Animals

There are over 76.8 million dogs in the US, and they’re spread out across 48.2 million households. It’s clear that these canines are immensely popular as pets, especially since they provide companionship and comfort in our times of need. Dogs can get stressed out though, which can upset both you and your pet. It won’t … Read more

Making and cleaning a snake terrarium can be a daunting task, but it is doable! In this blog post, we will walk you through creating and maintaining a beautiful terrarium for your snake. We will also discuss the importance of keeping your terrarium clean and how to do so effectively. Let’s get started! How big … Read more

Cats are amazing creatures. They’re curious, playful and often very affectionate, making them the perfect pet for kids. But with so many different cat breeds to choose from, it can be hard to decide which one is right for your family. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of the top 10 cat … Read more

The question “Why Dingoes Eat Babies?” has been asked many times. Few Americans are aware that it’s an absurdity and is actually based on an actual incident. The joke was popularized by television shows such as Seinfeld, The Simpsons, etc. Many Americans may have heard it before. It’s better to find out the truth than … Read more

The world’s rarest whale, the spade-toothed beaked whale, has been retroactively discovered by researchers in New Zealand and the USA. The pair of skeletons were correctly identified in a lab recently after conservation workers found the bodies of a 5.2-metre (17-foot) whale and her calf washed up on a beach in New Zealand two years … Read more

Although the smallest snakes are no larger than worms, they are all predators. Small snakes eat insects. Larger snakes eat rats or squirrels or rabbits. The huge pythons and anacondas can swallow a deer. Some snakes use poison called venom to catch animals. They deliver their poison with a bite. Others are constrictors, which means … Read more

The domestic goat is a subspecies from the wild goat that came from Eastern Europe and Asia. One of the oldest domesticated species of animals, goats have been bred by humans for their milk, meat, skin, and fur. There are over three hundred different breeds of goat, and they are closely related to sheep. The … Read more

Typically, it is a chain of ganglia (aggregations of nerve cells) that extends from the head to the end of the abdomen, one ganglion per segment. The ganglia are joined by paired, longitudinal connectives that consist mainly of nerve fibers. The three most complex ganglia constitute the brain, located in the head above the esophagus. … Read more

Parasites of insects have evolved several ways, mainly biochemical mechanisms, to prevent their hosts from encapsulating them. It was also recently discovered that certain parasitic wasps that live in the body cavity of an insect as larvae have enlisted an outside agent, a virus, to do this job for them. This virus, specifically known as … Read more

Molts divide an insect’s life into stages that are known as stadia. Between hatching from its egg and its first molt, an insect is in the first stadium and is known as the first instar. Between the first and second molts, the second stadium, it is known as the second instar, and so on until … Read more

As do all other bees, including the solitary, subsocial, and eusocial species, adult honey bees eat pollen, nectar, and occasionally the honeydew produced by aphids and other species of Homoptera. They store both pollen and nectar, the latter in the form of honey, in their nests for future use. Pollen is their source of proteins, … Read more

Most of them, like many other insects, are poisonous and make any animal that eats them ill. While some insects synthesize their own poisons, monarchs sequester poisons, cardiac glycosides, from the milkweed plants that they eat in their caterpillar stage. Cardiac glycosides, which are related to digitalis, a drug used to treat heart problems, are … Read more

The individual butterfly that is eaten does not, of course, benefit directly from its toxicity, but other members of a victim’s species do benefit from its sacrifice. Poisonous species are generally warningly colored, as is the orange and black monarch butterfly, and may present other warning signals that predators learn to associate with an unpleasant … Read more

In a series of masterful experiments, Lincoln Brower and his colleagues proved that monarchs obtain poisons (cardiac glycosides) from their food plants, that these poisons make birds ill, and that birds that have been sickened by eating a monarch thereafter reject monarchs on sight. He raised some monarchs on a species of milkweed that does … Read more

A rooster’s crow is so distinctive that there isn’t much variation between “cock a doodle doo!” (English) and “ku ku ri ku!” (Hebrew), “ko ki ko ko!” (Japanese), and “ku ka rzhi ku!” (Russian). However, language differences appear when you start talking chicks and hens. Chicks say “twit twit” in Arabic, “pip pip” in Danish, … Read more

