Why do animals have tails?

This month, I’ve been thinking a lot about a question I’ve gotten several times from blog readers and on nature walks: specifically, why do animals have tails? Although I’ve heard this more often from younger children, plenty of adults a...

Bumblebee Basics: Nature’s Fuzziest Pollinators (with FAQs)

Bees are among the most recognizable, beloved, and sometimes maligned insects that people encounter in their everyday lives. Typically abundant in parks, gardens, and even densely developed areas, buzzing, busy bees are an important part...

How to Identify Wildlife Poop: An Ecologist’s Guide to Animal Scat

You can only write and talk about animals for so long without touching on the topic of poop. While it’s not an immediately attractive topic, it’s a reality of how animals exist in natural and human-made spaces; just ask any dog owner! Fo...

What are rhino’s horns made of? Rhinoceros Facts & Frequently Asked Questions

As a nature know-it-all kid, I loved talking to (more likely at) people about my favorite animals. One of those favorites was the rhinoceros, a dinosaur-like animal I loved to watch on nature shows. My go-to trivia fact was that rhino ho...

11 Essentials for your Outdoor Go-bag

While the wildlife in our neighborhoods, gardens, city parks, and backyards is close and hand and can be fascinating, every nature enthusiast eventually wants to go further afield. Venturing out into new natural places can bring you into...

10 Amazing Biologist-Approved Spider Facts

Whether we find them intimidating or intriguing, people can’t deny some interest in spiders. They’re a part of our lives whether we like it or not, and play a critical role as insect predators in many ecosystems. Beyond that, spiders can...

A biologist’s answers to common questions about skunks

Everywhere in the world, you’ll find a few backyard wildlife “usual suspects”. These are species that turn up frequently in gardens, backyards or other outdoor spaces and attract attention—both good and bad. This weeks Wildlife Spotlig...

The top 6 beneficial bugs for your garden

Controlling pests in your garden or yard can be challenging. Chemical treatments to eliminate critters like grubs or aphids can be harmful to pets and children, and tend to be expensive, requiring repeat applications. Planting flowers or...