Dispatches from the Forest
Episodes
Episode 59: Some ”Otter” Mustelids
18 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Otters are arguably some of the cutest members of the Mustelid, or Weasel, family. Learn about North America's two native otter species: Sea otters ...
Episode 58: Best of 2022
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In our continuing celebration of hitting 10k downloads I give you some of the best from 2022! Turtle Rabbits, Thorn Pigs, Iron Snails, Foxes, Mantis...
Episode 57: The First Dozen Recap
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In celebration of passing 10,000 downloads we're going back to the beginning and recapping the first 12 episodes. Hear some of my favorite facts fro...
Episode 56: Lake Superior and Da U.P.
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is one of my favorite places - and someday will be the permanent home of Dispatches from the Forest World Headquarters...
Episode 55: The 3 B’s: Burrowing Owls, Black footed ferrets and Badgers
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Inspired by being back in prairie dog country we're taking a look at some animals that tend to live in close proximity to them, and in some cases, dep...
Episode 54: In Defense of the Unloved
09 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Common Grackles and Brown Headed Cowbirds are two birds that don't get a lot of love. They're not brightly colored, they don't have pretty songs and...
Episode 53: C&O Canal History and Herons
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The C&O Canal stretches 185 miles from Washinton DC to Cumberland, MD. Built 200 years ago and abandoned nearly 100 years ago, the canal as it e...
Episode 52: Arboreal Amphibians (that’s Tree Frogs!)
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
By special request we're going in-depth to learn more about tree frogs. Some can change color, some have super-jumping power and some don't live in ...
Episode 51: Return to Costa Rica
28 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Let's head back down to the tropics and I'll tell you about some of the other wildlife we saw on our trip to Costa Rica! Leaf cutter ants, hermit cr...
Episode 50: Costa Rica - Things that End with ”i”
14 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Nature Nerd family got to spend a little time in the cloud forest of Costa Rica. Two of the animals we saw - the Central American Agouti and the...
Episode 49: The Ants go Marching 1 by 1...
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With Memorial Day Weekend just passed summer has officially started - that means picnics and picnics mean ants - but did you know that ants have super...
Episode 48: Fishers and Thieves
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In what may have been the first negative Yelp review in history, Ben Franklin said that the Bald Eagle had "bad moral character" and called it a "rank...
Episode 47: Blood Suckers
03 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Truth be told, I don't much care for Ticks, but I have to admit that they ARE pretty interesting when you get to know them. Learn more about these v...
Episode 46: Hissy Fits
19 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Snakes get a lot of hate - either because people are afraid of them or because they think they're creepy or icky. But just 7% of the 600 or so speci...
Episode 45: Snot Otters
05 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Snot Otter is my favorite nickname for salamanders. There are over 700 species worldwide, and if there is a common theme to unite them, it's "variab...
Episode 44: Oh Dear! Elk and Moose
22 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meet the largest species of deer in North America: The Elk and the Moose - although in other parts of the world, Moose are called Elk, and Elk are c...
Episode 43: Head Banger’s Ball
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You ever feel like you're just bashing your head against a wall? Well, if you were a woodpecker, you'd do that all the time! But since you're not ...
Episode 42: Give ME a Home Too!
22 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Prairie dogs are a keystone species of the Great Plains, and as it turns out, they are AMAZING! You may have FaceBook drama, but Prairie Dog social ...
Episode 41: Home, Home on the Range
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Oh give me a home, where the buffalo roam and the deer and the antelope play..." But there were not actually buffalo or antelope roaming or playing...
Episode 40: A Waddle of What??
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What's black and white and red all over? A penguin with a sunburn! Learn more about these flightless fowl of the south on this week's episode of t...
Episode 39: Sea Turtles on the Seashore
11 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sea turtles are amazing creatures! The largest species, the Leatherback Sea Turtle can grow to be over 1000 pounds. Learn more about these ocean-d...
Episode 38: The Bear Necessities
28 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I know plenty of people that would hibernate through the winter if they could. For the last episode of the year, we take a closer look at those icon...
Episode 37: Reindeer Games
14 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and all the rest, but do you know all the amazing features that make Reindeer the perfect animal to pull Santa'...
Episode 36: Invasive Species
30 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What's the difference between a native species, a non-native naturalized species and an invasive species? Good question! Listen to this week's epi...
Episode 35: The Junk Drawer
16 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I frequently find cool stuff that I want to talk about that just don't warrant their own episode, so this episode is dedicated to some of those critte...
Episode 34: Wonders from Down Under
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode we'll take a look at 3 "Non-placental" mammals from Australia: Wombats, Platypuses and Tasmanian Devils. 2 marsupials and a monotrem...
Episode 33: Creepy Crawlies
19 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Continuing with a Halloween theme, this episode takes a closer look at some "Halloween adjacent" arthropods - the crawliest of the creepy crawlies: Ce...
Episode 32: Who’s there? Just us Owls!
05 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to spooky season! In ancient Greece owls were associated with protection and wisdom, but sometime in the Middle Ages in Europe they became a...
Episode 31: The Toads and Frogs of Dispatches HQ
21 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet the toads and frogs that are commonly found right here at Dispatches HQ: American Toads, Fowler's Toads, Green Tree Frogs, Cope's Grey Tree Frogs...
Episode 30: Wasps: Now that’s a SPICY insect!
07 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Wasps get a lot of hate - primarily because we are afraid of getting stung. But did you know that of the 4000 species of wasp found in the United St...
