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  • West Nile found in Champaign county mosquitoes

    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.

  • Heavy rains wash away mosquito larvae, but mosquitoes repopulate standing waters

    Entomologist Rich Lampman was interviewed by Chicago's CBS affiliate WBBM about mosquitoes.  According to Lampman heavy rains in northern Illinois in July may have flushed out larvae in standing water. Unfortunately, any puddles left over will be colonized by new mosquitoes. Dumping standing water every couple of days can help keep mosquito numbers down.

  • snake

    Snake fungal disease alters skin microbiome in eastern massasaugas

    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.

  • Baseline mussel survey finds only one female Fatmucket

    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

    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.

  • Over time, an invasive plant loses its toxic edge

    Dr. Richard Lankau and plant ecologist Greg Spyreas, both of the Illinois Natural History Survey, just published an article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) about the potency of garlic mustard over time. Garlic mustard is an invasive species that injects a toxin into the soil. Research conducted by INHS researchers indicates that over time the toxin becomes less potent.

  • Record-Wettest August in Illinois

    The statewide average rainfall for August was 6.89 inches, 3.30 inches above normal and the wettest August on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • ISWS Partners on Project to Help Communities Prepare for Climate Extremes

    Climatologists from the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) are partnering with the American Planning Association in a two-year project to assist five Illinois pilot communities in preparing for more frequent climate extremes using current weather and climate data.

  • State Climatologist: A mild August wraps up summer in Illinois

    Mild temperatures in August this year in Illinois followed a heatwave in May, above average temperatures in June, and a cooler July.

  • Summer - One of the Warmest and Wettest on Record

    This summer was one of the warmest and wettest on record, based on preliminary data. The statewide average temperature for summer (June–August) in Illinois was 76.4 degrees, 2.7 degrees above normal and the seventh warmest summer on record, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • August Provided Illinois with Extremes: Rainfall Records in North and Drought in South

    "Rainfall amounts in northeastern Illinois established this as the wettest August and wettest summer since regional records began in 1895. Rainfall for northeastern Illinois (including those counties from Boone to LaSalle and eastward) averaged 11.47 inches, 7.33 inches above normal, and beat the 1987 record of 11.02 inches. JuneAugust totals thus far in this area averaged 20.05 inches, 8.02 inches above normal, and beat the 1972 record of 19.26 inches. Northwestern Illinois received 8.45 inches in August, 4.05 inches above normal and the 5th wettest on record. Its JuneAugust total was 19.18 inches, 6.69 inches above normal and the 4th wettest on record," says State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu), a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

  • Soils Across Illinois Damp at the End of September

    Soils are damp across the state at the end of September, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

  • Soybean Aphids have lowest impact in years

    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.

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

    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.

  • Unseasonably Dry And Warm Conditions Kick Off October In The Midwest

    It was an unseasonably dry and warm start to October across the Midwest.  On average, the Midwest experienced only 23 percent of its normal precipitation during the first 12 days of October, and temperatures were an average of 6 degrees above normal, according to Steve Hilberg at the Midwestern Regional Climate Center at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).

  • ISTC scientist John Scott featured in new video, "The Plastic Problem"

    Illinois Sustainable Technology Center's John Scott is featured in a new video, "The Plastic Problem," developed by the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment. The video is an excellent introduction to the plastic issue and is just a three-minute watch.

  • Team uses forest waste to develop cheaper, greener supercapacitors

  • October brought real fall to Illinois this year

    October in 2021 was warm and rainy, putting a damper on fall festivities in Illinois, but this year’s October did not disappoint fall lovers, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey. Temperatures and precipitation were below average.

  • October in Illinois had warm temperatures and plenty of rain

    October 2021 in Illinois was the eighth warmest and the fourth wettest October on record going back to 1895, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

  • Warm and Damp November in Illinois

    Illinois experienced its third wettest and tenth warmest November on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • November: An Interesting Month for Weather in Illinois

    November in Illinois was the sixth wettest November on record and the ninth warmest, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  In addition, the drought in central and western Illinois has ended due to the above average rainfall.

  • Undergraduates gain valuable experience working with INHS researchers

    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.

  • Study of pipestone artifacts overturns a century-old assumption

  • Illinois in 2012: Second Warmest and Tenth Driest on Record

    The year 2012 will long be remembered for the drought and the exceptionally warm temperatures. While the data for December are still preliminary, 2012 was the second warmest and tenth driest year on record for Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois.

  • 2006 Ranks as 9th Warmest Year for Illinois

    "Based on preliminary data, temperatures of 54.0°F statewide (1.8°F above 30-year normals) made 2006 the 9th warmest year in Illinoissince 1895. This was largely the result of a record-setting January last year with an average temperature of 37.9°F, 13.3°F above normal," said State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu), a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

  • State Climatologist describes December's cold snap and warm up

    The extreme temperatures and wind chill values that Illinoisans experienced before the holidays are very unusual for late December, only occurring in northern and central Illinois once every 20 to 25 years. In the last week of the month, high temperatures ranged from the low 50s to mid-60s, between 10 and 25 degrees above normal.

