Creature Comforts

The prothonotary warbler is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. For many years the Jackson Audubon Society has maintained nesting box trails for these birds. They can be seen around the Lefleur’s Bluff State Park and the Fannye Cook Natural Area. Today we have Chralie Pfeifer from the Jackson Audubon Society to talk about these birds and their migration to these nesting sites. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pet Day is always an enjoyable episode on Creature Comforts. Dr. Troy Majure and Libby Hartfield answer your pet and wildlife questions, along with the latest happenings in nature. Tune in and send your pet questions to Animals@mpbonline.org. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today on the show we welcome back Dr. Brent Hendrixson, professor of biology at Millsaps College. He is back on the program to tell us about some of the scorpions and spiders found around the state. Not all of these creatures are venomous but we will talk about staying safe when these creatures are around. Also on we share some great news about the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today on the show we welcome Dr. Jim Franks. He is a senior research scientist at the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory and studies some of the large fish of the gulf. The Bluefin Tuna and Tarpon are the subject of his latest research projects and he joins us to talk about their current situation. Also Dr. Majure and Libby Hartfield answer some of your summertime pet and wild animal questions.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today on the show we welcome Dr. Will Selman, Assistant Professor of Biology at Millsaps College to talk about the various turtles of Mississippi, especially the box turtle. He has conducted several studies of turtles around the state and will share some of his findings, talk about the endangered turtles of the state, and answer your questions about these cold-blooded reptiles. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Naturalist Joe McGee joins Creature Comforts to let us know what the frogs of Mississippi are up to this time of year. Since his last visit in January many things have changed and the summer frogs are here calling into the nights sky. From cricket frogs to fowler's toads Joe has a sharp ear and keen eye to help set these leapers apart. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Armadillos are not listed among the six Mississippi nuisance animals but some home owners would say different. If unchecked Armadillos can cause serious damage to a yard or home, but most often these nocturnal creatures are seen as roadkill. Today on the show we talk with Dr. Cathy Shropshire about this unusual mammal and try to answer the question: Why did the armadillo cross the Mississippi River?   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The weather is warmer and now those charming bio-luminescent creatures are lighting up the night’s sky. No matter if you call them lightning bugs or fireflies’ people are reporting seeing them around the state. Today we talk with Lynn Faust who literary wrote the book on Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs. We talk about what is happening with these bugs this time of year and an upcoming event where you can watch their wondrous light show up-close. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Herpetologist Terry Vandeventer is very passionate about Mississippi snakes and joins us to talk and answer your snake questions. No stranger to the program Terry always brings a great perspective about the proper way to interact with snakes. Education is the key, but there are a few tips to remember when you see a snake in nature. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On April 20th State Lakes and State Park Lakes were reopened to fishing and boating. But social distancing should still be practiced. Today on the show we have Larry Bull, Assistant Director of the Fisheries Bureau, at the Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. He will talk about how anglers should handle fishing during the coronavirus pandemic and how his office is helping to make sure everyone is lawful and safe.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Kris Godwin has been engrossed with nature since the television show, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins. Now as the state Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services she and her office help when nature and wildlife gets a little too close for comfort. Canada geese are starting to hatch and vultures are often causing damage to property, but play an critical role in the ecosystem. Kris talks about how to legally and ethically deal with these problems and ways to greet nature on your terms. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today on the show we welcome Dr. Richard Brown, Director of the Mississippi Entomological Museum at Mississippi State. With a love for insects that has spanned over 6 decades, Dr. Brown has plenty to share about the bugs found in Mississippi. We will talk about what he is seeing right now and highlight the role of the Moth in our ecosystem. Also Dr. Majure answers your pet questions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As we are all spending more time at home to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the great outdoors and nature are still open for business. Spring is here and butterflies along with other spring creatures are here in Mississippi making their grand entrance. On this episode of Creature Comforts we talk with Paul Hartfield, biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service about what we could see if we were to get out in nature this time of year.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this episode of Creature Comforts we welcome William McKinley, biologist and White Tail Deer program coordinator for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. The chronic wasting disease is still plaguing our white tail deer population but there are ways hunters and outdoor enthusiast can help. Also Dr. Majure is here for answering pet questions and will talk about the stress you could be passing to your pet as we moving thorough the coronavirus pandemic.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mississippi has 63 different species of crawfish that call it home, including the smallest crawfish species in the world. Today on this episode of Creature Comforts we welcome Paul Hartfield, biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to talk about these crawfish. What are their role in the ecosystem, where are they found, and what to do if you find a straight tail crawfish at your crawfish boil. As we talk about great social distancing activities that will bring you closer to nature while staying safe during the coronavirus pandemic.Virtual Tours and Zoo Experiences Link See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our guest on this episode is the one and only Audrey Harrison. An entomologist that studies the insects around us and how they are helpful in our everyday lives. Today we will talk about what insects are making their spring appearance, the monarch butterflies, and of course marvelous mosquito. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The opossum is an often misunderstood animal that can be seen around trash cans and road sides throughout the country. As the only native marsupial in North America, it seems everyone has a story about the opossum. And today on the show we hear a bunch of them. Between all the opossum tales we talk with Dr. Cathy Shropshire about these animals and their role in the ecosystem. Also Dr. Majure talks about how you can not get the coronavirus from our furry friends at home. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this episode of Creature Comforts we open the doors to the pet hospital. Dr. Troy Majure is here and ready to answer your pet questions. The entire show is dedicated to our furry friends and making sure they live their best life. Also, following the Pearl River flood we talk about having your emergency kit pet ready. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

According to Dr. Marcus Drymon the shark population of the gulf coast is healthy. But you should not be afraid to swim because the water is fine. Today on the show we welcome Dr. Drymon to talk about the sharks of Mississippi and their role in the ecosystem. Throughout the show we dispel some myths about sharks, talk about shark fishing, and the amazing bull shark that can often be seen swimming freshwater rivers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike McDowell, the Critter Catcher joins the show and lets us know what are the nuisance animals of the state. Just because your neighbors dog barks a lot at night does not make it a nuisance animal, but maybe a nuisance animal is the reason for all the noise. Mike goes through the list of nuisance animals provided by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks then gives tips on dealing with these animals around the home. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.