Illinois Wildside

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Illinois Wildside Blog

Illinois Wildside is a blog about the wild plants and animals who call Illinois home. Join wildlife experts Dr. Joy O'Keefe and Brodie Dunn to learn about the wild world around you.

Our Most Recent Wildside Posts

Blog Articles

four poison ivy leaves showing leaf variability in shape and color

On Poison Ivy

May 30, 2026

Illinois Wildside

Dealing with the effects of a “run-in” with the poison ivy plant is probably the most common negative wildlife encounter people in the Midwest experience (mosquitoes notwithstanding). Most people who spend time outdoors will eventually experience a poison ivy rash. But poison ivy isn’t all bad; it...

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A window reflecting a sky, clouds, a lake, trees, and cattails in its surroundings.

An opaque solution to a clear global conservation threat

April 21, 2026

Illinois Wildside

The “built” environment is made by humans, for humans. You’re very accustomed to the built environment and probably wouldn’t want to live without the comforts it affords. But for wildlife, the buildings, roads, and enormous parking lots that represent the built environment are formidable landscape...

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Freeroam isn’t natural

March 2, 2026

Illinois Wildside

I’m startled by the chain-link fence rattling outside the window of my home office and glance up. A lithe, furry predator slinks along the top rail. It’s on the prowl, looking for prey among the weeds at the edge of the yard. It’s midday, an odd time for a mammalian predator to be out and about. In...

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a mouse emerging from the sill of a wall

Mouse in the house?

February 19, 2026

Illinois Wildside

Rustling in the walls. The patter of little feet racing through the attic. Cereal spilling out of a hole chewed in the box. These are all signs you might have mice taking up residence in your home. It could be the non-native house mouse (Mus musculus), an invader from Europe that...

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Blog authors Joy O'Keefe and Brodie Dunn

Wildside: About the Blog

February 4, 2026

Illinois Wildside

Illinois Extension is launching a new blog called Wildside. This blog is one way we’ll be growing Extension’s wildlife programming over the next few years. In this first post, we’re introducing ourselves and the blog. The AuthorsBrodie Dunn, Extension Outreach...

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