The Backyard Naturalists

Bizarre Animal Behaviors – Nature Gets Weird!

If you have ideas for topics that you'd like us to pursue, send us a message either on our Facebook page or our website. We would really like to hear from you. Connect

Tick Talk: Protecting Yourself from Tick-Borne Illnesses

Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the award-winning podcast about anything and everything connected with nature, heard in 115 countries, 50 states, and all throughout

Amazing Animal Adaptations with Stan Tekiela

Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the show about anything and everything connected with nature.   In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie and Laurie ar

Summer in Your Habitat

Summer is STILL here, and if you've stepped outside lately, you've probably felt it too—sweltering heat, sticky air, and maybe even a few critters making themselves a lit

iNaturalist – Connecting People, Nature, and Science

This week on The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie and Laurie welcome Allison Young, Director of Outreach Programs for iNaturalist, the global platform that's changing the way

Snake Deterrents: What Works, What Doesn't

Summer is heating up across the Carolinas, and that means snakes are on the move — and stirring up plenty of conversation. In this episode, Debbie and Laurie bust myths a

The Matthews Community Farmer's market

Debbie and Laurie return to the Matthews Community Farmer's Market to record an episode "live" and on location!

ENCORE EPISODE: Benefits of Trees

Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the show about anything and everything connected with nature.   In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, we dive into the man

ENCORE: Bird Feeding 2.0: Elevating Your Backyard Aviary

Welcome to another exciting episode of The Backyard Naturalists podcast! As spring blooms with vibrant life, Debbie and Laurie delve into the world of advanced bird feedi

ENCORE: Frogs, Toads and Backyard Choruses

In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie and Laurie take a fun and fascinating leap into the world of frogs and toads—those small but mighty voices you hear ri

Names for Male and Female Animals

This week on The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie Foster, Laurie Horne, and Chris take a playful trip through the animal kingdom with a trivia-style episode all about the nam

Wildlife Bridges and Crossings

This week on The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie Foster and Laurie Horne explore the fascinating world of wildlife bridges, wildlife crossings, green bridges, and ecoducts —

What Bird Built That?

It's nesting season in the Carolinas, and this week on The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie Foster and Laurie Horne take a fun, award-show-style look at the many ways birds b

Encore Episode: Tiny Habitats — Big Nature in Small Spaces

Think you need a big backyard to help wildlife? Think again! In this encore episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie and Laurie prove that even the tiniest patio, balc

Plant This, Not That

In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie Foster and Laurie Horne celebrate spring planting season with a practical conversation about choosing plants that supp

What's Happening in Your Habitat

Spring is finally making itself known, and that means our backyard habitats are changing fast. In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie and Laurie talk about w

Barred Owls — Silent Flight, Big Personalities, and Backyard Nesting

In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie Foster and Laurie Horne take us into the fascinating world of barred owls, inspired by a local owl box success story j

Tadpoles, Horse Troughs, and Backyard Habitats

What do you do when tadpoles take over a horse trough? In this fun and wide-ranging episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie, Laurie, and Chris dive into the fascinati

Celebrating Earth Day the Backyard Naturalists Way

In this special Earth Day episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie, Laurie, and Chris celebrate Earth Day 2026 by exploring the history behind this global movement and

How Big Is It? Part 2: Nature's Biggest and Boldest Creatures

In this fun and fast-moving second installment of "How Big Is It?", Debbie and Laurie explore some of the biggest creatures in the natural world—from the world's largest