Does it have a domed carapace? Do its feet lack webs? If so, chances are good you’ve found a turtle in need of rescue. Pictured…
Is That Big Turtle Native, Or Not?
A Weighty Commitment
TJ the tortoise, at 75 lbs. and still growing, faced homelessness when he outgrew the enclosure at his former residence. He is now “employed” at…
Ding Dong the Tortoise
Ding Dong, a pet sulcata tortoise, took himself on a little walkabout recently when a gate was accidentally left open. Sulcatas, also known as African…
What’s In a Name Part 2
The eastern or common mole, also known as Scalopus aquaticus, does not live in water, though its large front feet do an admirable job of…
What’s In a Name? As It Turns Out, Plenty!
The eastern kingbird, Tyrannus tyrannus, gets its scientific name from its tyrant-like approach to territory defense, which can include defensive strikes at squirrels, crows and…
Viceroy Butterflies, the Monarch’s Mimics
Think you’re seeing monarchs mating? Look again! These two butterflies are viceroys, distinguished from monarchs by the dark line across the hindwing and by a…
A Closer Look at Exoskeletons
This interesting artifact is the cast skin, or exoskeleton, of a dragonfly nymph that has emerged from the water and molted into adulthood. Well, it’s…
‘Tis the Season for Little Green Men
Hello World! After spending somewhere between two and five years underground, this cicada sheds its hard outer covering one more time in preparation for its…
Rescued Swifts Fly Free
This fledgling chimney swift was among a group of seven rescued swifts that recently joined a Geneva, IL, flock. Soon these birds and thousands of…
Cooper’s Hawks Leave the Nest
This young Cooper’s hawk can be identified by its immature plumage—a brown back, white breast with crisp brown streaks—as well as its light-colored eyes. Adult…