Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center

09/24/2026

Eastern Carpenter Bee on Swamp Milkweed 🐝🌸

If you take a close look at the blooming Swamp Milkweed (also called Rose Milkweed) around Fullersburg Woods, you might spot one of our busiest pollinators hard at work: the Eastern Carpenter Bee. These large, shiny black‑and‑yellow bees may look a bit intimidating, but they’re gentle giants — and incredibly important to our ecosystems.

• 🌸 Milkweed magnet: Swamp Milkweed’s sweet‑scented pink flower clusters are packed with nectar. Carpenter bees are strong enough to navigate the intricate blossoms and are frequent visitors throughout late summer.

• 🐝 Pollination partners: As carpenter bees crawl across the flowers, pollen sticks to their legs and bodies, helping the milkweed produce seeds. Their size and thorough foraging make them especially effective pollinators.

• 💛 Gentle & essential: Despite their imposing appearance, carpenter bees are typically non‑aggressive. They spend their days gathering nectar and pollen, playing a vital ecological role in Fullersburg Woods.

• 🌿 Milkweed matters: Swamp Milkweed is a key native plant supporting bees, butterflies, and countless other beneficial insects. Its late‑season blooms provide crucial food when resources begin to taper off.

Next time you’re near our wetland areas, pause for a moment to watch these hardworking bees in action. It’s a beautiful example of native plants and native pollinators working together! 🌞🍃

09/17/2026

Common Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) is brightening the wetlands and meadows at Fullersburg Woods with its cheerful yellow blooms! 🌼💛 This late‑season native comes with fascinating history and important ecological roles:

• 🤧 A misleading name: Despite what the name suggests, Common Sneezeweed doesn’t cause allergies. Its heavy pollen is carried by insects, not the wind. The name comes from a historical practice of drying and grinding the leaves into a s***f powder — people would sniff it to trigger sneezing as a traditional “cleansing” remedy centuries ago.

• 🐝🦋 Pollinator powerhouse: Blooming from midsummer into fall, Sneezeweed provides nectar and pollen right when bees, butterflies, and other insects need it most as they prepare for cooler weather.

• 🌼✨ Distinctive look: Its bright yellow petals often droop slightly beneath a raised, dome‑shaped center, making it especially easy for pollinators to land and feed.

• 💧🌿 Wetland indicator: Look for it in moist soils along ponds, marshes, and stream edges. Its presence helps support healthy wetland ecosystems throughout the preserve.

Take a moment on your next walk to enjoy this vibrant native plant while it’s at its peak! 🌞🍃

09/14/2026

Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) is in full bloom right now at Fullersburg Woods, showing off some of the largest and most striking flowers in our wetlands! 🌸🌿 If you spot huge pink or white blossoms along the water’s edge, you’ve likely found this gorgeous native hibiscus.

• 🍽️ Dinner plate blooms: Flowers can reach 6–8 inches across, making them some of the biggest wild blooms in Illinois. They’re as showy as any garden hibiscus—just growing naturally in our marshes and riverbanks.

• 💧 Wetland specialist: Swamp Rose Mallow thrives with its roots in consistently moist soil. Its presence is a great sign of healthy, stable wetland ecosystems within the preserve.

• 🐝 Pollinator hub: Bumblebees especially love these blossoms—often curling up inside the flowers as they gather pollen. The abundant nectar also supports a variety of late‑season insects.

• ❄️🌺 A hardy native: Despite its tropical-looking flowers, this plant is fully adapted to Midwest winters. Its woody stems die back each year, but it returns reliably every summer.

Take a walk near the water and keep an eye out for these spectacular blooms—they’re truly one of the highlights of late summer at Fullersburg Woods! 🌞🍃

09/10/2026

Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba) is lighting up Fullersburg Woods with its cheerful golden blooms! 🌼✨ This native wildflower may resemble the classic Black-eyed Susan, but it has its own charm — and some fun facts worth sharing:

• 🌿 Branching beauty: Brown-eyed Susan produces clusters of smaller flowers on highly branched stems, giving trails and woodland edges a fuller, more abundant splash of color.

• 🐝 Pollinator favorite: Bees, butterflies, and other insects flock to these bright blooms for nectar and pollen. It’s a wonderful species for supporting late-season pollinators.

• 🌱 A short-lived native: Often behaving like a biennial or short-lived perennial, it readily reseeds — returning year after year in healthy natural areas.

• 🌤️ Shade-tolerant spirit: Unlike many prairie relatives, Brown-eyed Susan thrives in partial shade, making it a perfect fit for our woodland habitats here at Fullersburg Woods.

Take a stroll through the preserve and enjoy these sunny flowers while they’re at their peak! 🌞🍃

09/02/2026

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Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is putting on a spectacular show at Fullersburg Woods right now! This native wildflower’s brilliant red blooms are hard to miss, and they’re more than just beautiful—here are a few fun facts about this local favorite:

• A hummingbird magnet: Cardinal Flowers rely almost entirely on hummingbirds for pollination. Their bright red color and tubular shape are perfectly designed for these tiny, high energy visitors.

• Wetland specialist: You’ll usually find Cardinal Flower growing along streams, wetlands, and other moist areas. Its presence is a great indicator of healthy, clean water.

• Late-summer standout: While many plants are winding down for the season, Cardinal Flower blooms from mid to late summer, providing much-needed nectar when other flowers are dwindling.

• A true Illinois native: This species is naturally found across the state, adding bold flashes of red to prairies and woodland edges.

Come take a walk and see these stunning blooms for yourself—they’re at their peak right now!🌹🌹🌹

08/12/2026

Spotted at Fullersburg Woods! 🐝🌼
Look who’s buzzing around our prairies and woodland edges—the rusty patched bumblebee, one of Illinois’ most important and most endangered pollinators!

This little bee is easy to recognize by the tiny rust‑colored patch on its back. Despite its small size, it plays a big role in keeping our native plants healthy and thriving.

A few fun facts:

• The rusty patched bumblebee was the first bumblebee species in the U.S. to be listed as endangered (2017).
• They’re amazing pollinators—using a special technique called buzz pollination that helps plants like wildflowers, berries, and tomatoes produce fruit.
• Rusty patched bumblebees were once common across the Midwest, but their range has shrunk more than 90% due to habitat loss, pesticides, and disease.
• Seeing one here is a sign that the diverse habitats at Fullersburg Woods continue to support critical wildlife.

If you spot one, enjoy from a distance and let them do their important work. Every sighting helps us better understand how to protect this species!

Have you seen any pollinators out on the trails lately? Share your photos or stories below! 🌿📸

08/11/2026

08/05/2026

A sweet surprise on Salt Creek!

Look who we spotted paddling through Fullersburg Woods — a line of baby ducklings swimming right behind their adult guide.

Moments like this remind us how full of life the Forest Preserve is.

Keep your eyes open on the trails… you never know what you’ll see next! 🦆💛

08/04/2026

Join us at Fullersburg Woods this Thursday for Forest Invaders! Learn how to identify common invasive and aggressive plant species as well as how to combat them in your own backyard from expert naturalists. The hour-long hike begins at 6pm in front of the Nature Education Center at 3609 Spring Road.

Registration is $5 per participant. For ages 18 and up.

https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/fpddc/activity/search/detail/23981?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true

Graue Mill and Museum