Despite the famous roadrunner cartoon, a roadrunner actually coos, very much like a dove. The coos come in a series of six or eight with each dropping a little in pitch like a soprano doing warm-up exercises. Part of the cuckoo family of birds, the roadrunner gets its name because, although it flies when necessary, … Read more

A common myth about how dumb turkeys are is that they drown when it rains. When it rains, they supposedly open their mouths and hold their heads straight up in the air until they drown. This is so widely believed that even some turkey farmers swear it’s true, citing the fact that they sometimes find … Read more

A cobweb is a spiderweb. The word cob comes from the Middle English word coppe for spider. Apart from that, there is also a group of spiders specifically called “cobweb spiders.” Cobweb spiders build messy webs in corners and usually have a bulblike body and clawlike legs. Black widows fall into this category.

Some spiders do stick to their own webs. A spiderweb is constructed of two types of silk: anchor and snare threads. The anchor threads are used to construct the basic web; the snare threads are sticky and are used to trap insects. A spider, in moving around its web, uses the nonsticky anchor threads. Once … Read more

Spiders don’t just suck the blood of their prey, but the guts too. Most spiders bite their prey, then inject a venom that contains paralyzing toxins. Then they pump digestive juices into the victim and either suck out all the victim’s juices (blood and organs both) right away, or wrap up the live-but-paralyzed casualty to … Read more

How much about insect parts do you want to know? Some impurities will sneak in on tiny feet and wings because, unfortunately, growing and storing food is not a completely sterile industry . Peanut butter, by federal safety standards, may have up to 210 or more insect fragments per 700 grams, an average-size jar of … Read more

Shellac is made from bug resin. The lac insect, scientific name Laccifer lacca, related to the scale bug, sticks its mouth into the branches and bark of certain types of trees, then secretes a resin that covers its entire body. After this bug resin is crushed, almost always along with the bug itself, washed, and … Read more

Lightning Bugs, also known as fireflies, produce light in their abdomens by a chemical reaction in cells called photocytes. The substance luciferin is in the body of the insect. When the enzyme luciferase is also present, the substances oxidize, creating a lot of energy. As the substances settle back down, they make a spark of … Read more

Crickets need to be raised really carefully. Crickets that get loose can wreak havoc on a house, and it’s almost impossible to get rid of the infestation once it starts. But if you have a secure area and a good aquarium with a tight mesh lid, it’s not too hard. Put a half inch to … Read more

Beekeepers use smoke to get bees to calm down and not sting them. When bees encounter smoke, they begin a feeding frenzy, thinking their hive is in danger from fire, and prepare to flee. When they are fully fed, their bellies are distended and they do not sting as easily or readily. The smoke also … Read more

Bees use a bee dance, also known as the “waggle dance”, to tell each other where flowers are. A bee dance involves dancing or moving inside the hive in a figure-eight shape, facing in a specific direction, waggling periodically, and flapping their wings. What tells the story is the speed of the bee, the direction … Read more

“Killer Bees,” more accurately known as Africanized honeybees, are not more poisonous, but they are much more aggressive. In 1956, a geneticist named Warwick Kerr brought African honeybees to Brazil to crossbreed with European honeybees because they are such prodigious producers of honey. Unfortunately, the offspring turned out to be just as aggressive as the … Read more

Spiders don’t lay eggs in human skin. Other insects may do this, like the mites that create the skin disorder scabies, but spiders are far too concerned with the well-being of their offspring to entrust them to the likes of us. Warmth isn’t necessarily what mother spiders are seeking for their egg sacs; security is. … Read more

You would think that something named “milli” (thousand) would have more legs than something named “centi” (hundred). Although we think of them as insects, centipedes and millipedes are more closely related to crustaceans, lobsters and shrimp. Millipedes often do have more legs than a centipede, but technically that depends on the varieties you’re talking about. … Read more

A wombat is a common name for several different rodent-like, ground-burrowing marsupials from Australia. The largest type is the most prevalent and is often domesticated in Australia, as its docile temperament makes it a good pet. The animal has been killed or driven out of many areas, however, because it is thought to damage crops. … Read more

