Hellbender. Sounds like something out of a horror movie, right? With a flat head, tiny eyes, wide mouth, and long wrinkly body, hellbenders are certainly misunderstood and undervalued for the marvelous critters that they are–a unique regional treasure and an indicator species to overall ecological health.

Post Hurricane Helene and its devastating impact on southwest Virginia that began in late September of last year, people have been more curious than ever about what hellbenders are and how these animals are doing in the wake of such an unprecedented natural disaster.

In honor of World Bee Day, we’re cleaning up our native bee home here at Blue Ridge Discovery Center! One way we can support native bees is by building a “bee hotel”. These structures supply plenty of nesting opportunities to a few of the local bees. Adding a bee hotel to your garden is a great way to interact with some of these native species, and it can be an attractive feature to showcase local biodiversity.

The art of photography an incredibly powerful and important tool for the conservation of biodiversity and education about the natural world—and the amazing thing is that anyone can do it. In this article we’ll discuss how to take great photos of wildlife with just your smartphone as well as give you beginner tips on how to use DSLR cameras and what types of lenses are best for wildlife photography.