Wild Animals

Like something out of a horror film, this parasitic worm invades a snail's eyestalks, where it pulsates to imitate a caterpillar, attracting the ultimate target, a bird.

By Mark Mancini

There are tons of squirrel species around the world. Do they all have the same life span?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Estimating ant numbers and mass provides an important baseline from which to monitor ant populations amid worrying environmental changes.

By Mark Wong

It's a slippery proposition, to be sure, but bees do it, birds do it and you can bet that eels do it too. The question is, how do eels reproduce?

By Mark Mancini

Unlike most species on Earth, the male seahorse, rather than the female, does the gestating and delivery. And he does it in his own unique way, a new study found.

By Jesslyn Shields

During the fall months, you may see unfamiliar birds in your area as those from the north begin to fly south. But how do they know when it's time to migrate and where to go?

By Alia Hoyt

Today, technological advances are providing new insights into bird migration and showing that it is more complex and wonderful than scientists ever imagined.

By Tom Langen

Boas and pythons and rattlers, oh my! There are lots of big snakes on this planet, but which one wears the crown of biggest snake in the world?

By Mark Mancini

You don't want an animal living in your house that's smarter than a raccoon and never rests.

By Jesslyn Shields

Sailfish are the fastest known animal in the ocean. Just how fast? As fast as a cheetah. That's how fast.

By Cherise Threewitt

Don't freak out with worry if you see a splooting squirrel — he's just cooling off in the best way he knows how.

By Jesslyn Shields

The most iconic agricultural pest of the past 200 years just wants to eat your potato plant.

By Jesslyn Shields

These spiders are big enough to eat a bird, but they don't often have the chance.

By Jesslyn Shields

Cymothoa exigua will make you feel very glad you're not a fish.

By Jesslyn Shields

Although it looks like a tiny showgirl, the female Sabethes mosquito will still bite and could even give you yellow fever.

By Jesslyn Shields

These massive mollusks are one of the world's most invasive species. They have the potential to devastate Florida's agriculture. Oh, and they can cause meningitis in humans.

By Sarah Gleim

Though it's true that joeys poop in their mother's pouch, also known as the marsupium, it's still a pretty cozy place to spend the first few months of life.

By Jesslyn Shields

It's hard to imagine Nemo catching some z's in the Great Barrier Reef. But fish do need rest. Do they sleep like we do?

By Allison Troutner

Cone snails are marine animals that harpoon their prey and incapacitate them with deadly toxins. They may be beautiful, but they are highly venomous.

By Jesslyn Shields

Tons of these humongous bug-like creatures live in the darkest depths of the sea, but they are still somewhat of a mystery to us humans.

By Jennifer Walker-Journey

If you see a small hummingbird zip by your face, take a second look — what looks like a hummingbird may actually be a moth.

By Laurie L. Dove

Never heard of the tarsier? Well it's one of the smallest primates in the world but has some of the biggest bug eyes you've ever seen.

By Allison Troutner

Turtles, whether giant land tortoises, sea turtles or the pet turtle in your aquarium, tend to be omnivores and love a varied vegetarian and protein diet.

By Laurie L. Dove

Leopard seals are the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic after the southern elephant seal. They're fast, powerful and eat basically anything that moves. Their only natural predator? The killer whale.

By Jesslyn Shields

Even washed up on the beach, the Portuguese man-of-war can deliver searing pain with its stinging tentacles, so whatever you do, don't touch it.

By Mark Mancini