Bob opens with some thoughts on Thanksgiving. Many of us eat Cranberries around Thanksgiving. Charles joins Bob to share the unique ecology of this amazing plant.

Related episodes: Mistletoe

Our sources for this episode include:

• The Thanksgiving Tale We Tell is a Harmful Lie. As a Native American I’ve found a Better Way to Celebrate the Holiday by Sean Sherman
• The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen by Sean Sherman
  (The Cranberry Sauce Recipe Beth adapted is on page 108)
• The Myths of the Thanksgiving Story and the Lasting Damage They Imbue by Claire Bugos
• The Vicious Reality Behind the Thanksgiving Myth (requires subscription to The New York Times)
• Cranberry

Thanks to Christina Zorn for providing background research.

We have opened a can of worms with this episode! Join Tina and Bob as they discuss the common earthworm. They invite some kids to share their thoughts on earthworms. A big thanks to Ruth and Levi for inspiring this episode.

Special thanks to the Cincinnati Nature Center for sponsoring this episode. You can find out more about Tina and Red Oaks Forest School at redoaksforestschool.org.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Earthworm invaders alter northern forests (informative article suggested by Ruth)
• Deer, Worms and Invasives
• The American Robin hasn’t Always Gotten the Worm
• Earthworm

Hometown Nature Heroes are everywhere! Bob talks with Courtney Ryan a passionate advocate for getting kids outside.

Special thanks to the Cincinnati Nature Center for sponsoring this episode.

Courtney’s Recommended Resources:

Sands Montessori Outdoor Campus

Sands Montessori Partners:

• Native Roots
• Madison Tree Care and Landscaping
• Motz Turf Farms
• Sunbelt Rentals

Books to Read: 

• Balanced And Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, And Capable Children By Angela J. Hanscom 
• Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to A Nature-Rich Life By Richard Louv 
• Play The Forest School Way: Woodland Games and Craft For Adventurous Kids By Jane Worroll And Peter Houghton 
• There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom’s Secrets For Raising Healthy, Resilient, And Confident Kids By Linda Akeson Mcgurk 
• The Call of The Wild And Free: Reclaiming Wonder In Your Child’s Education By Ainsley Arment 

Resources:

• Children and Nature Network
• Orange Is the New Green: Exploring the Restorative Capacity of Seasonal Foliage in Schoolyard Trees

Greg and Bob share a misunderstood plant that they both love to see in the fall. Find out why goldenrod takes the blame for sneezing in the fall.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Sneezing? Don’t Blame Goldenrod!
• Five Golden Truths about Goldenrods
• How to Grow and Care for Goldenrod

Bob is joined by Peri, a science communicator with the National Park Service. Peri is part of a team that created season 2 of the Headwaters podcast on Whitebark Pine. Glacier National Park Conservancy funds the show. 

Links:

• Glacier National Park Conservancy
• Headwaters in-depth storytelling podcast by Glacier National Park
• References in Headwaters show notes

In her position as Research Ecologist at Cincinnati Nature Center, Danie Frevola designed and implemented an innovative study on oak trees. Hear Danie’s inspiring story!

Related Episodes: Northern Red Oak, The Nature of Oaks with Doug Tallamy and The Hummingbird Handbook with John Showy

Bob and Charles respond to a very important question about using bird sound playback from a listener. They also have a listener suggestion on a way to support Sara Dykman, the author of Bicycling with Butterflies.

Related episodes: Merlin Magic, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, What It's Like to Be a Bird with David Sibley and Bicycling with Butterflies with Sara Dykman

Our sources for this episode include:

• TEDxBozeman talk by Charles van Rees: A glance through nature’s playbook
• Merlin App by The Cornell Lab
• Proper Use of Playback in Birding by David Sibley
• Sara Dykman’s Go Fund Me Campaign: Counting Monarchs in Mexico

Bob’s grandson Drew wanted to learn more about Peregrine Falcons. As you will hear Tina was the perfect person for this episode. Tune in to hear Tina’s amazing stories about studying Peregrines.

You can find out more about Tina and Red Oaks Forest School at redoaksforestschool.org.

Related episodes: What's Your Zugunruhe? and Hummingbirds

Our sources for this episode include The Cornell Lab All About Birds: Peregrine Falcon

Bob and Gia talk about a woodpecker that is only found in parts of California. Thanks to Nic for using Merlin to find this bird!

Related episodes: Merlin Magic, Downy Woodpeckers Support Their Mates, Acorn Woodpeckers and The Nature of Oaks with Doug Tallamy

Our sources for this episode include:

• The Merlin Bird ID App by The Cornell Lab
• The Cornell Lab All About Birds
• Thomas Nuttail -The Oregon Encyclopedia
• Nuttall’s Woodpecker – Whatbird.com
• Meet the Nuttall’s Woodpecker
• Thomas Nuttail article in The Popular Science Monthly, Volume 46

Bob is joined by our very own plant guru Greg to talk about invasive species. Greg brings along his right hand man Drew to explain why invasive plants have such a negative impact.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Study by Audubon that Drew refers to: Nandina Berries Kill Birds

Bob and Charles talk about the Merlin App from Cornell Lab. It now has the ability to identify birds by sound! Please try it out and let us know what bird you want to know more about by emailing us at info@natureguys.org.

Our sources for this episode include:

• The Merlin Bird ID App by The Cornell Lab
• Gulo in Nature Blog by Charles
• The New School Montessori school in Cincinnati

On March 19, 2021 a volcano erupted in Iceland that captured the imagination of people from all over the world. It also changed the lives of April and Martin, independent filmmakers living in an apartment in New York City. Like many of us they were coming out of a long winter dealing with covid - 19. This eruption spawned an idea for their next film. They decided to travel to Iceland to film the eruption and gather stories from the remarkable people who live with the joys and challenges of volcanic eruptions right in their own neighborhoods! Find out how April and Martin created this powerful film.

You can find out how to watch the film at fireandiceland.com. I would love to hear your reactions to the film. You can leave a comment on our website or email me at info@natureguys.org.

Greg and Bob are loving all the wonderful spring wildflowers. Greg takes us back in time to discover the history of wildflowers around the world before turning to the amazing story of the eastern forest in spring.

Related episodes: Spring Wildflowers, Seeds on the Moveand Wild Ginger

Greg has done three excellent videos on spring wildflowers available via YouTube:

• Harbinger of Spring  
• Skunk Cabbage
• Spring Woodland Wildflowers

If you need a great wildflower book, check out Bob’s favorite guide:
Wildflowers of Tennessee the Ohio Valley and the Southern Appalachians by Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, and Duhl, published by Lone Pine Publishing

After a long winter Bob and Gia are excited to do a live show at California Woods Nature Preserve. They had a blast talking with kids and adults about the nature of spring.

Related episodes: Firefighting Beavers, Parachuting Beavers

I received an intriguing email from Tina at Red Oaks Forest School asking me if I knew about Zugunruhe. I did not and wanted to learn more so I invited Tina to come on the show to explain all about it. Tune in to hear Tina tell the inspiring story of how Red Oaks got started and of course all about Zugunruhe.

You can find out more about Tina and Red Oaks Forest School at redoaksforestschool.org

If you want to register for Zugunruhe 2022 go to: https:// evergreen.humanitru.com/web/campaigns/red-oaks-forest- school~zugunruhe-2022

Related episode: Sit Spot

Nature Guys is proud to say that this is our 200th episode! Our first episode was released in October of 2016. If you are a long time listener you know that my dear friend Bill was my only co-host until August of 2020. If you are new to the show, you can listen to my tribute to Bill on the episode titled “Our Friend Bill” released on September 1, 2020. Nature Guys has not only survived Bill’s loss but thrives thanks to the contributions of many people both on air and off. Special thanks to Gia, Greg and Charles – top notch naturalists who have taken the time from their busy schedules to help me create multiple amazing new shows. On this 200th episode I wanted to play an old Bill and Bob show. I was debating which episode to use when I got an email from Eve Bishop. Eve has a wonderful new four part podcast called Deer Humans. Tune in to hear Eve explain this in her own words followed by the Nature Guys podcast on white tailed deer originally released on October 10, 2017.

You can find out more about Eve Bishop at: www.evebishop.net

Our sources for this episode include:

• Avoiding Deer Collisions
• The First Months Of A Whitetail Fawn
• Tarsal Glands: What We Know | QDMA
• Interesting facts about white-tailed deer

Charles and Bob can’t wait to get out in the field in early spring to check out the woodcock sky dance. This is one crazy bird. It is a shorebird that lives in the forest and is nicknamed the timberdoodle.

The woodcock sound clip is thanks to Karen Hogan via the Macaulay Library at Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Thanks to Christina Zorn for providing background research.

Our sources for this episode include:

• The Woodcock Management Plan
• Funky American Woodcock YouTube video
• A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
• Nature blog Gulo in Nature by Charles Van Rees

Gia and Bob discuss wolves a species that inspires a variety of emotions. Tune in to learn about the impacts wolves have on the Yellowstone ecosystem. Thanks to Christina Zorn for providing background research. Also special thanks to Lissa Malloy for creating a picture visualizing the tropic cascade concept.

Keystone Species series: All About Alligators, Firefighting Beavers, Acorn Woodpeckers

Our sources for this episode include:

• The Howling Wilderness an interview with Doug Smith
  January 2021 Issue 541 of The Sun Magazine
  Thanks to Doug Smith and The Sun for giving us permission to link to this incredible interview
• Max Waugh Photography - Gray Wolf vs Coyotes
• Tropic Cascade Picture on Nature Guys web site: Lissa Malloy offered to create a picture visualizing the tropic cascade concept we covered in the podcast. You can find more of her amazing work at: https://lissamalloy.crevado.com/about-cv

Charles and Bob kick off 2022 with a very unique bird. Hopefully we will inspire you to take a walk by your favorite stream or river to see a kingfisher.

Related episodes: What It’s Like to be a Bird with David Sibley

Our sources for this episode include:

• Fun Facts About Kingfishers
• Ten Things about the Belted Kingfisher
• Aerial Ramming, a Burrow Excavation Behavior by Belted Kingfishers, with a Review of its Occurrence among the Alcedinidae by Hendricks et al., 2013
• The Eastern Belted Kingfisher, Megaceryle Alcyon Alcyon (Linnaeus), in Relation to Fish Management by Salyer and Lagler, 1949
• Attempted predation of a diurnally active Spotted Bat (Euderma maculatum) by a Belted Kingfisher
• Predation of a Western Water Shrew (Sorex navigator) by a Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
• North American River Otters Followed by Piscivorous Birds, and a River Otter Parental Distraction Display

Greg and Bob discuss a plant that everyone will probably recognize. Amaze your friends at holiday parties with the story of mistletoe.

Our sources for this episode include:

• The Golden Bough by James George Frazer (available via Project Gutenberg)
• Merry covid Christmas: Don’t kiss under the mistletoe, advises British minister
• 12 Things to know about Mistletoe

Bob talks with Grace Lynch, the creator and host of an amazing new podcast on climate change from Wonder Media Network. The podcast brings together poems and stories from women throughout the US and territories that depict the effects of climate change on their homes and people.

The source for this interview is the new podcast As She Rises by Wonder Media Network.

Gia and Bob just cannot let go of the 17 year cicadas. They discuss a very cool bird the Yellow-Billed Cuckoo that has a special taste for cicadas.

Related episodes: Cicadas, 17 Years to Awesome and The Nature of Oaks with Doug Tallamy

Our sources for this episode include:

• Cicada Safari App created by Dr. Gene Kritsky 
• Ohio Birds: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species published by Waterford Press
• Bird Note Podcast on the Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Charles chats with Brooke Mitchell-Norman, the host of the podcast Rewildology. They discuss Brooke’s love of big cats and how travel can help protect wildlife.

Related series: Through the Eyes of Nature Guys

Our sources for this episode include:

• Rewildology

It seems everyone has a story about poison ivy. Greg and Bob share some of their favorite stories. They discuss the often overlooked benefits of poison ivy. They will also cover how to identify it and how to remove it from areas where you would likely encounter the plant.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Poison Ivy Leaf Gall Mite by Joe Boggs
• Poison Ivy Rash
• Interesting Facts about Poison Ivy
• 10 Things Nobody Tells You About Poison Ivy

Bob chats with Doug Chadwick, the author of Four Fifths a Grizzly: A New Perspective on Nature that Just Might Save Us All. Doug has travelled the world writing for National Geographic. This amazing book caps a long career. 