Hippos eat mostly grass, and are classified as herbivores. A hippo’s specialized eyes and nose, located on the top of its head, help it stay almost entirely submerged for large portions of the day. Young hippos actually have a specialized tongue that lets them dive down and nurse while under water. That said, during the … Read more

Mastodons became extinct as recently as 8,000 years ago, along with their Pleistocene cousins, the mammoths. Although mastodons had many similarities to both mammoths and elephants, they were different in one way. Their teeth weren’t flat, but bumpy, perhaps for better tearing and grinding. Mastodons ate shrubs, leaves, and grasses, and some experts say their … Read more

A sloth gives birth to just one offspring per litter. The baby clings to its mother until it is old enough to take care of itself. The Maned Three-Toed Sloth is classified as endangered, and the ongoing destruction of South America’s forests may soon prove a threat to other sloth species. Sloth have a unique … Read more

A mustang is a half-wild horse descended from the Arabian horses brought to the Americas by Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century. The word mustang comes from the Mexican-Spanish word mestengo meaning “stray animals that are ownerless.” Today’s mustangs are the offspring of generations of runaways and those horses stolen or recaptured by aboriginals. By … Read more

The domestic chicken descended mostly from the Red Junglefowl, or “Gallus gallus”, and is classified as the same species. The name chicken comes from the Old English word “cycen”, which means “young fowl”. It later evolved to mean “young chicken” in Middle English, which then was used to refer to any chicken, adult or juvenile. … Read more

Flying squirrels are a family of 44 species of squirrels that can glide between trees using a parachute-like membrane that stretches from wrist to ankle. As you may have guessed, they got their name from the way they glide from tree to tree. The higher they start, the farther flying squirrels can fly before they … Read more

Flying squirrels are nocturnal mammals that have fluffy tails that helps stabilize it in flight, and are native to North America and Europe. Flying squirrels don’t really fly, they glide or drift like a hang glider between trees. The flying squirrel does this by using a fold of skin on each side of its body … Read more

Musk has been used in perfumes since ancient times, both for its own smell and as an oily base that, when mixed with more volatile scents, slows their evaporation. It’s quite strange that it has appeared in so many women’s perfumes, since it’s a male sexual scent, but that may just go to show that … Read more

Armadillos are small placental mammals that can be found throughout the Americas. Unfortunately, most of the armadillo’s defenses are completely unsuitable for dealing with cars. One of its strategies is to roll up into a protective ball completely surrounded by its armor, which can save it from a variety of natural things, but not an … Read more

Only bears that eat more vegetation than meat, like the brown and black bears sleep through most of the winter when they hibernate. Their main food supplies die or get buried under snow in winter, so it’s a good time for them to go undercover and live off their fat for three to seven months. … Read more

The black bear is the smallest and most common species of bear native to North America. Many black bears are, in fact, black. However, black bears come in many colors, and even the black ones often have a star-shaped white mark on their chests. For the record, black bears can also be brown, bluish, cinnamon, … Read more

The Kodiak bear, also known by its scientific name Ursus arctos middendorffi, is also called the Alaskan grizzly bear. The Kodiak bear is the biggest brown bear species in the world. The grizzly bear is the second biggest living bear in the world. The mighty grizzly looks mighty puny when compared to the Kodiak bear, … Read more

Bears are mammals of the Ursidae family, and can be found in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Bears are usually solitary animals and diurnal, meaning they are active during the day and sleep at night. The English name “bear” comes from Old English word “bera”, which means “brown” in Germanic languages. The ancient … Read more

Bear-baiting was popular in England for several centuries, from about the 16th century, and was practiced till the 19th century. Herds of bears were often maintained for bear-baiting, and arenas for spectators called bear-gardens were constructed, with a circular high fenced area called the “pit”, and raised seating for spectators. It’s sometimes difficult to understand … Read more

The giant panda bear’s diet is almost exclusively bamboo, but they will eat honey, eggs, fish, bananas and oranges when available. Giant pandas, although cute and cuddly, are related to carnivorous bears, and in fact have a digestive system, a simple stomach and short intestines, designed for meat eating. How and why they became bamboo … Read more

