Ethan Walker 
How pollination works is simpler than it first sounds: pollen has to move from the pollen-producing part of a flower to the pollen-receiving part of a compatible flower. That transfer can happen by bees, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, birds, bats, wind, water, or even within the same flower in some plants. When the right pollen … Read more
Butterflies vs moths is one of the easiest insect comparisons to start with, but it is also one of the easiest to oversimplify. In general, butterflies are day-active insects with clubbed antennae and wings often held upright at rest, while many moths are night-active insects with feathery, threadlike, or saw-edged antennae and wings often held … Read more
Bees are important because they are among the most effective animals at moving pollen between flowers. That pollen movement helps many flowering plants make seeds, fruits, nuts, and the next generation of plants. Bees also support gardens, wild plant communities, farms, orchards, and the animals that depend on flowering plants for food and shelter. The … Read more
Pollinators are animals that help move pollen from one flower to another, making it possible for many flowering plants to form seeds, fruits, nuts, and the next generation of plants. Bees are the best-known pollinators, but they are only part of the story. Butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, wasps, hummingbirds, bats, and even a few other … Read more
Conservation controls invasive species by trying to stop new introductions first, then finding new populations early, responding quickly, and managing established populations with methods that fit the animal, habitat, law, and risk. The work can include inspections, public reporting, monitoring, barriers, targeted removal, habitat restoration, and long-term suppression. It is rarely as simple as “remove … Read more
Cane toads are large, toxic true toads that have become one of the best-known examples of an invasive animal. They are not dangerous because they chase or attack people. The problem is that their defensive toxins can poison predators and pets that try to bite, mouth, or eat them. In their native range, cane toads … Read more
Feral pigs and ecosystems are closely connected because wild pigs do not just pass through a landscape. They dig, wallow, eat many kinds of food, disturb soil, muddy water, damage crops, compete with native wildlife, and may carry diseases that matter to livestock, pets, wildlife, and people. In many parts of the United States, feral … Read more
Invasive carp are non-native freshwater fish that can spread through rivers and lakes and change how those ecosystems work. In North America, the phrase usually refers to four species: bighead carp, silver carp, grass carp, and black carp. They are often discussed together, but they are not the same fish and they do not cause … Read more
Burmese pythons in Florida are large, nonvenomous constrictor snakes that have become established in South Florida, especially in and around the Greater Everglades ecosystem. They are invasive there because they are not native to Florida, can reproduce in the wild, and prey on native animals in a fragile wetland system. The Florida Fish and Wildlife … Read more
Invasive animals in the US are non-native animals that establish populations and cause, or are likely to cause, ecological, economic, agricultural, or health-related harm. Some are large and obvious, such as feral pigs tearing up wetlands and farms. Others are small or easy to overlook, such as zebra mussels covering native mussels and water infrastructure. … Read more