The source for this interview is Four Fifths a Grizzly: A New Perspective on Nature that just Might Save Us All published by Patagonia Books in June of 2021.

The Bug Chicks are in Bob’s backyard to share the amazing story of how they got started.  Co-hosts Greg Torres and Chris Anderson (of Science Around Cincy) join in the fun.

Learn more about The Bug Chicks on their website: thebugchicks.com.

Tune in to find out the winners of our cicada contest. Check out all the wonderful entries on our Celebrating Cicadas page.

Related episodes: Cicadas, 17 Years to Awesome and Cicadas are Kinda Cute

Be sure to tune in next week for our special guests The Bug Chicks.

If you love hummingbirds, tune in to listen to Bob’s conversation with John Shewey. His book, The Hummingbird Handbook, is filled with facts and practical tips to care for hummingbirds right in your own neighborhood. 

Related episodes: Hummingbirds, Bicycling with Butterflies with Sara Dykman, The Nature of Oaks with Doug Tallamy

The source for this interview is The Hummingbird Handbook: Everything You Need to Know about These Fascinating Birds by John Shewey from Timber Press.

Greg and Bob talk about wild ginger, a plant that makes a great native ground cover. You have to get down on your knees to see the flower. Who pollinates this flower that is hidden from view?

Related episode: The Nature of Oaks with Doug Tallamy

Our sources for this episode include:

• Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover: The Curious Case of Wild Ginger Pollination
• Wild Ginger
• Caring For Wild Ginger: How To Grow Wild Ginger Plants

Connect with us on our website, Facebook, Twitter  and Instagram.

Bob is excited to talk to Holly Merker about her wonderful book Ornitherapy For Your Mind Body Soul. Tune in to his conversation with Holly Merker and listen to the story of how birds saved Holly’s life!

The source for this interview is Ornitherapy by Holly Merker, Richard Crossley and Sophie Crossley

Charles Van Rees, Nature Guys Podcast’s very own science guy, has a fascinating conversation with Kim McCoy about Kim's new book Waves and Beaches: The Powerful Dynamics of Sea and Coast by Willard Bascom and Kim McCoy published by Patagonia.

Kim mentions salmon in the conversation. To learn more about salmon, check out Bob’s interview with Mark Kurlansky in the episode Salmon are a Gift about Mark's book Salmon: A Fish, the Earth and the History of Their Common Fate also published by Patagonia.

Gia and Bob are excited about the arrival of the 17 year periodic cicadas. We hope to inspire you to either love cicadas or maybe just hate them a little less. Bob and Gia share 17 cool things about cicadas. There is nothing to fear when the cicadas are here!

Please listen to the episode to learn all about our contest to celebrate the cicadas! Email us your entry to info@natureguys.org.

Related episodes: Cicadas are Kinda Cute, The Nature of Oaks with Doug Tallamy

Our sources for this episode include:

• Cicada Safari App created by Dr. Gene Kritsky 
• Cicada Mania: Cicada Insect News, Facts, Life Cycle, Photos, Books ...
• When the Woods Hum by Joanne Ryder (the book is out of print but check your library)
• Cecily Cicada (2021 Edition) by Kita Helmetag Murdock and Patsy Helmetag
• Periodical Cicadas The Brood X Edition by Gene Kritsky

Bob reads an amazing new book Bicycling with Butterflies: My 10,201 Mile Journey Following The Monarch Migration. Tune in to his conversation with Sara Dykman, the first person to follow migrating monarch butterflies on her bicycle. Learn more about Sara and some of the lessons she learned on her nine month adventure from Mexico to Canada and back.

Please check out Sara's website Beyond a Book. Bicycling with Butterflies is published by Timber Press.

Related episodes: Monarchs on the Move, Mighty Milkweed

Charles and Bob discuss vernal pools. Bob has always been intrigued by vernal pools and with time at home due to the pandemic he decided to build one in his backyard. Learn about his first aquatic visitor the water strider. Also learn about an amazing creature that lives in a vernal pool at Cincinnati Nature Center. If you have not seen fairy shrimp be sure to check them out. Charles explains what they look like and why they are found in vernal pools.

Related episodes: The Nature of Oaks with Doug Tallamy, Dragonflies, Damselflies and Wood Frogs Quack It Up

Our sources for this episode include:

• Vernal Pool Chronicles: a YouTube channel about vernal pools with some fantastic footage
• Colburn et al., 2007: Diversity and ecology of vernal pool invertebrates (Chapter from: Science and Conservation of Vernal Pools in Northeastern North America)
• U.S. EPA informational page - Vernal pools

Greg Torres and Bob discuss one of the most important trees in Florida. The Red Mangrove is the protector from storms and provides safe harbor to many living things.

Cheer on Greg who is competing in the 2021 Go Wild for Jeopar-Ding fund raiser that will premiere virtually on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 to support the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Check out related episodes on our Wildlife Refuges page.

Watch Greg's YouTube video on red mangroves.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Florida’s Extraordinary Mangroves
• Essential Facts about Mangroves
• Florida’s Mangroves

Bob chats with Doug Tallamy about his latest book The Nature of Oaks. The book shows you what to look for on and near oak trees every month of the year. Hear a few of the amazing stories of oaks. If you have or want oaks in your yard or just want to appreciate their irreplaceable role in the health of our environment this podcast will inspire you to learn more about this magnificent tree.

Books by Doug Tallamy are published by Timber Press:

• The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees
• Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard
• Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants
• The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden with Rick Darke

Click here to learn more about Seed Libraries.

Related episodes: Northern Red Oak and Blue Jays are Not Blue

Special thanks to Cincinnati realtors Molly and Sara at Haven Home Group (Coldwell Banker Realty) for sponsoring this episode.

Gia and Bob discuss one amazing woodpecker. If you live or travel to the west make sure you check this woodpecker out. This episode is part of our Keystone Species series. Thanks to Christina Zorn for the great research!

Related woodpecker episodes: Wow it’s a Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpeckers Support Their Mates, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers Slurp Sap

Keystone Species series: All About Alligators, Firefighting Beavers

Our sources for this episode include:

• All About Birds
• USDA Fire effects Information Systems
• Wikipedia
• Animalia

Charles and Bob discuss the Hooded Merganser. It is a duck that has some very un-duck like qualities.

Related episodes: Mallards Mate with Other Ducks, Firefighting Beavers, What It’s Like to be a Bird with David Sibley, Erin Brockovich

Our sources for this episode include:

• 10 Interesting Facts about the Hooded Mergansers
• The Cornell Lab All About Birds
• Hooded Merganser

Chris Clements of Imago joins Bob to talk about the Japanese concept of 72 seasons. Chris challenges us to go out and visit nature regularly in our own neck of the woods. See how it changes every few days. Try to come up with your own micro-season and give it an evocative name.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Micro-seasons - Headspace YouTube video
• Japan’s 72 Microseasons

Seeds have many ways to get out into the world. Greg shares fascinating strategies plants use to disburse seeds.

Related episodes: Hedge Apples, Down Yonder in the Paw Paw Patch

Our sources for this episode include:

• Falling Far from the Tree: 7 Brilliant Ways Seeds and Fruits Are Dispersed
• Daniel Janzen - Bio and Research
• The Ghosts Of Evolution: Nonsensical Fruit, Missing Partners, and Other Ecological Anachronisms by Connie Barlow
• Lengyel, S.; et al. (2009). Chave, Jerome (ed.). "Ants Sow the Seeds of Global Diversification in Flowering Plants"
• Howe, H. F. & Smallwood J. (1982). "Ecology of Seed Dispersal" (PDF). Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics. 13: 201–228.
• The Ant Dance - YouTube video with Greg Torres
• The Bird Dance- YouTube video with Greg Torres

Gia and Bob are in Bob’s backyard on a cold winter afternoon talking all about alligators. Alligators are a great American success story. Thanks to Christina Zorn for the great research! This episode is part of our Keystone Species series.

Keystone Species series episodes: Firefighting Beavers

Our sources for this episode include:

• Definition of Alligator
• Alligator Biology and Behavior
• JW Lang and HV Andrews, J Exp Zoology (1994) Temperature-dependent sex determination in crocodilians.
• Cramp Meyer Sparks and Franklin. (2008) Functional and morphological plasticity of crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) salt glands. Journal of Experimental Biology 2008 211: 1482-1489; doi: 10.1242/jeb.015636. https://jeb.biologists.org/content/ 211/9/1482
• American Alligator from National Geographic
• Crocodilian Biology Database

Recently I ran across a title of a new book that peaked my interest. Curious to know more I did an Internet search and found out that this book is written by someone I think you may recognize. Erin Brockovich has become a household word thanks to a movie by the same name released in the year 2000. I got a hold of a copy of the book and after reading it realized it would be the perfect end to the water series. If you haven't had a chance to listen to the first two parts I encourage you to do so. Charles does a great job giving us a deeper understanding of why water is so important to all life on earth. I hope Erin will inspire you to pick up a copy of her book, Superman's not Coming: Our National Water Crisis What We The People Can Do About It. As Erin so passionately says no one is going to solve our water problems for us. It is up to we the people and Erin’s book shows you how.

Related Episodes: What the Heck is Water, Freshwater Life

Our sources for this episode include:
Superman's not Coming: Our National Water Crisis What We The People Can Do About It by Erin Brockovich

Charles Van Rees joins Bob to discuss the importance of freshwater and its relationship to biodiversity. This is part two of a three part series.

Charles Van Rees joins Bob to discuss something we can take for granted. Water is an amazing substance and Charles has some insights as to why it is essential to all life on earth. This is part one of a three part series on water and its importance to all living things on earth.

Related episodes: So You Want to Be a Naturalist, Sycamores Can Be Huge Trees

Our sources for this episode include:

• Water: The Science of Nature's Most Important Nutrient by Len Kravitz
• Vandas et al., 2002: Water and the Environment

It has been a challenging year for everyone including Nature Guys. Losing Bill Creasey in August was a loss for everyone who values connecting to the natural world. It would take a village of naturalists to replace him. Well we don’t quite have a village but we have been able to assemble an amazing team to carry on the work of Nature Guys. Tune in to find out what Bob discovers at his sit spot. This episode also serves as a preview of the first five episodes in 2021.

Related episodes:

• Sit Spot
• Our Friend Bill
• Watch for the Cooper's Hawk at Your Bird Feeder
• So You Want to Be a Naturalist with Charles Van Rees
• Firefighting Beavers with Gia Giammarinaro
• Witch Hazel Magic with Greg Torres

Awhile back my sister Suzanne called me. She was excited because a pair of mourning doves had nested on an upstairs window ledge of her house. As it happens I was reading David Sibley's book What It's Like to be a Bird: From Flying to Nesting, Eating, to Singing What Birds are Doing and Why.

My sister is a great lover of books so I made her an offer I knew she could not refuse. I suggested that I would send her a copy of the book if she would put together some questions that I might use in this interview. Suzanne has never to my knowledge passed up the opportunity to read a book she is interested in so she quickly agreed.

A few weeks later she sent me this email: "I really enjoyed reading What It’s Like to be a Bird. As you know, I am not someone who spends much time thinking about birds and my knowledge of them is very limited, but I like them and found this book to be a great source of information for someone like me. I am very impressed that Sibley did both the text and the illustrations, which are great. So here are some general questions and questions about mourning doves, which may or may not be of use to you."

Hope you enjoy the interview!

Related episode: Mourning Doves 

Our sources for this episode include:

• Sibley Guides 
• What It’s Like to Be a Bird by David Sibley

Today’s episode is sponsored by Cinfed Credit Union. You have questions, Cinfed has answers! Providing financial services for more than 85 years to a wide area around Cincinnati. Become a member at cinfed.com!

 

Listeners often ask me what can you do to help out Nature Guys? This is our annual Giving Tuesday podcast and I have a very specific call to action for this episode. Donate what you can to a great organization that means a lot to Bob. Tune in to find out how you can donate.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Imago
• Giving Tuesday
  
  

Today’s episode is sponsored by Cinfed Credit Union. You have questions, Cinfed has answers! Providing financial services for more than 85 years to a wide area around Cincinnati. Become a member at cinfed.com!

Witch Hazel is an amazing and strange plant. It took naturalists a long time to figure out what might pollinate it. Greg Torres, a very talented horticulturist, joins Bob to discuss a plant that you can find blooming in December.