The Giant Panda Bear’s gestation period varies widely from 97 to 163 days. The panda has a delayed implantation cycle in which the fertilized egg can float free for anywhere from one-and-a-half to four months before implanting in the uterus. Baby pandas are pink, naked, and very small, weighing a mere three to four ounces … Read more

The Giant Panda, also known by its scientific name Ailuropoda melanoleuca, which means “cat-foot black-and-white”, is a bear that is native to the Western regions of China. The bear has characteristic black patches around its eyes, ears, and around its body and front limbs. Not many people can agree on the origin of the Panda’s … Read more

The Gopher’s name comes from the French word “gauffre”, meaning “honeycomb.” Early French settlers called a number of burrowing animals by that name. Gophers are well built, are relatively large for a rodent, and can grow up to 12 inches in length. It’s not clear why gophers earned the name, but many theories suggest that … Read more

Badgers, also known as brocks, are short-legged, heavy-set omnivores in the weasel family, and the 8 species can be found throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. The name badger probably came from the French word “bêcheur”, which means “digger”, introduced during the reign of William the Conqueror. The less common name brock is from the … Read more

Gophers, also known as pocket gophers, are small burrowing rodents native to North America. Unlike ground squirrels, pocket gophers are the “true” gophers, Gophers are burrowers and create a large networks of subterranean tunnels called gopher towns which can be extremely destructive to commercial agriculture. Most species of gophers love to feed on shrubs and … Read more

The wolverine, also known as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or its scientific name Gulo gulo, is the largest species of the weasel family. It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, and looks more like a small bear than other mustelids. Wolverines are aggressive, badger-like animals that can kill prey many times their size, and can … Read more

The state of Wisconsin definitely has badgers, but it’s not why it’s called the badger state. Wisconsin doesn’t have many more badgers than any other state, but you have to admit that Wisconsin has one up on Michigan. However, the state wasn’t really called that because of its badgers, surprise, surprise, except indirectly. “Badgers” became … Read more

Gnu is another name for the wildebeest that is native to Africa. Gnus are antelopes, and otherwise known as hooved, or ungulate mammals. They are prey for lions, hyenas, cheetahs, leopards, and crocodiles. The primary defensive tactic against these predators is herding where the young are protected by the older larger ones while the herd … Read more

The meerkat, also known by its scientific name Suricata suricatta, is a small mammal, and a member of the mongoose family. Native to South Africa, meerkats live about 12 to 14 years. The word “meerkat” means “lake cat” in Dutch, but the meerkat is not in the cat family and the name is a mis-identification. … Read more

The tapir is a large browsing mammal that is pig-like in shape, with a short, prehensile snout. Tapirs can be found in jungle and forest regions of South and Central America, and Southeast Asia. All four species of tapir are currently considered endangered or vulnerable. Tapirs can live up to about 25 to 30 years … Read more

The name Wildebeest means “wild beast” in Dutch, but you can’t believe every tag the Europeans gave animals, see gophers, aardvarks, groundhogs, etc. Also called the gnu, the wildebeest a hooved, or ungulate mammal. The wildebeest is a large antelope that roams through grassy plains of southern Africa, grazing in huge, usually placid herds. They … Read more

The moose did not get its name from the French dessert. Only crazy people think up such things. The moose got its name from a Native American word “moosu”, which comes from the Narragansett language meaning “he who trims or cuts smoothly.” The name refers to the neat way moose strip bark from trees. You … Read more

The moose which is known as elk in Europe, and by its scientific name Alces alces, is the largest living species in the deer family. Moose can be found in all of Canada, most of Alaska, much of New England and upstate New York, and the upper Rocky Mountains. An adult moose stands about 6 … Read more

Only about one in twelve moose gets killed when they are stalked by a wolf pack. A moose is so good at defending itself that if it stands its ground, wolves will back down. They’re fairly fearless, those moose. Reports from Newfoundland years ago say they began attacking train engines, running toward the iron beasts … Read more

