Podcasts about INaturalist

In this episode, we explore the unique ecology of scrub habitat in Florida. What is a scrub? Where are they located?How are they different from similar ecosystems? How does fire play a role in scrub habitats? What threats do scrub habitats face? What can you do about it? We cover this and more in this episode of Naturally Florida.  Learn More:• Florida Natural Areas Inventory: Scrub - https://www.fnai.org/PDFs/NC/Scrub_Final_2010.pdf• Topographpic map, elevation, terrain - https://en-ca.topographic-map.com/map-x1rv5k/Polk-County/• Calamintha bee (Shannon mentioned in episode) - https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/discover-nest-northern-range-blue-calamintha-bee/• Scrub and High Pine - https://programs.ifas.ufl.edu/florida-land-steward/forest-resources/upland-forest-ecosystems/scrub-and-high-pine/• Common Woody Plants of Florida Scrub Ecosystems- https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FR373• Florida Scrub - https://crocdoc.ifas.ufl.edu/publications/msrpmap/floridascrub/How You Can Help:• Florida scrub is globally rare and incredibly unique, supporting plants and animals found nowhere else. Speak up and advocate for the preservation of the special natural lands. Needs some inspiration, check out the GladysE. Douglas Preserve story. • Fire is essential in scrub habitats —without it, the ecosystem collapses and species disappear. Be sure to support and advocate for prescribed fires in your area. • Scrub may look barren, but it's a biodiversity hotspot—an ecological gem hiding in plain sight. See if you can find a scrub habitat near you to visit!Sources for this Episode: • Florida Natural Areas Inventory: Scrub - https://www.fnai.org/PDFs/NC/Scrub_Final_2010.pdf• Scrub and High Pine - https://programs.ifas.ufl.edu/florida-land-steward/forest-resources/upland-forest-ecosystems/scrub-and-high-pine/• Common Woody Plants of Florida Scrub Ecosystems- https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FR373If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with a friend who might enjoy learning about Florida's natural areas and the wild things that live here!If you're active on iNaturalist, consider joining our iNaturalist project, Naturally Florida's Listener Observations, here: ⁠⁠https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/naturally-florida-s-listener-observations⁠ 

In this bonus episode, we provide an exclusive transcript of Erin's barrister Mr. Colin Mandy SC conducting the final cross-examination in the Mushroom Murder Trial, methodically addressing key points of contention and establishing crucial facts about mushroom foraging seasons.• Cross-examination reveals wild mushroom foraging is seasonal (autumn only) and would be "incredibly unproductive" in December• Defense establishes Erin was in New Zealand for approximately half of December 2022, when prosecution claims she should have mentioned foraging• Mr. Mandy corroborates Erin's account about her daughter's ballet rehearsal with evidence of Simon Patterson cancelling the lesson• Discussion of Erin's low potassium levels (2.6) and subsequent treatment with supplements while hospitalized• Erin acknowledges iNaturalist searches were "most likely" her while maintaining she has no specific memory of conducting themSign up for the newsletter at mushroommumdertrial.com to receive bonus content before anyone else. Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a review.Instagram @Erin_PodcastTwitter @lisapodcastsMushroom Murder Trial Website Facebook page

The prosecution has put forward fresh evidence which challenges Erin Patterson's claims she sought assessment for gastric bypass at a Melbourne clinic, Enrich.Rachael Brown and Stephen Stockwell walk through the new evidence, as well as several other points in Dr Rogers' cross examination today, including Erin's Asian grocer claims and her alleged visits to Loch and Outtrim, where death cap mushrooms were documented to be growing on the iNaturalist site.If you've got questions about the case that you'd like Rachael and Stocky to answer in future episodes, send them through to mushroomcasedaily@abc.net.au-It's the case that's captured the attention of the world.Three people died and a fourth survived an induced coma after eating beef wellington at a family lunch, hosted by Erin Patterson.Police allege the beef wellington contained poisonous mushrooms, but Erin Patterson says she's innocent.Now, the accused triple murderer is fighting the charges in a regional Victorian courthouse. Investigative reporter Rachael Brown and producer Stephen Stockwell are on the ground, bringing you all the key moments from the trial as they unravel in court.From court recaps to behind-the-scenes murder trial explainers, the Mushroom Case Daily podcast is your eyes and ears inside the courtroom.Keep up to date with new episodes of Mushroom Case Daily, now releasing every day on the ABC listen app.

In March of 2024, a park ranger and volunteer were taking their regular walk together around Big Bend National Park. They came across a teeny tiny fuzzy little plant with unusual ribbon-like flowers bursting out of the center – something neither of them had ever seen before. As it turned out, they had stumbled on a rare scientific discovery. Learn more about the woolly devil, and check out iNaturalist. For more unusual stories, lists, and offbeat itineraries, check out the Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide to the National Parks.

Digital forensic expert Sharman Fox-Henry testifies about key evidence found on Erin Patterson's computer in the Mushroom Murder Trial. Mr Fox-Henry reveals a Google search for a site featuring death cap mushrooms on May 28, 2022—approximately one year before the fatal lunch where three people died after allegedly consuming toxic mushrooms.• Digital forensics team created a clone of Patterson's computer to search for evidence• Computer had three storage units including Samsung drive and Hitachi hard disk• Investigators searched for terms including "death cap mushrooms" and "poisons"• Evidence showed a search at 7:20and 7:21 on May 28, 2022 for a death cap mushroom page on iNaturalist.org• Page documented a mushroom sighting at Bricca Reserve in Moorabbin• Shortly after viewing this page, an alleged search for "Korrumburra Middle Pub" was made• Chrome autofill data showed Erin Patterson's name and mobile number used around the same time• Prosecution building timeline suggesting alleged research into deadly mushrooms a year before the incidentThanks for listening. For more information, visit my website. Make sure you subscribe to my newsletter on www.mushroommurdertrial.com, it's jam-packed with news about the trial. Plus I'm on Instagram at Erin underscore pod. You can find me on Facebook. Just search the podcast, the mushroom Murder Trial podcast. I also will put links in the show notes to those social media accounts. And if you were feeling like rewarding me for the thousands of hours I've spent on this work, I have a buy me a coffee membership which allows you to pay $5 as a thanks and I get a coffee. This goes towards the editing, studio hire, liability, insurance, equipment, sound and voiceovers. Plus there's exclusive membership material on the site, just for you.Instagram @Erin_PodcastTwitter @lisapodcastsMushroom Murder Trial Website Facebook page

Today in the trial of Erin Patterson, a device seized from the home of the accused mushroom cook killer was used to visit the iNaturalist website, which the jury heard earlier was used to record sightings of various fungi species, including death caps.The Mushroom Cook team is Brooke Grebert-Craig, Laura Placella, Anthony Dowsley, Jordy Atkinson and Jonty Burton.Editing assistance for this episode by our intern, Jasmine Geddes. The Mushroom Cook is a Herald Sun production for True Crime Australia. Go to themushroomcook.com.au for news, features, previous episodes and more. Subscribers get our bonus Sunday shows with crime reporter Anthony Dowsley. CrimeX subscribers: find this episode in your podcast feed Subscribers to the Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph, Courier Mail, Adelaide Advertiser or News regional titles can listen through the App.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bing search results for the citizen science website iNaturalist were found on devices at the Patterson home, in evidence presented by the prosecution today.Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell recap the evidence from digital forensics officer, Dr Shamen Fox Henry, and answer more audience questions.If you've got questions about the case that you'd like Kristian and Stocky to answer in future episodes, send them through to mushroomcasedaily@abc.net.au-It's the case that's captured the attention of the world.Three people died and a fourth survived an induced coma after eating beef wellington at a family lunch, hosted by Erin Patterson.Police allege the beef wellington contained poisonous mushrooms, but Erin Patterson says she's innocent.Now, the accused triple murderer is fighting the charges in a regional Victorian courthouse. Court reporter Kristian Silva and producer Stephen Stockwell are on the ground, bringing you all the key moments from the trial as they unravel in court.From court recaps to behind-the-scenes murder trial explainers, the Mushroom Case Daily podcast is your eyes and ears inside the courtroom.Keep up to date with new episodes of Mushroom Case Daily, now releasing every day on the ABC listen app.

The Unfrozen crew hit the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale with all the furious energy our 100th episode deserved. A rollicking roundup of robots, pans, picks, porches and pavilions, with special guest interviews: Michele Champagne, Kate Wagner, Marisa Moran Jahn, Bekim Ramku, Rafi Segal, Jeanne Gang, and Mark Cavagnero. And finally, while Rome picked a pontiff, we had our own mini-conclave in Venice and humbly offered up our picks for the 20th Biennale curator. Join us for this extra special centenary episode.--Intro/Outro: “Bounder of Adventure,” by The Cooper Vane--Discussed:-      Olly Wainwright: Can robots make the perfect Aperol spritz? – Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 review | Architecture | The Guardian-         Rowan Moore: Venice Architecture Biennale review: ‘a hot mess of pretension' | The Observer-         The New York Architecture Review crew: Nicolas, Chloe and Sammy-         International Exhibition in the Arsenaleo  Robots, hemp, bio-concrete, 8-point font with AI-assisted summarieso  Kate Crawford and Vladan Joier's megascale text: Calculating Empireso   Bjarke Ingels Group's entry: Ancient Future, with Bhutanese carvers paced by an ABB roboto  Christopher Hawthorne's Speaker's Cornero  Shades of Rem Koolhaas' 2014 Fundamentals edition-         Kate Wagner's review:o  Dated techno-optimismo  Cannibalism of architecture by art and exhibition design-         National Pavilions:o  Austria: “Agency for Better Living”o  Canada: “Picoplanktonics” by The Living Room Collectiveo  Denmark: “Build of Site”o  Estonia: “Let Me Warm You”o  Romania: “Human Scale”o  Saudi Arabia: “The Um Slaim School: An Architecture of Connection”o  Slovenia: “Master Builders”o  South Korea: “Little Toad, Little Toad”, but mainly this cato  Spain: “Internalities: Architectures for Territorial Equilibrium”o  UAE: “Pressure Cooker”o  USA: “Porch: An Architecture of Generosity”§  Curators: ·        Peter MacKeith, Fay Jones School of Architecture, University of Arkansas·        Rod Bigelow, Executive Director, Crystal Bridges Museum of Art·        Marlon Blackwell, Marlon Blackwell Architects·        Susan Chin, Design Connects·        Stephen Burks, Man Made§  Shades of the timber-themed 2021 exhibit, but with a twist§  Interview with Mark Cavagnero, Mark Cavagnero Associates, on participation in Porch and his work updating the original 1969 design of the Oakland Museum of California by Kevin Roche and Dan Kiley o  Uzbekistan: A Matter of Radiance-         Interview with collaborators on Art-Tek Tulltorja, conversion of former brick works into a tech hub and community center, Pristina, Kosovo:o  Rafi Segal, Associate Professor, Architecture & Urbanism, MITo  Marisa Moran Jahn, Director, Integrated Design,Parsons School of Designo  Bekim Ramku, OUD+ Architectso  Nol Binakaj, OUD+ Architects-         Interview with Jeanne Gang, amidst a Bio-Blitz powered by the iNaturalist app and featuring a “disco ball for bees”-         Unfrozen's nominations for 2027 Biennale curator:o  Carolyn Whitzman, Senior Housing Researcher, Schoolof Cities, University of Toronto and author of Home Truths: Fixing Canada's Housing Crisiso  Diane Longboat, Senior Manager, StrategicInitiatives, Center for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto§  See: Sweat lodge at the Centero  Patrick Bellew, Chief Sustainability Officer, Surbana Jurong (Atelier Ten)§  Gardens by the Bay cooling system,powered by incinerated tree trimming wasteo  Peter Barber, Peter Barber Architectso  Eyal Weizman, Forensic Architecture-         Stafford Beer: “The purpose of the system is what it does.”

In this inspiring episode of the Think Wildlife Podcast, we're joined by Sri Chakra Pranav Tamarapalli, marine biologist and founder of the East Coast Conservation Team (ECCT), to dive deep into the untold story of conservation along India's East Coast—a region often overlooked in biodiversity efforts. From protecting smooth-coated otters in freshwater wetlands to documenting rare intertidal biodiversity, this episode explores the challenges and triumphs of grassroots conservation in Andhra Pradesh.Conservation Beyond the MainstreamWhile India's Western Ghats and Northeast are recognized as biodiversity hotspots, Pranav shines a light on the unsung ecosystems of Andhra's wetlands, canals, and coastlines. Hear how ECCT began with otter research in Kondakarla Ava, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the state, and evolved into a dynamic organization working on marine conservation, citizen science, and community engagement.Otters as Flagship Species for Freshwater EcosystemsDiscover how Pranav's groundbreaking work uncovered populations of smooth-coated otters—and potentially even small-clawed otters—in Vishakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts. Learn how these apex predators play a crucial role in balancing aquatic ecosystems and how their presence could redefine the conservation map of coastal Andhra.But the journey isn't without conflict—hear about the tension between local fishermen and otters, and how awareness campaigns are bridging the gap between livelihoods and conservation.Marine Biodiversity & Citizen Science: The Tidepool RevolutionThrough the Intertidal Biodiversity Project, ECCT has documented over 350 species in coastal tidepools, some of which had never been recorded in mainland India before. Using iNaturalist and engaging more than 2,000 people through guided shore walks, Pranav and his team are building a model of inclusive conservation—fostering marine literacy and inspiring the next generation of ocean stewards.Stranding Response & Building a Marine NetworkFrom dolphins and turtles to whale sharks, the ECCT team is pioneering stranding response efforts—working with forest departments and researchers to conduct necropsies and uncover causes of marine megafauna mortality. Their vision? A state-wide Marine Conservation Network in Andhra Pradesh to coordinate rapid response, build datasets, and support visiting scientists with real-time local data.Sharks, Rays & Future AmbitionsPranav also shares collaborations with institutions like IISc and Satyabhama University on elasmobranch conservation, revealing insights into shark landings and electric ray distribution. ECCT's long-term goal is clear: to serve as an entry point for researchers, conservationists, and institutions seeking to work in one of India's least-studied marine landscapes.Topics Covered:* East Coast biodiversity and conservation gaps* Otters as ecosystem engineers and flagship species* Wetland connectivity across Andhra Pradesh* Tidepool ecology and intertidal species discoveries* Marine megafauna strandings and necropsy response* Conflict mitigation with local communities* Challenges of fundraising, mentorship and fieldwork* Citizen science and iNaturalist projects* Grassroots network-building for marine protectionSupport ECCTPranav highlights the importance of donations, CSR partnerships, and volunteer support—especially from those fluent in local languages. Want to help? Contribute your skills in social media, fundraising, or fieldwork. Every contribution adds to the ripple of impact.Whether you're passionate about wildlife conservation, marine biology, biodiversity management, or ecological research, this conversation is a must-listen. Discover how one young conservationist is redefining what it means to protect the East Coast of India, one otter and one tidepool at a time.Subscribe, like, and share this episode to amplify underrepresented conservation stories.30% of revenue from optional Substack subscriptions for this episode will be donated to ECCT's on-ground conservation projects.Meet the Host:Think Wildlife Foundation - https://thinkwildlifefoundation.com/Instagram - @anishwildlifeTwitter - @AnishWildlifeMeet the Guest:Sri Chakra Pranav Tamarapalli - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sri-chakra-pranav-tamarapalli-05467a102/?originalSubdomain=inEast Coast Conservation Team - https://www.eccteam.org/#ConservationStrategies #WildlifeCorridors #LandscapeEcology #Otters #MarineConservation #EastCoastIndia #BiodiversityHotspot #BiodiversityConservation #CitizenScience #LinearInfrastructure #WildlifeConflict #Elasmobranchs #StrandingResponse #ThinkWildlifePodcast #Ecology #NatureIndia #Podcast #WildlifeConservation Get full access to The Think Wildlife Podcast at anishbanerjee.substack.com/subscribe

