Naturally North Idaho - Curious About Nature - Page 2

Remarkable Reptiles!

Elusive “blue-tailed” western skink

Elusive “blue-tailed” western skink

A flash of blue darted across the ground in front of me as I entered Grandma’s barn—a blue-tailed skink! Luckily, the skink paused long enough for me to take a picture with my phone before it darted under a tarp. Blue-tailed skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus), more commonly called western skink, are elusive lizards that prefer to…

A boa constrictor in Idaho!

A boa constrictor in Idaho!

Have you been lucky enough to see Idaho’s only boa constrictor? The rubber boa is smaller than the giant boa constrictor of South America and its secretive nature makes finding one noteworthy. I saw my first rubber boa basking on the Long Canyon trail. Stretched across the trail in a sunny spot, the rubber boa…

Garter snakes most common snake in Idaho

Garter snakes most common snake in Idaho

Unlike southern Idaho, far north Idaho is thankfully devoid of venomous snakes. Snakes living in the forested region of far north Idaho are harmless to humans and the ones you’ll most likely encounter are garter snakes. Common vs. Western Terrestrial Garter Snake Two types of garter snakes live in Idaho–the common garter snake and the…

Discover nature on a deeper level

From ants to yews, find out about our amazing natural world starting in North Idaho and expanding across North America. The most recent posts are below. If you are searching for a specific topic, check out the menu bar at the top. As Albert Einstein said, "The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."

Livestock Carcass Removal Program helps prevent human-bear conflicts

Large grizzly bear lumbering through woods.

Dead livestock. No trailer or tractor. There is help. If you live in Boundary County, Idaho, a free program was started in late 2023 to…

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Spring wildflowers bring first splash of color

As the weather warms, signs of spring are everywhere–green grass, emerging larch needles and spring wildflowers. The burst of color from spring wildflowers is a…

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Mourning cloak butterflies first to flutter around

Spring is full of firsts—first robin, first flower and first butterfly. Not necessarily in that order though. The first butterfly is often fluttering around before…

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13 Fascinating facts about rainbows

Raining one minute and sunny the next, the ever changing weather of spring creates prime rainbow viewing opportunities. Just as no two snowflakes are alike,…

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Discover frog sounds: How do frogs make sounds? Why?

Only one frog really says “rib-bit”- the Pacific chorus frog. All other frogs have their own calls-chirps, hoots, croaks and more. These frog mating calls…

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Discover Antlers: How big? Why they fall off?

A buck mule deer with growing antlers in velvet.

A big bull moose can grow an eighty pound rack over the summer, adding up to a pound of bone a day! Antlers grow at…

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6 Tips for how to carry bear spray in bear country

Mama black bear and cubs in grassy area.

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10 Tips for hiking with young kids

Young kid climbs small granite rock in woods.

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What Creates Ripple Marks in Rocks?

Asymmetrical ripple marks in sedimentary rocks

Have you ever came across a rock that looked like ripples in shallow water? They are amazing! You’re looking at a snapshot of Earth’s history…

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Pileated Woodpecker: North America’s Largest Woodpecker

Male pileated woodpecker eats suet from a feeder.

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