… a drey , when they see one. The eastern gray squirrels in our region build dreys in trees for shelter and protection from the elements. What you see as a messy clump of leaves is actually a structure formed from sticks and then lined with leaves and other materials to make it a dry and cozy home. This month I was walking around my neighborhood in Chicago, and I … of four squirrel dreys on my street were located on branches that reach over the street. I had to ask myself why squirrels would build their homes in such a dangerous place. If the squirrel …
Type: Blog
… woodland. Moths are removed from the traps and then photographed before being released back to the woodland. The metallic scales of the Virginia Ctenucha moth (C tenucha virginica ) are … from the fact that many of the species are dependent on one or just a few native plant species for their survival, and as a result, may serve as valuable indicators of the health of our … the food chain. Entomologist Doug Tallamy tabulated the number of caterpillars that were used to support one nest of black-capped chickadees and found that they consumed between 6,000 and …
Type: Blog
… degree in horticulture from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1984. He worked as a foreman for Campbell's Garden Center, installing and maintaining landscapes. During summer breaks from … Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden. He writes a weekly gardening column for the Chicago Tribune and a weekly gardening tips column for the Daily Herald , and responds to other media request. He is a regular speaker at the American Public Garden Association's …
Type: Staff bio
… From the 2015 archives: It is our pleasure to introduce another titan arum (in bloom!), which we have joyfully named Alice the Amorphophallus. Given the history below, it’s a name to remember! Alice the Amorphophallus is caught blooming on webcam at 12:22:39 a.m. today—the … The Greeks had done it: they chose the word Hepatica (hepar = liver in Greek), as the name for plants with tri-lobed leaves that look rather like a human liver. The Romans coined the …
Type: Blog
… Have you been to the Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden lately? If you have, you probably saw some of the … think of niwaki as big bonsai, but that relationship isn’t exactly right. Bonsai translates to “tray (or pot) planting.” While we may think of niwaki as big bonsai, we should try to think … takes longer to recover. Why candle? The pine shoots that emerge in spring are called candles for a reason: they tend to be very tall, skinny cylinders like taper or dinner candles. If we let …
Type: Blog
… without any leaves. And yes, you can…with a little help from Jim Jabcon, assistant ecologist for natural areas. The other day, Jabcon walked me through the McDonald Woods and began my … A tree’s habit depends on where it is growing—how crowded it is by other trees and what it has to do to catch some sunlight. “Any tree will change its habit depending on what is given to it,” he …
Type: Blog
… features such as metallic markings by asking, “What sort of advantage would this feature give to the butterfly?” Every trait found in nature exists because it gave that individual more opportunities to reproduce. Perhaps the trait helps keep the butterfly from being eaten, or it gives a male … endocuticular thin alternating layers.” That’s quite a mouthful, so they call it M.E.T.A.L. for short. The acronym fits perfectly. Here's another way to think of what you are seeing: …
Type: Blog
… flowers can be found in patriotic shades of red and white, the color blue is very difficult to find at the Garden. In fact, blue is a rare sight in the entire natural world. Less than ten … the plant kingdom features blue flowers, which is extraordinary, since pollinators don’t seem to have a problem with them. Scientists have been investigating the origins of blue flowers for a long time, and it was not until recently that they came up with a result. Blue sea holly ( …
Type: Blog
… In fact, its other name is snout beetle. Weevils, or snout beetles, make up what many believe to be the largest family of insects in the world—estimated at almost 40,000 species. The majority … relationship between plants and insects is a very close one. Insects can be very beneficial to plants, as pollinators, or very destructive to plants, which is the basis of the weevil … sense if you have some background on the life of these two groups of prairie plants. Look for the white-and-cream wild indigos in a prairie near you—they are blooming now. Of course you …
Type: Blog
… Have you noticed all the mushrooms popping up in lawns, mulch, and next to trees? We asked Greg Mueller , Ph.D., chief scientist and Negaunee vice president of science at the Garden for answers. Why do mushrooms pop up out of nowhere? Mushrooms can appear magical—seeming to pop up overnight. This is part of their mystique. The mushrooms we see are the spore forming …
Type: Blog