Why would a spider have a frog best friend? Why do they love your shower? Does lemon repel them? Should you rehome them outside? Why so hairy? How do you identify the harmless ones? Which ones get kinky? Hey. This will be fun. If you're afraid of spiders, this is the best first step to conquering that fear forever. If you love spiders, you're in good company with Dr. Marshal Hedin, a San Diego State University professor who has dedicated his life to the diverse array of araneids. Also: why they need and deserve your love. Visit the Hedin Lab at SDSU and follow Dr. Hedin on Bluesky, iNaturalist, and Google ScholarA donation went to the San Diego State University Biodiversity MuseumMore episode sources and linksSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesOther episodes you may enjoy: Kinetic Salticidology (DANCING SPIDERS), Spidroinology (SPIDERWEBS), Fearology (FEAR), Herpetology (REPTILES), Culicidology (MOSQUITOES), Speleology (CAVES), Aperiology (MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY), Scorpiology (SCORPIONS), Entomology (INSECTS), Forest Entomology (CREEPY CRAWLIES)Sponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn

At the start of Erin Patterson's trial, the prosecution alleged she travelled to places death cap mushrooms had been spotted. Today, the man who posted some pictures of mushrooms in those areas online gave his evidence.Dr Tom May, a mushroom expert who uses the username "funkeytom" on the iNaturalist website, told the court how to identify death cap mushrooms. Doctors also gave evidence, explaining that Erin Patterson's tests in hospital appeared normal.If you've got questions about the case that you'd like Kristian to answer in future episodes, send them through to mushroomcasedaily@abc.net.au- It's the case that's captured the attention of the world.   Three people died and a fourth survived an induced coma after eating beef wellington at a family lunch, hosted by Erin Patterson.   Police allege the beef wellington contained poisonous mushrooms, but Erin Patterson says she's innocent.   Now, the accused triple murderer is fighting the charges in a regional Victorian courthouse. Court reporter Kristian Silva and producer Stephen Stockwell are on the ground, bringing you all the key moments from the trial as they unravel in court.   From court recaps to behind-the-scenes murder trial explainers, the Mushroom Case Daily podcast is your eyes and ears inside the courtroom.   Keep up to date with new episodes of Mushroom Case Daily, now releasing every day on the ABC listen app.   

In this illuminating episode of Educator Yarns, we welcome back Bec from Bush Kindy's Australia for an in-depth conversation about Bush Tucker Gardens in early learning environments. Together, Jessica & Bec explore the profound educational value these spaces offer and address a common challenge observed across many services: the tendency for Bush Tucker plants to be underutilised, neglected, or misunderstood. Bec shares her wealth of knowledge about why these gardens matter, how they connect children to Country, and practical approaches to establishing and maintaining meaningful native plant spaces that authentically reflect local ecosystems. Drawing from their extensive experience working on Country and witnessing successful implementations in educational settings, they offer invaluable insights for educators wanting to move beyond tokenistic inclusion of native plants towards genuine engagement with Aboriginal perspectives through place-based learning experiences. Key Takeaways: ·       Bush Tucker Gardens create meaningful connections to place-based pedagogy, allowing children and educators to learn about their local community, ecosystems, and Indigenous knowledge systems. ·       Native plant spaces in early learning environments establish essential green corridors for wildlife, particularly important in urban areas or regions affected by environmental events like fires or cyclones. ·       Rather than creating isolated "Bush Tucker sections," consider integrating native plants throughout your entire outdoor learning environment for a more inclusive and authentic approach. ·       Research what's endemic to your specific area by connecting with local nurseries, community organisations, Elders, or using apps like iNaturalist to identify local species. ·       Involve children in the entire process - from researching local plants, mapping garden spaces, tracking sunlight patterns, identifying ideal locations, and creating signage for plants. ·       Start small with quality over quantity – seven mature plants are more valuable than numerous seedlings, especially as many native species grow slowly. ·       Consider practical factors when planning: sun exposure, accessibility, traffic patterns, and which age groups will interact with the plants. ·       Native plants often require less maintenance than introduced species – sometimes "neglect" is better than over care, as they're adapted to local conditions. ·       Establish rhythms and routines for observing and engaging with the plants through regular visits that involve sensory exploration and documentation of seasonal changes. ·       Dead or neglected Bush Tucker Gardens send problematic messages to both children and community members about valuing Indigenous knowledge and perspectives. Bush Tucker Gardens represent a powerful opportunity to move beyond tokenistic approaches to embedding Aboriginal perspectives by creating authentic connections to Country right within your learning environment. By thoughtfully planning, researching local ecosystems, involving children meaningfully, and embracing the natural rhythms of native plants, educators can create spaces that honour First Nations knowledge while fostering deep environmental stewardship in young learners. We encourage you to start your Bush Tucker journey today—whether beginning with a small collection of mature plants or revitalising an existing garden—and witness how these living educational resources transform both your physical space and pedagogical practice. Access the episode resources here.

Michele Rehbein discusses the City Nature Challenge, which will take place April 25-28, 2025. This four-day annual event encourages people to find and photograph plants and wildlife in their own cities and towns using iNaturalist. Then, Izzy Vogel and Naomi O'Connor, two members of Team Minerva, a robotics team from Park City High School, tell us about their competition at the Premier event in Springfield, Massachusetts.

In this episode—which is number 115—Ivan Phillipsen guides listeners through the art and science of finding birds—a skill that even seasoned birders are always refining. While birds are everywhere, intentionally locating them in nature can be surprisingly difficult. Ivan breaks down bird-finding as a multi-scale strategy, starting from intercontinental trip planning all the way down to spotting a skulky sparrow in a dense bush. With insight from a decade of leading birding tours and inspiration from Pete Dunne's book The Art of Bird Finding, this episode is packed with practical tips.Learn how to use digital tools like eBird, iNaturalist, and Google Maps to research hotspots and track species movements. Ivan also explores daily and seasonal bird activity patterns, offering advice on when and where to look based on habitat, weather, and migration timing. Real-world examples—from birding trips in Chile to last-minute local outings—illustrate how preparation can dramatically boost your chances of success.The episode includes a look at field techniques, including how to scan effectively with your eyes and ears, the importance of subtle movement, and how to use binoculars without missing your target. Ivan also discusses ethical considerations around using playback and the dynamics of birding in a group. Whether you're new to birding or chasing your 5,000th lifer, this episode has tools, tips, and inspiration to sharpen your skills in the field.Links of InterestThe Art of Bird Finding [BOOK]~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website Support the show

Vultures can be seen throughout Florida, whether soaring in the air or feeding on the ground, visitor or resident, we have all encountered vultures in Florida. We actually have two species of vultures in Florida, the black vulture and the turkey vulture. While they may seem clumsy and not the most attractive birds, they play a critical role in our ecosystem. Learn how to tell these two species apart and the importance of these birds to our natural world. Learn More:  Black Vulture - https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/black-vultureTurkey Vulture - https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/turkey-vultureVultures: https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/raptors-and-vultures/vultures/Black Vulture or Turkey Vulture? That Is the Question: https://youtu.be/S-XcSqcpBpI?si=4c1FObJAVCkpqzMbHow You Can Help: Respect their space, they are doing a critically important job that none of us want to do. Let them do their work 

In this episode, we get excited about two new books: Perspective(s): A Novel by Laurent Binet and The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer. Then Dave shares the app that's decoding nature's secrets in his favorite park. Links Perspective(s): A Novel by Laurent Binet The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer HHhH by Laurent Binet — hear Mel talk about it on our Prague podcast episode The Black House by Peter May — hear Mel talk about it on our Scotland episode Seek by iNaturalist: download the app for Apple or Google, watch a demo video, get the user's guide Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon  Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charles and Jon talk with mammalwatching power couple Venkat Sankar & Nicole Haseley from their base at Stanford University in California. Nicole and Venkat 'accidentally' turned 2024 into a Big California (Mammal) Year and ended up seeing a record breaking 150 species in the state by December 31.They talk about some of their big year's highs and lows as well as their favourite places in California to mammalwatch, and offer advice on how to identify small mammals in the field. Plus Nicole explains why browsing iNaturalist pictures in public can be a fast track to romance.For more information visit www.mammalwatching.com/podcastNotes: a Big Year - a concept well known among birders - sees participants look for as many different species as possible within a geographic boundary (in this case California). Venkat and Nicole's Big Year report is here (there are many more California reports here). Meanwhile Charles's epic 2019 Big Mammal Day report from Tanzania is well worth a read!A report from Charles's Royle Safaris' trip to Ghana will eventually arrive here. The ethical mammalwatching cartoons Jon mentioned are here.Cover art: Venkat & NicoleDr Charles Foley is a mammalwatcher and biologist who, together with his wife Lara, spent 30 years studying elephants in Tanzania. They now run the Tanzania Conservation Research Program at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.Jon Hall set up mammalwatching.com in 2005. Genetically Welsh, spiritually Australian, currently in New York City. He has looked for mammals in over 110 countries.

From butterflies to birds, experts and citizen scientists unite in a shared mission to monitor and protect nature's habitats. On my show this week, we zoom in on the declining richness of Luxembourg's biodiversity and why it matters. From powerful EU projects to local volunteers counting butterflies, my guests show how citizen science can be crucial to help collect data in a clear and scientific manner. Dr. Youri Martin, Senior R&T Engineer in biodiversity at LIST, is at the heart of Luxembourg's monitoring systems. As principal investigator of the BIODIV project, Youri and his team track protected species using standardised data methods. He coordinates the Luxembourg Pollinator Monitoring Scheme, where volunteers conduct pollinator transect walks and pan trapping to observe bees, butterflies and other insects. “Consistency in data is everything. It allows us to see real trends,  and the picture is concerning.” Over 60% of butterfly mass abundance has declined in just over a decade. Citizen science has gripped John Park, who created Bee Together.  From identifying butterflies to pan-trapping pollinators, John works hands-on with LIST and is cited among contributors to the new Butterfly Atlas of Luxembourg. “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not,” he quotes from The Lorax. John's work has even contributed to published research on genetic drift in insects . Joining us from Austria was Gerid Hager, a research scholar at IIASA and a key figure in the EU's FRAMEwork project and Urban ReLeaf initiative. Gerid emphasised the strength of collaborative data collection from farmers and citizens alike. “This isn't just about data, it's about community, ownership, and the cultural shift towards biodiversity-friendly agriculture.” On the birding front, Patric Lorgé, field ornithologist at natur&ëmwelt, has spent decades building Luxembourg's bird monitoring network. With over 120 volunteers, he has standardised the national tracking of bird populations and authored Vögel Luxemburgs. Patric has personally observed 283 of the 336 bird species in Luxembourg, contributing vital knowledge to EU conservation frameworks like Natura 2000. Digitally documenting this natural world is Paul Braun, Digital Curator at the National Museum of Natural History Luxembourg (MNHNL). As the Luxembourg node manager for GBIF and site manager of iNaturalist.lu, Paul promotes citizen science through technology. The iNaturalist app, he explains, allows users to photograph and identify wild species globally. "The data doesn't just sit there—it feeds into research, policy, and international conservation." The show also highlighted the upcoming City Nature Challenge, a global bioblitz encouraging everyone to document as many species as possible in their city using iNaturalist. Last year Luxembourg contributed over 9,000 observations. “This is where science becomes personal and powerful,” says Paul. So, whether you're walking transects, installing pan traps, identifying birds or just using an app in your garden, you are a vital part of Luxembourg's biodiversity mission. The data you collect today could shape conservation policy tomorrow. As Youri said, “We can't protect what we don't understand. And we can't understand what we don't observe.” https://www.list.lu/en/environment/project/biodiv-iiia/ https://www.list.lu/en/environment/project/lupoms/ https://beetogetherlux.wordpress.com/ https://iiasa.ac.at/ https://www.naturemweltasbl.lu/produit/exemple-de-produit-4/ https://www.mnhn.lu/science/2024/07/11/ferrantia-90/ https://recodo.io/ https://iiasa.ac.at/blog/sep-2023/reshaping-local-frontiers-of-farming-and-biodiversity https://www.naturemweltasbl.lu/centrale-ornithologique/ https://www.ornitho.lu/ https://www.mnhn.lu/ https://www.gbif.org/ https://inaturalist.lu/ https://www.citynaturechallenge.org/ https://www.list.lu/

