Spooks and goblins and monsters come out to play in October. The wildlife in our watershed is going trick-or-treating and wants you to come along.

Can you identify the animals in their costumes?

Enjoy the original art by Caroline Rose.

Scroll down for the answers.

 

 


  • Fauna: Perimyotis subflavus
    Tricolored bats are very small, weighing about the same as a U.S. quarter, though its wingspan can reach up to 10 inches across. Their fur is a mix of black, brown, and light brown, giving them their name.
  • Fauna: Acipenser brevirostrum
    The shortnose sturgeon is a hefty freshwater fish that can be nearly five feet long, weigh upwards of 60 pounds. Their trademark ridged back is formed by bony plates called ‘scutes,’ giving them the appearance of armor.
  • Fauna: Pandion haliaetus
    This large bird of prey can often be spotted in the Ogeechee watershed as they feed almost exclusively on live fish. They often built sturdy nests on tall structures like telephone poles and channel markers, as well as trees overlooking waterways.
  • Fauna: Geomys fontanelus 
    Pocket gophers are fossorial creatures, meaning they are excellent diggers and prefer to burrow. They flourish  in the type of soil found under the longleaf pine, which makes them very happy in the Ogeechee River basin. With giant front teeth and long claws, they look threatening, but are mostly harmless rodents. 
  • Fauna: Dolichovespula maculata
    The bald-faced hornet, also called the bald hornet or the white-faced hornet, is technically a wasp and only a close cousin to the true hornet. It gets its name for the black and white coloring (rather than the typical black and yellow) of its body.
  • Fauna: Lepomis auritis
    The redbreast sunfish is native to eastern North America and makes its home in freshwater rivers. A relatively small fish, it is considered full grown at by the time it is two inches long.
  • Fauna: Odonata
    Dragonflies and damselflies are closely related insects. Sometimes called 'mosquito hawks,' they are aerial predators that feed on insects such as midges and mosquitoes.
  • Fauna: Passerina ciris
    The brightly colored bird is a member of the cardinal family and lives in the southeast and south-central United States, including coastal Georgia.