Our sources for this episode include:

• The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden by Rick Darke and Douglas Tallamy
• Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy
• Evolution and biogeographic diversification of the witch-hazel genus (Hamamelis L.,
  Hamamelidaceae) in the Northern Hemisphere by Xei, Lei; Yi, Ting-Shuang; Li, Rong; Li, De-Zhu; Wen. Jun (2010) Molecular Phylogenetics and
  Evolution 
• History of Hamamelis (Witch Hazel), Extract and Distillate by Lloyd, J. U. and J. T. Lloyd. Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association. 24(1935) (3):220–24.
• FDA Skin Protectant Drugs 

Special thanks to Cinfed Credit Union for sponsoring this episode.

Introducing Gia Giammarinaro as my cohost for todays episode. Gia is the lead Naturalist at Cincinnati Parks California Woods Nature Preserve. Her favorite rodent is the beaver. How many people do you know who lunch with beavers? Gia was actually on the Parachuting Beaver episode and returns with an amazing story she found in National Geographic.

Related episode: Parachuting Beavers 

Our sources for this episode include:

• How beavers became North America’s best firefighter
  https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/09/beavers-firefighters-wildfires-california-oregon/
• Controversy builds around beaver dams
  https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/controversy-builds-around-beaver-dams/0kkaK8Bs4dNCzR6etmPP4M/
• The Benefits of Beavers
  https://waterwisewisdom.com/2020/02/01/the-benefits-of-beavers/

Special thanks to Cinfed Credit Union for sponsoring this episode.

I got a wonderful email from Kim who homeschools her children and wanted some advice. Her oldest son is hoping to do something in the field of nature. I also received this email from Charles Van Rees a Conservation Biologist and Naturalist offering to be a guest on the show.

“I want first and foremost to thank you for bringing your expertise, humor, warmth, and energy to a great podcast on natural history. I recently moved from a crowded city in Europe to rural Montana, and have been looking for good podcasts on natural history to keep my mind occupied during frequent, long drives. Your podcast has brought me a lot of joy, laughs, and learning during a tough transition and helped me get back in touch with North American nature. Thank you so much! On my way into work this morning I heard your 'Welcome 2020' podcast and your mention of wanting to feature more 'humans' on the show. In case you were looking for additional humans, I wanted to offer myself as a potential guest, since I absolutely adore the show and would love to give something in return. I'm a wetland ecologist and conservation biologist with expertise in freshwater biodiversity and ornithology, and currently work as a postdoctoral research scientist at Flathead Lake Biological Station in Polson, Montana. My past work has been on endangered water birds in Hawaii and migratory gulls in Seville, Spain. Aside from that, I'm a passionate student of natural history and have been trying to spend more time integrating nature study into my work as my career advances. I've been featured on a couple podcasts before and think it's tremendous fun. If you'd like to learn more about me I'd be happy to chat anytime, or you can have a look at my website.”

I decided it would be a good idea to have Charles answer Kim’s email. What started as an email exchange evolved into doing a complete episode. If you know people who are interested in the natural world as a career please share this episode with them.

You can contact Charles Van Rees and learn more about his activities on his website
cbvanrees.wordpress.com or on Twitter @Gulothoughts.

Special thanks to Cinfed Credit Union for sponsoring this episode.

Nature Guys Podcast spends lots of time connecting you to nature on this amazing planet. We are excited to have Dean Regas the astronomer for the Cincinnati Observatory (https://www.cincinnatiobservatory.org/), as a special guest on Nature Guys. After this episode I think you are going to be inspired to step outside and look up.

• 100 Things To See In The Night Sky by Dean Regas
  https://www.cincinnatiobservatory.org/dean-regas/about-dean/
• Looking Up podcast
  https://www.wvxu.org/programs/looking#stream/0

Special thanks to Cinfed Credit Union (https://www.cinfed.com/) for sponsoring this episode.

Cohost and Cofounder of Nature Guys Podcast sadly passed away in August 2020. Bill's dream was for Nature Guys to continue connecting people to the natural world.

Read Bill's obituary at http://www.springgrove.org/obituary.aspx?id=5351

Next time you pass by an old chimney keep your eye out for this amazing bird. They can eat three times their own weight every day. 

Our sources for this episode include:

• Chimney Swift Conservation Association (project directors Paul and Georgean Kyle)
  http://www.chimneyswifts.org/
  • "Chimney Swifts America’s Mysterious Birds above the Fireplace" by Paul and Georgean Kyle
  • "New Habitat for America’s Mysterious Birds" by Paul and Georgean Kyle
• Chimney Swift
  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chimney_Swift/overview
• Chimney Swift
  https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/chimney-swift
• Fun Facts About Cigars With Wings
  https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2014/05/14/fun-facts-about-cigars-with-wings/

People often put out Purple Martin houses to help control insects. In fact the Martins in the eastern United States could not exist without these houses. 

Our sources for this episode include:

• How to Attract Purple Martins
  https://www.purplemartin.org/purple-martins/attracting/
• Fun Facts About Purple Martins
  https://www.thespruce.com/fun-facts-about-purple-martins-387110
• Interesting Facts About Purple Martins That Will Make You Go Wow
  https://birdeden.com/interesting-facts-about-purple-martin
• Purple Martin Conservation Association
  https://www.purplemartin.org/

Find out the amazing story of how the House Finch made its way all the way across the United States. 

Our sources for this episode include:

• House Finch
  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Finch/lifehistory
• Interesting Facts about House Finches
  https://animals.visualstories.com/interesting-facts-about-house-finch
• House Finch or Purple Finch? Here's How to Tell Them Apart
  https://www.audubon.org/news/house-finch-or-purple-finch-heres-how-tell-them-apart
• Crossley Field Guide Books
  https://crossleybooks.com/book/the-crossley-id-guide-eastern-birds/

It is challenging to be a bluebird. Learn what you can do to help this beautiful bird.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Eastern Bluebird (includes plans for how to build a nesting box)
  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Bluebird/overview
• 8 Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know About Bluebirds
  https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/facts-about-bluebirds/
• Interesting Eastern Bluebird Facts
  http://www.birdhouses101.com/eastern-bluebird-facts.asp
• Fun Facts About Bluebirds
  https://valparaiso.wbu.com/bluebird-fun-facts

Damselflies are beautiful creatures. Best of all they do not bite or sting. 

Our sources for this episode include:

• Damselflies - Interesting Facts on These Beautiful Insects
  http://EzineArticles.com/6148223
• What is the difference between Dragonflies and Damselflies?
  https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/odonata/frequently-asked-questions/
• 10 Things you may not know about Damselflies
  https://natureformysoul.com/2016/06/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-damselflies/

Dragonflies are something you want to have around. They love to eat mosquitoes!

Our sources for this episode include:

• Migratory Dragonfly Partnership
  http://www.migratorydragonflypartnership.org/
• 14 Fun Facts about Dragonflies
  https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/14-fun-facts-about-dragonflies-96882693/
• 7 things you never knew about dragonflies
  https://www.treehugger.com/things-you-never-knew-about-dragonflies-4864302
• Fun Facts about Dragonflies
  https://www.threeriversparks.org/blog/fun-facts-about-dragonflies

Native bees are incredibly efficient at pollinating plants and they are very docile.

Our sources for this episode include:

• 6 Amazing Facts About Mason Bees
  https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/5-amazing-facts-about-mason-bees/
• The Leafcutter Bee
  https://www.buzzaboutbees.net/leafcutter-bee.html
• Crown Bees (where Bob got his bees)
  https://crownbees.com

Bob learns that you can see this frog in the winter! 

Related episodes: Green Frogs Sing the Blues, Gray Treefrogs Freeze, Wood Frogs Quack It Up, Jeepers Spring Peepers 

Our sources for this episode include:

• American Bull Frog (National Geographic)
  https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/a/american-bullfrog/
• American Bull Frog (NatureMapping)
  http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/american_bullfrog_712.html
• American Bull Frog Facts
  https://www.softschools.com/facts/animals/american_bullfrog_facts/481/

Bob has a conversation with Mark Kurlansky the award winning author of Salmon: A Fish, the Earth, and the History of Their Common Fate.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Mark Kurlansky (visit his web site at http://www.markkurlansky.com/)
• Salmon: A Fish, the Earth, and the History of Their Common Fate by Mark Kurlansky
• The World Without Fish: How Kids Can Help Save the Oceans by Mark Kurlansky
• Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky

Bill reveals something he learned in school. Green frogs can be blue! 

Our sources for this episode include:

• Green Frog
  https://animals.net/green-frog/
• Northern Green Frog
  http://www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org/assets/uploads/animals/pdf/NorthernGreenFrog.pdf
• Northern Green Frog
  https://www.cbf.org/about-the-bay/more-than-just-the-bay/chesapeake-wildlife/northern-green-frog-at-home-in-the-bog.html

Gray treefrogs are hard to see but easy to hear. Special thanks to our friend and naturalist John Howard for the amazing photos.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Gray Treefrog
  https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/gray-tree-frog
• Cope's Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis)
  https://srelherp.uga.edu/anurans/hylchr.htm
• Gray Treefrog
  https://nhpbs.org/natureworks/graytreefrog.htm
• Science Around Cincy: Clara do Amaral – Frog Cryobiologist
  https://sciaroundcincy.com/2019/07/25/clara-do-amal/

Bob challenges you to try to find more ‘nuts’ than a squirrel.

Our sources for this episode include:

• The Kids’ Wildlife Book by Warner Shedd
  http://warnershedd.com/

Grey Squirrels are easy to see in certain areas. They are really cute even when they are eating all your birdseed!

Our sources for this episode include:

• Eastern Gray Squirrel
  https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/eastern-gray-squirrel/
• Squirrels: Diet, Habits & Other Facts
  https://www.livescience.com/28182-squirrels.html
• 22 things you may not know about squirrels
  https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/happy-squirrel-appreciation-day

Bob invites artist Adrian Hawk to tell us how we can do Land Art right in our own neighborhoods.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Andy Goldworthy Digital Catalogue
  https://www.goldsworthy.cc.gla.ac.uk
• Imago Rangers - Land Art
  https://imagoearth.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Day-7-Land-Art-.pdf

Bob has his back yard torn up. He is amazed to find Blue Violets returning in pure clay soil.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Common Blue Violet
  https://www.gardenexperiments.com/common-blue-violet/
• 7 Fun Facts about Violets
  https://www.teleflora.com/blog/7-fun-facts-about-violets/
• Interesting facts about violets
  http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-violets/

Bill and Bob remember a fun outside activity they did as kids.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Let’s Go Outside by Jennifer Ward
  https://www.jenniferwardbooks.com/

Bill talks with Thane Maynard the Director of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. Learn how Thane went from a kid chasing gaters in Florida to the head of one of the best zoos in the world.

Resources mentioned include:

• Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
  http://cincinnatizoo.org/
• Cincinnati Zoo live safaris on FaceBook
  https://www.facebook.com/cincinnatizoo/live
• Cincinnati Nature Center
  https://www.cincynature.org/
• Center for Plant Conservation
  https://saveplants.org/
• African Parks: Saving Wildlife
  https://www.africanparks.org/
• Wildlife Conservation Society
  https://www.wcs.org/

Bill and Bob explain a simple activity you can do to connect your kids and yourself to trees.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Sharing Nature with Children by Joseph Cornell
  https://www.sharingnature.com/

 

Bob interviews Nancy Stranahan the Executive Director of the Arc of Appalachia. Nancy is an inspiration and we can all use a large dose of that right now. 

Related episode: Spring Wildflowers (http://natureguys.org/spring-wildflowers/)

The Arc of Appalachia - Saving Ohio's Wildlands
https://arcofappalachia.org/

Bill and Bob do a short follow up to the pillbug episode. This has some great ideas to lift your spirits and a special guest.

Related episode: Some Pillbugs are Roly Polies (http://natureguys.org/pillbugs/)

Our sources for this episode include:

• Pillbug Project: A Guide to Investigation by Robin Burnett
  https://www.nsta.org/recommends/ViewProduct.aspx?ProductID=12142
• Blue pillbug
  https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/7718485

Goldfinch is just the bird to cheer you up! This is a great bird to have at your feeders.

Our sources for this episode include:

• American Goldfinch
  https://abcbirds.org/bird/american-goldfinch/
• Interesting American Goldfinch Facts
  http://www.birdhouses101.com/american-goldfinch-facts.asp
• 21 Facts on Goldfinches
  https://www.livingwithbirds.com/tweetapedia/21-facts-on-goldfinch
• Fun Facts about Goldfinches
  https://billingsgazette.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/fun-facts-about-goldfinches/article_65165159-1e5d-5a6c-8c04-cc1dfa9e6fde.html
• Life Histories of North American Birds by Arthur Cleveland Bent
  https://birdsbybent.com/about.html

Bob and Bill hope to inspire you to take a Nature Break. This episode has a fun activity that Bob used at nature summer camp.