Send us a textS6E66 In this episode, we're in the charming market town of Frome in Somerset, where the locals take part in a hands-on citizen science event. Armed with bat detectors, participants are sent out around town to record any bats they spot.What makes this event even more exciting is the use of iNaturalist – a popular platform that collects and shares real-time wildlife data. As participants venture out at dusk, their bat sightings are immediately transmitted to the town hall chambers, where the community can track the results live on a big screen. By the end of the night, everyone reconvenes to see the collective findings and marvel at the variety of bats that call Frome home.See the results from the evening for yourselfUpcoming big bat countsInterested in taking part?Thank you to Wildcare for sponsoring series 6 of BatChat.Quote BATCHAT at the Wildcare checkout for 10% off all bat detectors and bat boxes. Use our interactive map to find the closest recording location to where you are and to see photos and additional material from the recording.Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

This episode contains three previously aired segments about a common topic that have been put together for easier listening. Tools of the Trade is a series of descriptions of essential tools that Master Gardeners use to research and answer questions about our natural environment. Master Gardener Volunteer Joan Satterlee provides detailed explanations of each tool including how it is best used. The topic of the first retrospective segment is iNaturalist, which is a website or app that can be used to identify plants, insects, and animals. Launched in 2008, it uses photographs and artificial intelligence to help you explore your surroundings. Available on iOS and Android operating systems, there is no fee to use it. There is even a version, called Seek, that is an alternative for beginners. Are you looking to find native plants for your garden? Stay tuned for information about the Audubon Native Plant Database. Once you enter your zip code, you'll find a listing of all the native plants that are from your area. You can organize the search results in many different ways such as type of plant, features, or even the type of bird it may attract. There are lots of search options and filters to get even more information specific to your interests. The last segment in this episode features a gardener's classic resource for woody plants: the Dirr's Manual of Woody Landscape Plants written by Michael Dirr. Organized by botanical name, this gardening 'bible' also has an index of common names that can be extremely helpful. It provides information about the plant's leaves, bids, flowers, fruit, size, hardiness, and diseases, among other things. It even describes its landscape value. While this manual contains line drawings, if you prefer photographs, consider investing in the Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs as another potential resource. Host: Jean Thomas Guest: Joan Satterlee Photo by: Teresa Golden Production Support: Linda Aydlett, Deven Connelly, Teresa Golden, Taly Hahn, Tim Kennelty, Amy Meadow, Xandra Powers, Annie Scibienski, Robin Smith, Resources

Summary Ground nesting bees represent a significant portion of our native bee population, yet they often go unnoticed due to their solitary nature and unique nesting habits. In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of ground nesting bees and how we can get involved in their study and conservation. Today's guest Dr. Jordan Kueneman is a research associate in the Danforth lab of Entomology at Cornell University. He is also the creator of the Ground Nesting Bee project on iNaturalist where he is collecting observations of ground-nesting bee aggregations. 3 things you'll learn from this episode: An overview of ground nesting bee biology, their behaviors, and their importance in the environment and potentially to some of our agricultural crops. An introduction into how much we still don't know about ground nesting bees, including the answers to what would seem like fairly basic questions. How individuals like you and I can help researchers learn more about ground nesting bees and where they can be found. Bonus content: Tips on how to identify ground nesting bees Resources Jordan mentioned: Ground Nesting Bees iNaturalist Project  Project GNBee website  Instagram   Other Backyard Ecology resources: 3 Tree Groups That Provide Early Season Bee Food!  Discover Your Next Steps  Thank you Thank you to our amazing Patrons who go above and beyond every month to provide financial support which helps us create so much free content for everyone to enjoy and learn from.

Dr. Corey Callaghan, Assistant Professor of Wild Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida, joins us to discuss the dynamics of citizen science and how data collected by bird watchers and turkey hunters can contribute to wildlife research. Be sure to download the eBird app in the show notes below to help us double the turkey observations this season! Resources: Callaghan, C. T., et al. (2021). Global abundance estimates for 9,700 bird species. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.   Deer University eBird Florida Wildlife Corridor  iNaturalist Merlin Bird ID Natural Resources University Network NWTF Proposal Application  Snapshot USA   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Dr. Corey Callaghan Website, Publications Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube   Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!  Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Watch these podcasts on YouTube Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! Get a 10% discount  at Grounded Brand by using the code ‘TurkeyScience' at checkout! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org.    Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

Dr. Corey Callaghan, Assistant Professor of Wild Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida, joins us to discuss the dynamics of citizen science and how data collected by bird watchers and turkey hunters can contribute to wildlife research. Be sure to download the eBird app in the show notes below to help us double the turkey observations this season! Resources: Callaghan, C. T., et al. (2021). Global abundance estimates for 9,700 bird species. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.   Deer University eBird Florida Wildlife Corridor  iNaturalist Merlin Bird ID Natural Resources University Network NWTF Proposal Application  Snapshot USA   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Dr. Corey Callaghan Website, Publications Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube   Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!  Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Watch these podcasts on YouTube Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! Get a 10% discount  at Grounded Brand by using the code ‘TurkeyScience' at checkout! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org.    Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

In this very special donkumentary, we're headed to the Mojave Desert — to Death Valley, in particular — where we find one animal at the centre of a heated debate in land management: the hardy wild burro (AKA donkey, ass, or Equus asinus).These feral burros, beloved by some and reviled by others, are an introduced species in the desert southwest, but are uniquely entangled in its human history. Since before the establishment of Death Valley as a national monument, they have been widely regarded as overpopulated on the Mojave landscape. In recent years, rising costs, public controversy, and some conflicting legislation have brought the sustainability of conventional burro management into crisis.But not everyone is convinced that they're harmful. Could this crisis be avoided altogether if we looked at burros under a different light?Are they crowding out the native and endangered fauna? Or are they filling an ancient ecosystem niche? Join us as we meet the land managers, ecologists, and donkey racers all trying to do right by the desert.Find photos, credits, a transcript, and citations at futureecologies.net/listen/fe-6-3-get-yer-ass-outta-here— — —We rely on listener support to stay independent, ad free, and making the best podcast we can make.Help us keep the lights on at patreon.com/futureecologies — and get perks like early episode releases, bonus audio content, stickers, patches, a cozy hat, access to our community discord server, and your name on our websiteGet new episodes in your email: join our mailing listYou can also find us on Bluesky, Instagram, Mastodon, & iNaturalist

While much of the country waits until late April to celebrate Arbor Day, Florida marks the occasion several months sooner. Our subtropical climate makes it safe—and even beneficial—to plant trees during the cooler, drier winter months (with proper irrigation). By doing this now, young saplings have time to develop strong root systems before facing the intense heat and storms of the summer season. Perhaps you recently attended an Arbor Day event, or took home a tree to plant in your yard. This episode explores Florida Arbor Day and tips for caring for your tree. Learn more: Economic Contributions of Urban Forestry in Florida in 2017 - https://ccmedia.fdacs.gov/content/download/94000/file/FLUrbanForestry_Infographic.pdf Wind and Trees: Lessons Learned from Hurricanes (Mentioned by Shannon) - https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/documents/FR173.pdf How You Can Help: Plant a tree! Watch this video to learn how: https://youtu.be/HXdlsJ451b8?si=uy9JFBluX-HjeJCp&t=37 Prune your maturing or mature trees, to ensure they are storm resistant and healthy. Go to https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist to find a certified tree expert to help maintain your trees. Sources for this Episode: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FR/FR17400.pdf  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr173  https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/polkco/2017/09/08/471/  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr175  http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/trees-that-can-withstand-hurricanes.html  Arbor Day 2024 ‑ History & Facts | HISTORY  Planting and Establishing Trees – Gardening Solutions  https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist  If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with a friend who might enjoy learning about Florida's natural areas and the wild things that live here! If you're active on iNaturalist, consider joining our iNaturalist project, Naturally Florida's Listener Observations, here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/naturally-florida-s-listener-observations⁠⁠

Send us a textThere's an invasion happening right under our noses—one that's likely reached your own backyard. You may have even unknowingly played a part in it.This is the spread of invasive plants, animals, and fungi. Once removed from their native habitats, these species reproduce rapidly, disrupting ecosystems, threatening biodiversity, and even endangering our food, health, and recreation.Invasive species are wreaking havoc in every corner of the world, often with our unwitting help. But with knowledge, care, and action, we can turn the tide.Griff Griffith guides you on a journey explaining how invasive species pose a threat, how they got here, and what you can do. Griff is joined by Dr. Sara Kuebbing (from the Yale School of the Environment), Emelie Swackhamer (Penn State University Extension), and Carl Klarner (Redwood Invasive Plant Eradicators). Thanks to Associate Producer Kat Hill and Sound Designer Miles Ewell for their assistance in production of this episode.FULL SHOW NOTESLINKS and Additional Information for Topics DiscussedForeign Seed Scam - did you know there is a scam where people send foreign seeds? Sounds crazy, but it happens. Learn what to do here.How to Build a Spotted Lanternfly Circle TrapiNaturalist - you can use iNaturalist to identify plants, fungi, insects, and more, with the help of machine learning and a dedicated community of experts. iNaturalist also flags many invasive species, so take a backyard safari and see what you can find and remove from your yard!RIPE - Redwood Invasive Plant Eradicators - is Carl Klarner's organization in Northern California. They remove English Ivy from private properties. They have a new instagram account, too.USDA Invasive Species Database, and their maps serve as a good starting pointRelated Podcast EpisodesJumpstart Nature The Yard of the FutureAdditional CreditsThe following music was used for this media project:Music: The Question Is (Quizpackage) by Sascha EndeFree download: https://filmmusic.io/en/song/228-the-question-is-quizpackageLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseMusic: Silent Movie 19 by Sascha EndeFree download: https://filmmusic.io/en/song/12433-silent-movie-19License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseMusic: Cinematic Suspense Series Episode 008 by Sascha EndeFree download: https://filmmusic.io/en/song/7669-cinematic-suspense-series-episode-008License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseMusic: Bahnstreik by Sascha EndeFree download: https://filmmusic.io/en/song/404-bahnstreikLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseAdditional Music: Cleanse by Principal DeanSound Effects from Soundly: getsoundly.com Support the show