Woodchucks are also known as groundhogs, or by their scientific name “Marmota monax”. Sometimes called the whistle-pig, the woodchuck is a rodent belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Woodchucks can be found throughout North America and even as far north as Alaska. The name woodchuck has nothing to do with … Read more

Armadillos are mammals with armor-like skin which it uses as a means of defense. Most armadillos, however, escape predators by fleeing or digging to safety. The Armadillo was named by Spanish Conquistadors, and its name means “little man in armor” in Spanish If you want to pronounce the Spanish word correctly, you should not say … Read more

Armadillos are very good diggers, and use their sharp claws to dig for food, which is is mostly insects, grubs, and other invertebrates. Some Armadillos prefer to build burrows near creeks and streams, close to food sources, making meal time quick and easy. Other Armadillo species eat just ants and not much else. Armadillo poop … Read more

To a bug or snail, armadillo bites are painful and deadly most of the time. However, to anything bigger like humans, armadillo bites aren’t really painful, unless you’re a wuss. Armadillos aren’t poisonous either, so there’s no need for a trip to the hospital. An armadillo’s teeth are located at the back of its mouth, … Read more

Armadillos are small placental mammals that have leathery armored shells. There are about 20 extant species of armadillo, and there are native to the Americas, where they live in many types of environments. Armadillos can swim, despite what has been commonly reported elsewhere. The bony plates that protect an armadillo weigh it down, but it … Read more

Some sheep farmers keep female milking goats on hand to “nanny” lambs when sheep mothers either die or reject their babies. But the name nanny goat didn’t come from this common practice. In English, Nanny is a derivative of the common name Anne. Like jack and jenny mules, there are billy, short for William, and … Read more

A Scapegoat is a member of a group singled out for undeserved blame or negative treatment. The word “scapegoat” is a mistranslation of the word Azazel. An early Greek translation of the Old Testament incorrectly translated the word Azazel as “ez ozel”, which means “the goat that departs”, and translated the word as “tragos apopompaios”, … Read more

Piggy banks are storage devices traditionally used for coins and are generally used by children of all ages. Piggy banks are usually made of ceramic or porcelain, and serve to teach children the value of money by encouraging them to save money. Money is inserted through a hole in the top and traditional Piggy Banks … Read more

Footballs aren’t really made of pigskin anymore. However, pigs are used for a wide variety of products beneficial to humans, particularly in the field of medicine. Pigskin, for instance, is placed as bandages on severe burns to protect skin while it grows and heals. The valves from pig arteries can be transplanted into humans with … Read more

Pigs have no functional sweat glands, and is one big reason why they love mud. One of the ways pigs keep cool is by wallowing in the mud in hot weather. Pigs also use mud as a form of sunscreen to protect their little pink hides and ears from the scorching sun. The mud dries … Read more

Guard dogs have been proven a useful tool for reducing sheep losses to predators, and are very effective when full-time members of a large flock. Llamas and donkeys are also often kept in sheep pens to scare off predators. Donkeys have been used for centuries to protect sheep and other herding animals, and are extremely … Read more

To refresh your memory, Babe was a 1995 film that tells the story of a pig that wants to be a sheep dog. The film is based on the book The Sheep-Pig and filmed in Robertson, New South Wales, Australia. Babe was also a box office success, was very warmly received. All forty-eight piglets used … Read more

Porky Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. The character was designed by animator Bob Clampett and introduced in the short “I Haven’t Got a Hat” which was released on March 2, 1935. The unmistakable voice of Porky Pig was originally done by Joe Dougherty, who … Read more

Sheep farming is practiced all over the world, and has been significant in the history of many civilizations. There are over 500 different breeds of sheep around the world. Their wool varies according to the breed. The New Zealand Romney sheep, for instance, produces the best wool for making carpet. The merino, in contrast, has … Read more

Although the popularity of wool has declined somewhat since the introduction of synthetic fabrics, wool is still a wonderful material for clothing and blankets. It’s warm, and it’s soft, and it comes from sheep. It’s naturally flame resistant, so it’s safer than many other materials used in clothing. And unlike goose down, which many jackets … Read more

