Crustaceans & Mollusks
A Grandma’s Story
Mudpuppy. Photo © Dreamstime.com. Grandma stood on the flat top of the stone wall, enjoying the cool evening air. A small spring-fed stream lined with stone walls flowed through the yard, under the...
A Week in the Woods
Water Workshop Grand Prize Woodland pond. Photo © Joanna Rufener. What goes on day and night at a calm, wooded pond in spring?It was a mystery to me, and this year I found out, thanks to Nature...
Wondernose: What animal has no head and no legs, yet weighs a quarter of a ton?
Giant clam. Photo © Dreamstime.com. Mind you, Wondernose, not all the animals of this kind weigh a quarter of a ton. They can vary in size from a fraction of an inch to four feet across.But how, you...
Invisibles, June 2022
Wondernose: What animal stands on its head and kicks food into its mouth?
Barnacles on rock. Photo © iStockPhoto.com. You would have to be quite lively in order to eat in this manner, wouldn’t you, Wondernose? And maybe you would have to live in the water like our mystery...
Exploring Nature, April 2022
In April and May, wildebeest herds move northwest to central Serengeti. They follow the new grass growth.April and May are times to hunt morel mushrooms in the mid-South and Midwest.Check vernal...
Sand, Shells, and Waves
It was morning on the seashore. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, sending a warm glow over the dozens of little waves at its feet. The sea gulls were already calling and swooping over the...
Favorite Focus, January 2022
Favorite Focus… July 2021
I found this rock in a cave by our house. Photo © Nate Carlen, Chewelah, WA. I took a walk to our pond, and was delighted to find this large crayfish in a shallow puddle. Photo © Timothy David...
Wondernose: What Animal Nearly Always has its Mouth Open as if it Were Panting?
Not only does our mystery animal swim around with its mouth open, but that mouth is actually filled with sharp teeth! As a result, many people think this is a fierce, dangerous animal. Some stories...
Tropical Terror
What strikes with the force of a bullet, can shatter aquarium glass, has a painted shell to rival the most beautiful peacock, and sees even more colors than we do? Mantis Shrimp near Nusa Kode...
A Clammy Introduction
Clams. Photo © Derek Yoder. The mud squirted up between my toes, like chocolate frosting squeezed from an icing bag. I only wished it smelled as good. As my feet sank into the sticky ooze, an ugly...
