Weather

A little goes a long way when it comes to salting your driveway or walkway.

Smart Salting for a Better Environment

​​The next time a snow storm hits, hold the salt...
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...