I found a giant mosquito—What is this bug?

Warmer months anywhere in the world tend to bring out bug of many shapes and sizes. Even if you find them creepy, there’s something impressive about the seemingly endless variety of insects and other invertebrate critters that appear in ...

Are there wasps inside of figs?

Have you been eating wasp-filled figs? Check out this post for the fascinating science behind one of my favorite weird nature facts....

Are bees endangered?

Bees are a common sight around homes and gardens, in meadow habitats, and just about anywhere with abundant flowers. Yet if you read the news, or notice any number of bumper stickers proclaiming that we should “save the bees”, you might ...

Christmas beetles: Facts and basic info

While December is often a time of chilly temperatures and dormant nature in the Northern hemisphere, it can be the heat of summer down under. In Australia, the years-end holidays are a much more exciting time for naturalists, with insect...

What are mushrooms? Fungi facts & basic info

Nature lovers or not, people everywhere can point out a mushroom when they see them. Whether they’re on the forest floor or on a pizza, these distinctive structures are easy to recognize. Folks on my nature walks are quick to call them o...

12 wild facts about hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are among the most requested topics from readers, with questions like how do I make my own hummingbird nectar? and How do I attract hummingbirds to my yard?. All of that interest is no surprise! These fiery, energetic, and o...

Book Review: What Walks This Way by Sharman Apt Russell

Wildlife tracking is one of the most elusive naturalist skills to learn. Although our oldest ancestors relied on tracking skills to survive, many modern folks have a hard time with it. Unlike birdwatching, where a simple pair of binocula...

What is nest parasitism?

All living things need to accomplish two things to keep the natural world running: (1) they need to survive, and (2) they need to reproduce. There are lots of amazing and bizarre examples of adaptations to solve the first problem. For ex...