Life, Death, and Taxonomy

“…and today we’re talking about another disgusting deep sea creature. But more on that later.” Deep in the dark recesses of the ocean, where the sun’s rays are only a memory, lurks a creature with an interesting talent. It’s a fish with a flash, a beast with a beacon, a predator with a peculiar penchant […]

“…and today we’re talking about a little ocean hopping spy. But more on that later.” A dolphin dipping in deep abyss must allow the sun to have its kiss When scouting schools of succulent fish a trick ensures they will not miss. What vantage a high place can be! What new things can you see? […]

“…and today we’re talking about something that I’ve sworn we’ve done before but I guess we haven’t. But more on that later.” Deep in the inky abyss where sunlight dares not shine, lurks a creature that’s equal parts nightmarish and misunderstood—like that hipster kid from high school who just listens to bands you’ve never heard […]

“…and today we’re talking about something you might have felt bad about stepping on before.” Did you know there is a vast jungle just outside your door? Though, vastness is relative to size of course. A garden is a big place for a mollusk that’s less than two inches long. The garden snail is a […]

“…and today we’re talking about a bug with a very funny name. But more on that now.” In the dead of night, amidst the hum of crickets and the flutter of wings, there’s one creature that buzzes around like a stealthy, flying ninja with a twist. It glides from flower to flower like a hummingbird […]

“…and today we’re talking about a certain cervus. But more on that later.” When you’re born into a prey animal species, it’s important to get up and running as soon as possible. But elk calves need a little time to unwind before they start bounding through the meadows. What can they do to avoid predators […]

“…and today we’re talking about a puffy stabber. But more on that later.” The pufferfish has the incredible ability to inflate itself up like a balloon as a defense mechanism. But the interesting thing about this creature is that that’s not the only thing interesting about it. If you’re a fish, the easiest thing to […]

“…and today we’re talking about a forest pig that can clear the hacienda after every meal. But more on that later.” When you’re a small pork family in the forest, staying together is the key to a happy life. But it’s easy to get separated among the thick foliage and tall trees. How can you […]

“…and today we’re talking about a frog that could have dropped into Normandy. But more on that later.” In the canopy high, where the tall trees sway, Lives a frog who glides in a daring display. With webbed fingers spread, like wings in the breeze, He leaps from the branches with elegant ease. The wind […]

“…and today we’re talking about a drill-faced fuzzy bug. But more on that later.” Foodies pride themselves on variety and quality, but what if your face was designed around finding a single food item. The acorn weevil has a face that is specially designed to find, evaluate, and consume acorns– and that’s not all they […]