Premiere Episode: Animal Architects

Georgia Outdoors: Animal Architects

Friday, Nov 14, 9:30 PM
Saturday, Nov 15, 6 PM
Tuesday, Nov 18, 7:30 PM

We humans do not have a monopoly on design and structure. From the smallest anthill to the largest eagles nest, the animal kingdom is populated by a variety of species who build. Georgia is home to an abundance of animal architects.

Our state reptile, the gopher tortoise digs deep burrows in the ground along the sandy soils of South Georgia. Along our lakes and bodies of water you’ll often spot huge osprey nests used by their residents from year to year. Even in your own back yard you’ll find a startling array of animal homes, nests and burrows.

Some of the most commonly seen are built by invertebrate species such as arachnids, insects, and crustaceans. For example, our only land dwelling crustacean, the crayfish, digs a deep burrow and you can often see the chimneys of these cousins of the lobsters along the muddy banks of our streams and rivers. Spiders build elaborate webs in trees, along soffits, and just about anywhere you look. But perhaps, our most commonly seen animal structures are built by social insects like bees, wasps, and ants!

Learn more about these and other industrious animals on Georgia Outdoors: Animal Architects.

Watch Georgia Public Broadcasting on these nine stations across Georgia: Atlanta - Channel 8; Albany - WABW/14, Augusta - WCES/20, Chatsworth - WCLP/18, Columbus - WJSP/28, Dawson - WACS/25, Macon - WMUM/29, Savannah - WVAN/9, Waycross - WXGA/8.