Illinois Natural History Survey News
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Blake Ruebush, Levi Solomon and Chase Holtman took Bloomberg reporter Ben Paynter out on the river to survey for Asian Carp as part of a story summarizing the Asian Carp battle. Using a boat protected by "carp-proof" windshield and mesh netting, the ecologists electroshocked the river to survey the abundance and diversity of fishes present.
Read more about the legal battles, the eDNA findings, and marketing Asian Carp to the public.Bloomberg
Learn more about the Illinois River Biological Station. -
A new species of Neotropical Orthopteran has been described by INHS Entomologists Sam Heads and Steve Taylor. Ripipteryx mopana belongs to a group of small and unusual insects related to grasshoppers that includes the North American pygmy mole crickets. This new species comes from the Toledo District of southern Belize, an area of tropical rainforest that is largely unexplored by entomologists. It was named in honor of the Mopan, a Mayan people that live primarily in the area of Belize where the species was discovered. The entomologists will return to the region this coming spring to study the local insect fauna in more detail.
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Bald Eagle populations in Illinois are on the rise. In 1980, Bald Eagles were found breeding only in extreme Southern Illinois, but in surveys during 2008, nesting pairs were found in 67 Illinois counties. Part of the increase is attributed to the ban of DDT in 1972, but according to INHS Ornithologist Mike Ward, that was just the beginning.
Environmental regulations have led to cleaner waterways (enabling eagles to more easily catch fish) and eagles have become more comfortable around humans. Being able to be near people gives them a lot more places to breed in Illinois, Ward said.
Effingham Daily News Article -
The biological collections of the Illinois Natural History Survey are among the largest in the nation, with nearly 10 million specimens collected over the past 150 years. These collections document our natural heritage and can be studied to understand variations within and between species, changes over time, and countless other topics.
Many of the specimens are fragile and must be stored and handled with extreme care. As part of a $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation, researchers at INHS are working with several other institutions to digitize collections, taking high resolution images from a variety of angles. Scientists from around the world will be able to see the images of the specimens and physically handle only the ones that they need for closer examination.
State Journal Register
Chicago Tribune
The RepublicFor more information on the invertebrate side of the project, check out the InvertNet website.
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White Nose Syndrome, a fungal infection devastating to bat populations, has not yet been detected in Illinois bat populations. As a preventative measure, Illinois caves on public lands have been closed to the public since 2010. This winter an interdisciplinary team of INHS researchers will begin surveying caves in Illinois for evidence of White Nose Syndrome, taking tissue, air and soil samples. Their goal is to form a more complete understanding of the cave environment including the fungi, bacteria and other microorganisms present.
Prairie State Outdoors article -
With warm temperatures this winter, some people have been concerned about the effect on plants and animals. A Northern Leopard frog and a Western Chorus frog were among the interesting finds causing a stir this winter . INHS Herpetologist Michael Dreslik said that this particular sighting was not much to worry about as these frogs are cold tolerant with Western Chorus frogs beginning to breed in mid-February.
Lake County News-Sun -
INHS Avian Ecologist Jeff Hoover participated in the Cypress Creek Christmas Bird Count, leading a group that identified 54 species (97 species were identified overall). While hiking with his group, he discussed the ecology of the different species, taught techniques useful to identify birds and just observed birds in their habitat. Some participants treat the Bird Count as a contest, but Hoover stated, "For me, it's kind of a celebration of the ecology of the birds that are there in the winter." The annual bird counts provide data that scientists can use to look at migration routes and patterns of bird distribution.
The Southern -
This winter, Snowy Owls have been sighted in Illinois almost daily. According to INHS Ornithologist Steve Bailey, "It's probably the biggest Snowy Owl invasion in years." He explains that this year's high lemming population led to an increase in young snowy owls.
Bailey asks bird watchers to be responsible and keep their distance. Flushing an owl causes them to expend a great deal of energy and these birds have already migrated up to 1,000 miles.
And as for those fabulous photographs of a snowy owl approaching the camera with talons outstretched? Those are often staged by photographers baiting the owls with captive raised mice. Bailey reminds bird watchers to "keep the bird's welfare in mind," and not lure the owls towards dangerous roadways with store bought mice that may harbor diseases.
State Journal RegisterWant to learn more about owls? Join Steve Bailey for an evening of discussion and exploration.
