Nature: ground beetles
Self-tutoring about insects one sees at night: the tutor mentions ground beetles. As a kid I spent a lot of time out at night, and saw many large black ground beetles. Lately, on my nightly walks, I’ve been seeing black …
Category: nature
Nature: whale watching
Self-tutoring about travel activities: the tutor makes some observations about whale watching. Where I live, whales are known to be about: I hear about whale watching tours, etc. I’ve never been on one. However, a couple of years back, I …
Nature: thatch ants and woodpeckers
Self-tutoring about nature observations: the tutor mentions a connection. There’s a thatch (or thatching) ant hill in the backyard. It developed back in the summer of 2017, a complete surprise. Just plain lawn had been there, then I was gone …
Nature: Penguins: how far north do they live?
Self-tutoring about penguins: the tutor learns they live beyond the Antarctic… Believe it or not, some penguins live in the tropics – on the Galapagos Islands, for instance, which are situated at the equator. Yet, they only live, really, in …
Nature, design: why are eggs smaller at one end?
Self-tutoring about natural design: the tutor mentions a find about eggs. The asymmetrical design of eggs is intriguing and can be a challenge to depict. What is the advantage of being egg-shaped? It turns out that, in the nesting context, …
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Nature: microsites
Self-tutoring about nature: the tutor mentions an observation. A couple of weeks ago the sun was brilliant, so I went for a run. Overnight, it had been cold. However, I did the run at 1pm, when the temp was around …
Nature: ant hibernation
Self-tutoring about ants: the tutor makes an observation. There is a large ant hill near here, of thatching ants. It popped up around four summers ago, seemingly from nothing. Trails from it lead 20ft away or even further. In summer, …
Nature: mushrooms: Agaricus hondensis
Self-tutoring about mushrooms: the tutor mentions a random find. I love little “green spaces” you see between buildings: you never know what you might find there. Near here is a particular one, about 150 ft long and maybe 30 ft …
Autumn scene: jack-o-lantern mushrooms, a northern flicker, and a pileated woodpecker
Self-tutoring about nature observation: the tutor relates a scene. Today, returning from a run in the early evening, I walked through a school yard. The sun was just setting, but daylight wasn’t yet faded. Beside the school, there’s a paved …
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Nature: spider identification: woodlouse hunter
Self-tutoring about spiders one might encounter in the back yard: the tutor mentions the woodlouse hunter. Woodlouse hunter’s scientific name is Dysdera crocata. It’s got a red chest and head with a pale brown abdomen. I saw one yesterday around …