Prairie Research Institute

"I saw my first live western corn rootworm in a cornfield northeast of Urbana, Illinois. I did not suspect then that the little yellow and black beetle would become my teacher, co-conspirator, and inspiration for the next three decades of my career."

🌽 In a new From the Field story, Joe Spencer, insect behaviorist at Illinois Natural History Survey, reflects on 30 years of research on agriculture's most formidable pests: the western corn rootworm.

👉 Read the full post at the link in the comments!

Since retiring, Bill Ruesink has spent his time identifying thousands of beetles for Illinois Natural History Survey Insect Collection, one of the oldest insect collections in North America. 🪲 Now he and his wife, Cindy, have established an endowment to help secure its future! It's a story about science, dedication, and what it means to give back. 👉 Read the full story at the link in the comments.

Illinois Natural History Survey

Greetings from beautiful Lake County!

Coastal geologists are out on the water near the breakwaters at Illinois Beach State Park, lowering a ponar sampler — a claw-like device that bites into the lakebed — to pull up sediment from below. They're using this data to track how the shoreline responds to protective structures and beach nourishment, and to help figure out how to keep Lake Michigan's beaches from washing away as storms and lake levels shift.

Follow along this summer as we visit other research sites around Illinois!

Illinois State Geological Survey Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Ep.77 | What to expect at IL Hunt Camp 2026 The team goes over what is happening at IL Hunt Camp this year. It ...

You can help shape solutions to food waste! Take a 10-minute survey about meal planning, grocery shopping, cooking, and what happens in the kitchen at the link in the comments! 👇

Your thoughts on what works well for your household and what is challenging will help guide food waste prevention programs that support cost savings, stronger communities, and a healthier environment.

University of Illinois Extension