Nannopterum auritum – the double-crested cormorant – is an aquatic bird native to nearly all parts of North America and can be found year-round in Rhode Island. Although rarely seen on the Kingston Campus (but certainly not unheard of), they remain an ever-present fixture at the Narragansett Bay Campus; home to the Graduate School of…
There is a chill in the air this time of year, a kind of eerie feeling that covers itself over campus like fog. The days get shorter and the nights stretch longer. Everything feels more electric. Maybe it’s the way the air turns crisp, or how the moon lingers just a little too long. Watching,…
Tenodora sinensis – the Chinese mantis – is an invasive mantis species found in Rhode Island and up and down the East Coast of the United States. These ambush predators eat just about anything they can get their hands on, including other mantises during copulation – a quirk of ecology that has captured the fascination…
Casual sex was supposed to be just that — casual. No strings or feelings, just two people doing their thing and walking away like it’s just another weeknight. But as I’ve learned, casual is never that simple. It sounds freeing. No expectations, no pressure, just pleasure on your own schedule. The promise of casual sex…
Situationships — relationships that are more than friends but less than committed partners – have become increasingly common in today’s dating culture. They offer flexibility, freedom and the illusion of closeness without the responsibilities of a traditional relationship. But beneath the surface of casual texts and occasional dates lies a deeper social dynamic: men often…
Larus delawarensis – the ringed gull – is a medium-sized shorebird common in most parts of North America. In modern times, ringed gulls are just as common in large parking lots as they are on the coast. This, however, was not always the case. Most people in the lower 48 and the more temperate parts…
Odocoileus virginianus – the whitetail deer – is the largest native animal seen on campus and likely the largest terrestrial animal most people see in Rhode Island, barring a chance encounter with a truly bewildering bear. Whitetails are extremely common in nearly all parts of North America and have a significant population in South America….
Tamis striatus — the eastern chipmunk – is a tiny rodent found in the eastern half of the North American continent and in magical corners all around campus at the University of Rhode Island. These resourceful omnivores are known for their intricate underground burrow systems, where they hide and store food. Chipmunks live in their…
Cottontails — sylvilagus — are a common genus of charismatic and herbivorous rabbits found on campus. The University of Rhode Island and the state as a whole overlap the range of two different species of cottontail. You may see the more common eastern cottontail, sylvilagus floridanus, or its more elusive and vulnerable cousin, the New…
Marmota monax – the groundhog – a humble, mostly herbivorous rodent, is found in ecosystems in much of North America, largely on the eastern half of the Mississippi River. They are known for their burrows and for their hibernation period, which has been canonized in our culture in the celebration of Groundhog Day. For a…