Related episode: Screech Owl (http://natureguys.org/screech-owl/)

Bob and Bill are inspired by an Imago Ranger program (https://imagoearth.org/imago-rangers/) to do an episode on pillbugs. If you're a little stressed out go outside and find some of these guys.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Imago Rangers Pillbugs
  https://imagoearth.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Day-5_-Pillbugs.pdf
• Pillbugs and Sowbugs
  https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/pillbugs-and-sowbugs-land-isopods
• 15 Facinating Facts About Pill Bugs
  https://www.thoughtco.com/fascinating-facts-about-pillbugs-4165294
• Pillbug Project: A Guide to Investigation by Robin Burnett
  https://www.nsta.org/recommends/ViewProduct.aspx?ProductID=12142

Bob has a conversation with Chris from Imago about how nature can help us deal with the coronavirus.

Organizations mentioned in this podcast include:

• Imago - https://imagoearth.org/
• J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge - https://www.fws.gov/refuge/jn_ding_darling/
• Sanibel Sea School - https://www.sanibelseaschool.org/
• The Arc of Appalacia - https://arcofappalachia.org/

Bob has two large tuliptrees in his yard. Tune in to find out why these trees are so interesting.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Tuliptree Profile
  https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-grow-tulip-trees-2132098
• The Tuliptree
  http://www-pub.naz.edu/~treewalk/tuliptree/tuliptree.htm
• Facts About the Tuliptree
  https://www.gardenguides.com/113941-tulip-tree.html
• The Native Tree Society
  http://www.nativetreesociety.org/

Bill says Africa is number one on his places to explore. Tune in to find out how a trip to Africa might change your life. 

Related episodes: Through the Eyes of Nature Guys (http://natureguys.org/travel/)

Every wonder about the stuff that washes up on a beech as the tide comes in and out? Doc Bruce from Sanibel Sea School explains why this is such an important place on a beach.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Guest J. Bruce Neill (Doc Bruce), Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sanibel Sea School
  https://www.sanibelseaschool.org/

Ranger Toni tells the amazing story of a white pelican stuck in the ice in Minnesota. Tune in to find out how it got to Ding Darling.

Related episode: Wildlife at Ding (http://natureguys.org/wildlife-ding/)

Our sources for this episode include:

• J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
  https://www.fws.gov/refuge/jn_ding_darling/
• Nature Works
  https://nhpbs.org/natureworks/whitepelican.htm
• 10 Fun Facts about White Pelicans
  https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/515654/10-fun-facts-about-pelicans
• Interesting facts about pelicans
  http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-pelicans/
• CROW - Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife on Sanibel Island
  http://www.crowclinic.org/

Bob meets Ranger Toni at the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. She talks about the amazing system of wildlife refuges that are all over the United States.

Related: Through the Eyes of Nature Guys (http://natureguys.org/travel/)

Our sources for this episode include:

• J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
  https://www.fws.gov/refuge/jn_ding_darling/
• National Wildlife Refuge System
  https://www.fws.gov/refuges/

Bill explains the many wonders of the land down under.

Related: Through the Eyes of Nature Guys (http://natureguys.org/travel/)

 

Bob and Bill have a special guest that has a ton of experience and stories of Grizzly Bears in Alaska. We start out with five fun and informative questions for our live audience at Roads, Rivers and Trails (https://www.roadsriversandtrails.com/).

Related: Through the Eyes of Nature Guys (http://natureguys.org/travel/)

Our sources for this episode include:

• Brown Bear Fact Sheet
  https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/bears-of-the-last-frontier-brown-bear-factsheet/6522/
• Brown Bear Frequently Asked Questions
  https://www.nps.gov/katm/learn/photosmultimedia/brown-bear-frequently-asked-questions.htm
• Interesting Facts about Brown Bears
  http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-brown-bears/

Bill and Bob welcome in the new year with a special conversation with Chris Anderson the executive producer and host of Science Around Cincy.

You can find our more about Chris Anderson’s projects at:

• Science Around Cincy
  https://sciaroundcincy.com/
• Science Over Everything
  http://scienceovereverything.com/

Christmas in October

Bob and Bill invite some friends to share stories of Christmas Trees. Hope this episode brings a smile to your face!

Our sources for this episode include:

• There are up to 25,000 bugs in the average Christmas tree
  https://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/stories/25000-bugs-christmas-tree
• What You Need to Know About Recycling Your Christmas Tree
  http://blog.davey.com/2013/12/what-you-need-to-know-about-recycling-your-christmas-tree/
• A Toilet Brush Christmas? Invention of the Aluminum Tree
  http://patentplaques-blog.com/toilet-brush-inspired-artificial-christmas-trees/

 

Bob takes a walk on the beach and becomes really curious about sand dollars. Luckily he finds a wonderful source of information, “Sanibel Sea School.”

Our sources for this episode include:

• Sanibel Sea School
  https://www.sanibelseaschool.org/
• Dead or alive? 3 ways to spot the difference
  https://www.heraldsun.com/news/state/south-carolina/article213506774.html#storylink=cpy
• Dead sand dollars on Florida beaches could be result of natural cycle
  https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/florida/dead-sand-dollars-on-floridabeaches-could-be-result-of-natural-cycle-experts-say/67-574599775
• It’s prime time for sand dollars on Sanibel as mating season peaks
  https://www.winknews.com/2018/07/09/its-prime-time-for-sand-dollars-on-sanibel-as-mating-season-peaks/
• Fun Facts about the Sand Dollar
  https://tropicalbreezedecor.com/blog/fun-facts-about-the-sand-dollar/

Bill and Bob talk about organizations that support the birds we love.

Organizations Bill and Bob Support

• Arc of Appalachia | Savings Ohio's Wildlands
  https://arcofappalachia.org
• Edge of Appalachia - Cincinnati Museum Center
  https://www.cincymuseum.org/nature/
• The Nature Conservancy
  https://www.nature.org/en-us/
• The American Bird Conservancy
  https://abcbirds.org/

Ants are so amazing we had to do a follow up to our episode Ants in My Plants. Tune in to learn why these insects are so important.

Our sources for this episode include:

• 10 Crazy Facts About Ants
  https://futurism.com/10-crazy-facts-about-ants
• 6 amazing facts about ants
  https://earthsky.org/earth/amazing-facts-ants
• COOL FACTS ABOUT ANTS!
  https://www.natgeokids.com/za/discover/animals/insects/ant-facts/

We got a request to do a podcast at a local garden club. The organizer even provided us with the title. This topic is so vast that it is a two part podcast.

Our sources include:

• 13 natural solutions for killing and deterring ants
  https://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/13-natural-remedies-for-the-ant-invasion
• 30 Natural Home Remedies To Get Rid of Ants From Home & Garden
  https://balconygardenweb.com/30-natural-home-remedies-to-get-rid-of-ants-from-home-garden/
• ANTS IN YOUR HOUSEPLANTS: GETTING RID OF ANTS IN YOUR PLANTS
  https://www.combatbugs.com/en/home/pest-identification/bug-files/ants-in-your-houseplants-getting-rid-of-ants-in-your-plants.cky.html

Have you ever seen a weasel? A listener saw what he thought might be a weasel and his email inspired this podcast.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Weasels: Tiny but mighty
  https://www.farmanddairy.com/columns/weasels-tiny-but-mighty/406436.html
• Nature: Weasels intriguing despite bad rep
  https://www.dispatch.com/article/20101107/lifestyle/311079702
• Fierce Facts About Weasels
  http://mentalfloss.com/article/64193/7-fierce-facts-about-weasels

Almost everyone knows what a Robin looks like. Tune in to find out all about this very common bird. 

Related episode: Sit Spot (http://natureguys.org/sit-spot/)

Our sources for this episode include:

• Book “What the Robin Knows” by Jon Young
  http://birdlanguage.com/
• American Robin
  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/overview
• Fun Facts About American Robins
  https://www.thespruce.com/american-robin-facts-4143588
• Robin Facts
  https://journeynorth.org/tm/robin/fact_page.html

This is an easy tree to identify even in winter. Bill tells the tales of some amazing sycamores that he has known over the years. If you get lost this tree will lead you to water.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Sycamores, Trees of Wonder
  http://biologicalthinking.blogspot.com/2013/03/sycamores-trees-of-wonder.html
• American Sycamore
  https://naturewalk.yale.edu/trees/platanaceae/platanus-occidentalis/american-sycamore-29
• Sycamore Get No Respect
  http://www.eattheweeds.com/sycamores-not-just-another-plane-tree-2/
• Sycamore Tree Care
  https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/sycamore/sycamore-tree-care.htm

 

Mosquitoes are the deadliest creatures on earth. Find out how to get along with these challenging insects.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Birds Bats and mosquitoes
  https://www.thoughtco.com/birds-and-bats-no-help-with-mosquitos-3970964
• Natural Mosquito Repellents
  https://www.thoughtco.com/natural-mosquito-repellents-602178
• Do Bug Zappers Kill Mosquitoes?
  https://www.thoughtco.com/do-bug-zappers-kill-mosquitoes-1968054
• Bobʼs Favorite Insect Repellent is Alpenglow
  https://www.alpenglowskincare.com/products/alaskas-best-insect-repellent

 

Bill rarely sees this snake but it is one of his favorites. The hognose snake has some amazing behaviors. S

Related episodes: Black Rat Snake (http://natureguys.org/black-rat-snake/), Red-shouldered or Red-wristed Hawk (http://natureguys.org/red-shouldered-hawk/)

Our sources for this episode include:

• Eastern Hognose Snake
  http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Heterodon_platirhinos/
• Eastern Hognose
  https://nhpbs.org/wild/easternhognosesnake.asp
• Hognose Snakes
  http://www.lihs.org/files/caresheets/Heterodon.htm

Mallards are a very common duck that are easy to find. Find out why Bill thinks they may be an invasive species. 

Our sources for this episode include:

• Unflappable Facts About Mallards
  http://mentalfloss.com/article/78330/15-unflappable-facts-about-mallards
• Mallard duck facts
  http://www.softschools.com/facts/animals/mallard_duck_facts/587/
• Mallard
  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mallard/lifehistory

This is the most visited park in the United States. It is free and is amazing any month of the year.

Related episodes: Through the Eyes of Nature Guys http://natureguys.org/travel/

Our sources for this episode include:

• Fightmaster Fly Fishing - Rob Fightmaster is a great fly fishing guide. Even Bob and Beth can catch fish with Rob at their side!
  https://fightmasterflyfishing.com
• A Wondrous Diversity of Life - Great Smokey Mountains
  https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/index.htm
• Do Cougars Roam the Smoky Mountains?
  https://gardenandgun.com/articles/cougars-roam-smoky-mountains/
• 20 Facts to know about the Great Smoky Mountains
  https://www.cabinsforyou.com/blog/advice/20-facts-about-great-smoky-mountains.htm

If you see a bird on a tree with its head toward the ground chances are good you are looking at a nuthatch. 

Our sources for this episode include:

• White-breasted Nuthatch (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-breasted_Nuthatch/overview
• What is a Nuthatch?
  http://www.10000birds.com/nuthatches?doing_wp_cron=1550344848.9804060459136962890625
• 9 fun facts about nuthatches
  https://www.wausaudailyherald.com/story/sports/outdoors/2016/04/27/9-funfacts-nuthatches/83551868/
• How to Attract Nuthatches
  https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-attract-nuthatches-386249

 

Bobʼs neighbor Wayne had a simple question. Why do you have clover in your yard? Bob and Bill decided to do a podcast to explain to Wayne why we both keep and even plant clover in our yards.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Advantages and Disadvantages of Clover Lawns
  https://dengarden.com/gardening/Clover-Lawns
• Establishing White Clover in Lawns
  http://versicolor.ca/lawnsoldsite/docs/clover.html
• Blades of glory: America's love affair with lawns
  https://theweek.com/articles/483762/blades-glory-americas-love-affair-lawns

Bill and Bob explore a lizard that started showing up in Cincinnati in the 1950ʼs. Tune in for the fascinating story of how this lizard got to Cincinnati all the way from Italy.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Revisiting Some Scaly Old Friends
  https://bygl.osu.edu/node/926
• Bottlenecks and Microhabitat Preference in Invasive Wall Lizard, Podarcis muralis
  https://etd.ohiolink.edu/ap/10?0::NOM10MP10_ETD_SUBIDM89321
• They came from Italy. Now, they outnumber us all.
  https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2017/08/31/they-came-italy-now-theyoutnumber-us-all/591532001/
• Lazarus Lizards Rise in Cincinnati
  https://bygl.osu.edu/node/585
• Ohio Division of Natural Resources (ODNR) Conservation Education Materials
  http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/education-and-outdoor-discovery/conservation-education-project-wild/education-materials

Rabbits are fun and sometimes confusing. Bob and Bill will cover everything from legend to fact about a very cool animal that everyone knows.

