Spiders and Their Webs

Spiders and their webs make for fun Halloween decorations, but real webs are fascinating feats of animal architecture!

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Bloodsucking Leeches: More Than Just a Horror Icon

BY CHERYL TEBBY

Popular depictions of leeches often include concentric rows of sharp, fang-like teeth, or maybe an elongate ventral sucker that enables them to cling to their victim like the sticky-hand toys found in birthday “goody bags.” But in real life, leeches are a little more prosaic, much less horror-movie monster. 

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How to Build a Bird: The Story of Avian Evolution

BY RICHARD SCHNEIDER AND NICK CARTER

The origin of the avian body plan is not something bird watchers often think about. With so many species to find and identify out there, what does it matter how they originated? However, the story of bird evolution is a fascinating one, and understanding it can bring great enrichment to the hobby of birdwatching. 

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