Codey and Kev catch up on all the recent news Timings 00:00:00: Theme Tune 00:00:30: Intro 00:01:06: Feedback 00:08:21: What Have We Been Up To 00:43:30: Game Releases 00:57:44: Game Updates 01:06:41: New Games 01:28:43: Outro Links Harvest Hills Release Chill Town Development Update Dragon Shelter Trailer Steamworld Build Physical Release Echoes of the Plum Grove Digital Art Book Harvest Moon: Home Sweet Home “Controller and Cloud Save” Update Research Story “Shimmering” Update Go-go Town Roadmap Terra Nil “Heatwave” Update Cattle Country Litchi Town Cinnabunny Contact Al on Mastodon: https://mastodon.scot/@TheScotBot Email Us: https://harvestseason.club/contact/ Transcript (0:00:30) Codey: Hello, farmers and welcome to another episode of the harvest season. My name is Cody. (0:00:36) Kev: My name is Kevin, and we are back in the sad woodbeam. (0:00:40) Codey: Welcome to a new year. This is actually, this is actually being recorded in the new year. (0:00:41) Kev: Wow. (0:00:44) Kev: Oh yeah. (0:00:46) Kev: The first one. (0:00:49) Kev: Yeah. (0:00:50) Kev: Unlike the last one, which is recorded before a lot of the ones before that, which is wild. (0:00:55) Codey: Yeah, I just, I just finished. (0:00:57) Kev: Oh, wildflowers got a sequel, prequel, and I wouldn’t say it. (0:01:04) Codey: Yeah. So I guess so. Okay. So this episode is about a news catch up, (0:01:09) Codey: but we do want to hear Kev. (0:01:10) Kev: Yup. (0:01:14) Codey: I want to hear. So there’s a couple of things that we have to, (0:01:17) Codey: we have to talk about first, uh, all, but yeah, (0:01:19) Kev: I saw the note (0:01:22) Codey: I’ll put any feedback on game of the year. (0:01:24) Codey: So do you have any feedback on Rusty’s retirement winning game of the year? (0:01:28) Kev: Oh, so like, I’ll tell you what, my feedback is that this is just the, the, the (0:01:36) Kev: revenge of the, the coral island debacle of the previous year. (0:01:40) Kev: That’s what this is. (0:01:41) Codey: No, who would you have well you probably would have had wildflowers win, right? (0:01:41) Kev: Um, me, no, I mean, well, okay. (0:01:49) Kev: Some deep inside baseball, right? (0:01:51) Kev: Like this is, we’ve been talking a little bit on how to structure this (0:01:54) Kev: game the year, because it’s challenging, right? (0:01:57) Kev: with so many games that come out, right? (0:01:58) Kev: And we cover, you know, at most 52 games in a year, and obviously we’re not going to bring 52 games in a year. (0:02:06) Codey: Right (0:02:06) Kev: And furthermore, they’re probably not all going to be games that came out that year. (0:02:12) Kev: So that is a lot of games that we don’t play and consider and, you know, we might be missing things, right? (0:02:22) Kev: So like Wildflowers, we missed it the year it came out. (0:02:26) Kev: came out, so I didn’t put it in. (0:02:28) Kev: It wasn’t in the running for Game of the Year, so I think that we should maybe try (0:02:34) Kev: to aim for next year is like, we already started doing the categories or whatever kind of, (0:02:41) Kev: so I think there should be one for actually 2020, whatever, four, five, whatever, and then (0:02:47) Kev: one that we covered on the show that year, you know what I mean? (0:02:50) Kev: That’s probably how we should structure that, but either way, I mean, yeah, either way, (0:02:55) Kev: But a lot of thought was just not going to be my vote because we didn’t cover it last time. (0:02:58) Kev: I would have gone with Mika of course, but I get it. (0:03:00) Codey: Okay. (0:03:02) Codey: That was me, I was gonna say maybe Mika. (0:03:06) Kev: I will say I haven’t played Rusty’s retirement in myself. (0:03:10) Kev: Like I said, I don’t like the concept of something playing on your screen as you’re doing other stuff. (0:03:20) Kev: I’m the total opposite end of the spectrum from that. It doesn’t tell me at all. (0:03:26) Kev: Um, but I’m sure it’s fine. (0:03:27) Kev: Like what, what I, you know, (0:03:28) Kev: what I want to talk about, it’s great and, and what, right. (0:03:31) Kev: Um, and furthermore, like, uh, I think it was my, I don’t know, brought it up like (0:03:36) Kev: that, you know, it’s breaking more new ground than say Mika’s because Mika, you (0:03:42) Kev: know, there’s no doubt that Mika is definitely standing on the shoulders of (0:03:46) Kev: giants leaning on a Wind Waker aesthetic and the studio Ghibli and all that. (0:03:52) Kev: Um, so, you know, I can appreciate that. (0:03:54) Kev: Um, so, you know, Mika would have been my vote. (0:03:57) Kev: But I don’t know. (0:03:58) Kev: I’m fine with my sister’s time. I’m not complaining. I do like the rule but um but uh but yeah um yeah that’s that’s my only real thought um like yeah it’s fine not my vote but again for two-fold reasons and and I get why you guys picked it so I’m not complaining too much. (0:04:00) Codey: Mm hmm. Okay, yeah. (0:04:13) Codey: Hmm. Yeah, those of us with ADHD, it just tickles that itch for sure. (0:04:24) Codey: Okay, so the second question would be wild society. How are you? How do you? What are your thoughts? (0:04:30) Kev: So, obviously I’m hyped, right, because Studio Drydock has done fantastic work, kind of across the board, right, not just, except maybe the art style, which, you know, I’m not going to defend it per se, but the story they wrote, the mechanics, how they came about it, even their promotion, how they interact with the community. (0:05:00) Kev: Um, just call it stuff across the board, right? (0:05:04) Kev: Um, obviously I’m biased, you know, I’m going to go dove into wildflowers because of Ray and yada, yada, but, um, and bother is a lot of fun and whatnot, but, um, like the fact that we’re getting a sequel, one, that’s great, right, or people, I guess. (0:05:20) Kev: Um, and what’s exciting is that it’s not going to probably be a, you know, one-to-one sequel. We’re not on a farm now. We’re running a hotel bed and breakfast thing. (0:05:30) Kev: I don’t know if you remember, so, you know, I’m interested to see what we’re going to do. I’ll probably put, we had a lot of emphasis on the social interactions and whatnot, but, um, you know, that was, I think, one of the strong suits from wildflowers, like the community of that little island and people interacting and whatnot. (0:05:48) Kev: So, you know, focusing more on that, I think it’s going to be fun. (0:05:52) Kev: Um, I do wonder how the magic will fit into everything because, you know, you use the magic. (0:06:00) Kev: For farming, but here we’re just hosting key parties, question mark. So what are we, you know, what spiking drinks with potions was a feature in wildflowers. (0:06:08) Codey: - Yeah. (0:06:14) Kev: So, um, oh yeah, you’re right. There was like a seance thing. Yeah, right. There you go. That’ll be interesting. Um, but yeah, um, I mean, yeah, of course. (0:06:14) Codey: - Didn’t they have in wilds? (0:06:16) Codey: Didn’t you have a seance in the trailer for wild society? (0:06:28) Kev: Yeah, of course, I’m super excited for it. (0:06:32) Kev: I believe they already confirmed there will be returning characters, which is interesting because they think it’s going to be a fairly large time gap. (0:06:38) Kev: But there are characters who could show up. I can already name two or three of them. (0:06:44) Kev: So it’ll be fun to see them show up. (0:06:50) Kev: This is generally somewhat bad form, but I’m pretty sure the voice in the trailer was Valerie Rose Lohman. (0:06:56) Kev: So I’m sure she’s going to get a character in there. I feel like she has to, right? She has to. (0:06:59) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:07:02) Kev: So, you know, but we’ll see. I don’t know. (0:07:06) Kev: All in all, obviously, I’m very excited. It’s fun. (0:07:10) Kev: Yeah, well, John, my eyes are peeled and I’ll be day one buyer, of course. (0:07:14) Kev: I’m so open. (0:07:15) Codey: Well, and I will say that after everything that you’ve talked about the game and looking (0:07:22) Codey: at wild society, well, maybe we’ll be doing a second harvest of wildflowers this year (0:07:31) Codey: because I want to play it. (0:07:31) Kev: Oh, oh, oh, like, you know, obviously my hyperbolic cartoonish adoration of the game is great now, but like it is still a very solid game. (0:07:44) Kev: Like I cannot recommend enough. (0:07:45) Kev: Like it is up there with the, you know, the top Stardew clones or farming is whatever. (0:07:52) Kev: Um, it’s solid. (0:07:54) Codey: Yeah, yeah, no, it looks great. (0:07:54) Kev: Um, you know, cause you could just pass the, the style, I don’t play many once. (0:08:01) Kev: But hey, that’s good. That’s good. (0:08:02) Codey: So, okay, so, yeah, the, as I’ve already mentioned, today, the topic is news catch up, so we have (0:08:11) Codey: a lot of news to get through, but next section is the what have we been up to section. (0:08:19) Codey: And here’s the final question for Kev. (0:08:22) Codey: - Kev, you have to– (0:08:24) Codey: - I just remember you saying, “oh yeah, I got a puppy,” (0:08:26) Codey: and I’m like, “ah, I need details!” (0:08:28) Codey: And this is the first time we’ve been on a pod together, so… (0:08:30) Kev: Mm-hmm. Okay (0:08:30) Codey: I just remember you saying, “oh yeah, I got a puppy,” (0:08:32) Codey: and I’m like, “ah, I need details!” (0:08:36) Codey: And this is the first time we’ve been on a pod together, so… (0:08:38) Codey: together, so. (0:08:39) Kev: So yeah, um (0:08:42) Kev: Some recording I don’t I don’t remember where or what was the like where the harvest season (0:08:51) Kev: Time-wise where I was when I recorded near puppy (0:08:54) Kev: But okay, so I I feel like I did so, you know (0:09:00) Kev: Here’s show time if you go listen to if you listen to the the Rainbow Road radio the neutral show (0:09:02) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:09:06) Kev: I do with our friend now, it’s so are you things? (0:09:07) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:09:09) Kev: You you could he hear the puppy saga in real life in real time because I’ve given up updates (0:09:14) Kev: But anyways, so, okay, I’m gonna give context for people who might not know I imagine most folks might know (0:09:21) Kev: Things I brought it up here and there but okay. So first of all (0:09:26) Kev: two years ago (0:09:29) Kev: October (0:09:30) Kev: 29th, I know that I know the date it’s weird, but I I have a reference point but we lost our first dog passed away two (0:09:38) Kev: Years ago on October 29th heard (0:09:42) Kev: Whatever do you know it’s new year, whatever (0:09:45) Kev: His name was though though he we had him for 18 years same age as my brother (0:09:50) Kev: toy poodle (0:09:52) Kev: obviously left the big (0:09:54) Kev: hole in the family and all that (0:09:57) Kev: and so (0:09:58) Kev: Uh, but for the first while we were. (0:10:00) Kev: We’d been petless, right? (0:10:01) Kev: Um, uh, Kiyo about a year later, a little, it was actually around the (0:10:06) Kev: same time around November of 2023. (0:10:09) Kev: Well, we got two kitties, um, Daisy and Teddy, and they were very small kittens. (0:10:15) Kev: And they were just a couple, like three, maybe four weeks old when we got them. (0:10:19) Kev: Um, and so that was my first time having cats and, and, and they were fun and, and, (0:10:24) Kev: and all the weird and wonderful and really weird things that cats are. (0:10:30) Kev: But, um, you know, but they’re relatively chill compared to dogs, right? (0:10:33) Kev: They’re a little more low home maintenance. (0:10:36) Kev: Um, uh, anyway, so Q this past year on by like, did you no one realized? (0:10:43) Kev: Well, I was the first one to realize it on the same date, October 29th of 2024. (0:10:48) Kev: Two years to the day after though, though. (0:10:50) Kev: Um, I was given lucky as an early birthday gift. (0:10:54) Kev: Um, so he was a toy poodle, much like the, um, the other was a (0:10:59) Kev: blonde, light brown color. (0:11:01) Kev: is like red cinnamon type of fur color. (0:11:05) Kev: Um, he was two months old, I think when we got him, he was still a really little guy, all in all. (0:11:13) Kev: Um, so yeah, um, we got him, uh, took probably a week or two to pick the name and settled on Lucky. (0:11:20) Kev: That is his name. (0:11:21) Kev: Um, and he has been a handful, like, so Dodo was the chillest guy. (0:11:30) Kev: He was smart. (0:11:31) Kev: He was chill. (0:11:32) Kev: Like he, he, he putty trained himself. (0:11:35) Kev: It was wild. (0:11:37) Kev: Um, uh, and whatnot. (0:11:39) Kev: Um, and, and he was just chill. (0:11:41) Kev: He just loved hanging out in cuddling and whatever. (0:11:43) Kev: Lucky is your stereotypical, you know, or would you think of the dog like puppy storm? (0:11:50) Kev: Like he’s chewing everything, biting everything. (0:11:53) Kev: He’s running. (0:11:54) Kev: He’s very friendly. (0:11:55) Kev: He’s very social. (0:11:56) Kev: He loves meeting people. (0:11:57) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:11:57) Kev: Sometimes to Marsha Grin because if he ever gets up (0:12:00) Kev: the leash or will run up to other people and so you know but but yeah he (0:12:08) Kev: that he’s been here we set up the Christmas decorations he’s been chewing (0:12:12) Kev: on them so it’s been a handful I mean it’s obviously still very puppy and so (0:12:17) Kev: learning but he is a joy a bundle of joy he’s probably double means maybe even (0:12:24) Kev: triple not triple but at least double in size I’m sure since we got him but he is (0:12:30) Kev: a toy poodle so he’s still gonna be a little guy on all but but yeah he’s part (0:12:37) Kev: of the home now he’s obviously a lot of attention a lot of work now the cats are (0:12:43) Kev: interesting he gets along with one her name is David Daisy she’s pretty chill (0:12:48) Kev: with him usually but sometimes he’ll try to knit and you know nip play with her (0:12:53) Kev: like a dog would replay fighting or whatever and so she did she doesn’t like (0:12:56) Kev: that, obviously, because even though they’re a year old, they’re like, (0:13:00) Kev: he’s already bigger than both of them. (0:13:02) Kev: Um, and then Teddy, uh, I feel so bad cause poor Teddy, he is our sweetheart. (0:13:08) Kev: He is only, he lives up to his name of Teddy. (0:13:10) Kev: He’s a Teddy bear. (0:13:11) Kev: He’s, he’s, he’s sweet and calm and chill, but he’s so skittish and nervous. (0:13:18) Kev: Like he still freaks out over lucky. (0:13:21) Kev: He’s not used to him on like, not even like I’d say 50% like he’ll, he’ll hiss (0:13:28) Kev: and, you know, and do all this stuff. (0:13:30) Kev: keep his distance and obviously Lucky’s just a puppy he just wants to like run up and play (0:13:34) Kev: at him he’s not he’s never you know Lucky doesn’t have a mean boat in his body or anything um (0:13:41) Kev: but he’s just uh had he just not dealing well with the new so yeah um no that’s unfortunate (0:13:46) Codey: Yeah. I’m sure there’ll be best of friends because that’s how it always goes right like (0:13:52) Kev: yeah yeah yeah I imagine it certainly takes time right like obviously like I said never (0:13:57) Kev: had cats before, so I’ve always never had cats and dogs together before. (0:14:00) Kev: And obviously I did some research on that, and yeah, it looks like it can vary, like I said, (0:14:06) Kev: Daisy and Lucky can get along pretty well. But yeah, I’m sure Teddy will just kind of give it (0:14:13) Kev: time. He’s a very giddish sort of fella that’s the only thing about him. But yeah, that is Lucky. (0:14:23) Kev: Hold on. Let me send you a picture. I’m talking about it, but I didn’t even send you a picture. (0:14:26) Codey: I was going to say, please post one in the Slack, so that yeah, if y’all want to see (0:14:28) Kev: Sure, hold on, Lumi. (0:14:30) Kev: Okay, yeah, there you go, there’s your Patreon Slack exclusive. (0:14:36) Kev: Yeah, I’ll have to dig and find them. (0:14:38) Codey: baby toy poodle pics, and I am all for it. (0:14:46) Kev: I’ll try to find some earlier ones when he was real little cuz he was real like, (0:14:50) Kev: he could barely poke out of the grass standing a little. (0:14:54) Codey: Um… (0:14:54) Kev: But he’s a good bit bigger, but he still acts very much like a mate. (0:15:01) Codey: Yeah. That doesn’t go away for a while. Stella’s finally, can you stop? She’s also all up in my (0:15:03) Kev: Yeah. (0:15:08) Codey: business right now. Um, she, uh, only just started getting out of some of her puppyish like (0:15:09) Kev: Speaking of which, yeah. (0:15:18) Codey: behaviors, like, um, Aussies, both healers and shepherds will like bite at ankles, um, (0:15:27) Codey: to like try and herd you. She’s finally- (0:15:32) Codey: to me, she only ever did it to me, which is stupid. My partner would like be like, “get mommy, get mommy” and like she would come up and get my ankles and I would be like, “are you serious?” (0:15:36) Kev: Hmm (0:15:49) Kev: Yeah, oh my gosh, that’s the thing with (0:15:53) Codey: Look at the little lint. Oh, he’s- (0:15:56) Kev: Yeah, though the one on the left aside posted the picture on slack (0:15:59) Kev: He slackers can look at it now or you probably already have but um on the left side (0:16:04) Kev: Yeah, that’s close to when we got him. (0:16:06) Codey: Mm-hmm. Yeah. (0:16:06) Kev: He’s tiny. You can see him next to the leaves like for comparison and then to the right. That’s a more recent picture (0:16:11) Kev: That’s him with Daisy. Um, like I said, he’s bigger now (0:16:15) Kev: but (0:16:16) Kev: But yeah, the biting the biting’s insane cuz honestly though they never did the biting (0:16:21) Kev: But we hear he’s just nipping at everything (0:16:25) Kev: I you know, I have some facial hair. So he it’s not heavy facial hair, but he likes to nibble on it (0:16:31) Codey: It doesn’t, yeah, yep. (0:16:34) Kev: I just, you know, just nip, nip, nip. (0:16:36) Kev: at it. Um, but that’s, yeah, that’s the lucky saga. Um, good, (0:16:41) Kev: you know, good, uh, obviously good times. A lot of work every (0:16:44) Kev: day. Everyone is yelling, because he’s running around (0:16:49) Kev: causing chaos, but we still love him. And, and he, he’s a pretty (0:16:53) Kev: good boy. Like I said, he’s not aggressive or anything like that. (0:16:57) Kev: You know, he’s, he likes to bite because he’s playful or whatever, (0:17:00) Kev: but, um, yeah, he’s a puppy. Yeah. Um, yeah. (0:17:00) Codey: he’s a puppy that’s just puppy behavior classic puppy behavior (0:17:06) Kev: So that is the lucky saga. Um, well, you know, I’ll do it, you (0:17:10) Kev: know, as I look forward to Mark Phillips or whatever, I’ll, I’ll (0:17:14) Kev: bring up news if things happen. Um, but, uh, but yeah. Um, so (0:17:21) Kev: there you go. There, there you go overseas and folks, there, (0:17:23) Kev: there’s your catch up. Um, okay. So aside from that more recent (0:17:24) Codey: What else have you been up to? (0:17:30) Kev: times, um, I talked about it like when we record cause they’d (0:17:36) Kev: just come out. Like I think when, uh, when Al, I think I did (0:17:40) Kev: the episode of Al Marvel Rivals has been on the big ones, the (0:17:42) Codey: Yeah (0:17:43) Kev: Overwatch clone with Marvel stuff. Um, like. Yeah. Yeah. (0:17:46) Codey: That was really fun to listen to because (0:17:50) Codey: You like basically mentioned it and I was like, oh thank goodness that I don’t like games like this (0:17:57) Codey: Because then I don’t have to play it and then you were like, oh no, no (0:17:57) Kev: Yeah. Yeah, the funny thing, the funny thing is we were just talking and just shooting (0:18:00) Codey: Like it’s not what you think he was like, oh no, no, I have to play it (0:18:10) Kev: the breeze before we started recording that episode and I was talking about rivals and (0:18:14) Kev: he mentioned because like the camera thing was like the big thing and he mentioned that (0:18:16) Codey: Yeah! (0:18:18) Kev: and that’s when I was like, I’m going to button this right now so I can save this for the (0:18:22) Kev: show to drop the reveal on. (0:18:25) Codey: Oh, that’s so funny. (0:18:27) Kev: Oh, yeah, I am as best as I can. So there is a weird thing about like being multi-platform (0:18:27) Codey: So yeah, you’re still enjoying it. (0:18:37) Kev: or whatever. So Calvin likes it too, right? So he plays on our PlayStation. I play on (0:18:38) Codey: - Mm-hmm, okay. (0:18:43) Kev: a laptop that I have just so we can both play it or whatever at the same time. And the kicker (0:18:52) Kev: on being PC is I’m not a PC gamer, generally speaking. I can’t do the– (0:18:57) Kev: a mouse and keyboard and all that stuff, right? So I hook up a controller and I play that (0:19:03) Kev: way but I get bodied because there are those insane mouse and keyboard super aiming people. (0:19:11) Kev: And it’s also like you can tell the population skews younger because of course it’s free to (0:19:18) Kev: play so all the teenagers and kids and it’s Marvel, right? They’re hopping on. So they (0:19:23) Kev: They get a lot more practice time than say I do. (0:19:27) Kev: I get bodied. I’m trying my best. I try to focus or whatever, but it can be rough. (0:19:34) Kev: It can be a bit bumpy at times. I won’t lie, but yeah, it’s good stuff. (0:19:40) Kev: And we actually on the end of the first, they call it season zero, whatever the first battle pass, yada, yada. (0:19:48) Kev: So then there’s new content probably in the next week or two coming out, including the Fantastic Four. (0:19:56) Kev: And so, yeah. (0:19:57) Kev: Good, more exciting stuff to look forward to. (0:20:01) Kev: I’m always down for that. (0:20:03) Kev: But yeah, Marvel Rival continues to be a joy in the curse at times. (0:20:07) Kev: But but that that is it is what it is. (0:20:12) Codey: - Are you still playing Spider-Man? (0:20:13) Kev: Let’s see. (0:20:14) Kev: Um, so I play not Spider-Man is hard. (0:20:18) Kev: I’m not going to lie. (0:20:19) Kev: Spider-Man is really hard to play (0:20:19) Codey: Okay. (0:20:21) Kev: because he plays just like the PlayStation Spider-Man games. (0:20:24) Codey: Yeah. (0:20:25) Kev: but in this context, it’s real. (0:20:28) Kev: I struggle with him, and in fact, when I see Spider-Man players, I’m scared, because I know I’m a good player. (0:20:35) Kev: But, let’s see, my go-tos, I think after all this time, like, did you watch Spider-Verse, the first one into the Spider-Verse? (0:20:45) Codey: - Yes. (0:20:46) Kev: Okay, so Penny Parker, the anime one with the robot, the anime Spider-Verse, she’s in this game. (0:20:50) Codey: - Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. (0:20:52) Kev: Um, yeah, she’s a little older, she’s more like, I think college age, I think. (0:20:57) Kev: It’s just, but she still has a robot. (0:20:59) Kev: I play her, she’s fun. (0:21:01) Kev: Um, she’s, she sets up like a little tower that shoots out spider robots and (0:21:05) Kev: mines and stuff, and so you kind of, you’re, you kind of set up an area where (0:21:09) Kev: you defend, um, that’s what she’s good at. (0:21:11) Kev: Um, so she’s my go-to tank, um, for healer, Jeff the Landshark, I don’t know. (0:21:17) Kev: Have you ever seen Jeff Landshark? (0:21:18) Codey: No. (0:21:19) Kev: Um, he, he, oh my gosh. (0:21:22) Kev: Okay. (0:21:22) Kev: So just hold on, let me send you a picture. (0:21:22) Codey: Okay, you’re fine. You could just say like, I’m sure that everyone, every listener probably knows what you’re talking about. So. (0:21:27) Kev: No, you see, here’s the thing. (0:21:31) Kev: No, here’s the thing, Jeff the Landshark in one of the freaks, (0:21:35) Kev: the deep butt pics that no one on Earth knows. (0:21:36) Codey: Oh, okay. (0:21:38) Kev: [LAUGH] Yeah, but Jeff the Landshark, okay, he’s basically a puppy, (0:21:44) Kev: but he’s a shark with legs, he doesn’t talk or anything. (0:21:49) Kev: And he just swims around and or like he can do the shark thing with the fin sick and (0:21:55) Kev: with the fin sick and now I can move around he heals people (0:21:57) Kev: and he shoots ice balls and all sorts of stuff (0:22:00) Kev: he’s fairly straight forward but he’s pretty satisfying (0:22:04) Kev: so he’s my go to healer (0:22:06) Codey: a puppy. But he’s a shark. Okay. (0:22:07) Kev: he acts like a puppy he does all the (0:22:10) Kev: yes he’s a shark yeah (0:22:14) Kev: yeah so he’s my go to healer he’s (0:22:17) Kev: yeah and like I said one of the cool things about rival is they weren’t (0:22:21) Kev: afraid to get some really deep cuts weirdo pics (0:22:24) Kev: Um, like Jeff, uh, (0:22:28) Kev: what is this that I do? (0:22:29) Kev: Alright, there we go. (0:22:31) Kev: Okay. Uh, sorry. (0:22:32) Kev: Um, so that’s my go-to healer just because he is pretty easy to use and he’s adorable. (0:22:38) Codey: Okay, he definitely looks like a puppy. (0:22:39) Kev: Um, he is just a puppy, but he’s all shark with legs. (0:22:46) Kev: Um, like, it’s a weird description, but that is exactly what it is. (0:22:50) Kev: Um, and then for my damage person, I picked Squirrel Girl. (0:22:54) Kev: She has squirrels, she shoots acorns with a sl- (0:22:57) Kev: she’s oh you don’t know squirrel girl ah okay again okay no you know what no (0:22:58) Codey: Squirrel girl dude I don’t know much of Marvel I yeah okay (0:23:07) Kev: again squirrel girl is a pretty deep but so her pull power is she can communicate (0:23:13) Kev: with squirrels like she you know she’s athletic or whatever but her superpower (0:23:20) Kev: is she can communicate with squirrels and so she will you know send armies of (0:23:24) Kev: squirrels on people and so on and so forth. (0:23:27) Kev: Um, she is an incredible character, something of a joke character, but also (0:23:33) Kev: played for