Theodore Marsh

10/11/2026

Keep your eyes peeled for praying mantises this fall! October is a great time to spot these masters of camouflage as leaves drop and reveal them among branches and tall grasses.

Illinois is home to the native Carolina mantis and the introduced Chinese mantis. With lightning-fast reflexes, spiked front legs and the ability to turn their heads nearly 180 degrees, these ambush hunters are fascinating insects to watch!

(Photo courtesy of Laurie Lasseter)

10/04/2026

Ready to blaze a new trail this fall?

The 2026 fall session of Be a Trailblazer is underway, with GPS missions, photo challenges and trivia waiting to be completed across Will County Forest Preserves.

One of the featured locations is Theodore Marsh, where you can take on a seven-mission adventure covering approximately 2 miles of paved trails. Along the way, you’ll explore the newly paved loop, cross a long wooden bridge and more.

Complete all seven Theodore Marsh missions to be entered into a drawing for a $20 gift card or certificate from Home Cut Donuts, Old Fashioned Pancake House or Fritz’s Pour House.

The fall Be a Trailblazer session runs through Dec. 12. To join, download the free GooseChase app and search for 2026 Be a Trailblazer or enter code JYBKK4.

With cooler temperatures, fall colors and migrating birds, there’s no better time to get outside and explore!

09/27/2026

What if you never grew up? Meet the axolotl, a fascinating salamander that keeps its juvenile features for life!

These aquatic creatures retain their feathery gills and can regenerate limbs, organs and even parts of their brains. They also live underwater their whole life. Native to Mexico, wild axolotls are now critically endangered.

What axolotl fact surprised you most?

(Photo via Adobe Stock)

This unique-looking salamander species never grows up.

09/23/2026

What a beautiful night for a stroll among the goldenrod at Theodore Marsh during golden hour.

(Photo by Chad M***a)

09/20/2026

Fall colors are on the way! Warm, sunny days and cool, crisp nights create the perfect conditions for vibrant leaves. Too much rain, strong winds or an early freeze can shorten the show.

What fall color are you hoping to see this year?

(Photo courtesy of Byron Morgan)

09/13/2026

Think you saw “heat lightning”? Think again!

Heat lightning doesn’t actually exist. What you’re seeing is lightning from a distant thunderstorm that’s too far away for you to hear the thunder.

Remember, if you can hear thunder, you’re close enough to be struck by lightning. When thunder roars, go indoors!

(Photo via Shutterstock)

Heat lightning is just a myth. What we think of as heat lightning is really just lightning from a thunderstorm that is too far away to experience its other effects.

09/06/2026

A trail designed with wildlife in mind!

The newly paved Theodore Marsh loop trail features low-growing native plants and rougher asphalt to help snakes, turtles and other reptiles get better traction and move off the trail more quickly.

A win for both people and wildlife!

(Photo by Chad M***a)

New approach reduces mowing and gives reptiles better traction.

08/30/2026

Have you ever seen this caterpillar crawling around? This is a Polyphemus Moth Caterpillar. Let's learn more about it!

08/23/2026

Centipedes and millipedes may look alike, but they’re quite different! Centipedes have one pair of legs per body segment and are predators, while millipedes have two pairs per segment and mostly munch on decaying plant matter. If a many legged critter scurries away, it’s likely a centipede. If it curls into a ball, you’ve probably found a millipede!

(Photo via Shutterstock)

Is that creepy crawly covered in legs a centipede or a millipede? Here's how to tell. 

08/16/2026

Up close with a pollinator!

Romeoville kindergarten teacher, Nancy “Gaby” Valladolid, won July’s Preserve the Moment photo contest with this incredible close-up of a two-spotted bumblebee covered in pollen while visiting an anise hyssop at Isle a la Cache Preserve.

For Gaby, photographing nature is about slowing down, appreciating pollinators and sharing that joy with others.

Nancy "Gaby" Valladolid snapped July's winning shot at Isle a la Cache preserve. The contest continues through Dec. 31.