Small creatures.
A closer look.

Look first. Let them be.

Visit flowers, watch a sunny wall, or look under a fallen leaf with a grownup. Leave creatures and their homes where you found them. Watch nests from a distance.

Some “bugs” aren’t insects.

Adult insects have six legs. Spiders have eight. A pillbug is a crustacean! Each page tells you which kind of animal you are meeting.

Three reptile guests.

Two rattlesnakes and an ornate box turtle join our creature collection. They are Wisconsin natives, but their homes differ: the timber rattlesnake and box turtle live farther west. Each page explains the range. Watch snakes only from a distance with a grownup; never approach or touch them.

What kind of find?

An everyday search

A reasonable place to start in the right season. It is not a promise of a sighting.

Find the right habitat

Look for its favorite plants or setting.

A special find

It may be hidden, active at night, or only around briefly. Hard to spot does not always mean rare.

An endangered species

A creature facing a real conservation threat. The rusty-patched bumblebee, Eastern massasauga, and ornate box turtle belong here.

How the guide is made

The collection starts with 50 researched candidates for the Milwaukee and Shorewood area. Each creature links to university, extension, or wildlife references. We write short summaries and link to the original articles for more detail.

Illustrations are created for this collection with AI assistance and reviewed for visible anatomy and identifying marks. They are learning aids, not photographs or complete identification keys. Some creatures are identified as a group rather than an exact species.

Artwork and field notes are added in stages. A missing illustration is labeled clearly. A completed webpage does not mean its physical disc has been printed or tested.

From a disc to a discovery

Each printed slide shows the creature’s common name, scientific name, and a short clue about where or when it can be found. A single QR code on the disc carrier opens this field guide. Search for a name or browse the pictures to find your creature.