In this episode we're celebrating the official return of summer to the northern hemisphere by answering some summertime questions! How do fireflies glow and can they control how they blink? Why are owls nocturnal? How do they swivel their heads around? And how do they hoot? Plus a few burning questions about why bug bites itch, why poison ivy and caterpillars and berries can all be poisonous, and how come we have to wear sunscreen!
We'll get answers from wildlife biologists Kent McFarland and Bryan Pfeiffer. Plus we hear an episode of one of VPR's other podcasts, Outdoor Radio.
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Listen to the full episode for all of the answers.
This episode features a coloring page by Vermont artist Hilary Ann Love Glass. Download it here and you can color as you listen!
If you're interested in fireflies, you can take part in a citizen science project at the Museum of Science in Boston. The museum keeps track of people's observations of fireflies through its Firefly Watch project. That's also a good place to go to learn more about fireflies and how you can help preserve them.
And if you want to do some backyard moth observations, you'll need a few supplies. Outdoor Radio hosts Kent McFarland and Sara Zahendra recommend hanging a white sheet up and shining a black light or a mercury vapor light, available at pet stores, onto the sheet. Watch and see what kinds of moths are attracted to the different lights.
You can also try smearing a sweet sticky concoction onto the trunk of a tree to attract moths that don't respond to light. Maple syrup, honey, mushed up bananas, even beer all work. Then shine a flashlight onto the trunk after dusk to see what kind of animals are having a snack.
It's pretty easy to photograph the moths and other animals while you're shining lights on them. And if you need help identifying what you've found, try sending your photos to the online Bug Guide or looking in one of the many field guides to moths and insects.
If you wind up taking photographs of moths, or trying your hand at mimicking a firefly, let us know how it goes! Send your photos and stories to questions@butwhykids.org.
That's also where you can send any kid questions you want our podcast to answer. Stay curious!
About the coloring page artist: Hilary Glass is an illustrator, printmaker and tattoo artist living in Vermont. Her content often explores flora and fauna from her local woodlands as well as imaginary creatures from other worlds entirely. She uses pen and ink, colored pencils, watercolor and gauche as her primary illustration tools and loves to depict most things with great detail and attention to posture and body language. You can find more info on Instagram @hilaryannloveart and at the website hilaryannloveglass.com
