School of Integrative Biology

A mammoth tribute to Illinois history - New sculpture located near the northeast edge of the Main Quad

2023-03-24

The next, and past, big thing: The great woolly mammoth is back. This time it’s visible to all near the University of Illinois Main Quad. A new mammoth sculpture is rearing its head on the same ground where real mammoths wandered 30,000 years prior. That’s even older than the neighboring Natural...

The Hidden Company That Trees Keep

2023-03-13

DR. JAMES NARDI says you can tell a lot about a tree by the company it keeps. From life in the soil around their roots to the action up in their canopies, trees are swarming with engagement—unseen microbes and fungi, countless insects and other arthropods, and vertebrates like birds, squirrels, and...

Nurturing a tropical paradise in the heart of the Midwest

2023-03-10

Lexi Gomez is knee-deep in a pond when I first see her in the U. of I. Plant Biology Greenhouse and Conservatory. A fifth-year senior who will graduate this semester, Gomez dips a net in the dark water to clear the pond of debris...

Following in the footsteps of early 20th century naturalist Elizabeth Kerr

2023-06-06

Juliana Soto, with a sooty ant tanager, Habia gutturalis

I am walking in a forest and listening to a concert of birdsong at dawn. I pick one song out of the chorus – a fast chatter full of melodious whistles – the sound of the sooty ant tanager.“Today, we will probably get to know this bird up close,” I think. My colleagues and I set up and...

Adam Dolezal wins Insects 2022 Young Investigator Award

2023-03-01

We are pleased to announce that the winner of the Insects 2022 Young Investigator Award is Dr. Adam G. Dolezal, Assistant Professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana,...

A cold-specialized icefish species underwent major genetic changes as it migrated to temperate waters, new study finds

2023-03-03

Many animals have evolved to tolerate extreme environments, including being able to survive crushing pressures of ocean trenches, unforgiving heat of deserts, and limited oxygen high in the mountains. These animals are often highly specialized to live in these specific environments, limiting them...

Insect Fear Film Festival Celebrates 40 Years of entertaining and educating

2023-02-27

The Insect Fear Film Festival celebrates 40 years of entertaining and educating people about insects and their close relatives at this year’s March 4 event at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It will be the first in-person...

Honey bees prosper with quality, not quantity, of food in novel laboratory setup

2022-11-07

Honey bee workers collect pollen and nectar from a variety of flowering plants to use as a food source. Honey bees typically forage from up to 1-2 miles away from the hive, though sometimes they travel even further, including up to 10 miles away. However, much of the modern landscape consists of...

Students host Owl Night outreach event for second year, and it’s a real hoot!

2022-11-07

Students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign once again hosted “Owl Night,” a public outreach event where people of all ages can learn about owl behavior and ecology, and if they’re lucky, see an owl up close. Owl Night takes place on two separate nights: November 1st at Kennekuk County...

Illinois scientists rank among world's most influential

2022-11-15

Nine researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have been named to the 2022 Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researchers list. The list recognizes research scientists and social scientists who have demonstrated exceptional influence – reflected through their publication of multiple...

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