blog navigation

Natural History Survey

blog posts

  • Study Finds Illinois Farmers View Feral Hogs as a Nuisance

    Oct 10, 2016 8:00 am

    Illinois farmers, even those who have experienced no damage to their land or crops, dislike feral hogs and support hog control, according to a new study from the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

  • Study finds minimal risk of exposure to legionella from irrigated wastewater at a safe distance

    Aug 30, 2022 8:30 am

    Potential exposure to legionella bacteria in municipal wastewater used to irrigate crop fields will likely not pose a health threat to residents living downwind, according to a postdoctoral researcher at the Illinois Natural History Survey.

  • Study Finds Recent Size Changes in Illinois River Mussel Shells

    Oct 12, 2016 8:00 am

    Man-made levees and water pollution have made an impact on the fish and other fauna of the Illinois River throughout the 20th century, but researchers at the Prairie Research Institute (PRI), University of Illinois, have taken an even longer view of human-induced changes in freshwater mussels, dating back to pre-Columbian times.

  • leopard resting in a tree

    Study finds Serengeti leopard population densities vary seasonally

    Aug 31, 2020 8:30 am

    A study of camera-trap data from Serengeti National Park in Tanzania found that leopard population densities in the 3.7-million-acre park are similar to those in other protected areas but vary between wet and dry seasons. The fluctuations appear to be driven by the abundance of prey and how this affects interactions with other large carnivores like lions.

  • Study Finds Waterfowl Hunters’ Spending Benefits Rural Areas

    Aug 9, 2016 2:30 pm

    Guns, gear, gas for the truck, drinks for the cooler, and the faithful dog: such recreational expenses for a day of duck or goose hunting in Illinois add up to a big boost to the local economy, according to Craig Miller, human dimensions scientist at the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute.

  • Study Found Male Fish that Had Female Qualities in the Des Plaines River

    Jun 30, 2016 8:00 am

  • Study links fish stress hormones to whether they take the bait

    Aug 22, 2017 11:00 am

    Take a fish out of water and its stress hormones will go up. Adrenaline and noradrenaline, the “fight or flight” hormones, peak first, followed more gradually by cortisol. A new study reported in the Journal of Experimental Biology finds that largemouth bass whose cortisol levels rise most after a brief bout of stress are inherently harder to catch by angling. This could affect recreational fishing. If anglers are primarily capturing fish whose stress levels dictate whether they are likely to strike at a lure, “we could potentially be selecting for fish that are harder to catch,” said University of Illinois natural resources and environmental sciences professor Cory Suski, who led the new research with Illinois Natural History Survey research scientist Jeffrey Stein and graduate student Michael Louison.

  • Study of bird lice shows how evolution sometimes repeats itself

    Aug 16, 2012 9:00 am
  • prairie fire

    Study reconstructs 232-year history of prairie fire in Midwestern U.S.

    Oct 19, 2021 11:15 am

    Researchers combed through thousands of historical documents for first-person accounts of fires occurring between 1673 and 1905 in the Midwestern tallgrass prairie. Their study is the first systematic analysis of the timing, causes and consequences of prairie fires in this part of the world. They report their findings in Natural Areas Journal.

  • Study shows disease can be more effective in controlling invasive species than management efforts

    Mar 20, 2017 8:00 am

    Populations of the common carp, introduced from Eurasia and historically the most abundant fish species in parts of the Illinois River, declined from the 1970s to the 1990s and have never made a comeback. A recent University of Illinois study showed that natural factors, including disease, can more effectively curb invasive species populations than human management efforts.

  • Yanghui Cao, Valeria Trivellone, and Christopher Dietrich, photo by Fred Zwicky

    Study tracks plant pathogens in leafhoppers from natural areas

    Aug 2, 2022 8:00 am

    Phytoplasmas are bacteria that can invade the vascular tissues of plants, causing many crop diseases. While most studies of phytoplasmas begin by examining plants showing disease symptoms, a new analysis by researchers at the Illinois Natural History Survey focuses on the tiny insects that carry the infectious bacteria from plant to plant. By extracting and testing DNA from archival leafhopper specimens collected in natural areas, the study identified new phytoplasma strains and found new associations between leafhoppers and phytoplasmas known to harm crop plants.

  • Least bittern perched on a plant.

    Study tracks waterbird use of Chicago-area wetlands

    Sep 14, 2022 9:30 am

    A three-year study in northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana found that – even at small scales – emergent wetlands or ponds support many wetland bird species. The study also found that, at least in the years surveyed, the level of urbanization had little effect on most of the studied species’ use of such sites, provided the right kinds of habitat were available.

  • Timber Rattlesnake

    Study: When do timber rattlesnakes emerge in the spring in Illinois?

