Why Kane

The Monkey House was a structure that stood for more than a century in what is now the Hickory Knolls Natural Area.

Good Natured: The Monkey House

​If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it...
Kane County is loaded with outdoor activities for the perfect family staycation this Labor Day weekend.

Kane County Offers 'Staycation' Holiday Activities for All Ages

​If Labor Day weekend plans call for a 'staycation', Kane County offer...
Stoneflies, even the common species, are increasingly hard to find these days. This stonefly nymph was found in Ferson Creek at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles.

Good Natured: Stoneflies

​It may seem, at first glance, that our Fox River bugs are a pretty ho...
A large mayfly rests next to its freshly cast skin. Mayflies are the only insects that experience a subimago, or sub adult, life stage in which they are winged and capable of flight but not fully mature.

Good Natured: The Mayfly

​( Note: This column is the second in a three-part series on the F...
Kane County Word Puzzle 2023

Download the Kane County Word Puzzle

​Kane County serves residents in  over two dozen communities...
New Measure for Awarding Construction Contracts in Kane County

Kane County Enacts more Stringent Policy for Awarding Construction Contracts

 The Kane County Board has adopted a measure known as a Responsib...
Meet Jerri!

Kane County Animal Control Pet of the Week

​“A dog is not a thing...
Also known as River Bugs, caddisflies periodically emerge en masse from the Fox River and its tributaries.  Their larvae live underwater for up to a year, and frequently are used as indicators of aquatic ecosystem health.

Good Natured: The Caddisflies

​Anyone who's spent time along the Fox River, either in it, near it or...
Mother Nature makes it best: A ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) samples the nectar at a butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) also known as butterflyweed.  Photo Credit:  Karel Bock/iStock

Good Natured: Hummingbirds Part 2

​Last week we explored how the tiny winged jewels we know as hummingbi...
Two species of teasel occur in Illinois, Dipsacus fullonum and D. laciniatus, and both are equally invasive.  The plants were brought to the United States intentionally, but escaped cultivation and have proliferated, especially in disturned areas.

Good Natured: Invasive Teasel

​Greetings Good Natured readers...
Not flashy but fascinating just the same, diurnal fireflies fly during the daytime and inhabit moist fields and woodlands throughout our area.

Good Natured: Daytime Fireflies

​Last week we took a Good-Natured look at fireflies, those flashy star...