Bat box design, placement matter for energy balance in endangered bats
URBANA, Ill. – Imagine if you had to catch every bite of your dinner with your mouth, while flying, in the dark. You’d be exhausted, and probably pretty hungry. Though some bats go for sedentary insects, most catch their food on the wing every single night. Let that sink in.
Because they...
Master Naturalists advocate for diversity in ecosystems and volunteer program
URBANA, Ill. – Diverse ecosystems are healthy ecosystems. Wildlife, plants, and fungi are naturally interconnected and rely on each other. The same is true of those who advocate for the environment – diversity makes them stronger.The University of Illinois Extension...
Take steps to help stop avian flu in wild birds, domestic flocks
URBANA, Ill. – Avian flu cases are on the rise in the Midwest. From canceled poultry shows to advising homeowners to remove bird feeders, Illinois is urging those who come into contact with birds to take steps to prevent the disease from spreading.
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is a...
Give caterpillars a chance with soft landings under trees
URBANA, Ill. – Trees are natural caretakers – their limbs provide shade and shelter, their seeds and leaves provide food, their roots filter water. Insect scientists have another skill to add to the list – a haven for caterpillars. Entomologists are asking gardeners, homeowners, and landscapers...
Generate income with your woodlands
URBANA, Ill. – Woodlands are a valuable resource that many forest owners use to make income by selling timber. But landowners may have more opportunities to make money from their property than they realize.
Landowners can explore income generating specialty products and recreational...
Early blooming spring ephemerals flowers welcome warmer weather
URBANA, Ill. – Spring ephemeral flowers are nature’s gems after winter. These short-lived beauties are wildflowers that grow in woodlands in the early spring before the leaves on deciduous trees are open. They are called spring ephemerals because they have a relatively short blooming time....
Why plant natives?
Submitted By: Sarah Lee, Jefferson County Master Naturalist
The past few years, there has been a growing movement to use native plants in the landscape. You may have heard that “going native” will benefit the environment, and you want to know more! What is a pocket prairie? How to...
Map reveals widespread lead pollution in Chicago backyards, parkways
URBANA, Ill. – In backyards and community gardens across Chicago, growers tend fruit and vegetable crops as diverse as the city they live in. Most have one thing in common – lead lurking in the soil.
Legacy lead, leftover from paint, gasoline, and other sources, lingers in the...
Crop scientists explore using predator insects to eat pests in high tunnels
URBANA, Ill. – Crouched between rows of tomatoes and peppers tucked inside a high tunnel, researchers pluck insects off plants in the name of science. Because to catch a pest, you may have to release a predator.
The flourishing local foods movement is driving more Illinois farmers to...
Digging into soil data helps inform green infrastructure design
URBANA, Ill. – Managing stormwater has become more challenging as urban development increases, storms get bigger and sewer systems can’t keep up. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant funded a University of Illinois project to help communities add green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) to their strategies...
Keep jumping worms from damaging lawns, gardens, natural areas
URBANA, Ill. – A new threat is invading Illinois. Jumping worms attack gardens, lawns, and natural areas with devastating results.
Illinois Extension forestry research specialist Chris Evans says the worms are voracious eaters that decrease soil quality and reduce organic matter....
Natural world guides archaeologists in their investigation of ancient people
URBANA, Ill. – People have lived in Illinois for over 15,000 years and have used the natural resources the state has to offer in different ways through time.
Archaeologists draw on many fields in natural resource sciences to understand the people of the past and how they lived....
Be ready for severe weather before the sirens go off
URBANA, Ill. – Weather can change from blue skies to ominous clouds in an instant in Illinois. When the wail of an alert siren is heard, it’s a warning sign that should not be ignored.
Illinois Severe Weather Preparedness Week is Feb. 28 to March 4. The early awareness allows ...
Log on for forestry expertise woodland owners can use
URBANA, Ill. – From managing woodlands so they can support native wildlife to dealing with tree damage and pests, University of Illinois Extension Forestry has the tools woodland owners need. The nine-part, weekly Forestry...
Take heed of tornado warnings
URBANA, Ill. – As prime tornado season approaches, know what a tornado warning means and what to do.
The National Weather Service issues a tornado warning under two conditions, says Duane Friend, University...
Stay safe during electrical storms
URBANA, Ill. – Exceeded only by floods, lightning is the second largest killer associated with storms. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, over 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning flashes...
High dew points increase severe weather chances
URBANA, Ill – Severe weather often occurs in March with dew point temperatures in the 50s or 60s. Duane Friend, University of Illinois Extension natural resources educator, explains the impact of dew point on weather.
Water vapor is the gas form of water. Air can only hold so...
