… The first moth to emerge in the Butterflies & Blooms exhibition is the Atlas moth ( Attacus atlas) , which is native to Southeast Asia. The Atlas moth lives for one to two weeks, so its main purpose after emerging from its cocoon is to mate. Most moths do not have functioning mouthparts, and the Atlas will not feed at all. It …
Type: Blog
… Restoring destroyed or damaged ecosystems is necessary to tackle global issues like climate change, soil health, clean water, and … restored populations are unlikely to be able to deal with changing day-to-day conditions at a site—think polar vortexes followed by record heat in February—let alone adapt to changing … in the peer-reviewed journal Restoration Ecology. Full article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/rec.13131 Photo by Tom Kaye: A population of golden paintbrush ( Castilleja …
Type: Research
… song—translated as “Hey, sweetie,” (though you can’t often hear the third syllable)—is reserved for late winter, spring, and summer, when the bird is courting and nesting. Nothing brightens a mid-February day more than when a chickadee sings … with white cheeks makes it easy to identify. Photo © Carol Freeman The black-capped chickadee is considered a non-migratory species—it can survive the harsh winters of northern Illinois. …
Type: Blog
… of Japan. One of the two pines species most popular in a Japanese garden, the black pine is symbolic of the seashore and referred to as on-matsu (the male pine), because of masculine … acidic soil and full sun to grow well. As these requirements imply, the black pine is not very suitable for our region. Japanese black pine before pruning. Notice how its shape is restored and more light can reach the inside and lower branches of the tree after pruning. In …
Type: Blog
… that you can try growing in your own garden. Hill Country Red Okra OK, I’ll admit that okra is not my favorite—it’s slimy. But I have been convinced by other gardeners that growing your own … it tolerates drought well. You can direct-sow it ½-inch deep, as long as your soil temperature is, ideally, 80 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If your soil is warm, seeds will germinate quickly … forgiving, and prolific crop. Photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds/rareseeds.com Aunt Lou’s Underground Railroad Tomato This heirloom seed is still with us today because an …
Type: Blog
… responding to human impacts, such as climate change, on the environment. One of the projects is on nativars, or cultivated varieties of native plants. Researchers are studying whether … wild cousins. Understanding variation in pollinator attraction between natives and cultivars is critical to designing effective pollinator habitats. Do cultivars of native plants attract as … Red’, were more frequently visited by small bees and flies. The nativars research project is also looking at four other native plants in the Midwest and their cultivars: Eastern red …
Type: Blog
… New roots for restoration . Explaining the wide diversity of species we see in nature is one of the central challenges in all of ecology. Another is how to restore this diversity when a community has been extensively degraded, such as those in … plant growth, and root-shoot interactions. Perennial crops and carbon sequestration . Food is a critical and overlooked environmental issue. The challenge: how to feed a burgeoning world …
Type: Staff bio
… rate to brain waves to protein markers—indicate that when we spend time in green space, ‘there is something profound going on,’” said University of Utah cognitive psychologist David Strayer. … mental health, musculoskeletal, etc.—simultaneously.” Other studies show that nature is essential to the well-being of children. Children learn and focus better, and are healthier … guidelines on encouraging nature play, the National Wildlife Federation says, “Nature play is defined as a learning process, engaging children in working together to develop physical …
Type: Blog
… the garden looks entirely different. The process that our staff uses to prep roses for winter is the same process you can use in your rose garden, too. Step 1: Prune canes. While early spring is the major pruning season for roses, end-of-the-year pruning protects the plant from winter …
Type: Blog
… Spring is here, and the birds are returning from their winter homes. Some birds fly through the Chicago … area to their nesting habitats up north, while others return and stay in the area. Spring is the season for laying eggs, because it gives the juvenile birds all summer to mature and … mesh bag, like the kind oranges and apples are sold in Scraps of yarn or strips of fabric cut 1/4 inch wide and at least 6 inches long (longer is fine) Optional — metallic thread or any other …
Type: Blog
