Backyard Wildlife
Discover the Wildlife Just Outside Your Door
You don’t have to venture into the deep woods to experience the wonders of wildlife—some of the most fascinating creatures are right in your own backyard. From buzzing bees and sneaky skinks to swooping hawks and midnight raccoons, the Mid-Atlantic is home to a surprisingly rich mix of animals, both common and delightfully unexpected.
3 WAYS TO EXPLORE
Animal – A kingdom of complex multi-celled organisms that do not produce their own food.
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Amphibians:
Nature’s Moist and Mysterious Middlemen
Amphibians are cold-blooded vertebrates that split their time between water and land—think of them as the original commuters. Most start life in water as gilled larvae (like tadpoles), then undergo a dramatic glow-up (ahem, metamorphosis) to become land-loving adults. They breathe through their skin, need moisture to survive, and are excellent indicators of environmental health. If frogs are croaking or salamanders are slinking around your yard, it usually means your local ecosystem is hopping along nicely.
Common Mid-Atlantic Amphibians You Might Spot:
Keep an eye out after a warm rain—amphibians love a good splash party. Just remember: if it’s squishy, slippery, or suddenly serenading you at night, it might just be an amphibian trying to say “ribbit-ing to meet you!”
Invertebrates
Who Needs a Backbone When You’ve Got Armor?
Invertebrates might not have spines, but they’ve got plenty of other tricks up their sleeves—if they had sleeves. These no-bones creatures include everything from buzzing bees and wriggly worms to armored beetles and brainy octopuses. They crawl, swim, fly, and slither through nearly every ecosystem on Earth. With incredible adaptations and mind-blowing diversity, invertebrates prove you don’t need a backbone to be a total powerhouse.
Mid-Atlantic Invertebrates You Might Spot:
Pardon Our Progress!
Check back often—new discoveries are blooming soon!
