Life, Death, and Taxonomy

“…and today we’re talking about an insect that would probably shop at Hot Topic. But more on that later.” When you’re a spider wasp, you don’t have time to raise kids. They’re expensive, a liability, and they never stop asking for more spider gut snacks. So rather than deal with all that, it’s best to […]

“…and today we’re talking about a killer that offers sweet nectar to its prey. More on that later.” There is a certain dread that strikes the human heart when you learn about an insect that expands its diet to include things like frogs, birds, and–worse yet–mammals. The giant desert centipede is just giant enough to […]

“…and today we’re talking about an aerial ace, fry thief. But more on that later.” On the cliffs where oceans wail, The kelp gull tells a fishy tale. With eyes so keen and beak so bright, It spies a meal that’s quite a sight. A right whale feasts on plankton small, The kelp gull swoops, […]

“…and today we are talking about a petite pack hunter. But more on that later…” Canines are usually smaller than their prey. That’s because they’ve decided to work together as a team, and teams mean more mouths to feed. But what if you’re not the size of a wolf or even a coyote? What if […]

“…and today we’re talking about an invading hoard that isn’t even supposed to be here. But more on that later.” If you didn’t already, you should know that there are millions of ants living under your feet. With an estimated 20 quadrillion of these little guys on the planet, you’re never very far away from […]

“…and today we are talking about a tiny slimy father. But more on that later.” Doting fatherhood is often a rarity in the animal kingdom. For most species, the lack of the maternal physical connection between fathers and offspring means that dads are relegated to nest protectors or they simply move on. But the red-backed […]

“…and today we’re talking about a rising star in the sea. But more on that later.” Imagine you’re swimming a casual 4000 feet below the waves in the inky blackness of the bathypelagic zone when you come across a pair of what seems like headlights. Is it a car? Is it a plane? No, it’s […]

“…and today we’re talking about the Listerine dad fish. But more on that later.” The bright and colorful coral reefs are home to a wide variety of fish, but very few can be considered decent parents. The yellowhead jawfish is, however, an exception. Taking care of kids is never easy, but try doing it without […]

“…and today we’re talking about a bug-eyed pseudo bird. But more on that later.” Arboreal creatures are built to get around in trees, and in the rainforest, that’s an extremely helpful adaptation. But what if your so great at getting around the branches that your no good on the ground. The Colugo is in such […]

“..and today we are talking about an American mammal that you might not already know about.” If you’re a denizen of North America, you probably think you know every furry critter in these parts. You’ve got your bears, cats, wolves, and even a muskrat or two. But there is a lesser known mammalian that may […]

“…and today we’re talking about a rainforest weasel. But more on that later.” It seems that, no matter where you live, you have to deal with mosquitoes. Whether you’re in the Alaskan mountains or the jungles of Panama, biting boys are everywhere. Long ago, the white nosed coati said “enough is enough” and found an […]

“…and today we’re talking about an aquatic acrobat. But more on that later.” When you’re tiny the God hands you a different set of rules than the laws of physics humans are used to. When you hear the name water springtail, you might think of a fish or maybe a deer, but it’s actually a […]

“…and today we’re talking about an animal hacker of animals. But more on that later.” They say the best defense is a good offense. But they rarely say the opposite. Crabs are little armored warriors scuttling around on the ocean floor, but even their rigid carapace isn’t immune to a little subterfuge. Enter the crab […]

“…and today we’re talking about a sucker who will latch onto anything and go with it. But more on that later.” If you see a shark, whale, or large fish gliding through the open ocean, you may see some extra passengers stuck to its flanks. The live sharksucker is a remora, a fish that freeloads […]

“…and today we’re talking about the Big Foot of the outback. But more on that later.” When you think of bigfoot, you’re probably imagining a large hairy ape, but the big foot of the Australian billabongs is not swamp ape. Instead, it’s a small graceful bird bouncing along the lily pads with water skis for […]

“…and today we’re talking about a percussive Pisces. But more on that later.”  If you live in the suburbs of Tampa Bay, Florida. You may have heard an eerie sound in the night. As you drift off to dreamland, you not only hear a strange low rumbling, you can feel it in your chest. As […]

“…and today we’re talking about the smooth jazz of tree critters. But more on that later.” Deep in the jungles of the Amazon, an adorable ball of fluff clings to a tree branch, lapping up delicious ants. The pygmy silky anteater clearly has sloths as a role model, and it shows in their… laid back […]

“…and today we’re talking about the tiger torpedo. But more on that later.” Living life as a living torpedo has its upsides. Feeling the current on your scales as you dart toward a school of tasty fish mackerel must be second to none. However, it comes with its challenges. The striped marlin is a sword-tipped […]

“…and today we are talking about the banshee of Bhutan, the Specter of Sikkim. But more on that later.” It’s cloudy with a chance of leopards here in the jungle, so you’d better have an umbrella and keep your eyes on the skies. The clouded leopard is at home in the trees, and with good […]

“…and today we’re talking monkey business. But more on that later.” Imagine climbing your way to the top of your social order. You’ve made alliances with the right factions and formed a powerful coalition. Now it’s up to you to lead your troop to defend your territory and resources. It’s not the story of an […]

“…and today we’re talking about a baleful beast that lives in a silken lair. But more on that later.” When it comes to venom, every drop counts. No one knows this better than the funnel web spider, one of the world’s deadliest eight-legged freaks. This is definitely one arachnid you don’t want to annoy, since […]

“…and today we’re talking about a tiny Lincoln in a Tiny cabin. But more on that later.” Humans have long desired to sit by a warm hearth, with a roof over their head, protected from the elements. Shelter is not a yearn unique to humans. All kinds of animals burrow and build to keep the […]

“…and today we’re talking about an animal that is takin care of business. But more on that later.” In the Himalayas, you might be surprised to see a goat moose bear cow gazelle scuttling around the rocks. The takin is an odd-looking beast whose elusive nature and gleaming fur possibly inspired a well-known ancient Greek […]

“…and today we’re talking about a fig’s friend for real. But more on that later.” Foxes have holes, birds have nests, and wasps have figs? Figs have been a staple of the human diet for thousands of years, but we share that culinary attraction with an unlikely friend: a wasp. The appropriately named fig wasp […]

“…and today we’re talking about the grumpiest cephalopod in the sea. More on that later.” Brains and digestive systems are linked just like all systems in the body are linked. But with the strange tube-like body shape of the giant squid, these two systems need to be a bit closer than they’d like. When you’re […]