Our sources for this episode include:

• 39 Most Famous Bunnies of All Time
  https://247wallst.com/special-report/2018/03/28/39-most-famous-bunnies-of-all-time/
• 14 Fascinating Facts About Rabbits
  http://mentalfloss.com/article/557234/facts-about-rabbits
• 20 Fascinating Facts About Rabbits
  https://www.care2.com/causes/20-fascinating-facts-about-rabbits.html
• Imago
  https://imagoearth.org/
• La Soupe Cincinnati
  https://www.lasoupecincinnati.com/

Black Walnut trees are valuable for their beautiful wood. Bobʼs dad sold their big Black Walnuts when Bob was a kid. Tune in to find out all about this amazing tree!

Related episode: Fall Webworms in Summer (http://natureguys.org/fall-webworms/)

Our sources for this episode include:

• A Wild Crop and Backyard Harvest
  https://www.americanforests.org/magazine/article/a-wild-crop-and-backyard-harvest/
• Eastern Black Walnut
  https://naturewalk.yale.edu/trees/juglandaceae/juglans-nigra/eastern-black-walnut-59
• Black Walnut Tree
  https://www.wildernesscollege.com/black-walnut-tree.html
• Mast Tree Network
  http://www.mast-producing-trees.org/2009/11/native-walnuts-of-north-america/

If you like to kayak or canoe you can find these really cool turtles in streams. 

Our sources for this episode include:

• Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera spinifera) - Ohio's 12 Species of Turtles at a Glance
  https://trekohio.com/2012/07/19/ohios-12-species-of-turtles-at-a-glance/
• Facts about Softshell Turtles
  https://animals.mom.me/softshell-turtles-3184.html
• Spiny Softshell Turtle - Diet
  https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Reptiles/Spiny-Softshell-Turtle

When Bill and Bob were kids they had sliders as pets. Tune is to find out where you can find these turtles today.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Red-Eared Slider
  http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/red-eared_slider_712.html
• Red-Eared Slider, Map and Painted Turtles – Semi-Aquatic Turtle Care
  http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2012/03/06/red-eared-slider-map-and-painted-turtles-semi-aquatic-turtle-care/
• Global invasive species list - 100 of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species
  http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/100_worst.php

Learn everything you need to know about this very beautiful turtle. 

Our sources for this episode include:

• Five Facts You Probably Didn't Know about Painted Turtles https://dickinsoncountyconservationboard.com/2018/03/05/five-facts-you-probably-didnt-know-about-painted-turtles/
• Painted Turtle https://www.warnernaturecenter.org/animals/paintedturtle

Bob runs into a snake in Florida that exhibits a behavior that he has never seen before. Tune in the hear all about this very fast snake.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Black Racer https://www.acaquarium.com/animals/black-racer/
• Black Racer – Deceiving Speed http://www.beaufortonline.com/black-racer-deceiving-speed/
• North American Black Racer (Coluber constrictor) https://kysnakes.ca.uky.edu/snake/coluber-constrictor

In this edition of Through the Eyes of Nature Guys, Bill shares stories of trips to one of his top two destinations in the world - the Galapagos Islands.

Related episodes:

• Bill's Travel Tips http://natureguys.org/bills-travel-tips/
• Belize http://natureguys.org/belize/

Our sources for this episode include:

• The experiences of Bill on his trips to the Galapagos

The Mourning Dove is easy to find both by sight and by ear.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Fun Mourning Dove Facts
  http://backyardbirdingblog.com/fun-mourning-dove-facts/
• Mourning Dove
  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mourning_Dove/lifehistory
• The Secret Life of the Mourning Dove
  http://northernwoodlands.org/outside_story/article/the-secret-life-of-the-mourning-dove

This is a bird that is so friendly it will eat out of your hand! Tune in to find out more about this cute little bird that is easy to find.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Black-capped chickadees are amazing little birds - https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/thom-smith-naturewatch-black-capped-chickadees-are-amazing-little-birds,532813
• 10 Interesting Facts About Chickadees - https://www.backyardchirper.com/blog/10-interesting-facts-about-chickadees/
• Carolina Chickadees - https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Carolina_Chickadee/overview

This is a bird that is easily identified. It will come to your feeder and is a year round resident in Cincinnati. Tune in to learn more about the little bird with the bad haircut.

Our sources for this episode include:

• What is a Titmouse? - http://www.10000birds.com/titmouse.htm
• Titmouse - https://www.britannica.com/animal/titmouse
• Tufted Titmouse - https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/tufted-titmouse

Cordyceps is a fungus that can destroy ant colonies. Tune in to find out how cicadas found a way to use cordyceps to survive.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Fungus turns ‘zombie antsʼ into booby traps https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2014/08/19/fungus-turns-zombie-ants-into-booby-traps/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.549321d845b5
• 6 Benefits of Cordyceps, All Backed by Science https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cordyceps-benefits#section8
• Cordyceps: The Most Terrifying Fungus Youʼve Ever Seen https://www.strangerdimensions.com/2013/05/28/cordyceps-the-most-terrifying-fungus-youve-ever-seen/
• How to Tame a Zombie Fungus - Cicadas have repeatedly turned the infamous cordyceps fungi into indispensable allies. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/06/how-to-tame-a-zombie-fungus/562544/

Horsehair worms are easy to find. They are fascinating and harmless. Keep your eyes open when you are near water. Bill found one crawling out of a grasshopper.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Horsehair Worms (https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/files/efpdf3/ef613.pdf)
• Iowa State Horsehair Worms (https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/horsehair-worm)
• Wild Fact #752 – Bad Company – Nematomorpha (http://www.wild-facts.com/2010/wild-fact-752-bad-company-nematomorpha/)
• Zombie Fungus Enslaves Only Its Favorite Ant Brains (https://www.livescience.com/47751-zombie-fungus-picky-about-ant-brains.html)

Water Striders are amazing insects that you can find in lakes and streams. Tune in to find out what they eat, how fast they are and much more.

This episode was recorded live at Roads, Rivers and Trails (https://roadsriversandtrails.com/).

Our sources for this episode include:

• Facts About Water Striders https://someinterestingfacts.net/facts-water-striders
• This Is Why Water Striders Make Terrible Lifeguards - KQED You Tube video
• https://www.kqed.org/science/1871155/this-is-why-water-striders-make-terriblelifeguards
• 7 Water Strider Facts – It Walks On Water! http://jakesnatureblog.com/2018/08/11/7-water-strider-facts-walks-water/
• Richard Hammond's Invisible Worlds - Water Strider - You Tube video
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RphuMEUY3Og

As human beings we have a chance to contribute to organizations that help educate and protect the natural world. Bob and Bill talk about some of their favorite organizations and what they are able to accomplish with a little help from people like you. If you are donating to an organization please consider leaving a comment under this episode.

Organizations that Bob and Bill support:

• Imago
  https://imagoearth.org
• Cincinnati Nature Center
  https://www.cincynature.org
• The Nature Conservancy
  https://www.nature.org/en-us/
• American Bird Conservancy
  https://abcbirds.org

The beaver is one of the largest rodents in North America. Tune in to find out how and why beavers actually took up parachuting!

Our sources for this episode include:

• Parachuting beavers featured in 'Fur For the Future,' 1950s-era film
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gNAjBPIyjQ
• Amazing Facts About the Beaver
  https://onekindplanet.org/animal/beaver/
• Facts About Beavers
  https://www.livescience.com/52460-beavers.html
• 11 Fascinating Facts About Beavers
  http://mentalfloss.com/article/62316/11-fascinating-facts-about-beavers

Did you know that we have thousands of species of parasitoid wasps? Tune in to find out why these are called Zombie Wasps.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Butterfly Eggs and Caterpillar Survival | Life In The Undergrowth | BBC
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCo2uCLXvhk
• That little speck there? That's a parasitoid wasp!
  https://u.osu.edu/pinningblock/2015/05/28/that-little-speck-there-thats-a-parasitoid-wasp/
• Ichneumon Wasps More than 5,000 species in North America
  https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/ichneumon-wasps
• Intimate relation between blue butterfly, ichneumon wasp and ants
  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320475303_Intimate_relation_between_blue_butterfly_ichneumon_wasp_and_ant

This is Nature Guys 100th episode and to celebrate Bill and Bob did a live show for volunteers of Cincinnati Nature Center (https://www.cincynature.org/) the place they met many years ago. This episode is on Canada Geese a bird that Bill had many encounters with at Cincinnati Nature Center. Tune in to find out all about the bird many people love to hate.

Related episode: Don’t Grab a Snapping Turtle by the Tail (http://natureguys.org/snapping-turtle/)

Our sources for this episode include:

• Where Did All Those Canada Geese In Town Come From?
  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/canada-goose-resident-vs-migratory/
• The Canada Goose
  https://owlcation.com/stem/The-Canada-Goose-Facts-and-Information
• 6 Honking Facts About Canada Geese
  http://mentalfloss.com/article/80243/6-honking-facts-about-canada-geese
• Canada geese will attack. Why are the birds so aggressive?
  https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/04/25/canada-geese-attacks-population-aggressive/550135002/

Bill and Bob gathered nature stories at Imagoʼs Music in the Woods (http://www.imagoearth.org). Tune in to hear inspiring stories of nature connection.

Bill mentions a book that he loves, The Overstory, by Richard Powers (http://www.richardpowers.net/the-overstory/).

Related episodes: Sit Spot (http://natureguys.org/sit-spot/) and Screech Owl (http://natureguys.org/screech-owl/)

Step outside on a night in late summer and listen to the sounds of the insects. Bill and Bob have some tips on how to listen to these amazing sounds.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Bill suggests the book "The Songs of Insects" by Lang Elliott and Wil Hershberger
  https://www.amazon.com/Songs-Insects-Wil-Hershberger/dp/0618663975
• The Music of Nature by Lang Elliot
  http://www.musicofnature.com
• Understanding Insect Sounds: Nature's Orchestra Video
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEHbY-ZkzVo
• What are you hearing
  http://www.entnemdept.ufl.edu/walker/buzz/i00dis.htm
• The Singing Insects of Summer
  https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2008/aug/060801.htm

Bill finds fall webworms in the middle of summer. These may look nasty in trees but they are native.

Related episode: Tent Caterpillars Camp Out Together http://natureguys.org/tent-caterpillars/

Our sources for this episode include:

• Answer Man Revisited: Are there more webworms this fall? Sept 2016
  https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2016/09/30/answer-man-revisited-there-more-webworms-fall/91172160/
• Fall Webworm
  https://texasinsects.tamu.edu/fall-webworm/
• The rise and fall of the fall webworm
  http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/the_rise_and_fall_of_the_fall_webworm
• Bagworms or Fall Webworms?
  https://wayne.ces.ncsu.edu/2015/10/bagworms-or-fall-webworms/

It is hard to stay mad at a chipmunk because they are so darn cute. Tune in to learn all about this adorable creature.

