Nature Moments

Nathaniel T. Wheelwright

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Getting to Know Bug Spit

July 30, 2018

You never know what you’re going to find inside a gob of spit in a meadow. If you’re lucky, it might be a young spittlebug. The “spit,” which is left over from feeding on plant sap, protects these harmless insects from predators and parasitic wasps.

 

Filed Under: Summer Tagged With: August, Insects, July, June, Meadow, Nature, Nature Moments, Spittlebug

Last Chance Dance in Plants

July 2, 2018

Flowers look so innocent. But just like humans, they can be manipulative and very picky about their mates, as illustrated by ladyslippers and irises, two common bumble-bee pollinated plants. (If you want to learn more, see Zink and Wheelwright, Amer. Midland Naturalist 137: 72-78.)

Filed Under: Summer Tagged With: Bumblebee, Flora, Flowers, Illustrations, Iris, Irises, Ladyslippers, Nature, Nature Moments

Color and Communication in Turtles

June 22, 2018

Animals like painted turtles use different parts of their bodies to send distinct messages. Backs and bellies are designed to mislead predators, while faces, with their fine details, advertise a turtle’s identity and quality to nearby competitors and mates.

Filed Under: Summer Tagged With: Amphibians & Reptiles, Animals, August, July, June, Naturalist, Nature, Outdoors, Turtles

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Amphibians & Reptiles Animals April August Birds Bumblebee Climate Change December Environment February Flora Flowers Fungi Illustrations Insects Invertebrates Iris Irises January July June Ladyslippers Mammals March May Meadow Naturalist Nature Nature Moments November October Outdoors Plants September Spittlebug Summer Turtles

Acknowledgements

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