Wildlife

It’s the holiday season, which means lots of sparkly lights, colorful packages, and pinecones! If you haven’t noticed them before, you’re sure to see them now – on wreaths, in baskets, as ornaments and centerpieces. But besides adding to the holiday cheer, pinecones have an important job. They protect the pine tree seeds from cold, …

‘Tis the season for spotting mistletoe! Not only can you find it hanging from the ceiling, you can also find it high up in the trees. It’s not hard to spot; just look for bunches of green among the bare tree branches. But did you ever wonder — what exactly is mistletoe?  History  Mistletoe is …

You may have noticed that as the weather starts to cool, there are more wasps flying around. That’s because during the spring and summer, the population of a wasp colony continues to grow. It reaches its height in late summer and early fall.  There term “wasps” includes paper wasps, yellowjackets, hornets, mud daubers, and many …

Insects don’t communicate in the way that humans do, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have their own language. As a child, I was obsessed with watching fireflies glow, which made me question the reason they glow. When I learned that fireflies flash in order to communicate with other fireflies, I began to wonder …

You’ve probably seen a gray squirrel scurrying around on trees and digging for acorns.  You may have seen a squirrel running into the middle of the road, darting this way and that, until it finally decides to cross. Most likely, you didn’t pay it much attention. However, in North Carolina or Kentucky, this little animal …

Few plants remind us of the south like Magnolia trees, with their massive cream blossoms and heady, sweet aroma. If you’ve spent much time in the south at all, you’ve probably seen some of these trees, but how much do you actually know about them? Range The Southern Magnolia (scientific name: magnolia grandiflora, also known …

For Americans, the 4th of July is a time to remember, respect, and celebrate the freedoms we as continue to enjoy. One of the main symbols of those freedoms is the bald eagle, which was named America’s national bird in 1782. Bald eagles were given this title due to their majestic appearance, ferocity, and independence—qualities …

Never underestimate the mysterious wonders of outdoor surprises steps away from home. We live a few miles from Asheville, North Carolina, in a house with frequent wildlife passersby visitors. There are so many roaming deer, wandering tortoises, slithering snakes, and frequent flier birds and insects that they no longer make it into our phone photo …

In one of my creative writing classes, a student included chipmunks in his descriptive paragraph about the woods. I was a little surprised, though, as his chipmunks were climbing trees. I made a note on his paper that they didn’t really do that, but he assured me that they did. It was time to find …

When my children were young, we spent a beautiful fall afternoon building forts in the woods. My oldest daughter, who was about eight years old at the time, suddenly shouted that she had seen a cobra! Feeling more than a little confident that there weren’t any cobras in South Carolina, I rushed over to where …

Every fall, North America’s monarch butterflies travel hundreds of miles to migrate to warmer areas.  Making the migration even more amazing, the butterflies return in the spring. They are the only butterfly species known to make this two-way migration like birds do.  Where Do They Go? Some butterflies go through the winter as larvae, pupa, …

To me, one of the most interesting mammals in the entire world is the naked mole-rat. The animal gets its name because of its hairless appearance and large incisors. The naked mole-rat makes its home under the ground within burrows found in East Africa. With its pink skin and teeth, the naked mole-rat reminds me …

I think one of nature’s finest art pieces are spiderwebs. When I’m outdoors, I’ve made it a habit to go on a scavenger hunt to see how many webs I can spot in a day. Until recently, I thought all webs had the same pattern; they actually vary depending on the spider spinning the silk. …

Here in the southeastern United States, we know it’s summer when the cicadas start to hum. Hot humid evenings with the loud buzzing take many people back to childhood summers swimming at the pool and evening dog walks. In my own life, I never realized that the sounds of cicadas meant summer to me until …

In August, many families are getting in their last vacation trips of the season and starting to think about shopping for school supplies. Fresh garden produce and ice-cold watermelons still grace many a picnic. But have you ever wondered what wildlife is up to this month? For many animals, spring and summer are times to …

The raccoon is one of nature’s most adaptable creatures. Known for their intelligence and resilience, they thrive in both urban neighborhoods and dense forests. Their ability to adapt to diverse environments makes raccoons a common sight across North America. Appearance  Raccoons are medium-sized mammals that are easily recognized by their black masks and ringed tails. …

We have a small terrier mix that we adopted from our local humane society about seven years ago. “Max” loves to be outdoors, and he often follows my son around the backyard or through a nearby field. Several times my son has commented how Max has actually made a trail through the yard, where the …

Summer is a time for fun but also a time of heat. Humans have their own strategies to beat the heat such as houses, air conditioning, fans, and ice cream. What about animals? Below are a few strategies that animals use to cool down. Estivation Although estivation is similar to hibernation, it is strictly a …

White-tailed deer are common in North America, making their home from Southern Canada all across the continental U.S. except for the Southwest. They are easy to recognize with their brown or greyish coat with white around the eyes and nose and on the throat, stomach, and underside of the tail. But there are some things …

 If you like to take photos, you’ve probably got a growing collection of pictures of friends, family, events, and selfies. But have you ever thought of capturing wildlife with your camera, too? You’d be surprised what you can find when you’re on the lookout for wildlife. Here are a few examples of what I’ve captured: …