Lake County

Ecosystem Overview

The Lake County ecosystem supports 100 documented wildlife species across 81 taxonomic genera. Located in Lake County, Illinois, this area provides critical habitat with diverse natural communities. The location hosts 21 frequently observed species and 19 occasionally documented species, creating a balanced ecosystem with both resident and visiting wildlife. This location ranks #3 for species diversity among 38 Lake County County natural areas, placing it in the 92th percentile for biodiversity.

Biodiversity Highlights

100

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 38 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#3 of 38 locations

92th percentile for diversity

vs. Waukegan

0% species diversity

Ecosystem Overview

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Biodiversity Highlights

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Species Distribution

Very Common‌

Common‌

Occasional‌

Rare‌

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

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Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 100 total documented species.

Bombus bimaculatus

Two-Spotted Bumble Bee

Very Common34 obs.

Bombus impatiens

Common Eastern Bumblebee

Very Common33 obs.

Bombus griseocollis

Brown-belted Bumblebee

Very Common31 obs.

Lithobates catesbeianus

Common Bullfrog

Very Common27 obs.

Bombus vagans

Half-black bumble bee

Very Common26 obs.

Bombus rufocinctus

Red-belted Bumble Bee

Common22 obs.

Bombus fervidus

Yellow Bumble Bee

Common19 obs.

Trillium recurvatum

Prairie Trillium

Common17 obs.

Agelaius phoeniceus

Red-Winged Blackbird (Red-Winged)

Common14 obs.

Asclepias syriaca

Virginia-Silk

Common13 obs.

Dalea purpurea

purple prairie-clover

Common13 obs.

Chrysemys picta

Eastern Painted Turtle

Occasional12 obs.

Lithobates clamitans

Green Frog

Occasional12 obs.

Ratibida pinnata

Gray-Head Prairie-Coneflower

Occasional12 obs.

Tachycineta bicolor

Tree/Violet-Green Swallow

Occasional11 obs.

Danaus plexippus

monarch

Occasional11 obs.

Coreopsis lanceolata

Lance-Leaved Tickseed

Occasional11 obs.

Trillium grandiflorum

Large-Flower Trillium

Rare11 obs.

Tradescantia ohiensis

Blue-Jacket

Rare10 obs.

Juniperus horizontalis

Prostrate Juniper

Rare10 obs.

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Most Common Species

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Want the Complete Field Guide?

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Get Your Personalized Field Guide

Download a professional PDF field guide featuring all the species found in Lake County. Perfect for outdoor adventures, education, and nature exploration.

$6.99

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

+144%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Lake County County, Illinois

Nearby Natural Areas

Waukegan

Importance: 0.52

100 species

0% vs. current

Gurnee

Importance: 0.49

5 species

+1900% vs. current

Mundelein

Importance: 0.49

25 species

+300% vs. current

North Chicago

Importance: 0.49

10 species

+900% vs. current

Lake Forest

Importance: 0.41

75 species

+33% vs. current

Libertyville

Importance: 0.37

13 species

+669% vs. current

Zion

Importance: 0.36

91 species

+10% vs. current

Grayslake

Importance: 0.36

7 species

+1329% vs. current

About This Comparison

These comparisons are based on documented wildlife observations from citizen science data. Locations with higher species counts may have more observation activity, different habitat types, or larger coverage areas. Regional rankings help identify biodiversity hotspots and unique natural areas within Lake County County.

Regional Comparison

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Regional Ranking

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Species Count

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vs. Regional Average

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Nearby Natural Areas

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About This Comparison

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

+144%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Lake County County, Illinois

Nearby Natural Areas

Waukegan

Importance: 0.52

100 species

0% vs. current

Gurnee

Importance: 0.49

5 species

+1900% vs. current

Mundelein

Importance: 0.49

25 species

+300% vs. current

North Chicago

Importance: 0.49

10 species

+900% vs. current

Lake Forest

Importance: 0.41

75 species

+33% vs. current

Libertyville

Importance: 0.37

13 species

+669% vs. current

Zion

Importance: 0.36

91 species

+10% vs. current

Grayslake

Importance: 0.36

7 species

+1329% vs. current

About This Comparison

Ecosystem Overview

Biodiversity Highlights

100

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 38 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#3 of 38 locations

92th percentile for diversity

vs. Waukegan

0% species diversity

Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 100 total documented species.

Bombus bimaculatus

Two-Spotted Bumble Bee

Very Common34 obs.

Bombus impatiens

Common Eastern Bumblebee

Very Common33 obs.

Bombus griseocollis

Brown-belted Bumblebee

Very Common31 obs.

Lithobates catesbeianus

Common Bullfrog

Very Common27 obs.

Bombus vagans

Half-black bumble bee

Very Common26 obs.

Bombus rufocinctus

Red-belted Bumble Bee

Common22 obs.

Bombus fervidus

Yellow Bumble Bee

Common19 obs.

Trillium recurvatum

Prairie Trillium

Common17 obs.

Agelaius phoeniceus

Red-Winged Blackbird (Red-Winged)

Common14 obs.

Asclepias syriaca

Virginia-Silk

Common13 obs.

Dalea purpurea

purple prairie-clover

Common13 obs.

Chrysemys picta

Eastern Painted Turtle

Occasional12 obs.

Lithobates clamitans

Green Frog

Occasional12 obs.

Ratibida pinnata

Gray-Head Prairie-Coneflower

Occasional12 obs.

Tachycineta bicolor

Tree/Violet-Green Swallow

Occasional11 obs.

Danaus plexippus

monarch

Occasional11 obs.

Coreopsis lanceolata

Lance-Leaved Tickseed

Occasional11 obs.

Trillium grandiflorum

Large-Flower Trillium

Rare11 obs.

Tradescantia ohiensis

Blue-Jacket

Rare10 obs.

Juniperus horizontalis

Prostrate Juniper

Rare10 obs.

Want the Complete Field Guide?

Get all 100 species with 3-4 high-quality images each, detailed descriptions, and a downloadable PDF for offline use.

Premium field guide includes identification tips, seasonal patterns, and professional layout optimized for field use.