That adorable creature is none other than a Ringtail, Bassariscus astutus. No, not like a lemur---though the resemblance is uncanny.
Category: Ask TWL
#SundayFishSketch: Muskellunge
Their common name comes from the Ojibwa word maashkinoozhe, which translates to "ugly pike".
Ask TWL: The Little Brown Skink
The Northern Crested Caracara is a medium-sized raptor, smaller than a goose, but bigger than other birds in the Falcon family like the Peregrine Falcon. The envy of the Bald Eagle, the Crested Caracara is, well, crested---which is sort of a way of describing a bird faux-hawk (pun-intended).
Ask TWL: The Crested Caracara
The Northern Crested Caracara is a medium-sized raptor, smaller than a goose, but bigger than other birds in the Falcon family like the Peregrine Falcon. The envy of the Bald Eagle, the Crested Caracara is, well, crested---which is sort of a way of describing a bird faux-hawk (pun-intended).
The Yellow-Crowned Night Heron
Chrissy Bowker of Texas asks, “What’s this animal?” COMMON NAME: Yellow-crowned Night Heron SCIENTIFIC NAME: Nyctanassa violacea; ORDER, Pelecaniformes DIET: Mainly crustaceans, insects, and some types of fish. Occasionally, it may feed on small lizards, rodents, or other small birds. SIZE: Average height, 25 inches; Wingspan, 44 inches WEIGHT: Average weight, 1.65 pounds HABITAT: Wetlands, marshes, bayous, shallow lake shores, mangroves, and … Continue reading The Yellow-Crowned Night Heron
The Forest Tent Caterpillar
Species: Malacosoma disstria Chrissy Bowker of Texas asks, “What’s this animal?” The caterpillar in the picture above is none other than the Forest Tent Caterpillar, Malacosoma disstria. They are commonplace in the eastern regions of US and Canada. Down in Texas, populations are sure to be booming this spring due to the warmer than average … Continue reading The Forest Tent Caterpillar
The Northern Cardinal
Species: Cardinalis cardinalis Order: Passeriformes Chrissy Bowker of Texas asks, “What’s this animal?” The bird in the picture above is none other than a young Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis. This one in particular is very young, presumably a recent fledgling from the nest. Hatchlings leave the … Continue reading The Northern Cardinal
The Spotted Apatelodes
That's the Spotted Apatelodes, Apatelodes torrefacta, a beautiful moth of the Bombycidae (Silkworm Moths) family which is commonly mistaken for the somewhat similar looking Sphinx Moth.