Owl Prowl with Steve Bailey -
The long-term monitoring project of the endangered Eastern Massasauga population at Carlyle Lake has revealed a new species of fungal infection, which causes severe facial swelling, disfiguration and ultimately death. INHS Affiliate Dr. Matt Allender (University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine) is spearheading research on the fungus along with INHS Herpetologists Michael Dreslik, Sarah Wylie, Chris Phillips and Dan Wylie. By studying this infection they hope to develop methods for treatment and prevention.
Letter in CDC's Emerging Infectious DiseasesInformation on the Eastern Massasauga
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Oscar Cadena-Castaneda, a graduate student at the
Universidad Distrital Francisco Jos de Caldas in Bogot, Colombia has named a new species of mole cricket (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) in honor of INHS entomologist Dr. Sam Heads. The new species, Scapteriscus headsi was described in a paper 
published on 12 December in the journal Zootaxa and can be found here: -
INHS Molecular Ecologist John Epifanio was asked to testify before congress about the environmental impacts and safety issues involved with production and introduction of genetically engineered salmon.
The hearing can be viewed on the website of the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. (Due to delays, the hearing begins at time 28:30).
Website of Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation -
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.
Article in Trib Local -
Aerial surveys this November showed 20 times more ducks on Lake Chautauqua than during the same period last year. The Green-winged Teal made up the majority of those waterfowl, with conditions on the lake this year being favorable. INHS Waterfowl Biologist Randy Smith said, "Green-winged teal like it when the water is so shallow that they can stand up, just an inch or two deep with lots of vegetation"
This year's surveys have found that Lake Chautauqua has more than one third of all the ducks at the 16 sites sampled in the Lower Mississippi River Valley.
Daily Register ArticleINHS Stephen A. Forbes Biological Station Frank C. Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center
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During the years following the discovery of West Nile Virus in Illinois, Crow populations dropped from 300,000 to 110,000 birds. According to INHS Ornithologist Mike Ward, crows were highly susceptible to West Nile Virus, possibly because of their specialized immune systems and social lifestyle. The cause of the rebound is not fully understood, but Ward stated that antibodies to fight off the virus have been discovered recently. Wet conditions during the summer may have also decresed breeding of the mosquito species that carries West Nile Virus.
Trib Local Article -
A paper on fossil Schizodactylidae (Insecta: Orthoptera) by INHS entomologist Dr. Sam Heads ranked in the Top Ten most accessed papers in the journal ZooKeys by its editors in a recent review (link: Zookeys article). Sam's paper, co-authored with La Leuzinger of the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, was ranked #9 out of the 780 papers published in the journal to date and can be downloaded here.Newsfeed article from February 2011
INHS Entomologist Sam Heads published a paper in the 26 January, 2011 issue of Zookeys on an insect fossil found in limestone in Brazil. This fossil was determined to be the ancestor of the modern day carnivorous splay-footed crickets found in Southern Asia.
"Splay-footed crickets, are an unusual group of large, fearsome-looking predatory insects related to the true crickets, katydids and grasshoppers. They get their common name from the large, paddle-like projections on their feet, which help support their large bodies as they move around their sandy habitats, hunting down prey."
This fossil reveals that though different, this group of crickets have evolved very little over the past 100 million years, even inhabiting similar environments. The Economist reminds us of the oft forgotten first rule of natural selection: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
For a more complete story, check out MSNBC's "Meat-eating crickets on snowshoes? You bet!"
Read the University of Illinois press release
Read the paper in ZookeysThe Economist Splay-footed, not flat-footed: A new fossil shows that evolution does not always mean change
Yahoo News: Ancient Carnivorous Insect Sported Snowshoes
Softpedia: Species Found Unchanged After 100 Million Years
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Scott Saffer, teacher at Tri-Point Junior High School and former employee at INHS, seeks out opportunities for his students to be engaged in actual science. His students have participated in bird research, studied insects, and cruised the Illinois River looking for Asian carp. This year the students are working on filling in the gaps in our knowledge of reptile and amphibian species in Livingston and Ford County. With the help of INHS Herpetologist Andy Kuhns verifying identifications and occurrence records, the students are documenting the species found in these two under-surveyed areas.
Pontiac Daily Leader
Pantagraph -
INHS Ornithologist T.J. Benson was featured in an article about the Southern White Pelicans currently being seen in large numbers at Rend Lake. Unlike the Brown Pelicans, which dive into the water for food, White Pelicans align themselves in a circle and scoop up the fish.
