… I study biodiversity and restoration in the tallgrass prairie. My post-doctoral research is focused on seed mix design for restoration … how seed mixes become prairies, that is, which planted seeds and species are likely to germinate, emerge and establish in restored prairies. …
Type: Staff bio
… Pondering the Prairie Series A weevil is a type of beetle. It typically has an elongated head that appears as a snout. 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 …
Type: Blog
… If you have heard about milkweed, you no doubt know about the plant’s unique relationship with the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) . Milkweeds are the … which monarchs lay their eggs, and its caterpillars, also called larvae, eat milkweed leaves to grow. But these plants have other interesting characteristics, including blooms that are amazingly complex. Milkweeds are found mostly in open prairies and savannas and are known to most by their fruits, which are pod-like …
Type: Blog
… Guillermo Patino has worked in the Grounds department since 1991, when he started out as a seasonal employee. He was promoted to Grounds crew leader in 2009. Patino has broad expertise in landscaping, particularly in …
Type: Staff bio
… questions about how anthropogenic change reshapes ecological processes. I am interested in how species interactions, population dynamics, and the timing of biological events respond to various types of environmental changes. My work so far has investigated the consequences of …
Type: Staff bio
… When plants are introduced to a new location, either intentionally or accidentally, they can spread prolifically, out-compete native species for resources, and eventually even dominate the landscape. Biologists are studying the mechanisms underlying a taxon’s ability to become … invasive, but it can be difficult to predict whether or not a species will become invasive in a new habitat. With an increased awareness about the environmental and economic threats posed …
Type: Research
… Butterflies & Blooms at the Chicago Botanic Garden has hosted some remarkable butterfly species. One definite … the orange dead leaf (Kallima inachus) . If we didn’t point out this character to guests, no one would ever suspect that they were looking at a butterfly. I like to describe … very similar to that of a flowering dogwood. The orange dead leaf butterfly is at home in broadleaf forests of India, where it blends in with dead foliage during the dry season, going …
Type: Blog
… I am the Managing Ecologist for the prairie and river at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The natural areas … and the 22-acre riparian buffer of the Skokie River. Management includes but not limited to, removal of invasive species, controlled burns, tree removal, planting local genotype plants, … nursery, and seed collection and sowing. Through my efforts, I will promote more diversity in our natural areas and limit the number of invasive species. …
Type: Staff bio
… Be the first to grow these ten new plants—including Lunar Eclipse false indigo—just patented via the Chicagoland Grows, Inc. plant introduction program and on sale for the first time. Look for them at Chicago-area garden centers, said Jim Ault, Ph.D. , who …
Type: Blog
… summer or early fall container gardens looking tired? Change out your container gardens to extend your displays well into the fall. Gardening in containers can offer us year-round seasonal interest, and we can extend the garden seasons …
Type: Blog
