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Natural History Survey

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  • Positive tests for West Nile

    Jul 12, 2013 8:00 am

    Mosquito samples from Morton Grove tested positive for West Nile Virus at the INHS Medical Entomology Lab.

  • West Nile Virus confirmed in Evanston

    Jul 14, 2014 8:00 am

    The Illinois Natural History Survey Medical Entomology Lab has reported the first positive tests for West Nile Virus this year from samples collected in Evanston. For more information, visit the Medical Entomology Program website.

  • Japanese beetles thrive in human landscapes

    Jul 18, 2011 8:00 am

    According to INHS entomologist Chris Dietrich, Japanese beetles are generalists and will eat approximately 300 different types of plants, which is not unusual for an introduced species. Human lawns make perfect habitat for the grubs which feed on the roots of grass, but killing the grubs will do little, as adults will fly in from other yards.

  • Corn rootworm on the rebound?

    Jul 18, 2011 9:00 am

    After a couple of years with low levels of damage from Western Corn Rootworms, INHS Insect Behaviorist Joe Spencer and his colleagues have found significant damage to roots and a higher level of adult emergence compared to last year. For more information, visit Farms.com.

  • Japanese beetles spreading westward

    Aug 1, 2011 8:00 am

    INHS Entomologist and Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey coordinator Kelly Estes was interviewed about the spread of Japanese Beetles westward. Their ability to spread in a given year is dependent on fluctuating populations, which can be affected by rainfall. The best way to get rid of them is collecting them in a bucket of hot soapy water.

  • Mussel surveys help assess river health

    Aug 26, 2011 8:00 am

    INHS Malacologists Sarah Bales, Josh Sherwood and Amy Stultz were featured in an article in the Rockford Register Star. The team is one of three teams conducting statewide mussel surveys, documenting the location, size, age, sex and species of mussels they find. Mussels are an important part of the ecosystem, filtering pollutants, providing shelter to small organisms, as well as food for larger organisms such as raccoons and muskrats. By understanding the mussel populations in a location, biologists are better able to determine the health of that river.

  • 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.

  • Western corn rootworm developing resistance to rotation

    Sep 4, 2013 8:30 am

    INHS Behavioral Entomologist Joe Spencer is looking at rotation-resistant western corn rootworms, which are causing severe injury to crops. Crops modified to resist infestation by insects and crop rotation are some of the methods to control injurious insects, but some rootworms have developed resistance to these mechanisms. Repeated use of the modified corn year after year has given the rootworms time to adapt. Producers are encouraged to watch their fields for injury. This story was reported in InvestorPlace and the Bulletin.

  • Soybean Aphids have lowest impact in years

    Sep 25, 2012 8:00 am

    INHS Entomologist David Voegtlin reported that this year's soybean aphid population had its lowest recorded impact, starting early but then disappearing. The low trap numbers so far this fall indicate that there may be lower numbers of eggs overwintering and a smaller flight of aphids in the spring.

  • Midwest Experiences Warmest and Wettest December on Record

    Jan 6, 2016 10:30 pm

    In a year when many state records were broken, 2015 ended with historically warm temperatures and well above-normal precipitation, leading to the warmest and wettest December on record for the Midwest, according to the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC) at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).

  • Freshwater mussel behavior altered by exposure to antidepressants

    Jan 10, 2014 8:00 am

    INHS Post-doctoral researcher Andrea Fritts is a co-author on a recently published study examining the effects of the antidepressant fluoxetine on the behavior of freshwater mussels, which could impact their survival and role in their ecosystem. The study found that chronic exposure led to "increases in movement, decreased time to movement, and increased likelihood of diurnal movement, and increased rates of lure display in mussels. Changes in mussel movement [in the wild] are likely to increase susceptibility to predation, and may also alter sediment nutrient cycling and oxygenation through changes in bioturbation provided by mussels."

  • Bald Eagles "making an impressive comeback"

    Jan 12, 2016 8:00 am

    INHS Ornithologist Mike Ward was contacted about the increase in eagle sightings in the area. According to Ward, there were fewer than 20 eagle nests in Illinois in the 80s, whereas during the last spring bird count, there were an estimated 200 eagle nests.

  • Snowy Owls invade Illinois

    Jan 17, 2012 8:00 am

    This winter, Snowy Owls have been sighted in Illinois almost daily. According to INHS Ornithologist Steve Bailey, "It's probably the biggest Snowy Owl invasion in years." He explains that this year's high lemming population led to an increase in young snowy owls. Bailey asks bird watchers to be responsible and keep their distance. Flushing an owl causes them to expend a great deal of energy and these birds have already migrated up to 1,000 miles. And as for those fabulous photographs of a snowy owl approaching the camera with talons outstretched? Those are often staged by photographers baiting the owls with captive raised mice. Bailey reminds bird watchers to "keep the bird's welfare in mind," and not lure the owls towards dangerous roadways with store bought mice that may harbor diseases.

  • Coming back strong: Illinois Bald Eagle populations on the rise

    Feb 7, 2012 8:00 am

    Bald Eagle populations in Illinois are on the rise. In 1980, Bald Eagles were found breeding only in extreme Southern Illinois, but in surveys during 2008, nesting pairs were found in 67 Illinois counties. Part of the increase is attributed to the ban of DDT in 1972, but according to INHS Ornithologist Mike Ward, that was just the beginning. Environmental regulations have led to cleaner waterways (enabling eagles to more easily catch fish) and eagles have become more comfortable around humans. Being able to be near people gives them a lot more places to breed in Illinois, Ward said.

  • INHS researchers described more than 100 new species in 2013

    Feb 21, 2014 8:00 am

    Last year, INHS researchers described over 100 species new to science. The Prairie Research Institute Library wrote a nice summary of the papers published by INHS scientists in 2013. Prairie Research Institute Library Blog

  • White Nose Syndrome confirmed in Illinois

    Feb 28, 2013 8:00 am

    INHS researchers and their collaborators have confirmed the presence of White Nose Syndrome (WNS)—a disease fatal to several of our bat species—in Illinois. Read more about WNS and the work INHS researchers are doing to understand the disease on the INHS website.

  • New director starts May 1, 2008

    Mar 4, 2008 12:00 am

  • Program gathers data to combat tickborne disease in Illinois

    Mar 29, 2018 11:30 am

  • INHS scientists seek new sites for mussel relocation

    Apr 5, 2013 8:00 am

    INHS researcher Jeremy Tiemann is part of a team working to relocate endangered mussels from a bridge construction site in Pennsylvania to Illinois rivers. The first mussels (relocated in 2010) were given PIT (Passive Integrated Transponder) tags to allow monitoring and after a year and a half, approximately 80% of the relocated mussels had survived. An additional 1200 were transplanted in 2012, and now, new locations are being sought for additional transplants.

  • Double the traps, double the turkeys

    Apr 11, 2018 11:15 am

  • 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.

  • fox in snow

    'Citizen scientists' help track foxes, coyotes in urban areas

    Jun 4, 2019 12:45 pm

    As foxes and coyotes adapt to urban landscapes, the potential for encounters with humans necessarily goes up. A team of scientists is taking advantage of this fact to enlist the eyeballs and fingertips of humans – getting them to report online what they see in their own neighborhoods and parks.

  • INHS herpetologists and U of I veterinarians collaborate for turtle conservation

    Jun 15, 2012 9:00 am

    INHS Herpetologist Chris Phillips and U of I Wildlife Veterinarian Matt Allender are combining their efforts in an attempt to better understand the health of reptile populations in Illinois. Historically, conservation efforts have focused on habitat preservation and restoration, but in recent years, devastating diseases have been observed in wildlife populations. Through collaboration with INHS herpetologists, Allender has found a bacterial infection in box turtle populations and a fungal infection in Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake populations.

  • 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."

  • Bobwhites nesting in a field of flowers.

    Bobwhites listen to each other when picking habitat

    Jun 18, 2020 8:00 am

    Northern bobwhites are attracted to a habitat based on whether other bobwhites are present there, research led by Illinois Natural History Survey avian ecologist Michael Ward. This phenomenon, called conspecific attraction, could aid conservation efforts.

  • Effects of recent fish kill on waterfowl populations unknown

    Jul 2, 2012 8:00 am

    INHS Forbes Biological Field Station Director Heath Hagy was interviewed by an NBC affiliate about the effects of thousands of dead fish near Havana, IL. The water levels of the lake have been drawn down to improve habitats for migratory birds, resulting in thousands of fish carcasses. While some residents are concerned about the botulism impacting the waterfowl, Hagy states that is unknown because most of the waterfowl will not be back here for several months.

  • Cave microbe produces compound that inhibits the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome

    Jul 21, 2015 1:00 pm

    A new study from INHS Mycologist Andrew Miller and grad student Daniel Raudabaugh has found that the yeast Candida albicans produces a compound: trans, trans-farnesol, that inhibits growth of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome in bats.

  • New species of fossil insect named for Sir David Attenborough

    Jul 30, 2014 9:00 am

    INHS Paleontologist Sam Heads, Jared Thomas, and Yinan Wang found a new pygmy locust embedded in amber. In a paper released today, the species was described and named Electrotettix attenboroughi, in honor of Sir David Attenborough. Attenborough narrated a video about their research.

  • Multi-state effort to return Alligator snapping turtle populations to native range

    Aug 1, 2014 10:00 am

    Illinois Natural History Survey herpetologists, led by Michael Dreslik, are involved in a multi-state, multi-agency effort to return the Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys temminckii) to its native range, which includes southern Illinois. INHS researchers are working with IIllinois DNR, US Fish and Wildlife, Peoria Zoo, and Southern Illinois University. As part of the head-starting portion of the project, students at Pontiac Township High School and Whitney Young High School have helped raise young turtles born at the St. Louis Zoo.

  • West Nile found in Champaign county mosquitoes

    Aug 15, 2011 8:00 am

    INHS Medical Entomology Program confirmed the presence of West Nile Virus in a mosquito sample from the Champaign Department of Public Health. Champaign is the 12th county to have positive mosquito samples this year. No human cases have been reported yet this year, but the CDPH recommends dumping standing water and taking general precautions.

  • Baseline mussel survey finds only one female Fatmucket

    Aug 18, 2015 8:00 am

    INHS Aquatic Biologist Jeremy Tiemann led a team in a baseline survey of mussels in Crystal Lake Park, finding only a female Fatmucket. The team will return in 5-10 years to see if the planned installation of in-stream riffles improves the habitat and changes the mussel population.

  • More positive results for West Nile Virus in mosquitoes

    Aug 19, 2013 8:00 am

    Glencoe, Northbrook, Wilmette, Kenilworth have all had mosquitoes test positive for West Nile Virus in August. These results—obtained by the INHS Medical Entomology Lab—were reported by the Winnetka-Glencoe Patch, the Northbrook Star, and the Wilmette-Kenilworth Patch. For tips and information about protecting yourself and the community from West Nile Virus, visit the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District website.

  • Endangered mussels released in Illinois streams

    Sep 10, 2012 8:00 am

    Endangered riffleshell and clubshell mussels collected in Pennsylvania earlier this summer have begun being relocated into Illinois Rivers. The mussels were placed, one by one into the gravel of their new stream. Each mussel has a rice sized transponder attached to its shell to identify it, enabling scientists to non-invasively monitor their progress in their new environment.

  • Illinois Natural Areas Inventory probes health of state's habitats

    Oct 5, 2010 8:00 am

    The update of the 1978 Illinois Natural Areas Inventory was highlighted in an article in the Kankakee Daily Journal. INHS regional ecologist Connie Cunningham has been inventorying sites in Kankakee, Iroquois and 23 other counties across Illinois, documenting changes and identifying area in need of protection.

  • Culling maintains low prevalence of Chronic Wasting Disease in deer populations

    Oct 21, 2013 8:00 am

    INHS Wildlife Epidemiologist Nohra Mateus-Pinilla and postdoctoral researchers Mary Beth Manjerovic and Michelle Green conducted research on the effectiveness of culling deer to prevent the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). CWD is a 100% fatal disease in deer, likened to Mad Cow Disease. Their paper compared the culling strategy used in Illinois to the two different management strategies used in Wisconsin over a decade. Listen to the interview on Focus 580.

  • Fungus that causes white nose syndrome is a survivor

    Oct 24, 2013 8:00 am

    INHS Mycologist Andrew Miller and graduate student Daniel Raudabaugh recently published a paper on the fungus Pseudogymnoascus (Geomyces) destructans, which causes white nose syndrome in bats. In this first, in depth study of the basic biology of the fungus, the researchers found that P. destructans can survive on a wide variety of nutrient sources. White Nose Syndrome research at the Illinois Natural History Survey.

  • The race to save the little brown bat: How genomic research could rescue a species on the brink of extinction

    Oct 31, 2024 11:00 am

    Researchers are using cutting-edge genomic techniques to help the little brown bat, a species at risk due to white-nose syndrome. By analyzing DNA samples from across the bat's historic range, the team aims to uncover genetic insights that could guide conservation strategies. This collaborative effort among scientists and institutions offers new hope for protecting the bat and other vulnerable wildlife. 

  • Juvenile cowbirds sneak out of the nest at night

    Nov 4, 2015 8:00 am

    INHS Ornithologists Matt Louder, Mike Ward, Wendy Schelsky, and Jeff Hoover published a new paper about the behavior of juvenile cowbirds, a nest parasite. They found that juvenile cowbirds leave the host's nest at night and return in the morning. This may be part of their strategy involved in avoiding imprinting on their host species.

  • Waterfowl numbers better than last year

    Dec 14, 2011 8:00 am

    Aerial surveys this November showed 20 times more ducks on Lake Chautauqua than during the same period last year. The Green-winged Teal made up the majority of those waterfowl, with conditions on the lake this year being favorable. INHS Waterfowl Biologist Randy Smith said, "Green-winged teal like it when the water is so shallow that they can stand up, just an inch or two deep with lots of vegetation." This year's surveys have found that Lake Chautauqua has more than one third of all the ducks at the 16 sites sampled in the Lower Mississippi River Valley.