like straight, incredible, like, like in her first issue, she goes (0:23:39) Kev: up against Dr. (0:23:40) Kev: Doom and takes him down with an army of squirrels. (0:23:42) Kev: Um, and, and just, she’s the best, like funny character, um, and she (0:23:49) Kev: dresses up kind of like a squirrel. (0:23:50) Kev: Um, and she has one on her shoulder at all times. (0:23:54) Kev: Um, but yeah, she, her name, in fact. (0:23:54) Codey: Okay, okay. (0:23:57) Kev: The moniker she’s often used is The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. (0:24:00) Kev: Again, just because she’s so, like, hyperbolic, um, goofy, um… (0:24:06) Codey: I mean, if a squirrel is trying to come at you, they’re going to get you from working (0:24:10) Codey: at the Wildlife Center, like I used to have this one squirrel that would sit on my shoulder. (0:24:11) Kev: Yeah? (0:24:11) Kev: Yeah. (0:24:16) Kev: Yeah. (0:24:17) Codey: But if he decided that he wanted to run all over and like suddenly be on my back and then (0:24:23) Codey: and suddenly be on my leg. (0:24:24) Codey: like he they they can do some crazy things oh you sent me a picture of her okay (0:24:28) Kev: Oh, yeah. (0:24:30) Kev: Yep. (0:24:32) Kev: Um, yeah, so she’s great. (0:24:34) Kev: People who know her love her. (0:24:35) Kev: She is, she is a, he is adored. (0:24:38) Kev: Like I said, she’s obviously low-tiered. (0:24:40) Kev: She doesn’t get pushed, like, some, but, um, but she, she’s great. (0:24:44) Kev: Um, so yeah, that’s, that’s Squirrel Girl. (0:24:46) Kev: That’s Marvel Rivals, and those are my three. (0:24:48) Kev: That’s my wacky crew. (0:24:49) Kev: Um, let’s see, aside from Rivals, uh, so I picked up a game, uh, just a couple days ago. (0:24:57) Kev: It’s called Armored Core. (0:24:58) Kev: Are you familiar with this? (0:25:00) Codey: No. (0:25:00) Kev: Okay. (0:25:00) Kev: Uh, are you familiar with, from software? (0:25:02) Codey: No. (0:25:03) Kev: Okay. (0:25:04) Kev: The Elden Ring, people. (0:25:06) Codey: Okay, okay. (0:25:06) Kev: Okay. (0:25:07) Kev: So. (0:25:08) Codey: So you don’t, you like pain. (0:25:10) Codey: You like… (0:25:11) Kev: Yes. (0:25:12) Kev: Yes, I do. (0:25:12) Codey: Okay, okay. (0:25:13) Kev: Okay. (0:25:14) Kev: So you’re familiar with Elden Ring? (0:25:15) Kev: Of course everyone is, right? (0:25:16) Codey: Yeah. (0:25:16) Kev: ‘Cause it’s the biggest game that year, whatever. (0:25:18) Kev: Okay, what if I told you the Elden Ring people said, “What if we, okay, now we wanna do a game, but it’s all robots and mecha?” (0:25:25) Kev: that in that case (0:25:27) Kev: gives you armored core (0:25:30) Kev: so it is a (0:25:32) Kev: it is the same level of polish (0:25:34) Kev: a very like grounded (0:25:36) Kev: you know realistic-ish visual style and whatnot (0:25:40) Kev: the challenge (0:25:42) Kev: I don’t think it’s as hard as Elden Ring (0:25:44) Kev: because Elden Ring is hard (0:25:46) Kev: it’s really hard (0:25:48) Kev: but armored core it’s a different flavor (0:25:50) Kev: because you (0:25:52) Kev: you know you’re controlling a robe alright (0:25:54) Kev: so you switch out parts you can (0:25:57) Kev: think you’re whatnot (0:25:59) Kev: and that’s a big part of the puzzle (0:26:01) Kev: like when you’re given (0:26:03) Kev: a new boss or whatever (0:26:05) Kev: they’ll heavily like hint hint (0:26:07) Kev: use this kind of robot (0:26:09) Kev: because if you’re not (0:26:11) Kev: you’re gonna be in trouble right like (0:26:13) Kev: Pokemon type advantages basically (0:26:15) Kev: so (0:26:17) Kev: there’s a lot of love and attention to detail (0:26:19) Kev: being a robot game you can (0:26:21) Kev: paint your robot however you want (0:26:23) Kev: and I’ll spend a lot of time doing that (0:26:25) Kev: Um, and, and, and. (0:26:28) Kev: It’s very fun. (0:26:29) Kev: Um, like I said, I don’t think anywhere near as hard as Elden Ring, but, uh, still satisfyingly challenging. (0:26:35) Kev: Um, it controls like how I’d want to, the robots will fly, they’ll dash, they’ll, you, you held two weapons. (0:26:41) Kev: You can have double guns or a melee weapon and a gun and missiles, all the, all the good stuff. (0:26:47) Kev: It is, it is very straightforward Mecha. (0:26:50) Kev: Um, so if you’re a fan of that, uh, you know, that’s definitely a thumbs up. (0:26:55) Kev: Okay. (0:26:56) Kev: Uh, that’s a lot from me. (0:26:57) Kev: But now, Cody, tell me, what have you been? (0:26:58) Codey: I have been, um, so I’ve still been playing like, uh, pocket and go, um, go, I am burned (0:27:14) Codey: by because, uh, the shiny work party hat weren’t bull was in, um, in the like new year’s challenge (0:27:26) Codey: or whatever. (0:27:28) Codey: And I still have it, like I’ve been playing every time that there’s an event where you can get this worm bowl and I still have it, like I’ve been playing every time that there’s an event where you can get this worm bowl and I still have it. (0:27:36) Kev: Oh no. (0:27:40) Codey: And I still have it, like I’ve been playing every time that there’s an event where you can get this worm bowl and I still have it, like I’ve been playing every time that there’s an event where you can get this worm bowl. (0:27:54) Codey: I’ve been playing every time that there’s an event where you can get this worm bowl. (0:27:58) Codey: And last year I was so mad about it that I got it tattooed onto my body because I was (0:28:05) Codey: like, if I cannot have a shiny party hat worm bowl in the game, I’m going to have one (0:28:12) Codey: as a tattoo. (0:28:14) Codey: And I’ve had plenty of friends be like, oh, I have one. (0:28:17) Codey: I can trade it to you. (0:28:18) Codey: And I’m like, no, no, no, no, no, I need I’m not going to have any traded until I’ve (0:28:22) Kev: do they not know the story of captain cody in the white wormhole (0:28:24) Codey: caught one on my own. (0:28:28) Codey: and the in the worm bowl. Yeah. Moby worm bowl basically. (0:28:32) Kev: actually I don’t think it’s white it’s like purple but anyways um (0:28:38) Codey: Um yeah, so yeah, it is my white whale. Um still didn’t get (0:28:43) Codey: it. I got to shiny Jigglypuff and I refused to click on the (0:28:47) Kev: Mmm! (0:28:49) Codey: hoot hoot. Um and yeah, but no worm bowl. So that game is now (0:28:56) Codey: dead to me until the next time. (0:28:58) Codey: that there is an event that I care about. (0:28:58) Kev: that’s cruel but no it’ll be back like oh that it so I’m not a fan of go it’s (0:29:04) Codey: I know (0:29:08) Kev: when it came out especially I was not an area that was conducive to it and so in (0:29:14) Kev: my whole lifestyle I’m still not the most conducive to it um excuse me um but (0:29:20) Kev: I do think that the party hats are probably like one of the best things to (0:29:24) Kev: come out of that game, especially if you put it on a ridiculous. (0:29:28) Kev: Those Pokemon like weren’t pull that that’s solid. (0:29:29) Codey: Yeah. (0:29:31) Kev: Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. (0:29:31) Codey: Because the party hat’s almost too big for him. (0:29:35) Codey: It’s clearly about to fall off. (0:29:39) Codey: Yeah, so that has also started a thing. (0:29:42) Codey: I’m going to be meeting with my artist, again, probably (0:29:45) Codey: during spring break. (0:29:47) Codey: They’re going to be back in town. (0:29:48) Codey: And they’re going to add three more bug-type Pokemon (0:29:53) Codey: with party hats on. (0:29:54) Kev: I was about to say a warble tattoo every year until she catches it (0:29:55) Codey: No, no, we have, um, I think we have a Snome, um, with, with the, a party hat on each of (0:30:04) Kev: Oh, no, no, no, no, oh, that’s good. (0:30:07) Codey: its little bumpies, um, and then I want a Shedinja, but I want, um, it, it to be like (0:30:17) Codey: a ghost. (0:30:18) Codey: Um, no, so it’s a ghost, so it’s a ghost Pokemon, but like, I want it to be like ethereal, look (0:30:18) Kev: Okay, is it not already more ghosts than it? (0:30:25) Codey: game. (0:30:25) Kev: Materiel, alright. (0:30:26) Codey: Like I don’t just want it to look like it looks in the game. (0:30:28) Kev: Mm-hmm. (0:30:30) Codey: And then I want the party hat to also be ethereal. (0:30:32) Codey: And then the last is, uh, not Sizzlepede, Sizzlepede, um, because it’s so grumpy and (0:30:42) Kev: mmm (0:30:42) Codey: I want it to have a black party hat. (0:30:46) Codey: I need my, my emo phase, yeah, my emo phase that was not a phase needs to be somewhere. (0:30:48) Kev: Oscar the grouch at the party. Oh, that’s that’s it (0:30:55) Codey: They’re presented. (0:30:57) Kev: So (0:30:58) Kev: Oh man, these man pokemon like so many solid bug pokemon. These are all solid picks of course. Um (0:31:05) Kev: she didn’t (0:31:06) Kev: it was like (0:31:08) Kev: And how many years been what 20 years since ruby and sapphire it’s still (0:31:12) Kev: my mind how they came up with that concept first you didn’t Joe and like (0:31:14) Codey: I just love it. As an entomologist, like every time I see a cicada shed, I’m just (0:31:16) Kev: you have to have the extra pokeball oh my it’s so good (0:31:26) Kev: yeah oh my gosh and it’s so good right like and (0:31:27) Codey: like, it’s its own thing. It’s a one hit point. Love it. (0:31:42) Kev: like you know obviously coming from Japan right like the whole cicada thing (0:31:46) Kev: schedules like that’s the bug collecting that’s a way bigger there um it’s genius (0:31:51) Kev: so good man bug Pokemon are so cool yeah I like hair across I like a lice upon (0:31:54) Codey: Correct. Send a scourge. (0:31:59) Kev: I like um like the other one and not that sizzle feed the other no no um not (0:32:13) Kev: no the big one Scolipede Scolipede that’s the one been five yeah that’s a good one (0:32:14) Codey: Oh. I think people know by now that I’m going to talk about bugs at some point in every (0:32:18) Kev: big old purple huge train bug oh I love it welcome to the bug appreciate Pokemon (0:32:24) Kev: appreciation podcast (0:32:31) Kev: that’s fine with that (0:32:34) Codey: pod. Yeah, so I’ve been playing that or I guess I’m not going to be playing that for (0:32:40) Codey: a while. Um, I’ve been playing Slay the Spire. So (0:32:44) Kev: Okay, have you- have you in fact slayed the spire? (0:32:45) Codey: Jeff, I have slayed the spire during the daily climbs. So have (0:32:53) Codey: you ever played this game? Okay. Yeah, so it’s like a card and (0:32:54) Kev: I have not but I am familiar with it’s the cards, right? (0:33:00) Codey: you’re going up a tower and slaying things. And there’s four (0:33:03) Codey: different types of characters that you can play, but one of (0:33:05) Codey: them is unlocked at first. But they have this thing called the (0:33:08) Codey: daily climb every day, which is like a random, like, version of (0:33:12) Codey: the game, but with modifiers. (0:33:14) Codey: So it’s like, Oh, you get this character, but every time you add a card to your deck, (0:33:20) Codey: it adds two more copies of that card and you can’t, you can no longer upgrade your cards (0:33:27) Codey: and you’re cursed, like, so it’s, they just like add all this stuff to it. (0:33:31) Codey: And so it’s kind of like a more difficult version and you have to change your gameplay. (0:33:36) Codey: So I have slayed the spire in the daily climbs, but that doesn’t count for achievements. (0:33:40) Kev: Yeah. (0:33:44) Codey: And I cannot for the life of me, beat this game without a daily climb. (0:33:52) Kev: mmm wow oh well hey I know that I know that feeling and then discuss it because ever present (0:33:54) Codey: So my partner has had to do it for me. (0:34:02) Kev: but i’m i’m still belatruing I actually just unlocked the final difficulty just yesterday (0:34:04) Codey: -Oh, yeah. (0:34:08) Codey: Yeah. (0:34:08) Kev: um so i’m i’m there but um I i get it i’m i’m trying to climb my own spire verbally (0:34:16) Codey: Yeah, I’ve, I’ve not quite gotten to Bellatro yet, but that’s because I’ve, I recognize (0:34:22) Codey: based on my love of Slay the Spire that Bellatro would take over my life. So. (0:34:25) Kev: That is correct that I look I look at sleigh as fire and I can see it’s it’s one-to-one (0:34:32) Codey: Yep. (0:34:32) Kev: It’s just a different flavor, but it’s the same concept your cards, and you’re you’re doing your runs with cards (0:34:36) Codey: Yeah. (0:34:40) Kev: Yeah (0:34:41) Kev: That’s good. Good stuff (0:34:44) Codey: - Yep. (0:34:46) Codey: And then I’m still playing Honeygrove, (0:34:48) Codey: still really liked that game. (0:34:51) Codey: Still play it every day, multiple times a day. (0:34:54) Codey: And also I have now begun the final year of my PhD. (0:35:01) Codey: I’m gonna be a bug doctor soon. (0:35:04) Kev: Oh, well, congrats. Okay, congrats. So, uh, not for a second, cause I thought you were talking about Honeygrove, but, um, but, um, uh, okay, so, so I have a friend who’s also been PhDing for a long time now, he’s had unfortunate professors and issues, so it’s dragged on for a long time. (0:35:14) Codey: Oh, yeah, sorry. Switch. (0:35:32) Kev: Um, now you say this. (0:35:34) Kev: Are you like, you know for a fact, that like, it is gonna be this year? (0:35:39) Codey: Okay, well, yeah, so basically, like, I, I set it at this year for this to be like the (0:35:40) Kev: I, I said, I don’t mean to sound threatening, but… (0:35:44) Kev: Uh, don’t re– (0:35:46) Kev: Look, oh– (0:35:53) Codey: last, like, possible time for my timeline. (0:35:59) Codey: Um, I mean, theoretically, like, stuff happens, but I do not have any more field work. (0:36:06) Codey: All I have to do is finish writing one of my chapters. (0:36:09) Codey: I’ve already published one of them in a journal and so that will just literally get like stapled into my dissertation as one of my chapters and I don’t have to look at that again. (0:36:19) Codey: This other chapter that I’m about to publish will be the same thing. So it’ll just be two chapters that my committee can’t say anything about because they’re already published. (0:36:26) Kev: Hmm, yeah, I look at that that’s the way to do it (0:36:29) Codey: So they’ll basically just be like, they’ll just be like, oh, yep, you did that. (0:36:35) Codey: like yep I did um so they’ll only have to (0:36:39) Codey: they can talk about um and it’s just can I get the stuff done in the time that I have and the (0:36:46) Codey: answer is yes um I will try and defend in the summer but um that’s I actually didn’t ever plan (0:36:55) Codey: to defend in the summer but I might be able to um but we’ll see I mean I don’t have to um I have (0:37:05) Codey: guaranteed funding for the rest of the year. (0:37:08) Kev: Oh, that’s great. (0:37:09) Kev: Well, oh, that that’s huge relief then. (0:37:09) Codey: Yeah, PhDs man, they’re great. Well, I guess PhDs in the life sciences, that’s the standard is that you get paid and you get tuition remissions so you don’t have to pay your tuition. (0:37:10) Kev: All right. (0:37:11) Kev: Well, Hey, congrats on that. (0:37:26) Kev: you know like yeah yeah for sure oh absolutely because I have a friend who I don’t think that (0:37:26) Codey: I have health insurance, like all of that stuff. So it’s not true everywhere. (0:37:36) Kev: is the case for him sadly um man like such nonsense like the way to get there the the road to it like (0:37:36) Codey: Yeah. (0:37:46) Kev: I you know I have my undergraduate degree right so like I it it boggles my mind because you know (0:37:54) Kev: up so pretty much up. (0:37:56) Kev: undergraduate it’s very clear like okay here your classes do them all satisfy (0:38:00) Kev: the requirements you get your thing right but once you go past especially the (0:38:06) Kev: PhD it’s it’s all just so nebulous question your checklist is question or (0:38:12) Kev: question your requirements are satisfied when the your professors say they are oh (0:38:20) Codey: Yeah. It’s basically like choose your own adventure. It’s like, undergrads degrees are (0:38:20) Kev: it’s why I don’t I don’t know how yeah man (0:38:26) Kev: I guess (0:38:31) Codey: basically like, okay, here is the proper formula, here you go, you need to have this done this done (0:38:38) Codey: this done, etc, etc. And then for a graduate degree, they’re basically like, here are some (0:38:44) Codey: courses that you need done, but you’ll get these done in the first two years of your degree. (0:38:50) Codey: It’s kind of a big old shrug. It depends on your funding. It depends on your advisors. It depends (0:38:55) Codey: on whatever. And if you have bad advisors, like you said your friend has had, they can keep you (0:39:00) Kev: Yeah. Oh. (0:39:03) Codey: forever. Like one of my friends, one of my friends, her advisor like would not let her defend even (0:39:11) Codey: though she was done, like she’s she was long done, because the advisor could just pay her (0:39:17) Codey: less money than having to like get a post. (0:39:20) Codey: I’m going to go to the postdoc. To do all that work. Yep. (0:39:21) Kev: right right like that’s one that’s one aspect that’s one aspect of it that just seems so grimy (0:39:28) Kev: like there’s clearly an element of very cheap labor for your advisory professors right like (0:39:37) Kev: I mean not yours specifically but like the the system is set up where that can be exploited (0:39:42) Kev: very easily and wow it’s oh academia oh oh (0:39:50) Codey: Yeah, I’m blessed in that, like with the advisors that I have, (0:39:51) Kev: uh-huh (0:39:54) Codey: the advisor that I have now, (0:39:56) Codey: like he doesn’t really do that kind of stuff, (0:39:58) Kev: Mm-hmm. (0:39:58) Codey: but a lot of advisors do, they’ll just be like, (0:40:00) Codey: okay, well, I’m paying for your stuff. (0:40:02) Codey: And because of that, like you also have to help me (0:40:05) Codey: with these other projects. (0:40:06) Codey: So at this one point in the year, (0:40:09) Codey: so you have to drop everything (0:40:11) Codey: and like do this research with me, (0:40:12) Codey: even though it’s not gonna be in your dissertation. (0:40:16) Kev: It is to some degree a hostage situation, isn’t it? (0:40:17) Codey: like. (0:40:20) Codey: Kind of, yeah, and then it’s worse if you’re an international student because (0:40:22) Kev: Haha, that’s uh, huh. (0:40:26) Kev: Oh, oh that sounds terrifying, oh gosh. (0:40:26) Codey: then you have like less protections and yeah. Which is why some of us, some universities (0:40:34) Codey: have unionized and we at my university just recently submitted our letter to the Dean, (0:40:43) Codey: Dean, President, President of the university that we intend to unionize, so thank yous. (0:40:48) Kev: Hey, good for you. That’s great. (0:40:50) Codey: I think he’s crossed there because last time they did this, they threatened people. So (0:40:57) Kev: Oh, oh, fuck. (0:40:57) Codey: they can’t do that. They’re not, that’s illegal, but they did it last time and it didn’t, (0:41:02) Kev: Well, well, I don’t know if you know about strikes in the U.S. (0:41:03) Codey: but we’ll see. Yeah. Oh yeah, we’re gonna, we’re gonna have to do it possibly. (0:41:12) Codey: Hopefully they’ll, they’ll work in good faith and we won’t have to, but we’ll see. (0:41:16) Kev: Oh (0:41:18) Codey: So maybe, maybe. (0:41:20) Codey: Sometime in this year, uh, my, what have I been up to will be striking (0:41:25) Kev: Well, but you know (0:41:27) Codey: because yeah. (0:41:29) Kev: Over on Rainbow Road radio friend. I do a mutual friend Alex. He’s also striking last month. So (0:41:36) Codey: Oh my gosh, we’re just, we’re just rebels. (0:41:38) Kev: Hit him up for some for some tips (0:41:41) Kev: I guess (0:41:43) Kev: Oh (0:41:45) Kev: Oh. (0:41:46) Kev: Oh, labor, academia, good, good times. (0:41:52) Codey: 10 out of 10 would not (0:41:52) Kev: Welcome to the harvest season, where we talk about cozy games. (0:41:56) Kev: Ss, ss, ss, ss, ss, ss, ss, ss, ss. (0:41:57) Codey: We talk about so I mean that’s the joke right is that we play these games where we can live in fantasy worlds where we (0:42:04) Codey: can have a house and (0:42:06) Codey: Afford a house and a and a like all this (0:42:12) Kev: Where’s the unionizing update to research story? (0:42:12) Codey: Because that’s uh, not not reality (0:42:19) Codey: Oh my gosh (0:42:22) Codey: I would love to have a union (0:42:25) Codey: Like storyline in any game like where you just strike that would be (0:42:32) Codey: Amazing. I don’t know how you would incorporate that (0:42:34) Kev: Oh, I mean, like, alright, I’ll give you the relatively low-hanging easy path, the Jojo (0:42:42) Codey: Yeah. Okay, yeah, yeah, I could see that. (0:42:43) Kev: route in Stardew, right, like, yeah, I mean, you got, there’s other people working for (0:42:51) Kev: Jojo already, so, you know, there’s, oh, oh no, I like this, this Spandfic I’m writing, (0:42:58) Kev: oh no, no. (0:42:58) Codey: oh no don’t don’t say this out loud he might listen and then haunted chocolatier will be even (0:43:04) Codey: more delayed because he’ll be like hey wait a minute that’s a great idea (0:43:10) Kev: Unless the ghosts in the Chocolatier, you mean, nice. (0:43:14) Codey: maybe he adds it into that game and stuff uh so yeah that is what we’ve been up to (0:43:18) Kev: Hmm. (0:43:21) Kev: Well, that’s a lot. Happy new- (0:43:23) Kev: Look guys, it’s a new year. There’s been a lot going on. (0:43:25) Codey: It is. It is. We’re. (0:43:28) Codey: We’re here for it. OK, so first we have some game releases. (0:43:34) Codey: So the first one in the list is Harvest Hills. (0:43:39) Codey: So this game released on the 15th of January and or will release. (0:43:46) Codey: Sorry, that’s the future. (0:43:50) Codey: Quote, thanks to the feedback from two major demo updates, (0:43:53) Codey: I’ve been able to fine tune game mechanics and make the experience even better. (0:43:57) Codey: The full game now features… (0:43:58) Codey: …an updated system for growing vegetables and fruits… (0:44:01) Codey: …an improved fertilizing system… (0:44:03) Codey: …a refined leveling system… (0:44:05) Codey: …a brand new product selling system… (0:44:07) Codey: …and more crops, vegetables… (0:44:09) Codey: …vegetables, fruit trees, livestock and homemade product machines. (0:44:15) Codey: My only comment about this is I looked at it and I need more information about those beehives. (0:44:23) Codey: They look… (0:44:23) Kev: - So. (0:44:24) Codey: They look legit. (0:44:26) Codey: Like those look like the standard Langstra Thives. (0:44:28) Codey: And we always paint them each frame or not each frame each body of the hive is always colored in really ridiculous colors and they did that. (0:44:40) Kev: Is that done intentionally or is that done just for giggles? (0:44:46) Codey: I don’t remember so I know that we paint them because you want there to you don’t want the heat like if it’s hot out you don’t want the heat of outside to like cook the hive. (0:44:59) Kev: Oh, oh. Yeah. Sure, sure. (0:44:59) Codey: So you always want it to be light colors but yeah on top of it being like colors I mean you can just have it be fun colors. (0:45:09) Codey: Sometimes you can like make it a color per hot like a certain color per hive or whatever but we always just painted them fun colors so I need. (0:45:18) Kev: Wow. So I’m, I’m looking at the trailer and stuff like my, okay. (0:45:24) Kev: It is more management style, like zoo tycoon, you know, (0:45:29) Kev: floating cam sort of thing, as opposed to starting where you can fill in the (0:45:32) Kev: character, but there’s a character who follows your like air where you click. (0:45:35) Kev: And he runs over there and then does the activity, which are kind of fun. (0:45:38) Kev: I think the coolest thing about here is the visual style. (0:45:41) Kev: Cause it’s almost like origami paper, like three heavy polygonal. (0:45:46) Kev: Um, so I’m like the cows almost look like (0:45:46) Codey: - Mm-hmm, yeah. (0:45:48) Kev: they’re made of origami or a box or something, um, which is charming. Um, so hey, but hey, good, (0:45:56) Kev: yeah, it looks decent enough. Um, I like those cows and you go pretty beehives. That is surprising. (0:46:02) Kev: We don’t have those before, but, um, there you go. January 15th, experience it yourself, (0:46:04) Codey: I like those cows. (0:46:06) Kev: the world of box shaped cows and fun colors. (0:46:13) Codey: So next on our list is Chill Town. (0:46:16) Codey: Um, they have a new announcement on Steam. (0:46:20) Codey: Um, and the gist of it is this just that the project slowed down because of money (0:46:25) Codey: issues, um, and they’re pretty transparent in there about what they are and where (0:46:30) Codey: the money is going and all of that, except for they can’t like mention (0:46:35) Codey: specifics because of confidentiality agreements, but, um, if you’re curious, (0:46:41) Codey: I recommend going and looking at that. (0:46:43) Codey: The biggest thing out of it, other than the fact that it was delayed, is, or is being slowed down, is that the 1.0, they expect it to come out this year, and that when the 1.0 comes out, it will have a museum system, it will have additional quest lines, different seasons and festivals, and clearly bug fixes and gameplay improvements from what is on the early access. (0:47:11) Kev: Uh, all right, so well, I mean, hey, first of all, props to like game development is so hard, right? (0:47:17) Kev: It’s such a brutal space to be quite frank. So yeah, condolences. But they they’re being, um, very, uh, (0:47:23) Kev: Up front and clear about it. Um, so, you know off to them and best of luck, like hopefully they are still on track, right? (0:47:31) Kev: this is one of the parts of early access as much as I uh, (0:47:36)