Our sources for this episode include:

• 5 Ways Chipmunks Win at Winter
  http://www.ohioanimalcompanion.org/5-ways-chipmunks-win-at-winter/
• 10 things you don't know about chipmunks
  https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/10-things-you-dont-know-about-chipmunks
• Chipmunk Facts
  http://www.havahart.com/chipmunk-facts
• NOT Alvin and the Chipmunks: 10 Facts You May Not Know about the Real Rodents
  https://blog.nwf.org/2011/12/not-alvin-and-the-chipmunks-10-facts-about-the-real-rodents/ 

The Northern Water Snake is a common snake that you will see around water. Billʼs advice is to look at these and not pick them up.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Northern Water Snake
  http://www.untamedscience.com/biodiversity/northern-water-snake/
• Facts About Water Snakes
  https://www.livescience.com/52768-water-snake-facts.html
• Northern Water Snake
  https://snake-facts.weebly.com/northern-water-snake.html

 

Did you know that Basswood was the favorite tree of Henry David Thoreau? Tune in to find out all about this amazing tree.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Linden Tree (Tilia species): The Bee Tree by Gary Carlin
  http://hpsbg.weebly.com/uploads/2/3/6/6/2366012/linden_tree.pdf
• Basswood Tree Facts
  https://www.gardenguides.com/116300-basswood-tree.html
• Uses for Basswood
  http://www.bwsr.state.mn.us/news/webnews/May%202013/plant.pdf
• Basswood or Linden Tree Interesting Facts and Uses
  http://snaplant.com/trees/basswood-or-linden-tree-interesting-facts-and-uses/

The Nature Guys recorded this show in front of a live audience at Fibanacci Brewing Company (http://fibbrew.com/). Fibonacci makes a beer called Mulberry Grove. Tune in to find out how mulberry trees ended up growing near the the brewery.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Hamilton Avenue Road to Freedom by Charles Cheney
  http://hamiltonavenueroadtofreedom.org/?page_id=563
• Silk
  https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/silk/
• Mt. Healthy neighbors gather mulberries for Fibonaci beer
  https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/dining/2018/06/29/fibonaccismulberry-grove-made-wild-neighborhood-berries/742644002/
• 7 Reasons You Should Plant a Mulberry Tree
  http://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/reasons-you-should-plant-a-mulberry-tree/

We were at Cincinnati Nature Center for their Hoots and Hops event. Much to our surprise we found out that Lois has Japanese Beetles on her ferns. If you have a garden you probably have seen a Japanese Beetle. These insects can be a challenge to control. Tune in to find out how to identify and deal with the Japanese Beetle.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Best and Worst Plants
  https://www.almanac.com/content/japanese-beetles-best-and-worst-plants
• Jaw-dropping Facts About Japanese Beetles
  https://animalsake.com/japanese-beetle-facts
• Ten Interesting Facts About Japanese Beetles as an Aid to Control
  http://www.karensgardentips.com/growing-garden-plants/garden-pests-diseases/ten-interesting-facts-about-japanese-beetles-to-help-you-control-them/
• 5 Need to Know Facts about Japanese Beetles
  https://lancaster.unl.edu/hort/articles/5FactsaboutJapaneseBeetle_JLarson.pdf

If you happen to see a baby hummingbird take a closer look. You probably are looking at a Hummingbird Moth. Tune in to find out all about a moth that looks and acts like a hummingbird.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Summer Hummer
  http://bugoftheweek.com/blog/2015/7/13/summer-hummer-hummingbird-moth-ihemaris-thysbei
• National Moth Week
  http://nationalmothweek.org
• Convergent Evolution
  https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/convergent_evolution.htm
• Is it rare to see a hummingbird moth?
  http://animals.mom.me/rare-see-hummingbird-moth-4660.html

Once in awhile we are going to take advantage of Billʼs vast travel experience. In this episode Bill and Bob share nature stories from Belize.

Related episode: Bill's Travel Tips (http://natureguys.org/bills-travel-tips/)

Our sources for this episode include:

• Mayan Culture and History
  http://www.tulum.com/information/mayan-culture-history/
• Howler Monkey Facts
  http://interesting-animal-facts.com/Facts-South-American-Animals/Howler-Monkey-Facts.shtml
• Belize Barrier Reef Snorkeling
  http://www.tropicalsnorkeling.com/belize-snorkeling.html

Bill has traveled the world in his long career. In this episode he shares some tips and tricks to help make sure you can enjoy the natural world no matter how close or far you travel from home. Visit our website at http://www.natureguys.org/ for a list of Bill's tips and tricks!

Learn how and how not to pick up a snapping turtle. These turtles live a really long time. Find out the pros and cons of this strategy. This episode was recorded live at Roads, Rivers and Trails (http://roadsriversandtrails.com/).

Our sources for this episode include:

• To Help Snapping Turtles
  https://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/snappers.htm
• 10 Awesome Snapping Turtle Facts
  https://www.buzzfeed.com/turtlefeed/10-awesome-snapping-turtle-facts-ruc?utm_term=.ajANjXPeV#.bepj18Nem
• How would you help a snapping turtle cross the road
  https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/questions/14121/how-would-you-help-a-snapping-turtle-cross-the-road
• Common Snapping Turtle Facts for Kids
  https://kidsanimalsfacts.com/common-snapping-turtle-facts-for-kids/

Tune in to find out why deer will not eat ferns. Bill will explain the life cycle of this amazing plant. Bob takes you way back to the time when ferns were eaten by dinosaurs. Find out why the Victorians in Britain had fern fever.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Fern-mania: After the Victorians said they cured madness and boosted your love life - and explorers risked death to find them, the humble fern is sexy all over again
  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2111859/Fern-mania-After-Victorians-said-cured-madness-boosted-love-life--explorers-risked-death-humble-fern-sexy-again.html#ixzz5ELu2eZ46
• Seeds and Spores - What Are the Differences
  http://jakesnatureblog.com/2017/10/30/seeds-and-spores-differences/
• What is a fern?
  https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1103-what-is-a-fern
• A mouse that eats ferns like a dinosaur
  http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8523000/8523825.stm

Ticks can make you sick. However, if you take a few precautions they will not prevent you from being outside. Join us to find all about these challenging creatures.

Related episode: Opossums Like To Eat Ticks (http://natureguys.org/opossums/)

Our sources for this episode include:

• What Purpose Do Ticks Serve in the Ecosystem?
  https://www.hunker.com/12192945/what-purpose-do-ticks-serve-in-theecosystem
• Create a Tick-Safe Zone Through Landscaping
  https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/in_the_yard.html
• Deer Ticks: 7 Facts You Need to Know Now
  https://blog.vermontcountrystore.com/deer-ticks/
• Ticks are getting worse
  https://gizmodo.com/ticks-and-insects-are-making-us-sicker-and-theproblem-1825698896

 

Bobʼs garden is invaded by voles. Tune in to find out why this little rodent is being studied by researchers.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management
  http://icwdm.com
• What Can Rodents Tell Us About Why Humans Love?
  https://www.smithsonianmag.com/scienceanature/what-can-rodents-tell-us-about-why-humans-love-180949441/
• Voles: These Little Rodents Can do a Lot of Damage
  https://www.gardensalive.com/product/voles-these-little-rodents-can-do-a-lot-of-damage
• Facts on Voles
  http://animals.mom.me/voles-5139.html
• Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat
  Book: https://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/118183/never-cry-wolf#9780735252905
  Movie: https://movies.disney.com/never-cry-wolf

Seems like everyone knows something about the Praying Mantis. Tune in to find out some interesting facts that you might not know.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Praying mantises released for pest control are hunting hummingbirds
  https://www.treehugger.com/animals/praying-mantises-released-pest-control-are-hunting-hummingbirds.html
• 11 wondrous facts about praying mantises
  https://www.treehugger.com/animals/11-wondrous-facts-about-praying-mantises.html
• 10 Fascinating Praying Mantis Facts
  https://www.thoughtco.com/praying-mantid-facts-1968525

Who isnʼt happy to see butterflies? Bill loves to look for zebra and tiger butterflies in April and May. Join us to find out how these butterflies get out so early.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Tiger Swallowtail Facts and Info
  https://animalsake.com/tiger-swallowtail-butterfly
• Common Swallowtail Butterflies
  http://www.birdsandblooms.com/blog/common-swallowtail-butterflies/
• A Garden for Zebras and Tigers
  http://blog.nwf.org/2016/02/a-garden-for-zebras-and-tigers/
• Top 10 Plants for Swallowtails
  http://www.birdsandblooms.com/gardening/top-10-lists-for-gardeners/top-10-plants-swallowtails/?11

Bob is amazed to learn that tent caterpillars are native. He also learns that pregnant horses can be harmed by tent caterpillars. As usual Bill tells us when are where to find these gregarious creatures.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Interesting Behaviors and Traits of Tent Caterpillars - https://www.thoughtco.com/tent-caterpillar-facts-4148139
• 7 facts about tent caterpillars and why they're all over N.J. this spring - http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/05/6_facts_about_tent_caterpillars.html
• Eastern Tent Caterpillar - https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef423

Bill has a very hard time dealing with the common starling. Bob does his best to bring up some interesting facts about the starling. Join us to see if Bill changes his mind about a bird that many people love to hate.

Our sources for this episode include:

• The Invasive Species We Can Blame On Shakespeare - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-invasive-species-we-can-blame-on-shakespeare-95506437/
• Even if we don’t love starlings, we should learn to live with them - https://ideas.ted.com/even-if-we-dont-love-starlings-we-should-learn-to-live-with-them/
• Fun Facts about European Starlings - http://lansingwbu.blogspot.com/2011/03/fun-facts-about-european-starlings.html
• Why We Should all Love and Help the Humble Starling - https://www.birdfood.co.uk/help-starling

Bob, Bill and Beth take a field trip out to Burtonʼs Bamboo Garden. Did you know that some bamboo is native to the US? Tune in to find out all the pros and cons of this very interesting plant.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Zak Burton at Burtonʼs Bamboo Garden - http://www.burtonsbamboogarden.com/
• Bamboo - https://www.mydaytondailynews.com/news/local/bamboo-invasions-promptbans-crackdowns/eqYmvqyOTtkEmv7JkPUz5J/
• Americaʼs Native Bamboo
  https://showmeoz.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/americas-native-bamboo-part-i-history-and-ecology/
• Invasive bamboo frustrates Worthington coupleʼs neighbors
  http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/06/18/bamboozled.html
• Switch Cane, Giant Cane
  http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/arundinaria-gigantea/

Toads are so cool! If you cannot find one make sure you take some kids hiking with you. They are great at finding toads. Join us as we explore many interesting things about the toad. Do you know how they drink water?

Our sources for this episode include:

• Book “The Hidden Life of a Toad” by Doug Wechsler - http://dougwechsler.com/pages/hidden-life-of-a-toad.php
• American Toads - http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Anaxyrus_americanus/
• American Toad: The Animal Files - http://www.theanimalfiles.com/amphibians/toads/american_toad.html
• What are these tiny toads? - http://askanaturalist.com/what-are-these-tiny-toads/
• Do Toads Really Give You Warts? - https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/do-toads-really-give-you-warts

Nature Guys is the podcast that connects you to the exciting natural world right in your own neighborhood. These nature connections will help you be cool, calm, collected and ready to make a positive difference in the world. Nature Guys is co-hosted by Bob a long time nature lover and Bill a professional naturalist for over 40 years.

We are excited to have Chris Clements, Executive Director of Imago (http://imagoearth.org), join us on this show recorded in front of a live audience at Roads, Rivers, and Trails (http://roadsriversandtrails.com/). Imago is an ecological education organization rooted In the concept that living in harmony with the natural world is not only good for the planet, but good for ourselves, our families and our communities. Bill, Bob and Chris talk about the importance of summer camps in connecting children to nature. But why let kids have all the fun? Imago will for the first time be offering an adventure camp for adults. Tune in to learn all about it.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Imago Adventure Camp for Adults - https://imagoearth.org/event/adventure-camp-for-adults-canoeing-and-camping/
• Chris refers to an article in the New York Times "Cure Yourself of Tree Blindness" - https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/26/opinion/sunday/cure-yourself-of-tree-blindness.html

 

The bladdernut is a great native under story shrub. If you see something that looks like chinese lanterns you may have found bladdernut. Bill says it is a wonderful plant for a yard.

Our sources for this episode include:

• American Bladdernut (Staphylea trifoliaa) - http://www.carolinanature.com/trees/sttr.html
• Staphylea trifolia Fact Sheet - http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=87
• Bladdernut - https://www.uaex.edu/yard-garden/resource-library/plant-week/
  bladdernut-10-21-11.aspx
• There are No Insect-Free Plants, but There are Good Insects - https://www.possibilityplace.com/education/staff-articles/butterfly-list

This is a great native under story plant. Bill explains the difference between a tree and a bush. Spicebush is a wonderful plant to look for on a hike.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) - http://mowildflowers.net/Spice-Bush-Lindera-benzoin_p_163.html
• Edible Wild Plants - http://connsoil-totallysustainable.blogspot.com/2012/08/edible-wild-plants-spicebush-tea.html
• Common Spicebush Facts - http://www.softschools.com/facts/plants/common_spicebush_facts/1308/

Our trilogy on turkeys is complete. This episode includes the real story of Ben Franklin and turkeys. We also cover some problem wild turkeys in Rocky River.