Benson stated that in the spring the birds might migrate through more quickly needing to get to the breeding grounds, the fall migration can be more spread out, with birds lingering in places with good resources.
Asked about the number of birds, he stated that "Anecdotally, you're definitely seeing more and more. It's kind of true that wetland birds in general are tending to do better over time. Some of that is habitat restoration and cleaning up waterways."
The Southern -
INHS Affiliate and former director of the Illinois River Field Station was featured on CBS Sunday Morning in a story about invasive species. On the Asian Carp, Sass stated "We've seen explosive population growth, a population that has almost doubled every year. We're fairly confident we have the highest wild densities of Asian carp anywhere in the world."
David Lodge of Notre Dame says studies estimate that invasive species cost the US Economy on the order of at least $120 billion annually. There are 30 federal agencies involved in the fight against invasive species, with about $1.5 billion spent annually. Education and prevention are key to warding off the invasive species.
Link to CBS Sunday Morning -
According to the latest aerial inventories there were 63,225 ducks at Emiquon on Oct. 17. At the same time last year there were 50,775 ducks. Emiquon is a 6,900 acre Nature Conservancy reclamation along the Illinois River, established in 2005.
Peoria Journal Star Article
Map
Link to Aerial Surveys -
U of I Entomology professor and INHS Associate Research Scientist James Whitfield was recognized by the Entomological Foundation for his significant and outstanding work in insect systematics and evolution. His research has focused on parasitoid wasps, especially microgastrine Braconidae. Dr. Whitfield will be presented the Thomas Say Award at this year's Entomology Conference. -
This year, INHS Ornithologist Kevin Johnson was elected as a Fellow of the American Ornithologists' Union. Fellows are chosen for their exceptional and sustained contributions to ornithology and service to the Union. Johnson's work has included Systematics and the Coevolution of Host-Parasite Relationships.
American Ornithologists' UnionUniversity of Illinois News Bureau articles about Johnson's research:
Long-extinct passenger pigeon finds a place in the family tree
Did dinosaurs have lice? -
INHS Entomologist David Voegtlin sampled soybean aphids this fall and found levels that could lead to higher densities of aphids on crops in 2012. In 2009, fall densities were extremely high and fungal infection wiped out large numbers of the aphids. This fall's lower humidity and lower density of aphids could lead to greater survival of overwintering aphids.
The Bulletin -
The Green Book Festival is an annual competition honoring books that contribute to greater understanding, respect for and positive action on the changing worldwide environment.
INHS publication "Canaries in the Catbird Seat: The Past, Present, and Future of Biological Resources in a Changing Environment" received an Honorable Mention in the 2011 festival.
Published in celebration of our 150th anniversary, this book summarizes the important work done by INHS scientists over the years and integrate that with the work done by scientists elsewhere. Written in language accessible to the broad audience of citizens interested in our shared natural heritage and in context with the wider scientific community.
More information on the book
Complete list of winners for 2011 -
INHS Wildlife Veterinary Epidemiologist Nohra Mateus-Pinilla and her research on lyme disease vectors were featured in an article in the Danville Commercial News and also discussed in a segment on Chicago Tonight about Science in Illinois. Deer ticks have been spreading and are now found in 26 Illinois counties. Mateus-Pinilla's study at Allerton park showed high numbers of infected individuals in prairie habitats, rather than the typical forest habitat. Based on the study, it appears that Lyme disease and deer ticks may be more adaptable than previously known. With regards to the lack of studies on ticks and lyme disease, Mateus-Pinilla said, "There are a lot of unknowns. It seems like we have very little work on the ground being done."
Click to read the entire articleClick to watch the Chicago Tonight clip on Science in Illinois (lyme disease story starts at 3:05, but other interesting things before and after)
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INHS Entomologist Gail Kampmeier had the title of Honorary Member of the Entomological Society of America bestowed upon her this year. The purpose of Honorary Membership is to acknowledge those who have served the ESA through significant involvement in the affairs of the Society that has reached an extraordinary level. The number of Honorary Members cannot exceed 1% of the membership and thus, this is a great honor.
Gail is joined in recognition this year by INHS Affiliate Kevin L. Steffey.
Entomological Society of America Press Release