Strange by Nature Podcast

When Flowers go Wrong

Rachel tells us this week about spiny rats. These strange little mammals can actually drop their tails when in danger. Victoria brings us the fascinating topic of fasciation, when plant flowers go a bit wrong. These blooms get really weird. Kirk rounds out the show by talking about how plants are master manipulators and this time we discover that they can mimic the smell of ants attacked by spiders in order to attract pollinating flies. Join us weekly for more strange nature. Our supporters on Patreon get every episode ad-free!  Support us: patreon.com/strangebynature [http://patreon.com/strangebynature] Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com [contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com] Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com  [https://www.strangebynaturepodcast.com/] where you can sign up for our episode emails.

Glowing Termite Mounds of Brazil

Rachel shocks no one when she goes back to the ocean this week and comes up with the rather strange looking Goosefish. Not to be outdone, Victoria takes us to Brazil to see glowing termite mounds. It turns out, the glowing is actually click beetles. Join us weekly for more strange nature. Our supporters on Patreon get every episode ad-free!  Support us: patreon.com/strangebynature [http://patreon.com/strangebynature] Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com [contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com] Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com  [https://www.strangebynaturepodcast.com/] where you can sign up for our episode emails.

Birds with Ants in their Pants

This week Victoria tells us all about the bizarre process of Anting. What's that? That's when birds cover themselves with ants. Yeah, it's strange. Rachel follows that up with a story about the Hero Shrew, this cunning little guy is incredible and tough. Join us weekly for more strange nature. Our supporters on Patreon get every episode ad-free!  Support us: patreon.com/strangebynature [http://patreon.com/strangebynature] Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com [contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com] Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com  [https://www.strangebynaturepodcast.com/] where you can sign up for our episode emails.

Guard Duty Turns Dad into Cannibal

This week, Victoria brought us the Sand Bubbler Crab. These guys are wild. Native to the Indo-pacific, they breathe though their legs and they hide out underground in a bubble of air during high tide. That's just one of the reasons this strange little animals is called the Sand Bubbler Crab. Kirk brings us some research trying to solve the mystery of why Damselfish dads eat some of the eggs they are in charge of guarding. The answer isn't what you would expect...he's trying to help. Rachel brings it all home with a strange story about trying to make the most purple petunia that could possibly purple and how utter failure lead to the discovery of RNAi. Join us weekly for more strange nature. Our supporters on Patreon get every episode ad-free!  Support us: patreon.com/strangebynature [http://patreon.com/strangebynature] Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com [contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com] Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com  [https://www.strangebynaturepodcast.com/] where you can sign up for our episode emails.

Mike the Headless Chicken

Once again we're back with weird tales from thsi amazing planet we live on. This week, Rachel tells us about Ichneumon wasps. They may look like they are out of a horror movie but these giant insects don't harm humans. Victoria delves into the history books to tell us about a famous celebrity, Mike the Headless Chicken. Spring is a time of migration so naturally Kirk is talking about birds and how research is showing that they use the magnetic field of the Earth to know when to eat extra food before crossing the Sahara. Join us weekly for more strange nature. Our supporters on Patreon get every episode ad-free!  Support us: patreon.com/strangebynature [http://patreon.com/strangebynature] Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com [contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com] Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com  [https://www.strangebynaturepodcast.com/] where you can sign up for our episode emails.