Moths

Moths are amazing insects. These creatures have existed for around 190 million years – longer than butterflies.  And they are an incredibly diverse group with around 170,000 different species worldwide.  North America alone is home to more than 12,000 moth species. Scientists believe there are more moth species out there yet to be discovered.  There…

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Wildlife Wednesday 08/13/2025

Happy #WildlifeWednesday from the Isabella tiger moth! Perhaps more well-known in its larval form of the woolly bear, as an adult this moth is yellowish orange with black spotting on the wings and three bold dots on each abdominal segment. Its range is throughout the United States and Canada and it can often be found…

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Wildlife Wednesday 08/06/2025

The striking luna moth, also known as the American moon moth, spends about a month of its life cycle as a hungry caterpillar. Found in deciduous woodlands in North America where their larval foods occur, the hardy caterpillars spend all of their time eating. Constantly. They munch upon the leaves of walnut, hickory, birch, and sweet gum…

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Perseid Meteor Shower, August 2025

The shooting stars of August, the Perseid meteor shower, is the brightest and most popular meteor shower of the year.  And the best part is you don’t need any special equipment to see it – just your eyes.  The Perseid meteor shower occurs when the Earth passes through the debris stream left behind by Comet…

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August 2025 Full Sturgeon Moon

On August 9, 2025, we will be treated to the full Sturgeon Moon.  If you are up early you can see this Moon at its fullest and brightest at the exact moment it’s full at 3:55A.M. EDT – the exact moment the Sun and Moon are on opposite sides of the Earth.  The Moon will…

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Wildlife Wednesday 07/30/2025

Happy #WildlifeWednesday! We are currently in the midst of the hottest part of the season in the Northern Hemisphere, often referred to as the “dog days of summer.” To celebrate we are highlighting one of the canines found in Ohio, the coyote! The coyote is a medium-sized member of the dog family that is found…

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Wildlife Wednesday 07/23/2025

Woof-woof, it’s #WildlifeWednesday!  The hot and humid time period between July 03 and August 11 is referred to as the “Dog Days of Summer” and today we will talk about two of the wild canines that make their home here in Ohio, the red fox and the gray fox! The red fox is the larger…

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Northern Ring-Necked Snakes

The northern ring-necked snake is native to Ohio.  Found throughout Ohio except for the west-central and extreme northwestern counties they are quite common in southern and eastern Ohio.  They live in damp areas of forest habitats, along rocky streams, damp forested slopes and regenerating clear cuts.  They are one of the few snake species that…

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Wildlife Wednesday 07/16/2025

It’ssssssss #WildlifeWednesday and #WorldSnakeDay and we are celebrating our prettiest and slitheriest resident animal ambassador, Zea the corn snake! The corn snake is a type of rat snake found in North America, mostly in the central and southeastern United States. It is not venomous, and kills its prey instead by constriction (squeezing). It is a…

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Wildlife Wednesday 07/09/2025

Psssssst. It’s #WildlifeWednesday. World Snake Day is coming up next week so let’s learn about a creature frequently seen on the trails at TWC, the gray ratsnake. Native to North America and primarily a forest-dwelling, this snake is widespread throughout Ohio.  They are agile climbers and are as comfortable slithering along the ground in the…

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