Note: Bill and Bob attempted to do this podcast in front of a live audience at the Amish Bird Symposium. Bob was a Turkey and forgot to press record! We have so much great information on the wild turkey that we decided to break it into three podcasts.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Mail delivery halted in portion of Rocky River - https://localtvwjw.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/city-of-rocky-river.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&strip=all
• No, Ben Franklin Didnʼt Want a Turkey on the Great Seal - http://mentalfloss.com/article/53729/no-ben-franklin-didnt-want-turkey-greatseal
• Rocky River Wild Turkeys Captured - http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2018/02/aggressive_rocky_river_wild_tu.html

In this podcast we cover the history of the turkey. This bird was transported from Mexico to Europe and then to North America. Join to find out how the wild turkey made it back from the brink of extinction.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Why Are Wild Turkeys So Aggressive - https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2016/01/11/why-are-wild-turkeys-so-aggressive/
• 9 Fun Facts about Turkeys - http://www.audubon.org/news/9-fun-facts-about-turkeys
• Have You Been Attacked by a Turkey - https://news.wgbh.org/post/have-you-been-attacked-turkey-heres-why
• Why Wild Turkeys Hate the Wild - https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2015/11/return-of-the-turkey/417648/

Bill and Bob attempted to do this podcast in front of a live audience at the Amish Bird Symposium. Bob was a Turkey and forgot to press record! We recorded this in our outdoor studio at Bobʼs house a few days later. We have so much great information on the wild turkey that we decided to break it into three podcasts.

Our sources for this episode include:

• The Word Detective - http://www.word-detective.com/2012/06/turkey-2/
  
  14 Fun Facts about Turkeys - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/14-fun-facts-about-turkeys-665520/
  
  What is a bird's snood? - https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-a-birds-snood-385372
  
  Eight Wild Facts About Wild Turkeys - https://www.fws.gov/refuges/about/FunOnWildlifeRefuges/EightWildFactsAboutWildTurkeys.html

You might not see this little frog but you will have no trouble hearing them. Find out all about the frog that is the size of a small paper clip.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Fall Peepers - https://northernwoodlands.org/outside_story/article/fall-peepers
• Pinkeltinks - http://www.theanimalfiles.com/amphibians/frogs/spring_peeper.html
• Spring Peepers - http://www.wild-facts.com/2011/wild-fact-640-peep-peep-spring-peeper/
• 10 Things You Didnʼt Know about Spring Peepers - http://natureformysoul.com/2014/03/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-spring-peepers/

If you hear what sounds like ducks in the early spring take the time to check it out. You may end up at a vernal pool that has wood frogs.

Our sources for this episode include:

• In Alaska Wood Frogs freeze for seven months - http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-alaskan-frozen-frogs-20140723-story.html
• Wood Frogs are Explosive Breeders - http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-frogs
• Wood Frog - https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Amphibians/Wood-Frog
• Ten Facts About Wood Frogs - http://tenrandomfacts.com/wood-frog/

You may need to go out of your way to see mole salamanders but it is totally worth it. We hope this podcast will inspire you to go out some warm and rainy early spring night to look for mole salamanders.

Our sources for this episode include:

• The Secret Lives of Salamanders - http://www.kenyon.edu/directories/offices-services/brown-family-environmental-center/news-information/newsletter-archive/newsletter-articles/the-secret-lives-of-salamanders/
• Ohioʼs Salamanders: 24 Good Things to Know - https://cfaes.osu.edu/news/articles/ohio%E2%80%99s-salamanders-24-good-things-know-and-what-they-can-tell-you
• Spotted Salamanders - https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/spotted-salamander/#spottedsalamander-closeup.jpg
• Ambystomatidae - Mole Salamanders - http://www.nhptv.org/wild/ambystomatidae.asp
• Jefferson Salamanders - http://ohioamphibians.com/salamanders/Jefferson_Salamander.html

This is one of Bob's favorite birds. In the Cincinnati area it arrives in late fall and it leaves in early spring. Tune in to find out why this bird is often used in research projects and where to look for it in your neighborhood.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Ordinary Extraordinary Junco (videos) - http://science360.gov/series/ordinary-extraordinary-junco/eb10b2e6-e126-42ab-b053-d94bb4099397
• Dark-eyed juncos - a sure sign of winter -http://www.farmanddairy.com/columns/dark-eyed-juncos-sure-sign-winter/
  161998.html
• 10 Fun Facts - http://www.birdorable.com/blog/dark-eyed-juncos-10-fun-facts/
• Dark-eyed Junco the Snow Bird - http://www.wild-bird-watching.com/junco.html

Bill says you should not have a skunk as a pet! You probably figured this out on your own but what if run into a skunk outside? Nature Guys will share what to do if you or a pet get sprayed. Spoiler alert do not use tomato juice!

Our sources for this episode include:

• Pet Skunks - http://www.skunkhaven.net/StatesForm.htm
• Snuggling Skunks: Is It Better To Brave Winter Alone Or In A Group? - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061219170615.htm
• For the Love of Skunks - http://wildohioeducation.blogspot.com/2013/02/for-love-of-skunks.html
• Striped Skunk Foraging - http://emammal.wordpress.com/201a/05/a1/striped-skunk-foraging/

Bob finds out that not all snowflakes are unique. Bill remembers cutting out snowflakes in class after he walked though the snow to get to school. Bob hopes to take his grandson Drew to the hill he sledded down as a kid. Bill and Bob are excited to go out side and try to find different kinds of snowflakes.

Our sources for this episode include:

• 15 Incredibly Cool Facts About Snow - http://mentalfloss.com/article/61089/15-incredibly-cool-facts-about-snow
• 9 Interesting Facts About Snow - http://snowbrains.com/10-interesting-facts-about-snow/
• 10 Facts About Snow That Might Surprise You - http://weather.com/science/weather-explainers/news/ten-facts-about-snow
• Book that Bill Loves: The Snowflake: Winter's Frozen Artistry by Kenneth Libbrecht and Rachel Wing, 2015 -http://www.snowcrystals.com/
• How to make a 6 pointed snowflake from paper - http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-6-Pointed-Paper-Snowflakes/

Bobʼs brother-in-law Al sends an email detailing his encounter with a groundhog in his garden. As Al found out groundhogs will put up a fight for garden vegetables.

Our sources for this episode include:

• 9 Things You Didnʼt Know About Groundhogs - http://voices.nationalgeographic.org/2014/01/31/9-things-you-didnt-know-about-groundhogs
• Groundhogs in Your Garden - https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/01/groundhogs-in-your-garden_n_2593390.html
• Groundhogs by National Geographic - http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/g/groundhog/
• Groundhog Fun Facts - http://www.groundhog.org/about/fun-facts-faq/

Bob has a spider friend named Fred that does not survive a visit from relatives. These spiders can be really scary but they are pretty much harmless. They are also called fishing spiders and have interesting ways that they ‘fish' for food.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Big Spiders Are a Little Scary - http://bugoftheweek.com/blog/2012/8/16/big-spiders-are-a-little-scary-fishing-spiders-and-wolf-spiders
• Fishing Spider - http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/fishing-spider
• Facts about the Fishing Spider - http://www.second-opinion-doc.com/facts-about-the-fishing-spider.html
• Common Fishing Spider - http://roadsendnaturalist.com/tag/wolf-spider/

We all live with house spiders! Find out why this is not such a bad thing. These little spiders have been living with humans for quite a long time.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Bethany Barton's book "I'm Trying to Love Spiders" - http://www.bethanybarton.com/books
• Myth: Spiders bite sleeping persons - http://www.burkemuseum.org/blog/myth-spiders-bite-sleeping-persons
• 8 Facts about the misunderstood house spider - http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/8-facts-about-misunderstood-house-spider
• 10 Fascinating Facts About House Spiders - http://www.care2.com/causes/10-fascinating-facts-about-house-spiders.html

Bill and Bob do their first podcast in front of a live audience at the amazing Roads Rivers and Trails store in Milford, Ohio (http://roadsriversandtrails.com/). Bill brought a bunch of bird feeders from Cincinnati Nature Center (http://www.cincynature.org/) and explains how to use them. Bob has a very special low cost bird ‘feederʼ! Listen in to find out what Bill thinks about Bobʼs feeder. Also donʼt miss the last part when our audience asks some great questions!

Bob has two plants growing in his backyard that Bill is not excited about. Bob decides it is finally time to do something about Winter Creeper and English Ivy. Join us to find out how and why these invasive plants are taking over.

Our sources for this episode include:

• English Ivy: The Hazards and Removal Strategies - http://walamarestoration.org/resources/english-ivy-the-hazards-and-removal-strategies
• 5 Fast Facts About English Ivy - http://www.healthline.com/health/5-fast-facts-english-ivy
• Winter creeper isnʼt a keeper - http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/real-estate/2015/01/11/winter-creeper-isn-keeper/0wGoqJx6EMTGeJxuzOb8SJ/story.html
• Journey with Nature Wintercreeper -https://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/indiana/journeywithnature/wintercreeper.xml

Sassafras is a tree that produces a small blue fruit in the early fall. The fruit comes at the perfect time to help birds get ready for winter. This is a beautiful tree that has four different leaf shapes. Bill of course has a special word for trees that have different shape leaves.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Sassafras Facts - http://www.softschools.com/facts/plants/sassafras_facts/1283/
• Sassafras in America - http://appvoices.org/2003/11/01/2780/
• Sassafras - http://www.psu.edu/dept/nkbiology/naturetrail/speciespages/sassafras.html
• Sassafras Tea Safety - http://www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/food-safety/sassafras-tea-safety/

If you are not a birder you might think the yellow-bellied sapsucker is a crazy made up name from some movie. Join us a we explore the world of this wonderful woodpecker.

Our sources for this episode include:

• All About Birds - http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-bellied_Sapsucker/lifehistory#at_habitat
• Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Natures 7-11 - http://infinitespider.com/yellow-bellied-sapsuckers-natures-7-11/
• Audubon Guide To North American Birds - http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/yellow-bellied-sapsucker

Opossums are really cute or really ugly. It all depends on your point of view. They are great at killing ticks. So they might be a good thing to see in your neighborhood.

Our sources for this episode include:

• 10 things you didnʼt know about opossums - http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-opossums
• All About Opossums - http://www.wildliferescuerehab.com/all-about-opossums.html
• Opossums - killers of ticks - http://www.caryinstitute.org/newsroom/opossums-killers-ticks
• The ‘Possum Pages: FAQs - http://opossum.craton.net/faqs.htm
• Facts on Opossums Playing Dead - http://animals.mom.me/opossums-playing-dead-5274.html

This is a tree that may show up in your neighborhood as a volunteer. It is a great food source for birds. You might even have an old pencil made from this tree.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Eastern Redcedar - http://www.gpnc.org/eastern.htm
• Juniperus virginiana - http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=juvi
• Eastern Redcedar in the Landscape - http://vnps.org/eastern-red-cedar-in-the-landscape/
• Go Botany Juniperus Virginiana - http://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/juniperus/virginiana/

Carol emails Nature Guys about a problem with fox. Bill and Bob struggle to come up with an answer but are inspired to do a show on foxes. This is an animal that you can occasionally see in the daytime. You might even see a gray fox in a tree!

Our sources for this episode include:

• Are Red Fox Native? http://www.dfwwildlife.org/foxes_th.pdf
• What Kind of Foxes Live in Ohio? http://animals.mom.me/kind-foxes-live-ohio-11057.html
• Fox and Surplus Prey - http://www.thefoxwebsite.net/faq/ruralfoxproblems
• Fox - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox
• Sarcoptic Mange In Red Foxes - http://www.foxwoodwildliferescue.org/2017/01/05/treating-sarcoptic-mange-in-red-
  foxes/
• You Tube Video on Mange - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHe5ycjt-UI

Red tailed Hawks often do voiceovers in movies. Tune in to find out why hollywood loves this hawk. Bill shares some amazing hawk stories. Donʼt miss his last one about the hawk and the owl as Bill finds out it is not nice to fool Mother Nature. Visit our website
http://www.natureguys.org for great photos thanks to John Howard.

