People who love the outdoors often march to the beat of their own drum. While that can make for excellent conversation, it can also make gift-giving a nightmare. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or a outdoorsy person in your life, these holiday gift ideas for nature lovers will help you get started. Below, you’ll find 12 holiday gift ideas that …
Do sharks really die if they stop swimming?
I have a tendency to a be a bit of a busybody. While my preferred comparison for all that running around has always been the ever-mobile wolverine (the namesake for Gulo in Nature!) another animal is a frequent comparison. People often use sharks as an example of an animal that always has to keep moving. Supposedly, if a shark stops …
What do baby crows look like?
Pictures of a “baby crow” have been all over Pinterest and Reddit for a couple of years now, winning hearts with their poofy goth aesthetic. Notably not a single nature account is involved in all the sharing. Meanwhile, some experts have specifically highlighted that something’s wrong here. You guessed it: this isn’t what a baby crows look like at all. …
What’s the difference between hawks and eagles?
The difference between hawks and eagles comes up often when I take people birding. Dazzled by some large bird of prey, we’ll admire it through our binoculars for a while. Sooner or later, someone asks, “”well, is that a hawk or an eagle?” or, when I answer, they ask “well how did you know that?” As you’ll see, it’s not …
Are stink bugs poisonous?
Fall is the time of year when I start hearing from homeowners about insect home invasions. My previous post, Why are there so many bugs in my house? explains this issue specifically. Stink bugs are among the most common unwelcome guests in peoples’ homes, and with a name like that, they are cause for concern. Folks frequently ask, “Are stink …
Gulo in Nature’s top 15 weird nature facts
I had so much fun tracking down scary nature facts for Halloween that I decided to continue that theme in future posts. Conveniently, several readers asked for weird nature facts to impress their friends or make an amusing topic in social settings. Luckily for us, nature always delivers. Especially in the weird department. For this next edition of Biologist Ruins …
7 do’s and don’ts to responsibly enjoy the outdoors
Nature is all of our shared heritage. That means that the outdoors are for everyone to enjoy. However, it also means that we need to be responsible in how we do so. Unfortunately, all nature enthusiasts, including myself, have witnessed cases where people enjoy nature in ways that are destructive. With increasing numbers of people using natural areas, especially since …
What are ferns? Fern facts & Basic Info
Just like mosses, ferns are another widespread part of the wall of green people encounter in the outdoors. They’re found all over the world, but often blend into the background and fall beneath our notice. Ferns don’t grow like wildflowers and trees, and have some cool traits that set them apart from other vegetation. For this Wildlife Spotlight, I’d like …