Malacology

Saw this guy about to grab onto me as I sat by a stream! Filmed and edited by: Chandler Olson Music: Baritone Cowboy by Roy Edwin Williams

While hiking at Huricane Creek Park in Tuscaloosa Alabama we found really cool spider! This is a Southern Black Widow! This spider was feeding on a grasshopper it caught in its web. What a cool find! Filmed and edited by: Chandler Olson Found by: Nathan Mckenna Music: Dare to Be a Devil by Roof

Join us as we survey the land snail diversity at Natural Bridge Park in Northwest Alabama, to help make this the next National Natural Landmark! In this video, we explore the lush environment under and around the park's iconic 60-foot high, 148-foot long natural bridge, the largest east of the Rockies. We'll meet the new park owners and learn about the unique history and future plans for this beautiful area. Along the way, we'll discover fascinating animals like dusky salamanders, crayfish, and many species of snails, including some highlights like the Broad Button and Fringed Slitmouth Snails. This snail survey is part of a larger BioBlitz organized by WildAlabama to document the park's biodiversity and support its bid to become a National Natural Landmark. While we explore the park we also learn about the unique history of the area, including its role during the Civil War and its past inhabitants, the Creek Indians. We also learn about the function of National Natural Landmarks in preserving and promoting the conservation of the United States' diverse natural areas. Join us on this exciting adventure to appreciate the natural beauty of Natural Bridge Park and see why it deserves national recognition. Check out the Seahorse and Co Website for free seashell identification guides!: https://www.seahorseandco.com/ Further reading on the “Free State of Winston”: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/free-state-of-winston/ Further reading on National Natural Landmarks: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/what-are-the-nnls-in-your-neighborhood.htm?utm_source=article&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=experience_more&utm_content=large Film Credits: Written by: Chandler Olson and Emma Olson Filmed, and Edited by: Chandler Olson Featuring: Jacob Inman Hiking friends for this adventure: Nick Roberts and Tim Bushman Music: What We Once Started by River Rub Dry The Appalachian Trail by Hunter Quinn I Believe in New Beginnings by Constellate Five Tribes by Hunter Quinn Forever, Forever Ago by Blood Harmony Hootenanny by Dez Moran Bright Blue Skies by The Undertowns

Eastern Worm Snakes are awesome little snakes! Snake found by: Emma Olson Filmed and edited by: Chandler Olson Music: Deep South by Buddy Sulivan

Join us on Dauphin Island's West Beach for a tranquil morning of seashell hunting and marine exploration. As the sun rises, revealing the coastline's beauty, we embark on a journey to uncover the hidden treasures of the shore. With the tide low, we wander the sands, marveling at the diverse shapes and colors of seashells scattered along the shoreline. From intricate patterns to unique textures, each shell holds a story waiting to be discovered. Amidst our search, we encounter some of the live animals that create these shells like a beautiful Lettered Olive. We also encounter many animals that inhabit these shells after the mollusk's death, like hermit crabs, barnacles, and slipper snails. Back home, we delve into the process of shell identification. Check out the free seashell identification guides on our website: https://www.seahorseandco.com/identificationguides Credits: Written by: Chandler Olson and Emma Olson Filmed by: Chandler Olson Parking-lot shot filmed by: Meghan Yap-Chiongco Beach Friends: Emma Olson, Nickellaus Roberts, Meghan Yap-Chiongco, and Bensen Yap-Chiongco Edited by: Chandler Olson Music: The River's Gonna Cry When You're Gone by Loving Caliber The Ripples by Tommy Ljungberg Dreamers of the Shore by Volcan Peaks Feel So Lucky by Cody Francis Call It a Day by Tommy Ljungberg #Beachcombing #Seashells #MarineLife #NatureExploration #ShellCollecting

Did you know that beneath the surface of seemingly ordinary sand lies a bustling ecosystem filled with microorganisms? Join us today as we demonstrate the magnesium chloride extraction method, a popular technique for uncovering meiofaunal animals thriving within sand. To embark on this adventure, you'll need a few essentials: a bucket of sand a sieve (you can make your own with PVC, super glue and nylon mesh like this: https://a.co/d/gCHXank) a container (an erlenmeyer flask or any dish will suffice) Petri dishes (or any other clear dish) magnesium chloride (we use: https://a.co/d/6q1RLg5) Magnesium chloride works by relaxing the animals, making them easier to extract from the sand. After mixing the sand with a solution of half 7.5% magnesium chloride in fresh water and half seawater, we let it sit for 15 minutes before sieving. Using a sieve, we separate the sediment from the solution, revealing a plethora of tiny organisms. With each decanting, we uncover a diverse array of creatures, from nematodes to flatworms and more. The beauty of this method lies in its simplicity and effectiveness. Whether you're a seasoned collector or a beginner, the magnesium chloride extraction method offers a fascinating glimpse into the hidden world of meiofaunal animals. Check out the seashell identification guides on our website: https://www.seahorseandco.com/ We’d like to give a big thank you to Dr. Kevin M. Kocot for reviewing this video and for allowing us to borrow sieves and other materials from the lab! Check out the Kocot Lab here: https://www.kocotlab.com/ Credits: Hosted by: Meghan Yap-Chiogco Directed by: Chandler Olson Filmed By: Nickellaus Roberts, Emma Olson, Meghan Yap-Chiongco, and Chandler Olson Production crew: Nickellaus Roberts, Emma Olson, Meghan Yap-Chiongco, Chandler Olson, and Bensen Yap-Chiongco Edited by: Chandler Olson Reviewed by: Kevin M. Kocot Music: The Fun Side of Life by Bireli Snow Morning Stretch by Timothy Infinite Sun Screen by Timothy Infinite Solarity by Guustavv Entropy by Gregory David #Microorganisms #MagnesiumChlorideExtraction #NatureExploration

I love finding feather millipedes when out on hikes. Check out all the cool salamanders I found on this hike too by clicking on the linked video!

I spent 1 hour looking for critters around a vernal pool at Huricane Creek Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I was super excited because this was the first time I ever found a Marbled Salamander! Link to iNat Entry: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/chandlerolson/90202-huricane-creek-park-1-hour-mini-bioblitz