The Wandering Naturalist

Dr. Laurie Graham from Queen's University in Ontario Canada has spent 25 years studying antifreeze proteins. She talks about the evolutionary history of anti-freeze proteins, what life is like in a l…

Dr. Rebecca Swenson and Dr. Corrie Nyquist join us from the University of Minnesota to talk about Minnesota's Bugs Below Zero project. We discuss some Minnesota specific winter active insects, why th…

We thought winter was safe! We were wrong… Brandon and Angela dive into the world of snow bugs, uh, we mean arthropods, to discover how they can survive and thrive on the snow. Dr. Brent Sinclair, a …

Steven Hogg, Wildlife Supervisor for Three Rivers, talks about the Wood Duck program's history in our parks, what has made it successful, and where you can find these ducks in our parks.

Greg Hoch, author of the book  With Wings Extended: A Leap into a Wood Duck's World. Joins us to talk about the history of Wood Duck conservation, how people can help Wood Ducks even if they don't li…

Jeff Bahls from the National Wood Duck Society joins us to explore the fascinating world of Wood Ducks. How far of a fall can a baby Wood Duck survive? Where do they go in the winter? Why are we talk…

Chris Smith joins us to talk about an app he helped to create, HerpMapper. Designed to document reptiles and amphibians around the world, Chris explains the features that make it safe for the animals…

Breanne Black from Working Dogs for Conservation joins us to talk about conservation's best friend, dogs! Working Dogs for Conservation rescues dogs from shelters and trains them to perform conservat…

Wander with us as we explore next and exciting tools being used by scientists in the field of conservation! Wendy Caldwell from Monarch Joint Venture joins us to discuss how drones and remote sensing…

In recognition of “International Artist Day” Angela and Brandon talk with artist Michelle Davis about her artistic process and how nature inspires the wonderful illustrations she creates for the podc…

Dr. Dan Peach, “Dan the Mosquito Man”, joins us to talk about his research on mosquitos, and what he calls the secret life of mosquitos. He shares the benefits that mosquitos bring to an ecosystem an…

Nancy Read from the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District explains what the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District is, how it evaluates when and where mosquitos need to be controlled, and what metho…

John Moriarty, Senior Wildlife Manager at Three Rivers Park District, joins us to discuss everyone's favorite insect, mosquitos! We discuss some basic mosquito biology, why some mosquitos drink blood…

John Moriarty, author of the book "Amphibians and Reptiles in Minnesota" joins us to discuss the salamanders that live in Minnesota, how new species are discovered, and the unique life strategy that …

Dr. Jennifer Lamb shares her recent discovery she made at St. Cloud State University about salamanders and other amphibians. They glow! Join us as Brandon and Angela geek out over the research and ge…

What is a salamander? Why did a famous animated movie use a folklore of salamanders and fire instead of deciding to just let it go? How are salamanders impacting human health care? Find out as Brando…

Why do goldenrods make such great additions to gardens? What kind of goldenrods should you plant? Where should you plant your goldenrods? Bre Bauerly from Minnesota Native Landscapes joins us to answ…

Often wrongly blamed for allergies, goldenrods are a misunderstood flower that are important for many different life stages of a misunderstood group of animals, wasps. Biologist and author Heather Ho…

Wander with Angela and Brandon as they dive head first into botany by exploring patches of goldenrods. Larry Weber, author of the Book "In a Patch of Goldenrod" joins us to discuss the mini-ecosystem…

In part two of our Live Podcast we answer audience questions! Do birds go through puberty? What is the meaning of life? Listen and find out!