Wildlife

Chirps mark territory, barks come from male tokay geckos, squeaks mean fear. Here is every gecko noise, the species behind it, and when you hear it.

No US moth has fully blue wings. Here is where the blue really sits on each of the seven species, and which blue moth photos are not from America at all.

The banded water snake is non venomous and constantly mistaken for a cottonmouth. Two field marks settle it from a safe distance.

Birds, skunks, spiders, mantises and parasitic flies all eat grasshoppers, and beetle larvae destroy the eggs underground. Here is the predator list by life stage and habitat.

Red touches yellow, kill a fellow. Here is the correct wording, the snakes it sorts right, and the head marking that beats the rhyme every time.

A snail stands for patience, shelter and slow, steady progress. Here is what one in your house, on your path or in an empty shell means, plus its place in the Bible, Hinduism and medieval art.

Lynx symbolism stands for hidden sight, secrecy and solitude. Traditions from Anishinaabe accounts to Greek myth and the bestiaries, plus what a lynx sighting is taken to mean.

Badger symbolism across Native American, Celtic, biblical and East Asian traditions, plus what it means to see a badger crossing your path, at night, in your garden or dead.

A dog in a dream is usually a good sign of loyalty and protection, while an attacking or biting dog flags a conflict you keep avoiding. Scene by scene, from puppies to the Bible, here is how to read yours.