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The California tiger salamander was previously considered to be a subspecies of the tiger salamander, however these salamanders were recently designated as a separate species again. They face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial developments, as well as the timber industry; roads […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The American burying beetle, aka giant carrion beetle, is not only carnivorous, it feeds on carrion (dead animals) and needs carrion to breed. These beetles are among the few known to exhibit parental care. They are threatened by habitat loss and destruction; habitat fragmentation; the reduction of carrion; and competition […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The common mudpuppy is a species of salamander in the family Proteidae. They can be found in eastern Canada and eastern United States. Preferring lakes, rivers and ponds, these salamanders, like the axolotls, never complete metamorphosis and thus remain in the larval stage their entire lives. These critters face the […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The northern crested newt, aka warty newt or great crested newt, hails from Europe to western Asia. These critters have the largest range of any European newt species. They prefer groves, deciduous woodlands, conifer woods, swampy meadows, hedgerows, scrublands, and quarries. Even though they face the threats of habitat loss […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The alpine newt can be found throughout continental Europe and has been introduced to the U.K. as well as New Zealand. They prefer deciduous and coniferous forest habitats with access to cool, clean water. Despite habitat destruction and pollution, these newts are still listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The greater siren is among the largest amphibians found in North America. These amphibians hail from Washington D.C. down to Florida, west to Alabama, and into the Rio Grande. They prefer various wetlands with slow to non-moving water. Even residing in stagnant bodies of water. If their water source dries […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The rhinoceros beetle, aka horn beetle or unicorn beetle, is part of the scarab beetle family (Scarabaeidae). These are the largest known family of beetles in the world. They can also be found on every continent, sans Antarctica. Rhinoceros beetles may look big and scary, but they’re actually quite peaceful… […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

Being the largest of the known rove beetles, the devil’s coach horse is a voracious and aggressive predator of other invertebrates. They also not only have one heck of a bite, but they can also spray their opponents with a stinky yellowish liquid. These insects can be found in Europe, […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The luna moth is a beautiful green colored moth species found from Quebec down to Florida and west to the great plains. They prefer to reside in places that host plants that their larvae can eat, like white birch, persimmon, sumac, sweet gum, hickory, walnut, and others. Due to a […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

It’s not a ginormous mosquito, it’s a crane fly. These large flying insects have gained popularity by being called mosquito hawks, due to the misconception that they hunt mosquitoes. They are also called daddy long legs, in Europe. These insects are more closely related to flies than mosquitoes though. There […]

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