The Neighborhood Naturalist Podcast

In this episode of Neighborhood Naturalist, we’re taking a closer look at one of North Texas’s most common, and often overlooked, reptiles: the Texas Spiny Lizard ( Sceloporus olivaceus ). We’ll explore how to identify them, where to find them, what they eat, their remarkable eyesight, their unique behaviors, and the clever strategies they use to survive. You’ll also learn why they’re such valuabl...

📬 Newsletter & Resources: theneighborhoodnaturalist.substack.com 📸 Instagram: @theneighborhoodnaturalist The American Kestrel is North America’s smallest falcon, but don’t let its size fool you. This colorful little raptor is a skilled predator, capable of spotting tiny prey from remarkable distances, hovering motionless in the wind, and thriving in open landscapes across much of the continent....

📬 Newsletter & Resources: https://theneighborhoodnaturalist.substack.com 📸 Instagram: @theneighborhoodnaturalist Blue Jays are loud, intelligent, beautiful, and often misunderstood. In this episode of The Neighborhood Naturalist , we take a closer look at one of North Texas’s most familiar backyard birds. From their brilliant blue feathers and complex social lives to their remarkable intelligenc...

In this episode of The Neighborhood Naturalist, we head into the woods to talk about one of North America’s most infamous plants: poison ivy. Why does it cause such an intense rash? How can you actually identify it in the wild? And why is this frustrating plant also an important part of local ecosystems? In this episode: * How to identify poison ivy in different seasons * “Leaves of three” and why...

Episode 2: Opossums There are some animals people fall in love with immediately. Opossums usually aren’t one of them. In this episode of The Neighborhood Naturalist, we take a closer look at one of North Texas’ most misunderstood animals: the Virginia opossum. From their surprising marsupial life cycle to their famous “playing dead” defense, opossums are far stranger, cleaner, and more helpful tha...

Why do fireflies glow? What do they eat? And why do they seem rarer than they once were? In the very first episode of The Neighborhood Naturalist, we explore the fascinating world of fireflies (also called lightning bugs). From the chemistry behind their glow to the time they spend beneath leaf litter for most of their lives. In this episode: * What makes a firefly a beetle * How bioluminescence w...