Slime molds (Myxomycetes) are beautiful, weird, and amazing organisms. Often mistaken for fungi, they are actually single celled, yet they grow and efficiently move in search of food, can start and stop their life cycle based on environmental conditions, and even change colors several times during their brief life cycle. They can be beautifully colored, frequently iridescent, and can be ornately shaped. And better still, they can be found in much of the world - maybe even in your yard.My guest today, Alison Pollack, is a renowned slime mold photographer and unabashed enthusiast of slime molds and their habitats. If you follow nature photographers on Instagram, perhaps you count yourself as one of her nearly 60,000 followers.Today, Alison tells us what exactly a slime mold is - and no, it is not a mold or fungi. She tells us about their fascinating lifecycle, where they grow, and how to find them. Alison then tells us about her astonishing macro photography of slime molds - both in the field and in her home studio. She walks through her process, technique, and equipment she uses to create her acclaimed photos. If you do nothing else, follow her on Instagram @marin_mushrooms, or check the photos below to get a hint of the beauty of the slime molds, and Alison's artistic skill in capturing them.You can also find Alison on Facebook at AlisonKPollack, and on iNaturalist at alison_pollack.FULL SHOW NOTESLinks To Topics DiscussedFrom Macro to Micro: The Art of Fungi Photography with Alison PollackDamon Tighe - was on Episode 36 talking FungiNikon Small World Master of MicroscopySlime Mold Identification and Appreciation - Facebook GroupAll the Rain Promises and More by David AroraLaowa ultra macro lens - there are models for each major camera manufacturer.Les MyxomycètesMyxomycetes - A Handbook of Slime Molds by Steven StephensonNOVA Slime Mold episodeOlympus Tough TG-6 - this seems to be the most recommended pocket camera by naturalists of many typesRaynox DCR-250Where the Slime Mould Creeps by Sarah LloydSupport Us On Patreon!Buy our Merch!Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz MusicLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

