Learn everything you need to know about this very beautiful turtle. Special thanks to John Howard for the great pictures.

Related episodes: Softshell Turtle and Red-Eared Slider

Our sources for this episode include:

• Five Facts You Probably Didn’t Know about Painted Turtles
• Painted Turtle

Bob runs into a snake in Florida that exhibits a behavior that he has never seen before. Tune in the hear all about this very fast snake.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Black Racer
• Black Racer – Deceiving Speed
• North American Black Racer (Coluber constrictor)
• Ohio’s state reptile

Special thanks to John Howard for the amazing photos.

In this edition of Through the Eyes of Nature Guys, Bill shares stories of trips to one of his top two travel destinations in the world – the Galapagos Islands.

Related episodes: Through the Eyes of Nature Guys 

Our sources for this episode include:

• The experiences of Bill on his trips to the Galapagos

The Mourning Dove is easy to find both by sight and by ear.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Fun Mourning Dove Facts
• Mourning Dove
• The Secret Life of the Mourning Dove

This is a bird that is so friendly it will eat out of your hand! Tune in to find out more about this cute little bird that is easy to find.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Black-capped chickadees are amazing little birds
• 10 Interesting Facts About Chickadees
• Carolina Chickadees

This is a bird that is easily identified. It will come to your feeder and is a year round resident in Cincinnati. Tune in to learn more about the little bird with the bad haircut.

Our sources for this episode include:

• What is a Titmouse?
• Titmouse
• Tufted Titmouse

Cordyceps is a fungus that can destroy ant colonies. Tune in to find out how cicadas found a way to use cordyceps to survive.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Fungus turns ‘zombie antsʼ into booby traps
• 6 Benefits of Cordyceps, All Backed by Science
• Cordyceps: The Most Terrifying Fungus Youʼve Ever Seen
• How to Tame a Zombie Fungus – Cicadas have repeatedly turned the infamous cordyceps fungi into indispensable allies.

Horsehair worms are easy to find. They are fascinating and harmless. Keep your eyes open when you are near water. Bill found one crawling out of a grasshopper.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Horsehair Worms 
• Iowa State Horsehair Worms 
• Wild Fact #752 – Bad Company – Nematomorpha 
• Zombie Fungus Enslaves Only Its Favorite Ant Brains 

Water Striders are amazing insects that you can find in lakes and streams. Tune in to find out what they eat, how fast they are and much more.

This episode was recorded live at Roads, Rivers and Trails.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Facts About Water Striders 
• This Is Why Water Striders Make Terrible Lifeguards – KQED You Tube video 
• 7 Water Strider Facts – It Walks On Water! 
• Richard Hammond’s Invisible Worlds – Water Strider – You Tube video 

As human beings we have a chance to contribute to organizations that help educate and protect the natural world. Bob and Bill talk about some of their favorite organizations and what they are able to accomplish with a little help from people like you. If you are donating to an organization please consider leaving a comment under this episode.

Organizations that Bob and Bill support:

• Imago
• Cincinnati Nature Center
• The Nature Conservancy
• American Bird Conservancy