March 20, 2019
Points to Ponder Before Raising Monarch Caterpillars
Full disclosure: I’ve always liked insects. As a child I found them intensely interesting and spent hours just watching them walk, feed, and fly. As an adult I came to realize...
DuPage Forest Blog
Read the latest blog story from the Forest Preserve District, and connect to nature in DuPage.
Conservation (4)
December 17, 2018
After the last leaves fall and the cold winds start to blow, winter settles across DuPage County. Ground squirrels and woodchucks hunker down in underground burrows.
December 12, 2018
Feathered Friends Feel the Freeze: How to Help Birds Survive Winter
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Although the ground is cold (and possibly covered in snow), winter doesn’t mean hibernation and hiding for all wild animals, especially for some of the more common creatures...
November 13, 2018
Let's Talk Turkey: Fun Tidbits About This Popular Bird
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
For a lot of people, it’s turkey time. There are hand turkeys, turkey trots, turkey bowls, and even tofu turkey with all the trimmings. If you hike through the woods at Herrick...
November 6, 2018
The Plight of the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee
I think it’s just human nature to run in the opposite direction when we see a big black-and-yellow insect flying our way. But when it comes to the rusty patched bumble bee, our...
October 30, 2018
Part 2: The Kitchen Wood-Burning Stove
The first project we tackled was replacing the production kitchen wood-burning stove in our remodeling project at Kline Creek Farm’s 1880s farmhouse museum.
October 24, 2018
Saving the Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Patience is a virtue, especially if you’re trying to save the federally threatened eastern prairie fringed orchid.
October 16, 2018
Busy Beavers Prepare for Winter
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Late fall means slowing down for many species — including people — but beavers are busy repairing their lodges and dams and poking branches and saplings into mud where the woody...
October 4, 2018
Remodeling an 1880s Farmhouse Museum
As I listen to an ad on the radio telling me that my home is getting dingy and tired and could really use some sprucing up, I cannot help but think of the challenges of...
September 11, 2018
Small Mammals Busy Preparing for Colder Weather
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
While many small mammals and bats are putting on fat in fall to prepare for a long, cold winter hibernation, many are not. For the most part, our common small mammals — the...
September 6, 2018
Monarch Butterflies Start Long Migration
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Late summer and early fall is a peak time for monarch activity as they prepare for the long migration south to the forests of central Mexico. It’s also a great time to view them...
August 6, 2018
Protecting the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly
Working on the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly Project over the past several years has been a fascinating experience for me.
July 3, 2018
Helping the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly
Being a parent is one of the most difficult — but most rewarding — jobs I have ever had.
You watch your children grow from someone in need of constant attention and care until,...
June 20, 2018
Butterflying in the Forest Preserves
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Watching butterflies in DuPage forest preserves is a favorite summer pastime for some insect enthusiasts. But even the lesser experienced bug lover in you can find butterflying a...
May 21, 2018
Spring at a wildlife rehabilitation center means daily arrivals of baby animals. At Willowbrook Wildlife Center, our patient load skyrockets in the spring and summer months....
May 14, 2018
Avoid Introducing Invasive Plants to Your Landscape
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Many nurseries and garden centers unknowingly sell invasive landscape plants to unsuspecting consumers. These invasives can escape from your yard and wreak havoc on natural areas...
May 1, 2018
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Twice a year, DuPage County’s forest preserves play host to hundreds of thousands of weary travelers: migrating birds looking for places to fuel up as they move between their...
April 30, 2018
The Tangled Relationships in a Garden
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
The relationship between milkweed and monarchs is well known and well documented. Monarch butterflies feed on the nectar in milkweed flowers, collecting pollen before transferring...
April 16, 2018
Solutions to Common Garden Challenges
Gardening with native plants has many rewards, but it can also pose some challenges. The beautiful flowers may attract pollinators, but they may also attract unwanted critters,...
April 5, 2018
Ribbit! April is National Frog Month
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Celebrate National Frog Month in April by getting to know some of the frogs and toads of DuPage County. Amphibians are excellent biological indicators of the wider health of...