Here in Aotearoa, and on Afternoons in fact, we love our critters. And that passion for insects, bugs and plants is backed up by the fact that we've logged nearly three million observations on the citizen science platform iNaturalist.. The website, which has been running in New Zealand since 2012, brings together curious members of the public with expert identifiers to track populations of thousands of species. This has led to new sightings of native species, and important discoveries of invasive species. Jon Sullivan is an ecologist based at Lincoln University and is one of the founders of iNaturalist.

THANK YOU to all our loyal listeners that completed our annual podcast survey! If you missed out, no worries, you can give us feedback anytime on our website or try again next year starting in the Fall when we launch our survey again.   In this episode, we explore the world of oysters. What are they? What do they do? What happens when they die? Eastern oysters play a critical role in Florida's estuarine habitats, supporting hundreds of species big and small. Learn all about oysters and how you can support them in this episode. Learn More: • Eastern Oyster - https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/eastern-oyster • Eastern Oyster Biology - ⁠ https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/mollusc/eastern-oysters/biology/ • Oyster Reef Habitat - https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/oyster-reef-habitat How You Can Help: • Consider installing a vertical oyster garden off your dock, or paint one to hang as décor in your home as a talking point for family and friends. Reach out to your local Florida Sea Grant Agent to find out if you have VOG efforts in your county.   • Keep eating oysters! By consuming oysters, you are supporting the oyster industry and the restoration efforts throughout Florida utilizing recycling oyster shell for living shoreline projects and more! Sources for this Episode: • TBEP Oyster Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) - https://tampabay.wateratlas.usf.edu/oyster-habitat-suitability/ • Historical ecology with real numbers: past and present extent and biomass of an imperiled estuarine habitat - http://www.oyster-restoration.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/zuErmgassen_etal_historical_ecology_2012.pdf •What is a bivalve mollusk? https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/bivalve.html • Oyster Shell Recycling Pilot Program - ⁠⁠ https://pinellas.gov/programs/oyster-shell-recycling-pilot-program/ If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with a friend who might enjoy learning about Florida's natural areas and the wild things that live here! If you're active on iNaturalist, consider joining our iNaturalist project, Naturally Florida's Listener Observations, here: ⁠⁠https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/naturally-florida-s-listener-observations⁠

In this episode, I sit down with Keanu Canto, a full-time Computer Science student at the University of Pretoria, passionate birder, and budding plant photographer. Keanu is no stranger to the youth birding community, and tonight, he shares his inspiring journey of balancing academic life with his love for nature.We dive into what sparked his passion for birding, his take on twitching with a student budget, and his transition from bird photography to capturing the intricate beauty of plants. Keanu also shares tips for young photographers, his approach to leading birding expeditions, and how platforms like iNaturalist foster deeper connections with citizen science.As we wrap up, Keanu offers a glimpse into his dream photography project and his plans for the future. Whether you're a seasoned birder, a curious photographer, or someone looking for inspiration, this chat promises a fresh perspective on the joys and challenges of pursuing your passions.Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-storeIntro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialzaLinks from show:

This week on The Land Show, our host Jonathan Goode talks with: Alisha Millican, Alabama Mushroom Society (www.alabamamushroomsociety.org), 706-978-0138 (iNaturalist.org) Tim Olkie, Black Belt Hardware & Outdoor (www.facebook.com/blackbelthardware/) 334-431-2746, https://calabamaarmory.com/ Robert King, 256-252-9239 (www.poultrysouth.com) Brian Watts, 334-707-4273 (www.selandgroup.com/agents/brian-watts ) Thanks to our generous sponsors that make it possible to bring you The Land Show every week: Alabama Ag Credit, Alabama Farmers Federation, Poultry South, First South Farm Credit, The Land Report, LandThink, and LandFlip.

On Creature Comforts, Kevin Farrell is joined by Dr. Troy Majure, veterinarian at the Animal Medical Center in Jackson and Libby Hartfield retired director of the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science.Colt Mooney is our guest for the hour. He is an Environmental/Natural Resources Specialist at the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. He joins to tell us about his work with the department and inform us about iNaturalist and WMAs.To submit your own question for the show, email us at animals@mpbonline.org or send us a message with the Talk To Us feature in the MPB Public Media App. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From habitat destruction, to use of pesticides, the arrival of invasive species and the growing impact of climate change, life, in all shapes and sizes, is fighting to survive. To protect the world's biodiversity, first we have a better understanding of what and where that biodiversity is. In this episode we delve into iNaturalist, the... The post #302 Engineering Matters Awards: iNaturalist – Conservation, Community and AI first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Sometimes all you need to identify a bird is a single feather. Because collecting bird feathers is prohibited in the U.S. to protect birds from poachers, start by taking a photo with a common object for scale. Then you can use online resources like the iNaturalist app or Featherbase website to help you solve the mystery. Keep your prime suspect in mind when you're back where you found the feather and you might get to see the bird itself — feathers and all.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org. Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. 