    Apr 24, 2024 10:15 am

    Illinois’ timber rattlesnakes emerge from their cold-weather dens hidden below ground and can be seen sunning themselves in the nearby forest foliage as spring temperatures warm. Scientists at the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) have found clues to determine when snakes will slither from their over-winter spots to inform conservation officials who manage local habitats.

  • Success of new bug-fighting approach may vary from field to field

    Mar 10, 2014 9:00 am

  • Survey: Farmers’ attitudes about land ownership belies some stereotypes

    Jan 25, 2024 10:15 am

    A recent Prairie Research Institute (PRI) study of attitudes about land conservation found that Illinois farmers view themselves as stewards of their land, balancing conservation with earning a profit. Nearly half of farmers surveyed said they would use conservation practices even without financial compensation from federal land conservation programs.

  • Survey finds farmers feel responsibility to protect land and waters

    May 31, 2017 8:00 am

    Agricultural producers are typically blamed for applying fertilizer that pollutes local waters and carries oxygen-depleting nitrogen and phosphorus to the northern Gulf of Mexico. However, a strong majority of Illinois farmers believe they are doing their part to protect the environment, according to a study from the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute (PRI).

  • Aquatic biology team showing the mussels they've found

    Surveys and relocations protect vulnerable mussel populations

    Apr 5, 2022 9:00 am

    In the summer’s heat, an Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) aquatic biology team can be found in shallow rivers or streams under bridges slated for reconstruction, wading in water and sliding their fingers through the rocks and sediment below, searching for the edge of mussel shells. They’ll move the mussels they find out of harm’s way of construction equipment that will soon roll into the area.

  • Survey scientists researching moist-soil resources for waterfowl

    Feb 21, 2008 12:00 am

    Natural History Survey scientists, Joshua Stafford, Aaron Yetter, Chris Hine, Randy Smith, and Michelle Horath have been continuing the moist-soil research of Frank Bellrose from the Forbes Biological Station and F. C. Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center in Havana since 2005. In an article featured in the March 2008 issue of Outdoor Illinois, the scientists discuss their research, the work of Frank Bellrose, and management issues for moist-soil habitats.

  • Survey seeks ideas to help specialty crop growers make pest control decisions

    Feb 19, 2019 10:15 am

    Researchers at the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute are developing new pest degree day tools for the state’s specialty crop growers. A short online survey offers growers the opportunity to contribute their opinions on how this information is delivered.

  • Survey shows species of marsh birds that decline when nearby cities thrive

    Sep 17, 2019 10:30 am

    Wading into the springtime muddy marshland, pushing aside a wall of plants taller than her head, ornithologist Anastasia Rahlin looks and listens for signs of black terns and yellow-crowned night herons. She plays a recording, waits 30 seconds, and listens for a return call. The species of birds that she doesn’t find in the marsh are the ones she doesn’t want scientists to forget.

  • Surveys to assess potential for Thousand Canker Disease on Illinois walnut trees

    Aug 29, 2011 8:00 am

    Illinois Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Coordinator Kelly Estes is sampling black walnuts across the state to monitor for the potential of Thousand Canker Disease. If you have black walnut stands on your property or know of stands, ICAPS asks that you submit that information for mapping purposes.

  • Swarms of mayflies are short-lived

    Jul 6, 2011 4:00 pm

    INHS Entomologist Chris Dietrich was interviewed about the infestation of mayflies long the Illinois River this week. After spending most of their life in the water, they emerge en masse, overwhelming predators, mate and then die, typically within 24 hours. According to Dietrich, mayflies are an environmental indicator for our rivers, so large numbers of them is a good thing.

  • Swarms of mayflies indicate good water quality

    Jun 18, 2012 8:00 am

    INHS Aquatic Entomologist Ed DeWalt told the Peoria Journal Star that the presence of large numbers of mayflies indicates the water quality is high enough to support this species that spends the majority of its life in water. Mayflies emerge from the water this time of year for to live out their short adult life stage—finding a mate and returning to the water to lay eggs. While some people see them as a nuisance, they don't bite and according to Ed DeWalt, "they will make a mess for a week and then they'll be gone."

  • Tarantulas in jars

    Tarantulas in a pickle jar

    Mar 6, 2018 9:15 am

    Tommy McElrath takes readers Behind the Scenes of the INHS insect collection. "Storing your dead tarantulas in a gallon-sized pickle jar is not the best solution to long-term preservation. Especially when those tarantulas are toe-tagged – like corpses in a morgue."

  • Targeted culling of deer controls disease with little effect on hunting

    Oct 21, 2014 9:00 am

  • Tari Tweddale to give lecture at GIS Day

    Oct 24, 2007 2:30 pm

    Tari Tweddale, GIS/Remote Sensing Specialist and Illinois Gap Analysis Project Coordinator at the Illinois Natural History Survey, will present a seminar called, "GIS in Conservation Biology: Modeling Vertebrate Species Distribution in the Illinois GAP Analysis Project " at GIS Day at Illinois State University. The full line-up of presenters can be found in this Word document which will download to your computer.

