Slug’s life revolves around mucous
Silvery tracks cross the deck and occasionally the concrete walkway in the morning. During the driest days of summer the silvery tracks were absent but…
Tag: Animal Adaptations
Dragonflies most successful predator in animal kingdom
Dragonflies, butterflies and ladybugs are often considered “nice” insects with their pretty colors and seemingly harmlessness. However, dragonflies are far from harmless—they are the most…
Waxwings flock to fruit year-round
By mid-summer most birds have finished nesting and the young have fledged, but one bird is a late nester compared to the rest–the waxwing. The…
How do animals beat the heat?
On sweltering 90-plus degree days we can retreat to basements or air conditioned buildings but how do animals beat the heat? Often animals gain relief…
Swallows provide valuable insect control
Pesky insects can bother us during gardening, barbecues and other outdoor activities but one bird species makes an impressible dent in the insect population for…
Calf survival dependent on hiding or following
On wobbly legs, newborn deer, moose and elk are a precious sight to us but a tasty sight for predators such as wolves, bears and…
Caterpillars utilize a variety of tactics to stay alive
As a slow-moving, plump morsel, caterpillars are an ideal target for a predator’s meal. However, caterpillars still exist because they have developed means to escape…
Great blue herons more than excellent fishers
Standing motionless in stagnant water, a great blue heron’s head suddenly reels forward into the water and emerges with a small fish. Great blue herons…
Shrews may resemble mice but they are different
Shrews are one of the smallest mammals in North America and the smallest one resides in North Idaho–the pygmy shrew. The pygmy shrew weighs between…
Small, furry critters include more than mice
Signs of the smallest mammals are more frequently seen than the animal itself unless you happen to see one scurry across the road. Mice, voles,…
Caching allows early nesting for Clark’s nutcracker
Laying eggs in March would be a risky venture for most birds because of the lack of food available to feed nestlings. But an alpine…
Life under an icy ceiling
Winter brings hardships for many animals–lack of food, deep snow and cold temperatures. For fish sealed from the winter landscape by a ceiling of ice,…
Dragonflies most successful predator in animal kingdom
Dragonflies, butterflies and ladybugs are often considered “nice” insects with their pretty colors and seemingly harmlessness. However, dragonflies are far from harmless—they are the most…
Waxwings flock to fruit year-round
By mid-summer most birds have finished nesting and the young have fledged, but one bird is a late nester compared to the rest–the waxwing. The…
How do animals beat the heat?
On sweltering 90-plus degree days we can retreat to basements or air conditioned buildings but how do animals beat the heat? Often animals gain relief…
Swallows provide valuable insect control
Pesky insects can bother us during gardening, barbecues and other outdoor activities but one bird species makes an impressible dent in the insect population for…
Calf survival dependent on hiding or following
On wobbly legs, newborn deer, moose and elk are a precious sight to us but a tasty sight for predators such as wolves, bears and…
Caterpillars utilize a variety of tactics to stay alive
As a slow-moving, plump morsel, caterpillars are an ideal target for a predator’s meal. However, caterpillars still exist because they have developed means to escape…
Great blue herons more than excellent fishers
Standing motionless in stagnant water, a great blue heron’s head suddenly reels forward into the water and emerges with a small fish. Great blue herons…
Shrews may resemble mice but they are different
Shrews are one of the smallest mammals in North America and the smallest one resides in North Idaho–the pygmy shrew. The pygmy shrew weighs between…
Small, furry critters include more than mice
Signs of the smallest mammals are more frequently seen than the animal itself unless you happen to see one scurry across the road. Mice, voles,…
Caching allows early nesting for Clark’s nutcracker
Laying eggs in March would be a risky venture for most birds because of the lack of food available to feed nestlings. But an alpine…
Life under an icy ceiling
Winter brings hardships for many animals–lack of food, deep snow and cold temperatures. For fish sealed from the winter landscape by a ceiling of ice,…