Renowned arachnologist and biology professor Dr. Mark Milne joins us to unravel the unexpected connections between spiders and birds. Ever wondered how hummingbirds use spider silk for nest-building, or how some South American spiders have turned the tables by preying on birds? Listen as Dr. Milne shares his fascinating journey from studying carnivorous plants to becoming a spider expert, punctuated by captivating encounters with these eight-legged creatures. We also spotlight the Joro spider's arrival in the United States, a new development capturing attention due to its impressive size and rapid spread.Our conversation then shifts toward the excitement and urgency of discovering and conserving lost species. We recount the thrilling rediscovery of Fagilde's trapdoor spider in Portugal after nearly a century and the ongoing search for another elusive spider in Indiana. Learn how tools like pitfall traps and iNaturalist are instrumental in these discoveries and their vital role in conservation. As we confront the challenges of climate change, habitat fragmentation, and invasive species, we find hope in the enthusiasm of young conservationists and a growing public awareness of biodiversity's significance. Tune in to explore practical steps for supporting spider populations and fostering a more biodiverse future.Links: The University of Indianapolis Spider LabFagilde's Trapdoor SpiderWhat We Get Wrong When Talking About Spider "Bites" 

Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the show about anything and everything connected with nature.   In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Laurie and Debbie dig into the world of plant identification apps! They review several popular options, including Picture This, Plant Snap, Leaf Snap, Flora Incognita, Plant Net, iNaturalist, and Garden Answers. Each app has unique features, from instant ID and care info to community science-based databases.   Whether you're a beginner or a plant pro, they cover the pros and cons—like accuracy, database scope, and ease of use—so you can find the app that fits your needs. The hosts also discuss how AI and community input power these apps and share tips on getting the best results. Don't miss the comparison chart they'll be posting on Facebook to help guide your choice!   If you have ideas for topics that you'd like us to pursue, send us a message either on our Facebook page or our website. We would really like to hear from you.   Connect with the Backyard Naturalists on the Web, Facebook and Instagram.   Please visit and support our presenting sponsor, Backyard Birds at http://www.thebirdfoodstore.com/. A mecca for bird lovers and bird watchers, Backyard Birds is an independent family-owned business located in Matthews, NC (next to Dairy Queen), just southeast of Charlotte.   Thanks for listening to The Backyard Naturalists.  We hope you have a day filled with the wonders of nature. Get outside and take a walk on the wild side! Please don't forget to leave a 5-star review for The Backyard Naturalists podcast.   Production services for The Backyard Naturalists podcast are provided by Downtown Podcasting. To start a conversation on how you can have a podcast, simply send an email to info@downtownpodcasting.com.

In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, Mallory is joined by Michelle Flores Vryn, Head of Development at iNaturalist, about systemic challenges within the nonprofit sector. Michelle brings insights from her 15+ years in marketing, communications, and fundraising, emphasizing the critical need for a shift in nonprofit approaches to problem-solving, retention, and scaling. She is currently head of development at iNaturalist, as well as a changemaker on the AFP global board of directors and a Texas chapter organizer for community-centric fundraising. Together, they delve into pressing issues like fundraisers' burnout, systemic structures that hinder nonprofits, and the sector's struggle between scaling and driving real systems change.  By setting achievable goals, embracing fresh ideas, and nurturing inner growth, fundraisers can tackle systemic challenges and drive meaningful change, transforming the nonprofit landscape into one that thrives on support and shared purpose! Key takeaways from the episode:  Recognize the role of community support in fundraising. Explore the link between job stressors and burnout. Distinguish between budget scaling and systems change. Address root causes of nonprofit issues. Promote sustainable practices through leadership. Acknowledge generational shifts in workforce expectations. Encourage cultural change in fundraising. Get all the resources from today's episode here.  Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ксенија Путилин Стамкоска, директор за комуникации при Еколошкото Друштво на Скопје и Џорџ Стамкоски, познат новинар и медиумски продуцент во Германија и Обединетото Кралство, со проектот "Отворање на Тајните', финансиран од ЕУ,го отвораат патот на граѓанските научници на Македонија да се вклучат во заштитата на биолошката разновидност на татковината. Со мобилната апликација, INaturalist, брачното дуо на средношколците на Македонија им обезбеди дигитална алатка со која ќе можат да им помагаат на професионалните научници во светски распространетата борба за заштита на животната средина.

THANK YOU to all of our loyal listeners! Has this podcast made a difference in your life? We would love to know through our annual podcast survey. Link to podcast survey: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bEf5YoxkFv87GIu In this episode, we're diving into one of the state's most fascinating plant groups: carnivorous plants. These spooky species have adapted to capture prey in some of Florida's most nutrient-poor environments. We'll talk about how they trap their meals, their role in the ecosystem, and where you can spot these unique plants across the state. Learn More: • Pinellas Predatory Plants - https://youtu.be/gG0XNhSnSvQ?si=_27ONm-oA3pNOHH6 • Carnivorous Plants - https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/carnivorous-plants/ • Carnivorous plants – novel natives with showy flowers - https://www.flawildflowers.org/2022-spring-bloom-report/ • Carnivorous Plants – Both Rare and Well Done – Along the Apalachicola – UPDATED - https://blog.wfsu.org/blog-coastal-health/2022/04/carnivorous-plants-both-rare-and-well-done-along-the-apalachicola/ • Florida's Carnivorous Plants - https://ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/p-1728-floridas-carnivorous-plants.aspx How You Can Help: • Do Not Poach them! Many of the species are state or federally threatened, due to illegal harvesting from the wild and the destruction of their wetland habitats. Seeds or plants can be purchased from reputable nurseries and seed sources. Many species available for purchase are native to Florida and can be grown in rain gardens or in sunny spots. • Support habitat restoration and maintenance through prescribed fire. In Florida, many of these species are also fire dependent, like the ecosystems they grow in – yes, even the wetlands! • Build memories with these species – seek them out, learn about them with your friends and family - https://www.flawildflowers.org/2022-spring-bloom-report/ Sources for this Episode: Pinellas Predatory Plants - ⁠https://youtu.be/gG0XNhSnSvQ?si=_27ONm-oA3pNOHH6 ⁠ • Carnivorous Plants - ⁠https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/carnivorous-plants/ ⁠ • Carnivorous plants – novel natives with showy flowers -⁠ https://www.flawildflowers.org/2022-spring-bloom-report/ ⁠ • Carnivorous Plants – Both Rare and Well Done – Along the Apalachicola – UPDATED - ⁠https://blog.wfsu.org/blog-coastal-health/2022/04/carnivorous-plants-both-rare-and-well-done-along-the-apalachicola/ ⁠ • Florida's Carnivorous Plants - ⁠https://ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/p-1728-floridas-carnivorous-plants.aspx ⁠ If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with a friend who might enjoy learning about Florida's natural areas and the wild things that live here! If you're active on iNaturalist, consider joining our iNaturalist project, Naturally Florida's Listener Observations, here: ⁠https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/naturally-florida-s-listener-observations

For centuries, humans have transported plants and animals and fungi all around the globe. Whether exotic plants for a home garden or spores hitching a ride on a boot, flora and fauna have found their way into ecosystems that were unprepared for their arrival. These “invasive species” have no natural predators to keep them in check and in that absence, they wreak havoc. But which of these species has wreaked the most havoc in Vermont? That's what Ashley Wojnarowski and Mike Mezzacapo of Pomfret want to know.Josh Crane searches for answers and falls into the “bottomless pit” of invasive species management — and he gets up close with one of  Vermont's most fragile ecosystems. For photos from our reporting, check out the web version of this story.For help with species identification and to record your findings, check out iNaturalist.This episode was reported by Josh Crane. It was produced and edited by Sabine Poux and Burgess Brown. Angela Evancie is Brave Little State's Executive Producer. Our theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Mike Bald, Betty Smith, Lexi Krupp, Abagael Giles, Corey Dockser, Charlie Nardozzi, Tim Parsons, Mary Walz, Mike Kiernan, Elise Schadler, Kim Jensen, Noah Hoffman, Evan Horne, David Moroney, Jay Herbert, Jack Lentz, Don Wenner, Virginia Barlow, Tony D'Amato, Markus Bradley, Mariano Rodriguez-Cabal, Noelia Barrios-Garcia, and Mary Holland.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it:Ask a question about VermontSign up for the BLS newsletterSay hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevtDrop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.orgMake a gift to support people-powered journalismTell your friends about the show!Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Entomologist and farmer Ron Bittner talks pollinators and soil health This conversation with Ron Bittner will help you make the connection between crop pollination, water conservation and soil health in a way you probably haven't before. Learn about how Ron's interest in insects—specifically the alfalfa leafcutting bee—has taken him around the US and all the way to Australia.  Hear about the beginnings of Ron's small vineyard, which he operates with his wife, daughter and a small crew and why this location in Caldwell, Idaho, is ideal for growing wine grapes. Ron also talks about his farm's certifications: Salmon Safe, Bee Friendly Farming and LIVE. Ron's involvement with the nonprofit Pollinator Partnership and continued research on pollinator populations in his area keep him involved with some of the 4,000 native bees in the US. Let his passion for pollinators get you excited about how to attract and protect these creatures on your own property.  Links from this episode: Hobby Farms Presents: Growing Good podcast episode with Sara Wittenburg Pollinator Partnership website iNaturalist citizen science app  

Welcome to episode 139! Tonight, Dr John Vanek from the New York State Natural State Heritage Program joins us and talks with us about snakes in the Catskills! This includes timber rattlesnakes, copper rattlesnakes and many others! If you need a sticker, email me or go to Camp Catskill! Subscribe on any platform! Share! Donate! Do whatever you want! I'm just glad you're listening! And remember... VOLUNTEER!!!!!! Links for the Podcast: https://linktr.ee/ISLCatskillsPodcast, Donate a coffee to support the show! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ITLCatskills, Like to be a sponsor or monthly supporter of the show? Go here! - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ITLCatskills/membership Thanks to the sponsors of the show! Outdoor chronicles photography - https://www.outdoorchroniclesphotography.com/, Trailbound Project - https://www.trailboundproject.com/, Camp Catskill - https://campcatskill.co/, Scenic Route Guiding - https://adventurewiththescenicroute.com/, Another Summit - https://www.guardianrevival.org/programs/another-summit Links: John Vanek, New York State Natural Heritage Program, Inaturalist, Snakes: The Evolution of Mystery in Nature Book Volunteer Opportunities: Trailhead stewards for 3500 Club - https://www.catskill3500club.com/adopt-a-trailhead?fbclid=IwAR31Mb5VkefBQglzgr fm-hGfooL49yYz3twuSAkr8rrKEnzg8ZSl97XbwUw, Catskills Trail Crew - https://www.nynjtc.org/trailcrew/catskills-trail-crew, NYNJTC Volunteering - https://www.nynjtc.org/catskills, Catskill Center - https://catskillcenter.org/, Catskill Mountain Club - https://catskillmountainclub.org/about-us/, Catskill Mountainkeeper - https://www.catskillmountainkeeper.org/, Bramley Mountain Fire Tower - https://bramleymountainfiretower.org/  Post Hike Brews and Bites -  #snakes #catskillsnakes #timberrattlesnake #copperhead #timber #rattlesnake #visitcatskills #catskillstrails #catskillmountains #catskillspodcast #catskills #catskillpark #podcast #catskillshiker #volunteers #catskillmountainsnewyork #catskillspodcast #catskillshiker #catskillshiking #hiking #insidethelinecatskillmountainspodcast #volunteercatskills #catskill3500 #hikethecatskills --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/insidethelinesthecatskill/support

Generative AI can struggle to create realistic animals and 2D representations often have mistakes like extra limbs and tails. If 2D wasn't hard enough, there are researchers working on generative 3D models. 3D models present an extra challenge because there is paucity of training datasets.In this episode, PhD students Sandeep and Oindrila walked us through their work on creating 3D animals using 2D data. Join us to learn about their pipelines, quality control, tie in with iNaturalist, and how this tech could streamline FX pipelines.

Some birds are famous for being extinct, like the Dodo and the passenger pigeon.But how do we prevent species from reaching that point? One of the starting points is to try and track down the birds that are “lost to science.” These are birds that have not been documented in over a decade, but just might still be out there, if we look for them.A new study analyzed data, images, and recordings from platforms that crowdsource observations from all over the world to identify birds “lost to science.” In total, the project, called The Search for Lost Birds identified 126 such species.SciFri producer Kathleen Davis is joined by Dr. John Mittermeier, director of the Search for Lost Birds at the American Bird Conservancy to talk more about the findings of this research and what it's like to track down a “lost” bird.Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

Have you ever participated in citizen science? Do you want to? One of the most popular platforms for crowdsourcing biodiversity data is iNaturalist. In addition to being a great science tool, the iNaturalist app can help you identify the organisms you encounter every day. We talked to Executive Director Scott Laurie about how scientists use iNaturalist. We also got to discuss what makes iNaturalist's AI species recognition so good, and how citizen scientists are constantly providing high-quality training data. Listen in and learn how this fun-to-use tool works, where it's headed, and how you can get involved.

The much-delayed crewed test flight is back on the calendar, despite a helium leak. Also, researchers used data from the crowd-sourcing nature observation app iNaturalist to rank animals' tolerance of urban environments.Starliner Crewed Test Flight Rescheduled For This WeekendA long-delayed test flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is back on the calendar for Saturday, June 1, carrying astronauts to the International Space Station. It's a demonstration flight as part of NASA's Commercial Crew program, intended to show that the new spacecraft design can be a practical and safe way to get people into space. If the flight is successful, NASA can then consider using the Boeing Starliner system for crewed flights to the ISS, joining the current fleet of craft from SpaceX and the Russian Soyuz program.The Starliner launch has been delayed numerous times. Its most recent launch attempt, on May 6, was scrubbed when systems flagged a bad valve in a rocket booster. That booster valve was replaced, but engineers then detected a small leak in the spacecraft's helium thruster system, which led to still further delays. They have now determined that the flight can proceed even with the leaky system, allowing the upcoming launch attempt.Science Friday senior producer Charles Bergquist joins guest host Arielle Duhaime-Ross to talk about the upcoming launch, and about other stories from the week in science, including the return of an active solar region responsible for recent fantastic aurora displays, research into how the brain decodes the meaning of “not,” and the announcement of two new giant pandas headed to the National Zoo.Which Animals Like Cities Most? Slugs And Snails Top The List.If you live in an urban environment, it might seem like the animals you see every day—birds, bugs, squirrels—have adapted perfectly fine to city life.But according to a new study in PLOS ONE, that isn't always the case. Urbanization is directly linked to biodiversity loss, but researchers at UCLA, including Joey Curti and Dr. Morgan Tingley, wanted to find out specifically which animals thrive and which struggle in urban environments. So they turned to iNaturalist, a crowd-sourcing app where users upload photos of flora and fauna they see, along with information like location and date.The team combed through years of iNaturalist data in the Los Angeles metro area and developed an “urban tolerance score” for 511 animal species. This score, which incorporated data such as light and noise pollution from different sections of the city, was a factor tied to those species' level of tolerance to the local environment.They found that snails and slugs love urban environments, likely thanks to increased moisture from local landscaping. But most other animals, including native species, and especially bugs like butterflies and moths, were not as tolerant to the region.Joey Curti, a PhD candidate in ecology and evolutionary biology at UCLA and a co-author on that study, sits down with guest host Arielle Duhaime-Ross to discuss the results of the study and what cities can learn from this kind of research to encourage healthy biodiversity.Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.