Explore the Outdoors!
Here, I write about animals and their small curiosities, feeding habits, and their role in the ecosystem!
Dragonflies are carnivores that live near water and consume flies, midges, and mosquitoes. They are important predators in many ecosystems because they help to control the population of these insects. Dragonflies are carnivorous consumers that eat other animals. They are not herbivores, decomposers or scavengers, but rather they hunt and kill their prey. This makes…
Butterflies are nectarivores, which means that their diet consists of nectar from flowers. They are able to extract the nectar using their long proboscis (tongue). While feeding on the nectar, butterflies also collect pollen on their body, which they spread to other flowers as they move about. Butterflies are not decomposers, but their babies (their…
Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that are typically green or black. They have long antennae and two short tubes (cornicles) protruding from their backs. Aphids feed on plant juices, sugars, and nectar by piercing plant tissues with their needle-like mouthparts and sucking out the fluid. Aphids are not decomposers, but rather primary consumers as they…
The bonefish is a carnivore that feeds on smaller animals. They are found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. Their diet consists mainly of small fish, but they will also eat worms, molluscs, shrimp and tiny crabs. Bonefish are important predators in the food web and help to keep the populations of smaller…
The opaleye fish is a small, silver-colored fish with large, bright blue eyes. It is a herbivore that feeds primarily on algae and seaweed. The opaleye fish is a primary consumer in the kelp forest ecosystem. It plays an important role in controlling the growth of algae and seaweed, but also eats smaller fish and…
Elk are grazing herbivores that live in wooded areas. In the wild, elk eat a variety of plants including grasses, shrubs, and bark. Their diet changes between seasons as different plants become more or less available. Elks are strictly herbivores. Elk live on plants like grasses and moss, but they would never eat a living…
Beetles are a type of insect that lives in nearly every habitat on Earth. There are more than 350,000 species of beetle and they vary greatly in size, shape, and color. Beetles tend to be herbivores (primary consumers) feeding on plants, but they may also be secondary consumers (omnivores) and also play an important role…
Mountain lions are carnivores that live in the western United States. They are tertiary consumers, which mean they eat animals are predators themselves. Mountain lions are also known as pumas, cougars, catamounts or panthers. The mainstay of their diet is deer, but they will also eat rabbits, turkey, raccoon, and porcupine depending on what is…
Algae are plant-like organisms that grow in water. They are classified as producers since they create their own food using sunlight, sugar, carbon dioxide and minerals. Algae are not decomposers but producers. This is because algae live predominantly off sunlight using photosynthesis to extract energy and they breathe CO2 to obtain carbon atoms to build…
Jellyfish are carnivorous marine animals that feed on planktonic organisms, small crustaceans, fish eggs, larvae, and small fish. They use their tentacles to sting and paralyze their prey before eating them. Jellyfish are found in all the world’s oceans, from the surface to the deep sea. Some species of jellyfish can grow to be over…
