Crayfish are freshwater crustaceans that look like miniature lobsters. People around here call them crayfish, crawfish, crawdads or mudbugs, but if you lived in Europe or Australia you might call them yabbies!
All in Wildlife Watching
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Rockbass - The Kids' Favorite
The lowly rockbass is the first fish caught by many kids. These members of the sunfish family are aggressive and will eagerly take most small baits presented to them. That makes them the perfect target for young anglers.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Migrating Common Loon
The Common Loon is an interesting bird. Although not normally seen in many of the central states during the summer, in the spring they can be observed on lakes and reservoirs as they migrate north in search of nesting grounds.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Tiny Smooth Green Snake
Snakes are interesting creatures. Many people don’t like them or are frightened by them, but snakes are very beneficial and they are a vital and natural part of the ecosystem. One fascinating species of snake in the United States is the Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis).
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Barn Swallows Are Great Flycatchers
Most birds are great insect hunters. While some bird species are just as happy to eat an insect as they are other things like seeds and small fruits, there are some birds that prefer to eat insects almost exclusively. One of those insect specialists is the barn swallow.
The Ermine: A Weasel By Another Name
“If they were as big as a bear, it wouldn’t be safe to go in the woods,” Dad said. Those were his comments to his young son after I told him about my first encounter with a weasel at the end of deer hunt. I’d been sitting at the base of a blown down tree when I first saw the flicker of white in the fallen branches.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Marbled Salamanders Love Forest Habitats
Salamanders are one of the less frequently seen types of amphibians in the USA. For example, there are 23 species of salamanders living just in the state of Indiana, yet most people never see any of them. One of the most interesting species is the marbled salamander.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Mergansers Are Super Moms
Mergansers include a few different species of diving ducks that either live in the Midwest or pass through while migrating north. There are three species that are commonly seen spring and fall migrations, including common mergansers, hooded mergansers and red-breasted mergansers.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Backyard Cooper’s Hawks
One of the most common hawks seen by backyard birders in the continental US is the Cooper’s hawk. The reason is simple: Cooper’s hawks are bird-eaters, and they are attracted to backyard bird feeders.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Eastern Hognose Snake
The eastern hognose snake is one of our most interesting snakes. They inhabit most of the eastern half of the United States, and also southern portions of Canada. These medium-sized snakes can be a variety of colors: orange, red, green, yellow, brown or black.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Extremely Wary Wild Turkey
The wild turkey is a very large game bird that is native to the United States. They live in every state except Alaska. Their wingspan measures more than four feet across, and large adults often weigh over 20 pounds. Extremely large individuals can weigh as much as 25 pounds.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Praying Mantis, The Deadly Predator
Even though it is wintertime right now, spring will be here before you know it and with the warmer weather will come a plethora of insects. One insect that should be feared by all others is the fierce praying mantis. The praying mantis is named for its large front legs which are typically held together as if it is praying.