The Field Guides

01:00:06

Ep. 83 - Fall Webworms: Not As Bad As They Look

The Field Guides ·

2026/09/30

Every summer, large sacks of caterpillar silk appear in trees across much of North America. They’re the communal home of Fall Webworms, and they’re not pretty - full of caterpillars, their poop (frass), and dead leaves. But, y’know, those sacks are full of something else - fascinating nature facts! And in this episode, Bill and Steve dive into the messy but engrossing world of Fall Webworms (they put the gross into engrossing).This episode was recorded at Taylor Road Park in Hamburg, NY on September

en-US

01:30:11

Ep. 82 - Wild Ideas: Resurrected! (feat. Gordon Maupin)

The Field Guides ·

2026/06/30

This episode, we’re stepping back to the golden age of natural history podcasting by resurrecting the format of the classic show Wild Ideas: The Podcast. Joining us on the trail is one of the OG hosts: the man himself, Gordon Maupin. It’s a 3-way team-up where each of us brings a heavy-hitting seasonal mystery to the table.First, Steve unravels the rule-breaking world of the Ambystoma polyploid salamander complex, where unisexual lineages are mixing up DNA from different species and blurring the

en-US

01:03:52

Ep. 81 - Keepin' Wetlands Wet: The Western NY Land...

The Field Guides ·

2026/06/01

Every now and then, a conservation opportunity comes along that you can't pass up. The Western NY Land Conservancy (WNYLC) is currently in a race to permanently protect the Bear Lake Preserve, 311 acres of undeveloped shoreline, mature forest, and an array of critical wetland habitats linked to the Lake.To break down what makes this property so special, the guys hit the trail with WNYLC Stewardship Director Josh Balisteri. He gives them a tour of the property, discussing the history and ecology of

en-US

Ep. 80 - The Deer Are NOT Alright: Chronic Wasting...

The Field Guides ·

2026/04/30

Something’s not right in the woods, at least if you’re a white-tailed deer. In this episode, the guys dig into chronic wasting disease (CWD), a strange illness reshaping deer populations in many areas of the Lower 48 (and Scandinavia!). It’s not caused by a virus or a bacteria, but it is related to mad cow disease. They break down what it is, how it spreads, what’s happening inside infected animals, and why it’s so dang hard to contain. The deer are not alright… and there’s a reason.This episode was

en-US

01:13:00

Ep. 79 - The Brown Tree Snake on Guam: Using Genetics...

The Field Guides ·

2026/04/01

The Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) has wreaked ecological havoc on Guam since its accidental release in the years following WWII, playing a major role in the extinction of endemic bird species and causing trophic cascades that have rewired how the island’s forests function. But how did a population of millions come from just a handful of snakes? And how does this species continue to thrive after eliminating so much of its prey base? A soon-to-be-released study looked into the genome of this

en-US

01:15:41

Ep. 78 - 3 Guys and A Gator (featuring Chip Campbell)

The Field Guides ·

2026/01/31

It’s gator time, folks! It seems like we should’ve already covered this topic, but, nope, this is our first ever episode on the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), and we’ve got two ringers to help: Daniel returns (our Field Guide host who moved to Florida last year) and he’s joined by his mentor in all things swamp-related, Chip Campbell. Chip spent twenty years running Okefenokee Adventures, leading interpretive tours in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, and his knowledge of

en-US

Ep. 77 - Mite-y Cool: The Amazing, Unseen World of...

The Field Guides ·

2025/11/01

In this episode, Bill and Steve dive into a tiny, bustling world - a world that’s hiding on the feathers of the birds we see every day. Joining them is Dr. Alix Matthews, postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University at Buffalo, and she reveals the strange lives of feather mites — how these barely-visible hitchhikers feed and get around and whether or not they’re helping or hurting their avian hosts.This episode was recorded on September 4, 2025 at Walton

en-US

01:01:00

Ep. 76 - The Insect Apocalypse! (Part 2)

The Field Guides ·

2025/10/15

It’s part 2 of our dive into the Insect Apocalypse, with our good friend Dr. Jason Dombroskie from the Cornell University Insect Collection!In this part, Jason fills us in on the drivers of the Insect Apocalypse and - most importantly - what we can do about it.This episode was recorded on August 21, 2025 at Rattlesnake Hill Wildlife Management Area in Dalton, NY.. Episode NotesDuring the episode, we made the claim that 40 million acres of the US is lawn, and that that area is equal to all of the

en-US

00:56:48

Ep. 76 - The Insect Apocalypse! (Part 1)

The Field Guides ·

2025/09/30

The guys are back in the field with our good friend Dr. Jason Dombroskie from the Cornell University Insect Collection!Listen in as Jason leads us through fields and forests, trusty butterfly net in hand, filling us in on the so-called “Insect Apocalypse.” Are insect populations really collapsing worldwide? What do the numbers say? How bad is it, and — most importantly — what can we do about it?In this part, we head out on the trail with Jason. He introduces us to some insects we find along the way

en-US

00:42:20

Ep. 75 - A Naturalist's Life (Part 2) - A "Hike" with...

The Field Guides ·

2025/09/15

Part 2 of our time in the woods with naturalist Sandy Geffner. This time, Sandy leads Steve and Bill on a “hike”—though with Sandy, the word takes on a different meaning. You might not cover much distance, but you’ll travel miles in understanding: exploring ecology and hearing stories of the forest and the wildlife within it. Enjoy!This episode was recorded on July 21, 2025 at JP Nicely Memorial Park in West Falls, NY.Episode Notes and LinksSandy’s favorite books: A Sand County Almanac by Aldo

en-US

Ep. 75 - A Naturalist's Life (Part 1) - A...

The Field Guides ·

2025/08/31

What exactly is a “naturalist”? Spend a little time with Sandy Geffner, and you’ll find out. Steve and Bill rarely go more than an episode or two without mentioning him—a naturalist who profoundly shaped both their lives. This month, they head into the woods to talk with Sandy about how a baseball-loving kid from Long Island became someone who’s inspired countless people to deepen their connection with the natural world.This episode was recorded on July 21, 2025 at JP Nicely Memorial Park in West

en-US