Wild Things: Life as We Know It
Hummingbirds, birch trees, queen bees, northern quolls and more…
![Northern quolls, cat-size Australian marsupials](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/ZSDcvhfOgz84b45tjjlJueaIkvk=/1000x750/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/Northern-quolls-Australian-marsupial-631.jpg)
Observed
![purple-throated carib](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/RIEayM3RI2mTWmJxIdEkJ4Qb0XM=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/purple-throated-carib-hummingbird-5.jpg)
Fighters? Males defend unusually large territories.
Lovers? Their territories include a Heliconia species whose nectar only female E. jugularis can reach with their long, curved beaks. Males gain an advantage in mating by allowing females to feed on the flowers.
Farmers? It’s the first time researchers have documented male birds guarding a food only females eat. Study authors W. John Kress of Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and Ethan Temeles of Amherst College call it “nectar farming.”
Learn more about the purple-throated carib at the Encyclopedia of Life.
Off!
![Birch trees](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/bxB8JbvVUnuackmEQtfn0PdFL4o=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/birch-trees-rhododendrons-2.jpg)
Learn more about rhododendrons at the Encyclopedia of Life.
Sleek Stripes
![sea snakes striped](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/iGtfBLXrHXNS-ryBNGwJEXjqzZ4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/striped-sea-snake-3.jpg)
Learn more about sea snakes at the Encyclopedia of Life.
How to Get a Bigger Brain
![Megalopta genalis bee](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/NflQwC4eaUUVNyK3z6K-dsub3gM=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/Megalopta-genalis-bee-queen-4.jpg)
Learn more about Megalopta genalis bees at the Encyclopedia of Life.
Bitter Lessons
![Northern quolls, cat-size Australian marsupials](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/T70vDB7jSW-jPpDMtI-WAG__jKY=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/Northern-quolls-Australian-marsupial-1.jpg)
Learn more about the northern quoll at the Encyclopedia of Life.