mt. St. Mary Park in St. Charles in July 2023.

Good Natured: Steps to Kick Invasive Species to the Curb

Over the past couple of weeks, we've established that a) hitchhiking,...

Kane County will be hosting public input sessions in Aurora, Geneva and Elgin on a draft of its first Climate Action Implementation Plan.

Climate Action Plan Public Sessions in Aurora and Elgin

Kane County is hosting its final two public input sessions ...

With big claws and an attitude to match, the rusty crayfish was brought to Illinois intentionally for use as fishing bait. It then hitched around in bait buckets throughout the Upper Midwest, displacing native species along the way.

Good Natured: Infamous Hitchhiking Species

Back in the day when hitchhikers were a thing, they were hard to miss...

$Having hitchhiked a ride to Illinois from California, and despite a fractured shell, this snail is now living comfortably in a terrarium in DeKalb County. Photo by Peggy Anesi$

Good Natured: Esther Duncan the Hitchhiking Snail

Growing up we had the best neighbors a kid could hope for: Harry ...

Kane County Animal Control offers advice for residents to keep their pets safe during extreme cold temperatures.

Kane County Animal Control Provides Pet Safety Tips for Freezing Winter Temperatures

As subzero temperatures blanket the area, Kane County Animal Con...

Marcescence not only is a great word, but also an interesting phenomemon to observe in the winter landscape.

Good Natured: Marcescent Trees

Don't you just love a good word...

Never shy about helping themselves to free food, European starlings have made themselves at home in every one of the lower 48 states as well as southern Alaska and Canada.

Good Natured: Andrini Starling

Depending on how your holiday season played out, you may have, in the...

If you've got a naturalist on your gift list, there's still time to track down some of these tried-and-true favorites, including pants with pockets, lip balm and multitools.

Good Natured: Gift Ideas for the Naturalist

With the ho-ho-holiday gift-giving deadline just around the corner, I...

The "fluff" in this photo is milkweed floss, carried up to a vacated bird nest by an industrious mouse. Buoyant, soft and water resistant, milkweed floss is a material with many desirable characteristics.

Good Natured: Milkweed Floss

Let's take a moment, shall we, during this festive time of year, to c...

There are several unique places for Christmas trees in Kane County.

Christmas Tree Cheer in Kane County

There are several unique places to find a holiday tree in Kane C...

Round galls on the stems of goldenrod are the work of the goldenrod gall fly, Eurosta Solidaginis, while elliptical galls are created by a moth, Gnorimoschema gallaesolidaginis.

Good Natured: Goldenrod Galls Host a Diversity of Life

Last week we took a look into the life and times of little Eurosta so...

Inside this gumball-sized sphere, a goldenrod gall fly larva will spend the winter in diapause- insects' version of hibernation. Photo by Chris Gingrich

Good Natured: Goldenrod Galls

Longtime Good Natured readers might recall an old column (a 6-year-ol...

<< Prev

Next >>