NEWS

Although the northern pine snake (Pituophis m. melanoleucus) is among our largest and most impressive snakes, comparatively few North Carolinians have ever seen one. State-listed as Threatened, pine snakes occur primarily in our Sandhills region. A small population also occurs in Brunswick and (at least historically) New Hanover counties, and there are a few records… Read More >

From Dr. Adrian Smith in the Ant Lab: “Leafhoppers, treehoppers, planthoppers, and froghoppers are all insects in the order Hemiptera that are some of the fastest jumping animals on earth! They are also super-common, so I collected a bunch and filmed their jumps in slow-motion!” References and more information on YouTube  

New study suggests a miniaturized origin for some of the largest animals ever to live on Earth Kongonaphon kely illustration. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Click for larger image. Dinosaurs and flying pterosaurs may be known for their remarkable size, but a newly described species from Madagascar that lived around 237… Read More >

An eagle named Freedom will be part of a study of the “anthropause” on wildlife. Roland Kays, a research professor at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and NC State, joined an international group of researchers in issuing a call to action for scientists who track wildlife. Photo: Rob Nelson/Untamed Science. Stories have popped up… Read More >

“This plant, commonly called Venus’ fly-trap, from the rapidity and force of its movements, is one of the most wonderful in the world” and “is one of the most beautifully adapted plants in the vegetable kingdom.” ~Charles Darwin I’ve never been a huge fan of pines. When I lived in Durham, my house was surrounded… Read More >