Strange by Nature Podcast
Strange by Nature
Overview
Episodes
Details
Life is strange, naturally you want to hear about it. Strange by Nature is your guide to the strange, weird and unbelievable side of nature. Professional naturalists present weekly curated stories about just how strange nature can get.
Recent Episodes
JUN 10, 2026
Birds with Ants in their Pants
This week Victoria tells us all about the bizarre process of Anting. What's that? That's when birds cover themselves with ants. Yeah, it's strange. Rachel follows that up with a story about the Hero Shrew, this cunning little guy is incredible and tough. Join us weekly for more strange nature. Our supporters on Patreon get every episode ad-free! Support us: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us:
[email protected]
Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com where you can sign up for our episode emails.
31 MIN
JUN 3, 2026
Guard Duty Turns Dad into Cannibal
This week, Victoria brought us the Sand Bubbler Crab. These guys are wild. Native to the Indo-pacific, they breathe though their legs and they hide out underground in a bubble of air during high tide. That's just one of the reasons this strange little animals is called the Sand Bubbler Crab. Kirk brings us some research trying to solve the mystery of why Damselfish dads eat some of the eggs they are in charge of guarding. The answer isn't what you would expect...he's trying to help. Rachel brings it all home with a strange story about trying to make the most purple petunia that could possibly purple and how utter failure lead to the discovery of RNAi. Join us weekly for more strange nature. Our supporters on Patreon get every episode ad-free! Support us: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us:
[email protected]
Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com where you can sign up for our episode emails.
35 MIN
MAY 27, 2026
Mike the Headless Chicken
Once again we're back with weird tales from thsi amazing planet we live on. This week, Rachel tells us about Ichneumon wasps. They may look like they are out of a horror movie but these giant insects don't harm humans. Victoria delves into the history books to tell us about a famous celebrity, Mike the Headless Chicken. Spring is a time of migration so naturally Kirk is talking about birds and how research is showing that they use the magnetic field of the Earth to know when to eat extra food before crossing the Sahara. Join us weekly for more strange nature. Our supporters on Patreon get every episode ad-free! Support us: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us:
[email protected]
Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com where you can sign up for our episode emails.
38 MIN
MAY 20, 2026
Toad Licking
Kirk is up first this week and he brings us the wild truth behind Toad Licking. Rachel brings us a weird story of two unlikely buddies. Frogs and Tarantulas. Their relationship turns out to be beneficial to both. Victoria rounds out the show with a story of caterpillars that mimic snakes! The illusion is pretty amazing and even fools Rachel. Join us weekly for more strange nature. Our supporters on Patreon get every episode ad-free! Support us: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us:
[email protected]
Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com where you can sign up for our episode emails.
43 MIN
MAY 13, 2026
Exceptions to the Rules
Welcome to another week of strange nature! Victoria goes first and brings us a story of an absolutely bizarre insect that seems to defy our rules of what an insect is. It has no common name so we give it one. We call this alien-like chest burster the Peek-a-boo Twisted-wing. Kirk takes the middle spot this week and he tells us about the only nocturnal monkeys in the world. Night Monkeys are special exceptions to what we normally think of as monkeys. One interesting example, Dad is the primary caregiver for children. Rachel rounds out the show by telling us a bizarre story about the critically endangered and fascinating Maleo bird. This relative of the Turkey incubates its eggs using geothermal heat by burying them in warm sand and then abandoning them. Join us weekly for more strange nature. Our supporters on Patreon get every episode ad-free! Support us: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us:
[email protected]
Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com where you can sign up for our episode emails.
50 MIN
See all episodes