Wool is produced from sheep, but the hair of some other animals is also sometimes called “wool”. Wool has is unique from from hair or fur because its scaling and crimp make it easier to spin the fleece by helping the individual fibers stay together. The crimp means wool fabrics have a greater bulk than … Read more

Domesticated sheep have descended from wild sheep native to Asia. Sheep are an important part of the global agricultural economy, but they have been replaced in most part by other livestock species, such as the cow, chicken, and pig. A sheep’s wool is the most widely used of any animal, and is usually harvested by … Read more

There were once sheep grazing on the White House lawn. Woodrow Wilson had a flock there during World War I, and sold wool to help raise money for the Red Cross. The sheep produced almost one hundred pounds of raw wool for the war effort. The flock of eighteen sheep also helped with White House … Read more

Domestic sheep, also known by its scientific name Ovis aries, are relatively small ruminant mammals, and were one the first animals to be domesticated by humans. The word sheep had its first use in Middle English and originated from the Old English word “scēap”. Sheep were domesticated by humans between nine and eleven thousand years … Read more

The word zoo is short for zoological garden, and is a facility in which animals are displayed to the public in enclosures, and often bred. Since ancient history, it was common for rulers to have collections of exotic animals in their castles, but that wasn’t exactly a zoo. Same thing for the gladiator fights of … Read more

The Aardvark, also known by its scientific name Orycteropus afer, is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa. It is the only living species of all Tubulidentata, and is sometimes called “antbear”, “anteater”, “Cape anteater”, or “earth hog”. The name aardvark comes from the Dutch words “aarde”, meaning “earth”, and “varken”, which means “pig”, … Read more

Catgut is a type of cord that is made from the walls of animal intestines. Sheep or goat intestines are usually used to make catgut, but the intestines of a hog, horse, mule, pig or donkey are sometimes used. Catgut is never made from cat intestines, even though it is possible. To make catgut, the … Read more

Sheep are born with very long tails, long enough to reach the ground. When a lamb is born, the owner puts a rubber band tightly around the base of the lamb’s tail so that the circulation to the rest of the tail is stopped. In about a week or two, the tail, made mostly of … Read more

Domestic chickens can indeed fly, but are not capable of long distance flight. Most chickens are able to fly for short distances, such as over fences or into trees where they roost in the wild. Chickens will also sometimes fly to explore their surroundings, but usually only fly when threatened and to escape predators. The … Read more

Walruses usually live to a ripe old age of about 20–30 years old in the wild. Male Walruses do not usually mate until fully developed around 15 years of age, about 8 years after they reach sexual maturity. The females begin ovulating when they are about 4–6 years old, and are polyestrous. Breeding occurs from … Read more

Polar bears will eat about anything that moves, as well as a lot of things that don’t. They probably would eat penguins if given a chance, but because the two are on opposite ends of the earth, it just won’t happen. Polar bears and penguins are literally poles apart. Polar bears live in the Arctic … Read more

Ones of the most prominent features of the walrus is its long tusks, which are elongated canine teeth. The tusks of a walrus are present in both males and females and can reach a length of over 3 feet and weigh up to 12 pounds. Male walruses have slightly longer and thicker tusks, and use … Read more

Penguins don’t live in the Arctic because they don’t like having to swim across warm water. They are perfectly happy where they are, however, you’d be surprised how far north they can go. There are colonies in Australia and New Zealand, as well as at the southern tips of South America and Africa. But the … Read more

It’s true that mother Penguins jump ship after laying her eggs, but to be fair to penguin mothers everywhere, it’s not the whole story. Penguins don’t normally spend much time on land, because all of their food is in the water. However, nesting changes the rules. The penguins take to the same land where they were … Read more

Penguins love to feed on krill, squid, fish, and other types of ocean life caught while swimming underwater. The emperor penguin is the biggest penguin species, towering over all the other sixteen species at four feet and weighing about a hundred pounds. The smallest penguin species, the fairy penguin, also known as the little penguin, … Read more

Millions of years ago penguins did in fact fly around like regular birds but they have evolved to swim instead of fly. Eventually, flying was no longer necessary. Penguins spent most of their time in the water, and did not have any predators on land that would require airborne escape. Wings for flight became flipper-like … Read more