Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Archives

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Doug Taron is a PhD, Chief Curator of the Chicago Academy of Sciences at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, director of the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network and much more. But we prefer to call him The Butterfly Whisperer. At least this week. He joins us on the show to talk monarchs, regal fritillaries, insect decline, and whatever else comes up in the realm of entomology.

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July 4, 2020 Mike Nowak

Black Gardeners Matter, Too

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Nicole Virgil returns to the show as she continues her fight to grow vegetables in a hoop house in her own, Elmhurst, Illinois backyard. Debbie Trueblood from the Illinois Park and Recreation Association reports on their second annual Unplug Illinois Day. Holly and Joey Baird, The Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener, have advice on mid-season veggie crops. Doug Taron, PhD of the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum says it’s a great year for fireflies and reports on raising Baltimore Checkerspots on his porch during the pandemic.

The Virtual Chicago Flower & Garden Show

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March 22, 2020 Mike Nowak

The Virtual Chicago Flower & Garden Show

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The Virtual Chicago Flower & Garden Show comes to The Mike Nowak Show. With the cancellation of the event at Navy Pier, Mike and Peggy invite Show Director Tony Abruscato and scheduled presenters to share their horticultural knowledge safely on the radio. Liz Moran Stelk and Jen and Jeff Miller of Prairie Wind Family Farm talk about the near-term future of local food. Sarah Anderson from the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum explains how they’re bringing the museum into people’s homes.

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September 21, 2019 Mike Nowak

“An Amazing Year” for Eastern Monarchs?

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Entomologists Doug Taron and Allen Lawrance from the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum stop by the studio to discuss monarch butterflies, dragonflies, spiders and more. Orin and Manjula Martin talk about the organic approach of their book Fruit Trees for Every Garden.

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September 15, 2018 Mike Nowak

Chicken Enthusiasts and Monarch Supporters

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Members of the Chicago Chicken Enthusiasts promote the 2018 Windy City Coop & Eco-Yard Tour…and provide some musical entertainment. Mike test drives an electric vehicle in nine minutes. Doug Taron, PhD from the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum reports on large numbers of migrating monarch butterflies.

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April 14, 2018 Mike Nowak

April 15, 2018 – Science is for Citizens, Too

Cheryl Julcher from Yellow Brick Properties is a realtor who uses sustainability as a selling point. Cam Davis just garnered 15,000 write-in votes for an MWRD seat in the Illinois primary. But will he be seated? Butterfly expert Doug Taron celebrates 30 years of the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network, and has a monarch update.

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September 30, 2017 Mike Nowak

October 1, 2017 – Seeds, Giant Pumpkins and Solar Panels

Sharon Bladholm returns to the show to talk about her latest nature-focused art exhibit. Mike and Peggy talk to a man who grew a 1,852 pound pumpkin this year. Erik Carlberg and Doug Snower from Windfree Solar explain why this is a good time for clean energy in Illinois.

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September 17, 2017 Mike Nowak

September 17, 2017 – Wildcrafting, Tracking Monarchs

Lisa M. Rose talks about her book Midwest Medicinal Plants and how you can forage for those plants in your own yard. A group called Mighty House announces an effort to reduce nutrient pollutants by targeting big meat producers. Doug Taron from the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum reports on Midwest monarch populations as they begin their migration to Mexico.

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July 8, 2017 Mike Nowak

July 9, 2017 – Of Seeds, Monarchs and Kayaks

New executive director of Seed Savers Exchange Lee Buttala talks about the challenges of being the guardians of 25,000 varieties of seeds. Allen Lawrance from the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has monarch update for the 2017 season. Laura Barghusen from Openlands announces the launch of Paddle Illinois Water Trails for canoes and kayaks.

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January 20, 2017 Mike Nowak

January 21, 2017 – The Plight of the Bumble Bee

Mike and Peggy talk to two experts–Allen Lawrance from Chicago’s Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and Rich Hatfield from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation–about the recent decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.