Illinois Prairie Chapter of Wild Ones

On February 10 at 7pm learn from butterfly expert and photographer Betsy Betros, about the high-flying, colorful world of swallowtail butterflies in the Kansas City region (and also found in Illinois). Betsy will take us on a tour of what makes each swallowtail unique from each other and what groups...

The non-native (and arguably, invasive) European Honeybee (Apis mellifera) gets a lot of attention because the species is reared here in North America for the purpose of pollinating crops and for the production of honey. Although native bumblebees are an integral component of our local ecosystems and are, also, important...

Join Guy Sternberg on April 14 at 7pm to learn about oak trees! Did you know that most young trees need a little help to become the best that they can be. Oaks have special characteristics that, if addressed at a young age, can be molded into the venerable form...

The tallgrass prairie ecosystem is one of the rarest ecosystems in the world. It’s home to plants uniquely adapted to their soil microorganisms, precipitation, pollinators, and light conditions. On May 12 at 7pm Sydney Metternich will talk about how prairie plant species are adapted to their soil microbial communities and...

Available for sale will be a variety of central Illinois native plants that will provide blooms for the entire growing season! These plants will help support hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and more. A tentative list of plants for sale is available at https://illinoisprairie.wildones.org/nativeplantsale/. Availability subject to change. Chapter members get a...

The book “In the Spirit of Wetlands" by Clare Howard and David Zalaznik explores a dozen locations in Illinois with either wetland restorations or constructed wetlands. Rather than dark, smelly, unproductive swamps, wetlands are environmental warriors nurturing diversity, cleansing water and mitigating flooding. People who own and work on these...

Native plants are becoming the superstars of our home landscapes but many of us are less familiar with these plants in the built environment. Join Illinois Extension Educator, Ryan Pankau, for a presentation focused on the use of native trees and shrubs in landscaping. Ryan will review the challenges that...