Videos

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. But remember Faithful Friends, with great power comes great responsibility. Excelsior!

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 and answers the age-old question “Why don’t spiders stick to their own webs?”

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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 to their own webs? Find out in our upcoming episode of Nature in a New York Minute.

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, and what body parts they use when they raise the roof after taking to the trees.

Special thanks to the Staten Island Museum. See their special exhibit “They’re Baaack! Return of the 17-year Cicadas” on display through Spring 2014.

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Biologist Kelly Rypkema introduces us to a secret benefit to birdwatching – dating advice.

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Without leaves to block our view, winter is an excellent time to take a peek into the lives of city animals and see the daily challenges they face. One type of woodpecker has drilled very distinctive designs throughout NYC’s parks and tree-lined streets in its search for food, and other animals have learned to take advantage. Learn how to identify the handiwork of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker — and see Nature’s version of stealing-food-from-the-office-refrigerator in action.

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If one species of animal can love another, then surely hummingbirds love sapsuckers. Find out why in this short video annotation.

And see our episode: “Woodpeckers leave their mark on NYC” for the full story.

Junipers are the source for a whole suite of products from gin to natural insecticide to…contraceptives? Biologist Kelly Rypkema shows us the real plant behind all these claims and shares her own special recipe for spicing up the holidays.

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A plant quietly grows in our city that incited a revolution in how we fasten things together. Host Kelly Rypkema shows us what it looks like and shares this story of nature-inspired design involving Swiss engineer George de Mestral, some seeds, and an idea that just wouldn’t let go.

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Students from the School Greens Club at North Star Academy are on a mission to educate their school and community about healthy eating and more sustainable sources of food. But first they have to educate themselves. Host Kelly Rypkema follows these enterprising teens on their journey from the farm and kitchen of Stone Barns Center to the grand opening of their own rooftop garden in the middle of Newark, the biggest city in New Jersey.

Trouble viewing? Watch on YouTube instead.