  • Midwest Experiences Warmest and Wettest December on Record

    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).

  • Of lice and men (and chimps): Study tracks pace of molecular evolution

  • Freshwater mussel behavior altered by exposure to antidepressants

    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."

  • Nurturing a market for waste CO2

  • It's ok to feed birds in the winter

    INHS Avian Ecologist Jeff Hoover was interviewed by The Southern about the ongoing debate of whether or not to fill bird feeders in the winter. “By and large feeding can have a positive effect on birds, particularly in hard winters," Hoover said.

  • Lead sampling kit

    Testing for lead in private wells

    To prevent public health crises that result from widespread lead contamination in drinking water, community water supplies are required to closely monitor their drinking water quality. 

  • Master Naturalists help identify insects for collection

    Members of the Illinois Grand Prairie Master Naturalists came to the Illinois Natural History Survey to help identify some of the 2,300 insect specimens that were collected by an "amateur" entomologist and donated to INHS. The volunteers were assisted by INHS Entomologists Joe Spencer, Sam Heads, Michael Jeffords and Susan Post. Portions of the collection will stay at INHS and others will be used for educational purposes through the Master Naturalist Program and Sugar Grove Nature Center.

  • miscanthus

    ISTC develops greener biofuels process

    Kirtika Kohli and BK Sharma have been busy in the lab creating a greener delignification method for biofuels refinery processes. Many see biofuels as a viable alternative to fossil fuels because they are renewable and can reduce carbon emissions through plant growth. However, biomass needs to be processed before it can be converted to biofuels.

  • Evolving Energy: From Coal to Critical Minerals

    The Prairie Research Institute conducts work at the nexus of scientific research and industrial application, anchoring the narrative of the nation’s energy story. At the heart of this endeavor is the Illinois Basin, a massive geologic structure underlying roughly 70% of Illinois, with subsurface layers that hold a wealth of traditional energy resources and serve as a foundation for innovative environmental and energy solutions.

  • January in Illinois Presented Wild Temperature Swings

    Illinois temperatures in January showed some very large swings in which the highs and lows tended to cancel each other out, with a monthly temperature of 26.7 degrees, or just 0.3 degrees above average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • carrots, corn, and other produce in plastic bins

    Sustainable Technology Center collaborates to connect surplus food with hunger relief agencies

    The University of Illinois, Feeding Illinois, the Illinois Specialty Growers Association, and the Illinois Farm Bureau are collaborating to collect and collate information on the locations, types, and quantities of “surplus” specialty crops in Illinois, including potential acquisition costs. Through a producer survey, a series of focus groups, and implementation of pilots across the state the team looks to uncover the optimal mix of incentives and program interventions to overcome the current barriers to efficient flows of fresh food produced in Illinois, to Illinois residents, with as little waste as possible.

  • snow-covered trees hanging over a path

    A mostly mild January ends with winter storms in Illinois

    January was quite a bit warmer and slightly wetter than average across the state, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

  • INHS researchers described more than 100 new species in 2013

    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-tailed deer

    Deer protected from deadly disease by newly discovered genetic differences

  • Wettest February Ends Third Wettest Winter

    This past February was the wettest on record in Illinois with statewide records going back to 1895. The 4.48 inches of precipitation was 2.49 inches above average. February is typically one of the driest months of the year, averaging only 1.99 inches, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu), a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

  • Another Mild February Ends Another Weak Winter in Illinois

    Preliminary findings showed that February 2024 was the 3rd warmest and 4th driest on record back to the 1800s in Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.  

  • helicopter tows electromagnetic equipment over Lake Michigan

    Lake Michigan coast to get a complete physical checkup from the air

  • Tarantulas in jars

    Tarantulas in a pickle jar

    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."

  • carrots, corn, and other produce in plastic bins

    Farm to food bank survey extended to end of March

    Farmers throughout Illinois are encouraged to complete a short online survey that will help identify the mix of incentives and program interventions to overcome the current barriers to efficient flows of fresh food produced in Illinois, to Illinois residents, with as little waste as possible. The survey closes March 30.

  • erosion on the Lake Michigan shoreline

    Freshwater coastal erosion alters global carbon budget

    Shoreline erosion can transform freshwater wetlands from carbon-storage pools to carbon sources, according to a new study led by Illinois State Geological Survey researchers. 

  • Waterfowl study helps evaluate Illinois River habitat

    INHS Waterfowl Biologists have been monitoring restored wetlands along the Illinois River to determine if restoration efforts have been successful for waterfowl populations. Chris Young of the State Journal Register went along and documented the diving duck surveys.

  • Patent awarded to ISGS engineers for a novel sorbent process to reduce emissions from coal-fired power plants

  • bee on flower

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

    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.

  • "Bearded" crayfish species—what else is out there?

    INHS Astacologist Chris Taylor was interviewed by On Earth about the new species of "bearded" crayfish he described earlier this year. He described crayfish as "one of the most important, if not the most important link" between primary producers (which they eat), and predators like fish and birds (which eat them). He added that uncovering a new species in a well studied area "just reinforces the point that we don't know everything about these aquatic ecosystems, and that there are still discoveries to be made."