Discover Nature Notes

Spring has burst out all over—not only in plants, but in an explosion of baby animals. You don’t have to venture far to observe this activity, much of it takes place in your own backyard.

Every year around Mother’s Day, nature’s moms are busy feeding, caring for and sheltering their young.

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo! To get in the spirit, here are five things happening in nature to view and celebrate.

Name a fish that can weigh nearly the same as a kindergartener, live for more than two or three decades, and has an undeniably large nose. Did the paddlefish come to mind?

Seeing a butterfly glide past you is sure to bring a flurry of excitement. Did you know there are a  few tricks of the trade to attract them to your backyard?

There’s no doubt about it: Spring has officially sprung. Brightly colored signs capture our attention along the roadway, informing us of what’s ahead. Springtime has a few signs of its own, and the early color of flowering trees is one of the brightest!

The meadowlark is a familiar sight throughout the farmlands of the Midwest.

April showers bring… mushrooms? April showers and warm nights make morels (muh-rells) grow and send folks to their favorite mushroom-hunting spots.

The changing seasons always bring a transition in the wild.

There is a Midwest fruit as sweet as bananas and as fragrant as papayas: the pawpaw.