Episode 29: Take a Hike!
24 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I know I said I was going to talk about wasps, but I had another idea - come along with me as I take a hike at Crow's Nest Natural Preserve Area - a 2...
Episode 28: The Bee Team
10 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
About 80% of flowering plants rely on living pollinators to move their pollen between flowers. In this episode I'll tell you about just a few of tho...
BONUS CONTENT! Town Talk Radio Show
03 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What's this? Bonus content? That's right! I had a chance to go on the radio "Town Talk" hosted by Ted Schubel last week (News Talk 1230 WFVA) he...
Episode 27: Venomous Snakes of the United States
27 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Snakes are one of the most feared and misunderstood animals around. But snakes, venomous or not, generally just want humans to leave them alone. ...
Episode 26: Just Deserts
13 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When we think of deserts, we tend to think of them as being dry, hot and devoid of life. But a surprising number of plants and animals are adapted t...
Episode 25: Summer Nights
29 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Nothing beats a perfect summer evening. Learn more about 2 of the most iconic insects of summer nights: crickets and fireflies - including the dark ...
Episode 24: Stranger than Fiction
15 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A micro-animal that can go into suspended animation and survive extreme conditions. A venomous snail that hunts fish by smell using a poison harpoon...
Episode 23: Turtle Talk
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Turtles have long been associated with longevity due to their long life spans. They are also the only animal whose pelvic girdle is on the inside o...
Episode 22: Hawks...and Not Hawks
18 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Birds of Prey, or raptors, and humans have a long history together. Learn about 4 common species of hawk: Red-tailed hawks, Red-shoulder Hawks, Coop...
Episode 21: Backyard Wild
04 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Access to green space is extremely important not only for physical health but mental health as well. Learn some ways to get some wild in your life -...
Episode 20: Lake Monster Mysteries and Hoaxes
20 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There is something mysterious in Chesapeake Bay! In this episode I'll tell you about "Chessie" - a mysterious creature that has been seen in Chesape...
Episode 19: Here Kitty Kitty!
06 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Soft kitty, Warm kitty, Little ball of fur. Happy kitty, Sleepy kitty, Purr Purr Purr. I've talked about North America's wild canids: Wolves, coyot...
Episode 18: Turtle-Rabbits and Thorn Pigs
23 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In Episode 14 I told you about the defensive capability of skunks which got me thinking about other defensively built animals - Armadillos and Porcupi...
Episode 17: Peregrine Falcons
09 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Peregrine Falcons are the fastest animal on Earth! They are also the most widespread raptor, but just 50 years ago they were in danger of going exti...
Episode 16: The Signs of Spring
23 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
While we are officially only halfway through winter, the signs that spring is near are starting to appear. In addition to warmer weather, here at Di...
Episode 15: Foxes of North America
09 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We've talked about wolves and coyotes, in this week's episode we talk about the remaining (and smallest) North American canid species: foxes. There ...
Episode 14: Overlooked and Underappreciated Too!
26 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In Episode 3 we looked at some overlooked and underappreciated animals. In this episode we add to that list and take a look at some other animals th...
Episode 13: Fire! Unnatural disaster?
12 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Forest fire is often considered to be a bad thing. And to be certain, an uncontrolled wildfire in a populated area like we saw recently can be dange...
Episode 12: Winter Survival Strategies
29 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How do our animal friends survive the winter? Well, kind of the same way we do: they can stay active, they can migrate, or they can hibernate. Lis...
Episode 11: Beaver in America
15 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Once pushed to the brink of extinction for the sake of fashion, beaver are one of our "keystone species". Secon only to humans in their ability to s...
Episode 10: Wolves in America
01 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Wolves once roamed all of the lower 48 states until being nearly wiped out in the name of safety and prosperity. But removing this keystone specie...
Episode 9: Notable Naturalists: The Murie Brothers
17 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You've heard of people like John James Audobon, John Muir, Rachel Carlson and Henry David Thoreau, but how much do you know about Olaus and Adolph Mur...
Episode 8: Talking (Wild) Turkey
03 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Founding father Benjamin Franklin was a big fan of wild turkeys - and not just because they taste good. Listen to this special Thanksgiving episode ...
Episode 7: The Itsy Bitsy Spider
20 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Wait! Don't squash that spider! Did you know that spiders can create 7 different kinds of web for different uses? Or that some spiders use water...
Episode 6: Bats in the Belfry
06 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that bats fly with their hands? In fact, their Latin name "Chiroptera" literally translates to "hand wing". Often misunderstood, bats...
Episode 5: The Carrion Crew
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Meet the organisms that do the dirty work in the forest: getting rid of dead bodies! It may be gross but they perform a very important function - an...
Episode 4: Spotlight on Coyotes
08 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Few things are as wild sounding as the howls of coyotes, but even if you live in a big city, there's a good chance that there are coyotes nearby. Pe...
Episode 3: Overlooked and Underappreciated
25 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Opossum, geese, squirrels and robins aren’t the “sexiest” animals around, but these critters are more interesting than most people think. And wh...
Episode 2: Bird Brained Corvids
11 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Bird brain” is an age-old insult, but as it turns out, there are some pretty smart birds out there - particularly those in the Corvid family whic...
Episode 1: Spotlight on Cicadas
28 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Every year annual cicadas emerge to provide the background sounds of summer. But every 13 or 17 years different periodic "broods" emerge by the mill...