The long wait is finally over! After spending 13 (or 17, depending on where you’re at) years underground feeding from roots, periodical cicadas have started to emerge (at least in central and southern Illinois). Soon, many places will be awash in cicadas. While this mass emergence may seem...
As May flowers begin to bloom and we celebrate the arrival of spring, we also turn our attention to Mental Health Awareness Month, a crucial period dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health and promoting well-being. During this time, we acknowledge the highs and lows that life can...
Ticks! I can’t stand these parasitic arachnids. I have had far too many run-ins with ticks throughout my life. They seem to find me every year. So far this spring I have found one lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) attached to me and I have caught several other ticks headed my way...
Did you notice people’s lawns getting a little long last May? No Mow May has become a popular way to help pollinators.
No Mow May began in the United Kingdom in 2019 as a way to help struggling pollinator populations. The idea is that if people don’t mow their lawns during May, it will allow ‘...
A few weeks ago, we began a discussion about color. We started with complementary colors, those that are opposite of each other on the color wheel. This week we explore analogous colors.
Throughout this color exploration, we might be tempted to think only of floral color but many plants offer...
Cicada-mania has been building to almost mythical levels in 2024. Nearly every story on my news feed references this historic event about to occur in Illinois. Despite the media frenzy, there are still lots of questions about the upcoming cicada emergence. So, I might as well hop on this cicada...
Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), better known as ‘Bradford’ pear, has been blooming across Illinois. Over the years, it has been a popular tree to plant, especially in residential areas. Trees will reach 30 to 40 feet in height and produce numerous white flowers in the spring. Trees also...
Although we have been taught colors since before we began attending school, colors can be challenging. Colors are complicated and there is so much variety it may seem overwhelming. Think of the wall of paint color swatches at the hardware store, and you may recall entire sections are devoted to...
I should not be writing this. The voice in my head says to keep my mouth shut. Yet, the other voice says, maybe someone will find this information helpful. That is after all what we are supposed to do at Illinois Extension, make sure the knowledge and research do not stay locked up somewhere, but...
With the arrival of warmer weather in the spring, we start to see signs of new life in our landscapes. Birds begin singing, our landscapes start turning green again, and spring ephemeral plants start to emerge. Among the spring ephemerals in Illinois, one of the most captivating and commonly...
