Spiders have colonized forests, deserts, caves, gardens, and even the edges of freshwater ponds, but one species has taken aquatic life much further. The diving bell spider (Argyroneta aquatica) spends …
A tiny crater in dry, loose soil can look like nothing more than the mark left by a falling raindrop. But beneath some of these perfectly shaped funnels waits one …
A bright red or orange insect covered in dense, velvety hair runs across a lawn. It has no visible wings, moves like an oversized ant, and looks almost inviting to …
Tulips, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, and alliums may feel like fall gardening projects, but waiting until planting season to shop can limit your choices. If you’re wondering when to order spring …
Why Firefly Season Is Already Fading (And What’s Happening Underground) On warm early-summer evenings, a backyard can seem filled with tiny blinking lights. A few weeks later, the display may …
The trash can that went untouched in June suddenly tips over twice in one week. Something empties the bird feeder after dark, grapes disappear from the garden, and the security …
By August, many flower beds look noticeably different from the lush displays of early summer. Petunias may be stretched and uneven, marigolds are carrying brown flower heads, and zinnias are …
Walk outside after dark and you may notice a squat, brown toad sitting beneath your porch light. Come back tomorrow night, and it may be there again. After several evenings, …
Table of Contents Why Skunks and Raccoons Dig Up Lawns in Late Summer (It’s Not Random) You wake up one August morning to find patches of your lawn peeled back …
Walk through a damp forest in southeastern Australia and you might hear kookaburras, parrots, whipbirds, and other native birds calling from somewhere ahead. Then a completely different noise may appear: …