Author Archives: Kelly

Spidey’s Tighty Whities

True Believers! Once again, Kelly Rypkema, our unabashed advocate for nature, jumps boldly into the wilds of New York. In today’s episode, Kelly tests the superhero strength of spider silk and shares the answer to one of life’s greatest questions. more »

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Posted in Animal Behavior, Habitats of City Wildlife, Spiders and Insects, Videos | 1 Comment

Kelly’s been AWOL, but she’s not been idle.

You know how you get those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that require a huge leap of faith, and a complete change of lifestyle? Well, that happened to me back in December. I was offered the chance to develop a nature center from more »

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Posted in Articles, News | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

A Falcon Perches in Soho

Think there’s no wildlife on the city streets? Look up! This Peregrine Falcon hung out in Soho for an entire afternoon last week, taking in the sights (of pigeons? of starlings perhaps?) along Broadway. New York City is home to more »

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Posted in Animals, Birds, Habitats of City Wildlife, Nature by the Seasons, News, Photos, Predators and Prey, Winter | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

Take the Spider Web Challenge

I wasn’t kidding when I filmed this spider episode. Go out there, find a spider web and see if you can find out which silk fibers are sticky and which are not. (Adults, I’m talking to you too. Why should more »

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Posted in Animals, Fall, News, Photos, Spiders and Insects, Spring, Summer | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Why don’t spiders stick to their own webs?

Is the thought of walking face first into a spider web enough to make you scream? In this episode of Nature in a New York Minute, biologist Kelly Rypkema shares a little experiment to help you face your inner demons more »

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How to Build a Web Site – Nature Minute style

One lucky Autumn morning, I awoke to find this Argiope spider gracefully spinning the sticky part of her web. In the process, she might thrust her legs on that sticky silk more than 1000 times…. So why don’t spiders stick more »

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Posted in Animals, Fall, Nature by the Seasons, Predators and Prey, Spiders and Insects, Videos | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

9/11 Tribute in Light Attracts Many Eyes…and Birds

The “stars” in this photo are actually migrating birds circling around the 9/11 Tribute in Light memorial. The lights appear to draw the birds off their course, but thankfully the Municipal Art Society, which produces the memorial, is cooperating with more »

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Posted in Animal Behavior, Animals, Articles, Birds, Fall, Nature by the Seasons, News, People and Nature, Spring, Wildlife Conservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Got No Milk on this Farm…

…for humans anyway. To update you on one of the stars from a past episode, Clover the Cow has given birth to a cute little calf. For the time being, she’s on vacation from the milking demonstrations she does for more »

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Brick in a Stick

Tree trunks grow out, not up, and sometimes engulf whatever might have been resting on them. Someone must have placed this brick in the fork of the tree some time ago. Examples of this kind of “tree hugging” can be more »

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Posted in News, Photos, Plants, Trees | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Video: Cicadas – Tiny Tymbals, Big Sound

Have you ever wanted to ask Cicadas why they’re so loud, but thought it would be Brood 2 ask? Biologist Kelly Rypkema ventures into the thick of the 2013 appearance of Periodical Cicadas to answer the questions of why, who, more »

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Posted in Communication, Mating and Courtship, Spiders and Insects, Summer, Videos | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments