Though black cats make delightful pets, these felines have a spooky reputation. They have been called messengers of demons and servants of witches. It is said that if one crosses your path that you will be cursed with bad luck! These superstitions vary from place to place (In some cultures, black cats are considered lucky!), but the negative associations with black cats remain strong. While many people have heard scary stories about black cats, a lot fewer know the reason why they are black to begin with.

When I published the recent blog post on reptile overwintering strategies I received a question from someone curious about what insects do to survive the winter. Those of us in colder climates may notice a sharp decrease in insect activity over the winter. Where do they go? They have a variety of strategies for surviving the cold.

On a sunny summer day it’s common to see lines of turtles sunning themselves on logs. That’s because reptiles are cold-blooded, also known as ectotherms. They produce very little body heat and instead absorb warmth from the environment to support their activity and digestion. This lifestyle works well during the hotter parts of the year, but things get difficult when temperatures begin to drop. Starting in late fall, reptiles begin to prepare for dormancy.

If you visit the Bruce Museum during October you’ll see two taxidermy birds occupying the display case in front. One of these is a great horned owl, a symbol of wisdom and knowledge. The other is the common American crow, often called a nuisance or a pest. Are the reputations of these birds deserved? Perhaps not where intelligence is concerned.