Our sources for this episode include:

• My Favorite Facts about the Red Tailed Hawk - http://centerofthewest.org/2013/09/30/my-favorite-facts-about-the-red-tailed-hawk/
• Red Tailed Hawks Fun Facts - http://lansingwbu.blogspot.com/2011/12/red-tailed-hawk-fun-facts.html
• Red Tailed Hawk Facts - http://facts.net/red-tailed-hawk/

This is a bird that Bill thinks should have a new name. When Bob moved into his neighborhood hawks were a big topic of conversation. Tune in to learn more about the red-shouldered hawk.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Protective Hawks go on Attack http://www.ohio.com/akron/news/protective-hawks-go-on-attack-near-nest-in-akron
• Red-shouldered vs Red tailed Hawk http://ecobirder.blogspot.com/2008/02/red-shouldered-vs-red-tailed-hawk.html
• Red-shouldered Hawk from BioKIDS http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Buteo_lineatus/
• Red-shouldered Hawk from National Geographic http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/r/red-shouldered-hawk/

 

Bob looks outside and notices that all the birds are suddenly gone from his bird feeders. He soon discovers the reason. A Cooper's Hawk is on the ground right next to the feeders. Learn all about this amazing bird in this episode.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Accipiter_cooperii/
• 8 Interesting Facts about the Cooper's Hawk http://www.withmephotographyblog.com/8-interesting-facts-about-the-coopers-hawk
• The Raptor Trust Accipiters http://theraptortrust.org/the-birds/hawk-facts/accipiters/
• Cooper's Hawk Life History http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Coopers_Hawk/lifehistory
• Predator Management http://articles.extension.org/pages/71204/predator-management-for-small-andbackyard-poultry-flocks
• Hawk Mountain http://www.hawkmountain.org/raptorpedia/hawks-at-hawk-mountain/hawk-species-at-hawk-mountain/cooper-s-hawk/page.aspx?id=663

Bobʼs grandson, Drew is excited to be dressed up as an eagle for Halloween. If you check out our website http://www.natureguys.org you will find a picture of Drew as an eagle. He did not want to paint his shoes yellow so we have the very special Blue Footed Bald Eagle. Tune in to find out all about this unique bird.

Our sources for this episode include:

• How did the bald eagle become Americaʼs national bird? http://www.history.com/news/ask-history/how-did-the-bald-eagle-become-americas-national-bird
• How a young birder started http://cincinnatiaudubon.org/calevent/notes-of-a-young-birder/
• Cincinnati Zooʼs Bald Eagle (including video of Sam flying at the Red's game) http://cincinnatizoo.org/blog/animals/bald-eagle/
• Bald Eagle at the National Zoo http://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/bald-eagle
• Bald Eagle ODNR http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/species-guide-index/birds/bald-eagle
• Lewis and Clark Trail http://www.lewisandclarktrail.com/eventdate/nationalbaldeaglewatch.htm

Even a naturalist can be a bit afraid of centipedes. There are plenty of reasons to welcome centipedes in your house. Bill can deal with them as long as they stay in the basement. Find out what bothers Bill about house centipedes and what these creatures are doing both inside and outside.

Our sources for this episode include:

House Centipedes http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/house-centipedes

How to Tell the Difference Between a Centipede and a Millipede http://www.thoughtco.com/difference-between-a-centipede-and-amillipede-1968358

Sowbugs, millipedes, and centipedes in the home http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/sowbugs-millipedes-centipedes/

What Eats Centipedes and Millipedes? http://www.orkin.com/other/centipedes/what-eats-centipedes-and-millipedes/

 

The paw paw has the largest fruit of any native tree in the United States. Learn how to identify this tree and when you should go looking for the paw paw fruit. For most people paw paw is the best food that they have never eaten. Find out what parts of the paw paw you want to eat and those to leave alone. Spoiler alert! Do not eat the seeds they will make you throw up.

Our sources for this episode include:

Paw Paw In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit by Andrew Moore http://www.chelseagreen.com/pawpaw

Picking up Paw Paws http://unionoutside.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/picking-up-pawpaws/

What is Paw Paw? http://dish.allrecipes.com/what-in-the-world-is-pawpaw/

America's Forgotten Fruit Tree: The Appalachian Banana | Appalachian Magazine http://appalachianmagazine.com/2017/01/18/americas-forgotten-fruit-tree-the-appalachian-banana/

Paw Paws, A Uniquely American Fruit by Earthy Delights http://www.earthy.com/Pawpaws-A-Uniquely-American-Fruit.aspx

Paw Paws: America's Best Secret Fruit by Serious Eats http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/09/what-are-pawpaws-wild-fruit-midwest-how-to-prep-and-eat-pawpaws.html

Bill and Bob never saw deer when they were growing up in the 50s and 60s. This is an animal that many people now see on a regular basis. You may even see them in your neighborhood. Learn how to deal with them if you see them while driving. Find out what can happen if they lock antlers.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Avoiding Deer Collisions http://www.geico.com/more/driving/auto/car-safety-insurance/seven-ways-to-avoid-hitting-a-deer/
• The First Months Of A Whitetail Fawn http://www.tinks.com/publisher/whitetail-research/2010/11/5/the-first-months/
• Tarsal Glands: What We Know | QDMA http://www.qdma.com/tarsal-glands-know/
• Interesting facts about white-tailed deer http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-white-tailed-deer/

Bill loves to smell millipedes! They have all kinds of interesting smells and they are easy to find. Join us to find out how many legs millipedes really have. This arthropod loves moisture and will sometimes find its way into your home. Turns out that monkeys have found some very interesting uses for these creatures.

Our sources for this episode include:

• How to tell the Difference Between a Centipede and Millipede http://www.thoughtco.com/difference-between-a-centipede-and-a-millipede-1968358
• Yellow-banded millipede invades Broward and Palm Beech http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-01-10/news/fl-yellow-banded-millipede-20140110_1_mulch-munchers-critters-south-florida
• Sowbugs, millipedes, and centipedes in the home http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/sowbugs-millipedes-centipedes/
• 10 Fascinating Facts about Millipedes http://www.thoughtco.com/fascinating-facts-about-millipedes-1968229
• The Ecological Importance of Arthropods http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-environmental/articles/85197.aspx

Join us as we explore the mysterious world of periodical cicadas. Our research for this episode was easy because we are lucky to have in Cincinnati a cicada expert. Gene Kritsky is a Professor of Biology at Mount St. Joseph University. We has written a book called “Periodical Cicadas The Plague and the Puzzle. He also has a website called MSJ Cicada Web Site (http://faculty.msj.edu/kritskg/cicada/site/Home.html)

Bill is on fire about moss! He even compares moss to his childhood haircut. Bob wonders if a rolling stone can gather moss. If you would like to know more about moss check out “Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses” by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Our sources for this episode include:

Bryophyte - Importance Of Mosses - Peat, Producing, Cells, and Source - JRank Articles http://science.jrank.org/pages/1051/Bryophyte-Importance-mosses.html#ixzz4o3SCUGGz

Does a rolling stone gather moss? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/all-about-moss

Nature Lover Karen Nierlich is the author of the book "Moss and Lichen" and takes photos around the San Francisco Bay Area. http://iheartmoss.com/

Moss for Healing http://www.ranker.com/list/amazing-moss-facts/bruce-maisy

Moss Can Grow on Anything http://www.ranker.com/list/amazing-moss-facts/bruce-maisy

The Magic of Moss https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/05/13/gathering-moss-robin-wall-kimmerer/

Bob sees the movie Dunkirk. He is excited to find a possible connection to Dunkirk and Milkweed. Tune in to find out all about the plant that Monarch Butterflies just cannot live without.

Join us as we explore the amazing story of the Monarch Butterfly and Caterpillar. Bill will tell the story of what the Cincinnati Nature Center is doing to help out the Monarch. We will cover the life cycle and also the incredible story of migration.

This is a bird that likes to attack windows! Join us to find out why and what you can do about it.

Bill has a friend who sent an email with a picture that inspired this podcast. The picture is a large patch of a fairly rare plant called Indian Pipes. Learn more about three parasitic plants that you can look for on your next woodland hike.

Do you know how Blue Jays get other birds to leave so they can have your feeder all to themselves? Join us to find out if Blue Jays really are the bullies of the bird world.

This week Bill and Bob explore a common snake that lives in a variety of habitats. Tune in to learn all about the life of this cute little snake.

Bob has a giant pokeweed by his deck that has been getting bigger every year. The day we recorded this podcast it was eleven feet tall. Now just a few weeks later it is just shy of twelve feet. Join us as we discuss the pros and cons of having this in your backyard.

Bob discovers a mud dauber building a nest right by his back door. On this episode we explore the fascinating connection between spiders and mud daubers.

Bob’s son in law Ryan sees his first pileated woodpecker at a family gathering. Join us to find out all about this amazing bird.

These birds know how to raise a family.  Learn how they support each other as we explore the life of the smallest woodpecker in our neck of the woods

Bob shares how he carries a buckeye in his pocket for luck. Meanwhile we find out Bill is learning some presidential history about the origins of the now famous state tree of Ohio.

Caterpillars are an important link in the web of life. They even help baby birds survive. Join us as we share some amazing stories of these easily overlooked creatures.

What a delightful creature to meet when you are walking in the woods. Find out when to look for eastern box turtles and how to help them survive a trip across a road.

Fireflies are loved by people all round the world. Join Bill and Bob as they share stories of fireflies from their childhoods mixed in with a bit of firefly science.

Wrens have got to be one of the cutest little birds. They also love to hang around people. Join us as we explore the world of these friendly little birds.

The Sit Spot is a simple powerful technique to connect with nature.  Bill and Bob will explain how to do it and the advantages of making this part of your everyday life.

his is a plant that will test your nature awareness. How long does the sting last? Tune in to find out!

Learn all about the snake that is often harmed by humans out of fear. Bill and Bob will share stories and facts that will help you be a little more at home with the black rat snake.

Some people get upset when they see signs of moles but not the Nature Guys. Find out all the amazing attributes of this little creature.

Dandelions may be an eyesore to some but not to us. In fact we like them so much we eat them!

Bill and Bob spend three days together leading wildflower hikes. They both take away some valuable lessons.

Listen in as we explore the fascinating world of the hummingbird - the only bird that can truly hover.

Join Bill and Bob as they explore the world of the masked bandits who can create both havoc and hilarity as they invade the human world.

Bill is all excited about spring fungi.  Join us to learn about three types of fungi that you can find on your next walk in the woods.

Jake and Sarah just found a bat in their house for the third time!  Listen in as Bill and Bob explore bats and some possible solutions to Jake and Sarah’s dilemma.

Turns out the tree of heaven is not so heavenly! Tune in to find out all about the tree that is not a blessing!

Judy has a mockingbird problem and it is Nature Guys to the rescue! Find out what Bill and Bob come up with to solve the problem

Bill’s favorite season is spring and in this episode Bill and Bob share some amazing stories about wildflowers.

Discover more about the beloved daffodil of Springtime and how humans have
interacted with them for centuries.

Can Ladybugs really bite? Yes they can! Join us to find out more about this bug that is really a beetle.

Bill and Bob are celebrating Valentine’s Day by showing coyotes the love they deserve.

Finding footprints in the snow or mud can reveal what wildlife has visited and crossed your path before you came along. Learn about the more common tracks in your own neighborhood.

Join us as we share some fascinating facts and stories about the sweet tasting sugar maple tree. 

Bill and Bob explore an old oak tree in Bob’s backyard

 If you hear a spooky sound at night you just might have a eastern screech owl in your neighborhood. Join us to find out more about this little owl. 

If you are out at night listen for the sound of the barred owl. “Who cooks for you who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?

Join us as we discover the secrets of the Great Horned Owl.

Do you ever bring in plants for the winter? Maybe you have brought in some uninvited guest and never knew it. Bill will share stories of some exciting guests.

Nature Guys delve into the invasion of the stink bug! Bill and Bob will share the history of the stink bug and some tips on what to do if they visit your house.

Bill and Bob dive into the captivating world of the loon. This is a bird so talented it helped Henry Fonda win an Academy Award!

Bob brings Bill a treat that only a squirrel would love. Bill leads a hike and finds a red eft. Learn the fascinating story of this rarely seen creature.

Bill and Bob explore the mysteries of the Osage Orange Tree. Find out why this is the most planted tree in North America and why it was so highly prized by Native Americans.

Bill and Bob explore the world of the American Beech Tree. Bill shares about boogie woogie aphids, beech drops and much more. Bob sits near a beech and discovers the secret of how Native Americans collected beech nuts. The tip of the week just might come in handy on a stormy day.

Bill visits Florida and brings home some troublesome guests. Bob is busy moving some kayaks and discovers a very active buzzing insect nest. Join us to find out how we dealt with these challenges and get some tips on how to deal with some of natures more challenging creatures.

Bob discovers nature in a hardware store. 

Bill learns about birds collecting coins at a car wash.