  • Taxonomists stand up and count your species

    Mar 27, 2007 10:15 am

  • Team discovers how western corn rootworm resists crop rotation

    Jul 19, 2012 9:00 am
  • Chris Taylor and Eric Larson standing in a stream

    Team discovers invasive-native crayfish hybrids in Missouri

    Oct 8, 2021 7:00 am

    In a study of crayfish in the Current River in southeastern Missouri, researchers discovered that the virile crayfish, Faxonius virilis, was interbreeding with a native crayfish, potentially altering the native’s genetics, life history and ecology. Reported in the journal Aquatic Invasions, the study highlights the difficulty of detecting some of the consequences of biological invasions, the researchers say.

  • Team finds first wild alligator snapping turtle in Illinois since 1984

    Nov 13, 2017 9:30 am

    Researchers report the first sighting in 30 years of a wild alligator snapping turtle in Illinois. The discovery may be a sign of hope for this state-endangered species, or the animal could be the last of its kind to have survived in Illinois without human intervention, the researchers say.

  • Adult WCR female

    The best laid plans: Did insect resistance management hasten Bt resistance in western corn rootworm?

    Oct 13, 2017 11:00 am

    Illinois Natural History Survey scientists studied behaviors of the western corn rootworm to learn why the insect pests have developed a resistance to Bt corn hybrids, once a deterrent that was as effective as soil insecticides but without the human health risks and environmental concerns associated with broad-spectrum insecticides.

  • The Biology of Small Mammals published

    Mar 4, 2010 5:30 pm

    Dr. Joseph F. Merritt, INHS Mammalogist, is the author of The Biology of Small Mammals, published by the Johns Hopkins University Press. The book covers  small mammals, which are defined as weighing 11 pounds and under. The book, 336 pages long, also includes black and white photographs and illustrations. It can be ordered from amazon.com.

  • The convergent evolution of bird lice

    Sep 3, 2012 8:00 am

    Recent research by INHS Ornithologist and Parasitologist Kevin Johnson has found that bird lice have undergone convergent evolution, evolving different body shapes dependent on where they live on the bird. Despite the morphological similarities between lice from the wings of different bird groups, the species are more closely related to other lice species on the same bird group. The same pattern holds true for lice from the head and body. Learn more about Kevin Johnson's research through this video by the U of I News Bureau.

  • The extinction of the passenger pigeon

    Mar 25, 2014 8:00 am

    On Sept. 1, 1914, Martha, the last living passenger pigeon, died at the Cincinnati Zoo. This seemingly abundant bird had been decimated by hunting, leaving them vulnerable to other predators. Following the opening of an exhibit at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, INHS Ornithologist Kevin Johnson, who reconstructed the family tree of the passenger pigeon, was interviewed.

  • gray squirrel

    The squirrel experiment

    Sep 21, 2023 9:45 am

  • The threat of invasive species

    Oct 31, 2011 8:00 am

    INHS Affiliate and former director of the Illinois River Field Station was featured on CBS Sunday Morning in a story about invasive species. On the Asian Carp, Sass stated "We've seen explosive population growth, a population that has almost doubled every year. We're fairly confident we have the highest wild densities of Asian carp anywhere in the world." David Lodge of Notre Dame says studies estimate that invasive species cost the US Economy on the order of at least $120 billion annually. There are 30 federal agencies involved in the fight against invasive species, with about $1.5 billion spent annually. Education and prevention are key to warding off the invasive species.

  • Thinking ahead: Corn rootworm management for 2018

    Mar 14, 2018 8:30 am

    Illinois corn growers in the northern and central parts of the state have come to expect some rootworm damage, but University of Illinois entomologists say putting management plans in place now could help growers avoid major losses.

  • Threat of Zika in Illinois low, but precautions can be taken

    Feb 16, 2016 8:00 am

    INHS Medical Entomologist Ephantus Muturi was interviewed by the Chicago Tribune about the threat of Zika virus in Illinois. Muturi says that Aedes aegypti, which transmits Zika, has been found in Illinois but does not thrive in our climate. The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopinctus, is found in Illinois, but has not been found to transmit Zika, though more research is needed. 

  • Tick-infested songbirds help spread Lyme disease

    Mar 1, 2017 8:00 am

    Songbird species that carry the ticks responsible for Lyme disease and other diseases forage close to the ground in large wooded areas, according to a recently published study by Christine Parker, a graduate research assistant at the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute, Illinois Natural History Survey.

  • Black bear in a field of lupines

    Translocation is a viable option for problem bears

    Apr 2, 2021 9:00 am

    One way to manage bears who damage property and crops is to move them to a different area within their geographic range. Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) scientists studying translocation have found that capture and release does not lower bears’ survival rates, so it’s a good option for handling nuisance bears.

