Spotted Python (Antaresia maculosa)
The Spotted Python inhabits Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. It also goes by Eastern Small Blotched Python and Eastern Children’s Python. Its light skin with dark spots helps it blend into the night and has heat-sensing pits to hunt small mammals, birds, and lizards.
These pythons are a choice for reptile lovers due to their manageable size of up to 4.6 feet and docile nature.
Twin Spotted Sphinx Moth
Scientific name: Smerinthus jamaicensis.
Twin-spotted sphinx moths belong to the family Sphingidae along with others like the rosy maple moth and white-lined sphinx moth. This sphinx moth has a large wingspan of 2 to 3 inches.
This sphinx moth has stunning blue eyespots on its hind wing. The colors on its wings are beige-brown, white and pinkish-red, and yellow markings. The larger wedge-shaped forewings are yellowish-brown with shades of dark brown and white markings. You’ll find this sphinx moth spread across North America.
The controversial plan to protect the spotted owl
One of a threatened species, a northern spotted owl perches on a branch. Spotted owls are dark brown with spots of white. To an untrained eye, barred and spotted owls may look similar, but they are unique in their color patterns — and competitors for food and habitat. (Courtesy Paul Bannick)