  • Land purchase to benefit subterranean ecosystem and endangered species

    Jan 28, 2014 8:00 am

    On 25 January 2014, INHS Biologist Steve Taylor gave a presentation at a ceremony announcing the purchase of 535 acres of land over Illinois' largest and most biologically diverse cave. Fogelpole Cave is home to several protected species including the endangered Illinois Cave Amphipod and Indiana Bat. Taylor serves as science advisor for the project, which is being managed by Clifftop, a non-profit organization.

  • Illinois otters have highest dieldrin levels

    Feb 7, 2014 8:00 am

    INHS Researcher Samantha Carpenter was featured in an article in Michigan State University's Great Lakes Echo, about the high levels of dieldrin and other contaminants in the bodies of river otters. Carpenter was lead author on a study published in October in the journal Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.

  • bee on flower

    Spring forest flowers likely a key to bumble bee survival, Illinois study finds

    Apr 28, 2021 9:30 am

    For more than a decade, ecologists have been warning of a downward trend in bumble bee populations across North America. While efforts to preserve wild bees in the Midwest often focus on restoring native flowers to prairies, a new Illinois-based study finds evidence of a steady decline in the availability of springtime flowers in wooded landscapes. The scarcity of early season flowers in forests – a primary food source for bumble bees at this time of year – likely endangers the queen bees’ ability to start their nesting season and survive until other floral resources become available, researchers say. They report their findings in the Journal of Applied Ecology.

  • Spawning Bigmouth Buffalo found in local Champaign drainage ditch

    May 6, 2013 8:00 am

    INHS Fisheries Research Scientist Josh Sherwood was called out by WCIA to catch and identify some large fish found in a drainage ditch. The large fish were Bigmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus), usually found in large rivers, but spawn in tributaries. The flooding caused by the recent heavy spring rains likely allowed the adults to swim up to these ditches where they will lay their eggs before returning downstream.

  • Monitoring for Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs

    May 26, 2015 8:00 am

    Illinois Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey director Kelly Estes was asked about Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs, native to Asia, currently found in the eastern United States. Estes explained that BMSB are good hitchhikers, able to be transported by people and packages. This, and other species will be discussed during the Invasive Species Symposium this Thursday at University of Illinois.

  • Scientists find world’s oldest fossil mushroom

    Jun 7, 2017 4:30 pm

    Roughly 115 million years ago, when the ancient supercontinent Gondwana was breaking apart, a mushroom fell into a river and began an improbable journey. Its ultimate fate as a mineralized fossil preserved in limestone in northeast Brazil makes it a scientific wonder, INHS scientists report in the journal PLOS ONE.

  • INHS researchers collaborate with U of I Vet Med to detect fungus in snakes

    Jul 16, 2014 8:00 am

    INHS Research Affiliate Matt Allender (a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine) has developed a way to detect the presence of a deadly fungus with less impact on the infected snake. INHS Mycologist Andrew Miller and his graduate student Dan Raudabaugh are working to understand the fungus itself. This work is being done in conjunction with the long-term INHS research project on the critically endangered Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake. INHS Herpetologists Chris Phillips and Mike Dreslik have been studying the ecology of the snakes for over 15 years.

  • INHS scientists help reconstruct prairie on U of I campus

    Aug 8, 2012 8:00 am

    INHS Botanists have been involved in prairie reconstructions on the U of I campus. Currently, the area along Florida Ave and Orchard is being reconstructed, after having been designated a "No-Mow-Zone." According to Botanist Jamie Ellis, their approach to ecological restoration "is evolving and emerging" as they adapt to new challenges. One of the big challenges is that it's a large area that was lawn grass for a long time. Additionally, prairie plants can be slow to take hold in a new area.

  • INHS hosts "An Evening of Entomology"

    Aug 9, 2007 8:00 am
  • snake

    Snake fungal disease alters skin microbiome in eastern massasaugas

    Aug 16, 2018 3:30 pm

    In the first study of its kind, researchers characterized the skin microbiome of a population of free-ranging snakes to begin to understand how the animals’ environmental microbial community may promote disease resistance as well as how it may be disrupted by infection.

  • Chinese researchers visit INHS field station

    Aug 18, 2009 2:00 pm

    Dr. John Chick, Director of INHS' Great Rivers Field Station, spent the first part of August with Yangtze River researchers. Chick first met the researchers while visiting China last year. The Chinese researchers were particularly interested in learning about the methodology and techniques used in the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program on the Upper Mississippi River. A long-term goal of these exchanges is to have comparable monitoring programs set up on large rivers around the globe, which would provide an excellent opportunity to advance both the scientific understanding and management of large rivers.

    In addition, both Chinese and American researchers at the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center were interested in learning about Asian carp habitat. The Asian carp is native China, but invasive in the United States. To read more about this exchange, please read the August 7th article in the Belleville News-Democrat entitled, "Chinese Scientists Studying in Area."