Ask a Naturalist.com

Are There Ducks in Antarctica?

Tom — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:55:35 +0000

The Question: I have searched for the one species of duck that is said to be able to live in Antarctica, but I have yet to find anything more about it. My guess is that if such a duck exists it would possibly survive on one of the subantarctic islands, or on Ross Island which, [...]

Oops – a Draft Post Slipped Through

Tom — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:53:10 +0000

A draft version of the post about Ducks in Antarctica slipped through my grasp and was posted to the site a couple of days ago and went out on the RSS feed before I was finished fact checking and editing. If you read that post, you might want to reread the new version, as there [...]

What is this spider – and how to identify a brown recluse?

Tom — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 04:12:13 +0000

The Question: We found this large spider in our auto repair shop today. He caused quite an exciting afternoon, that’s for sure. Can you please help us identify him? Submitted by: Michelle , Virginia, USA The Short Answer: First, before we can talk about this spider, we’ll have to refer to it as “she” because [...]

Can I move these monarch caterpillars?

Tom — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:16:10 +0000

The Question: I have a number of patches of milkweed throughout my garden, and noticed this afternoon that a group of monarch butterfly caterpillars have eaten nearly all the leaves and flowers of a single plant that sits alone, separated by a driveway from a large patch of verdant milkweed. My question to you is, [...]

What time of year can I see monarchs in Mexico?

Tom — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 09:41:17 +0000

The Question: I want to go to Mexico to see the monarch butterflies. What is the time of year for them to hatch into butterflies? Submitted by: Sheila, USA The Short Answer: According to our friends at the Texas Butterfly Ranch, a blog dedicated to monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus), officials at the Monarch sanctuary at [...]