Teacher and students in wading in creek bed

News

News Spotlight

Grow healthier ecosystems at home this pollinator month

URBANA, Ill. — Planting native flowers in a backyard, patio container, or community garden can provide critical food and habitat for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. This June, in recognition of National Pollinator Month, University of Illinois Extension encourages community members to…

From training to table: Extension programs strengthen school nutrition

URBANA, Ill. — School meal programs play an important role in helping students stay healthy and ready to learn. To make sure these meals are safe and nutritious, school nutrition staff need regular training.

Federal rules by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010…

Add sunshine and new Illinois Extension Four Seasons Gardening webinars to summer

URBANA, Ill. — Summer activities around the garden can be fun and a way to spend a little more time outside. Take a break from the sun to watch two new webinars from University of Illinois Extension’s Four Seasons Gardening series.

The summer series is June 9 and July 28, with…

Block Reference

News

Return to work may cause separation anxiety in furry friends
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - As people look forward to returning to full-time work schedules or vacations away from home, four-legged friends may not have the same feeling. The return to “normalcy” will be hard for many household pets who may have gotten used to more time with their owners and experience...
Summer blooms simplify warm-season grass identification
URBANA, Ill. – Most people can identify a few different trees by their leaves or flowers in bloom, but grasses are a different story. Grasses provided food and shelter for wildlife and are key to a healthy ecosystem. Learn to identify the wide variety of Illinois warm-season grasses in a...
A black and yellow cicada killer wasp stinging an annual cicada.
Cicada killer wasps in search of cicadas, not humans
URBANA, Ill. — The annual cicadas have begun to sing their song, and along with them comes the emergence of their natural predator, the cicada killer wasp. Despite their large size, these pollinating giants are not as threatening as they first seem. Annual cicadas, also...
New 4-H educator ready to support youth, teens in western suburbs
ST. CHARLES, Ill. – Illinois 4-H strives to unlock the potential in every young person, helping them to dream, plan, design, build, and achieve. Around the state, University of Illinois Extension 4-H youth development staff are guiding the next...
Aphid pests on the move in backyard gardens, agricultural fields
URBANA, Ill. – Ever spy small, yellow dots on the back of plant leaves during the summer months? Those tiny pear-shaped specks are aphids. Aphids are a common insect pest in the home landscape and for houseplants. There are many species of aphids in Illinois and they feed on a large...

Find local programs

View Map