Bamboo is a fascinating plant. It is used to make furniture, fencing, scaffolding, baskets, and on and on. It is also a food source, and not just for giant panda… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Mike Edmisten
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Mike is a writer at A-Z Animals where his primary focus is on geography, agriculture, and marine life. A graduate of Cincinnati Christian University and a resident of Cincinnati, OH, Mike is deeply passionate about the natural world.
In his free time, he, his wife, and their two sons love the outdoors, especially camping and exploring US National Parks.
The California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) became the official state amphibian of California when Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 2364 on June 28, 2014. California Red-Legged Frog The California… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
A meteorite fell to the Earth on Saturday, landing in Maine near the United States/Canada border. One museum is so eager to get the fragments of this space rock that… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
It surprises some folks when they realize bamboo is a type of grass. After all, some bamboos can grow up to 100 feet tall! But regardless of the amazing height… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
“Arthur” debuted on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) on October 7, 1996. The animated series is based on the Arthur Adventure book series, written and illustrated by Marc Brown. An… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Bamboo is often mistaken for a tree due to its height. Some varieties can grow upwards of 100 feet tall. But, even though some varieties can reach such lofty heights,… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
According to the 2022 World Air Quality Report from IQAir, Columbus, Ohio, not only has the worst air quality in the state; it has the poorest air quality of any… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
These 4 animals are listed as either threatened or endangered. Yellowstone National Park is home to a diverse group of animals, including the largest concentration of mammals in the lower… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
When considering precipitation extremes in the United States, Hawaii and Nevada are the clear winners. Hawaii is the rainiest state, with an average of nearly 64 inches of rainfall per… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
A 58-year-old man is in serious condition after a shark attack in Hawaii early on Easter Sunday. Mike Morita was surfing near Kewalo Basin off the southern shore of Oahu… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
As with every other state in the United States, Arkansas legislators have chosen various symbols to represent their state. Among many other examples, the state has an official gem (diamond),… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Bamboo has been called “the world’s most amazing plant” for its many uses. This member of the Poaceae grass family can be used in everything from flooring to furniture to… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Colorado’s most common trees are fir, spruce, and pine trees. These conifers thrive in Colorado’s mountainous terrain. But what about palm trees? While you won’t see palms when you are… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Who doesn’t love palm trees? Watching the fronds of these trees gently wave in the breeze transports us to a tropical paradise, listening to the waves crashing against the shore… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Palm trees have a certain laidback, tropical vibe. These trees remind us of warm weather, sea breezes, and sandy beaches. It’s not surprising that many growers want to bring a… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The Squash Bee has no stinger so it has a pain rating of zero. While Ohio is home to some 500 bee species, there is a small handful of bees… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Disney has brought over 2,100 animated characters to life since its inception in 1923. Characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Pluto, and Goofy are so… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Key Points The U.S. produces over 806 million gallons of wine per year. The first wine produced in what would become the United States was made from scuppernong grapes in… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is classified as endangered on International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List, with 1,383 mature individuals remaining in the wild. What is being… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Located in Pennsylvania's Pike County, Raymondskill Falls are part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area shared by Pennsylvania and New Jersey. At 150 feet, Raymondskill Falls is the… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The internet is filled with videos of giant panda bears (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). The most popular of these videos feature the black-and-white bears tumbling, rolling, somersaulting, and falling. Pandas are clumsy… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
While significant April snowfall is relatively rare in Ohio, the biggest April snowstorm in state history was staggering. Ohio's snow season typically shifts into full gear in December, although November… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
“Turner & Hooch” was a 1989 movie starring Tom Hanks. (The movie was also rebooted as a streaming series in 2021.) In the film, Hanks played a detective, Scott Turner,… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The waters of North Carolina’s Outer Banks are currently teeming with great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias). OCEARCH, a nonprofit organization dedicated to studying and preserving great white sharks, has tagged 88… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
California experienced the three driest years in its history from 2020 to 2022. Have the rain and snow of early 2023 finally brought this historic drought to an end? Yes…… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
While bamboo is often mistaken for a tree because of its tall growth, it is actually a member of the true grass family Poaceae. Many of the 1,400 species of… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
On March 21, 2023, Hayden Lake in northern Idaho produced a new state record northern pike (Esox lucius). This monster pike weighed 40.76 pounds, and measured 49 inches long with… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The world met Scooby-Doo for the first time in 1969 when the original Hanna-Barbera series, "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!" debuted. The series regaled audiences with the exploits of four teenage detectives… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
No one considers Alabama a cold-weather state. Just the opposite, actually. Located in the Deep South of the United States, Alabama’s climate features mild winters and scorching hot, humid summers.… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
These beautiful animals have been chosen to represent The Garden State. Every state in the United States has official state symbols, including animals that represent the state's unique geography, culture,… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Anemone bulbs are commonly known as corms, rhizomes, or tubers, depending on the plant. They are not true bulbs because true bulbs contain next year’s plant. Corms, tubers, and rhizomes… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Texans will soon have a brand-new lake for fishing, boating, picnicking, and recreation. More importantly, a new water source will open for nearby growing communities. Bois d'Arc Lake in Fannin… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Palm trees immediately remind us of a tropical oasis. We see these trees and imagine we're sitting in the sand, sipping a Mai Tai, and listening to the waves lap… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
North Carolina's Outer Banks are currently filled with college students on spring break. Those spring breakers are not the only ones enjoying the coastal Carolina waters, though. On March 25,… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Key Points: The Joel Eddins House was built between 1808 and 1810 The Joel Eddins House is the oldest house in Alabama. Joel Eddins was a settler from Abbeville County,… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Official state symbols have long been a sign of pride and tradition in the United States. Each of the 50 states has its own unique collection of official symbols, such… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Key Points Thirty states have at least one national park within their borders. California is home to nine national parks, more than any other U.S. state. Death Valley National Park… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The name “hippopotamus” comes from a Greek word meaning “water horse” or “river horse.” The hippo is not related to the horse, though. The closest living relatives of the hippopotamus… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Key Points Bobcats' range extends from Canada to Mexico and includes much of the United States. They are believed to number about 5,000 in New York, where there is a… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Official state animals are a long-standing tradition in the United States. Each of the 50 states has its own collection of animal representatives that uniquely represent the state’s culture, geography,… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Key Points: Great white sharks have been documented in all 19 of California's coastal counties. The bite marks on shark attack victim, Steve Bruemmer, measured large enough to belong to… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
A great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) was recently caught and released from an Alabama beach. It is believed to be the first-ever catch of a great white from a beach… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Wolves (Canis lupus) are apex predators in their native habitats across the Northern Hemisphere. Wolves hunt arctic tundra and grassy plains, which typically have few trees. However, they also hunt… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Michigan is an angler’s paradise, with more freshwater coastline than any other state in the United States. It is, after all, known as The Great Lakes State. Michigan’s Department of… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
All 50 U.S. states have selected animals as official state symbols. These animals are chosen because they represent a state's unique history, culture, and geography. Nevada has named six official… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Lake Superior is the largest of the five Great Lakes and is a natural wonder shared by the United States and Canada. Shaped by glaciers some 10,000 years ago, this… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are found all over the world. Many immediately think of South Africa and/or Australia when considering hotspots for great white sharks. The populations of great… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was chosen as the national bird of the United States by the Second Continental Congress in 1782. It was placed on the Great Seal of… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Here are the top ten state animals of New York. Each state in the United States has its own official animal symbols. These animals become officially recognized symbols of the… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Every state in the United States has adopted official animal symbols. These animals reflect their states' life, history, economy, and culture. Wisconsin has designated nine such state animals. Here is the… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
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