Brachymesia gravida, commonly known as the four-spotted pennant, is a species of skimmer dragonfly found in North America.

Four-spotted pennant dragonfly

The larval stage of the giant swallowtail butterfly is a caterpillar that resembles bird droppings.

Giant swallowtail caterpillars

Rudy Mancke helps a listener identify the chandelier-like eggs of the green lacewing.

Green lacewing eggs

Pseudocolus fusiformis is a species of stinkhorn mushroom commonly called the "stinky squid" due to it's odor and the three or four tentacle-like growths that connect at the top.

Stinky squid stinkhorn mushrooms

Rudy Mancke shares verses from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Lord Byron celebrating the seasons.

Poems celebrating the seasons

In order to move faster, caterpillars and some other insects form formations known as "rolling swarms" by crawling over each other.

Rolling swarms of caterpillars

Rudy Mancke helps to identify a mystery skeleton sent to him by Jim Welch, his former co-host on SCETV's "NatureScene."

Mystery skeleton

Samson foxes are a strain of red foxes which have a recessive trait preventing long hair growth.

Samson foxes

Rudy Mancke shares a note from a listener about how thinking of nature as a recycling system has changed their view on life.

Nature's recycling system

Citheronia regalis, commonly known as the regal moth or royal walnut moth, is native to the eastern United States.

Regal moths

Each weekday naturalist Rudy Mancke, former host of SCETV's NatureScene, shares his knowledge of plants and wildlife. Produced by South Carolina Public Radio.Click here to contact Rudy Mancke by email.

Asimina triloba, commonly known as the pawpaw tree, is the only North American member of the tropical plant family Annonaceae and produces the large edible fruit native to the continent.

Pawpaw trees

Heterodon platirhinos, commonly known as the eastern hognose snake, is a species of snake which grow to be 20-30 inches long with a thick body and an upturned snout. These snakes mainly feed on amphibians, are not harmful to humans, and will play dead when threatened.

Eastern hognose snake

A listener from Horry County asks Rudy Mancke to help identify a skull found on their property. While partially devoured, the skull's teeth point to it belonging to a member of the rabbit family.

Mystery skull

Cuckoo wasps are a family of parasitic wasps with often brilliant metallic colored bodies.

Cuckoo wasps

White-eyed and red-eyed vireos are species of birds common to the eastern United States. They are known for building nests using materials like spider silk and caterpillar silk to attach their nests between tree branches.

Vireo nests

Lucanus elaphus, commonly known as the giant stag beetle, the elk stag beetle, or the elephant stag beetle, is a species of large beetles native to eastern North America. Male giant stag beetles can reach 2.5 inches in length, including large antler-like mandibles.

Giant stag beetle

The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. It appears to have the largest natural distribution of any of the world's passerines, ranging over 251 million square kilometres globally. It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts and a long, deeply forked tail. It is found in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.

Barn swallows

Storeria occipitomaculata, commonly known as the redbelly snake or the red-bellied snake, is a species of harmless snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to North America (Canada and the United States).

Red-bellied snakes

Millipedes have two sets of legs per segment positioned directly under their body. Centipedes have one set of legs per segment positioned on the side of their body.

Centipedes vs. millipedes

Wild blackberries are delicious - but, don't eat them unless you thoroughly wash them!

Wash those berries!

Though brief, this is always a must listen and an enjoyable part of my day. I was raised on NatureScene and always enjoy hearing Rudy talk about the flora &amp; fauna of South Carolina.

Rudy is Carolina Gold

Both Rudy and nature notes are the absolute best. I’m a USC grad and Columbia resident, and have known of and listed to Mr Mancke since I was small. I tune in every single morning and is an excellent way to start my day with something positive. Thanks Rudy and thanks to SCETV for an excellent product.

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1 quote, 3 ideas & 1 question from a carefully curated podcast episode.
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