  • Tri-Point students work and learn with INHS herpetologists

    Apr 10, 2012 12:00 pm

    A group of students from Tri-Point Jr. High visited the herpetology collection at INHS and conducted field work with Herpetologist Andy Kuhns. The students were able to help with surveys for amphibians and reptiles at Ballard Nature Center. In addition to finding several species of reptiles and amphibians, the students learned about their habitats, biology and conservation.

  • Turning the tables: Application of commercial fishing helps fight the spread of Asian carp

    Aug 15, 2017 10:00 am

    The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is using federal funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to help Illinois’ commercial fishermen suppress the exploding invasive carp population. The project—which brings together multiple agencies and Illinois universities, including the Illinois Natural History Survey and the University of Illinois—is a complex undertaking involving the newest technology in bubble, sound, and electric barriers and fish-counting sonar, coupled with centuries-old stalwarts such as gill nets.

  • Dr. Jelka Crnobrnja-Isailovic and Jaclyn Adams working with a snake in a field of grass

    Uncovering the mystery of Kirtland's snakes

    Jun 20, 2019 4:00 pm

    The Kirtland's snake is shy and secretive, and, as a result, not a lot is known about it. A group of researchers is working hard to change that. They're developing a better understanding of this small but beautiful snake that is widely scattered in small enough numbers to put it on Illinois' threatened species list.

  • Anna Bengtson looks at tissues under a microscope

    Undergrads choose their own adventure in this wildlife research group

    Oct 20, 2017 1:15 pm

    Don’t be fooled by the name: The wildlife and chronic wasting disease research group has a broader mission than you might think. Yes, the research focuses on white-tailed deer, primarily, and on CWD, a baffliing affliction of deer and elk. But for the dozens of undergraduate students who have joined this collaborative effort over the years, the group also is a portal, of sorts, to wide-ranging adventures in research. “More than 50 undergraduates have worked with us in the past 15 years. And most have gone on to successful careers,” said Nohra Mateus-Pinilla, a veterinary epidemiologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey who leads the effort with animal sciences professors Jan Novakofski and Michelle Green.

  • Undergraduates gain valuable experience working with INHS researchers

    Dec 14, 2011 9:00 am

    Kendall Annetti, an undergraduate student at University of Illinois, has been working on a research project surveying game birds for blood parasites. Under the guidance of INHS Wildlife Epidemiologist Dr. Nohra Mateus-Pinilla, Kendall is completing the research portion of her James Scholar Program experience. The invaluable experiences gained by the many students mentored here at the Illinois Natural History Survey help prepare them for careers in science and beyond.

  • Aerial view of fully installed submerged rubble ridges

    Underwater innovation at Illinois Beach State Park to help mitigate coastal erosion

    Feb 18, 2022 4:00 pm

    This past summer, with funding from the EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a US Army Corps of Engineers crane carefully placed over 10,000 tons of stone five hundred feet offshore of Illinois Beach State Park (ISBP) and Hosah Park, a Zion Park District property wedged between the north and south units of IBSP. These stones form three “rubble ridges” that are intended to work in concert to lessen storm waves and protect the eroding beach and unique terrestrial ecosystem in the dunes while preserving views and enhancing fish habitat.

  • U of I Press publishes book authored by INHS staff

    May 16, 2014 8:00 am

    Michael Jeffords and Susan Post recently published a book through the University of Illinois Press, "Exploring Nature in Illinois." The book shares information on many of their favorite locations to explore in Illinois and how to find interesting things while you are at it. The book is available through the U of I Press and was featured in an article in The Southern.

  • U of I Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society, advised by Dr. Nohra Mateus-Pinilla, receives honor

    Sep 17, 2008 3:30 pm

    The University of Illinois Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society has been selected from over 20 universities as the 2007-2008 North Central Section Student Chapter of the year. The group is advised by INHS researcher Dr. Nohra Mateus-Pinilla, and the membership has several students associated with the Illinois Natural History Survey.

  • US Army Corps releases report on Asian carp and electric barriers

    Mar 29, 2011 8:00 am

    The US Army Corps of Engineers released a report on the operation of the electric barrier system in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. This study focuses on the smaller individuals, which may be better able to cross the barriers. Prior research by Illinois Natural History Survey scientists about the efficacy of the electric barrier systems for adult fish is cited.

  • Variation in effectiveness of RNAi treatment in western corn rootworm

    Mar 11, 2014 8:00 am

    INHS Behavioral Entomologist Joseph Spencer and his colleagues in Crop Sciences and Entomology recently released a study in the journal Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology with findings that there is variation in the effectiveness of RNAi treatments on western corn rootworm (WCR), a major agricultural pest.