OTHER INHABITANTS

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS -- JUNE 21, 2025

I know you're busy, but let's all pause and take a deep breath. Sometimes we need to realize that we humans are not the only life forms on earth. So, let's take a brief break from the humanoid affairs of the day and take a look at what the other inhabitants of the planet are up to. 

 

Everyone likes a story about getting to the top of a profession. In this case, Bruce the Bat Dog is the winner after being promoted to Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals. “The Nationals have once again tapped into their Minor League system to bring new talent to Nationals Park: the team called up Bruce the Bat Dog from Triple-A Rochester. Bruce earned his promotion after posting a 1.000 retrieving average in three appearances this season. He's a one-year-and-nine-month old (in people years) golden retriever.” (https://www.mlb.com/news/nationals-call-up-bruce-the-bat-dog-for-major-league-debut)

 

Needless to say, Bruce is a hit with the fans. “Nobody makes people smile more than Bruce, and I’m sure he’ll do a WOOFtastic job for the Nats! He has earned the phenom status that has been bestowed upon him." See a video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7j3HC3mhhI. 

 

Petting Bruce would be fun, but another instance with an animal could be unnerving. “A black bear broke into a Pennsylvania nursing home. The juvenile bear used a window to break into St. Andrew’s Village. The bear got onto multiple residents’ beds, even getting nose-to-nose with one of them.” 

 

The story has a happy ending. The bear was lured outside with Rice Krispies Treats, doughnuts, and pastries. Then it was relocated to a nearby forest. (https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article308202720.html)

 

On a more cuddly front, a recent story in the Cadillac News dealt with cats. It's interesting that one variety of cats is almost always female. “Only about one in every three thousand of them is male. The tricolor kitties — which are most often but not always white, orange, and black — get their distinct coat from their chromosomal makeup. Making them even rarer is the fact that male calicos are almost always sterile, meaning it’s all but impossible to breed calicos — every one you see is an anomaly, and all the more special for it.” The science behind this is at: https://interestingfacts.com/fact/only-about-1-in-every-3000-calico-cats-is-male/.

 

Calico cats are rare, but scientists are making discoveries all the time. “We may only know about twenty percent of all the species that are out there. Many of these yet-to-be-discovered animals live in some of the hardest-to-reach places, such as dense rainforests or the depths of the ocean. And many of them are incredibly tiny.”

 

A good example is a bit creepy. “In April 2022, scientists announced that they’d discovered their 50,000th species of spider, Guriurius minuano, a member of the Salticidae family of jumping spiders. They expect another 50,000 spiders will be discovered in the next 100 years.” Yippee! Just what we need. Legions of unknown spiders ready to frighten us . (https://interestingfacts.com/fact/scientists-think-there-may-be-50000-more-spider-species-left-to-discover/)

 

Another creepy crawler is pretty common this time of year. Judging from the mounds on most sidewalks, it's a good year for ants. If you have ants invading your home, experts have a warning. “If the first thing you do is crush, step on or otherwise flatten ants once you spot them, you might want to think twice. You could be attracting more ants to come back — with a vengeance. Typically, ant's bodies contain a fluid that seeps out each time you crush them. This fluid produces pheromones, which then sends out a signal to its entire colony to come and rescue them.”

 

Tom's Guide has some suggestions to combat ants. “One is to mix a 50:50 solution of white vinegar to water in a clear bottle, before spraying your countertops, surfaces or anywhere else you’ve spotted ants frequently. Not only will the strong smell of the vinegar repulse ants, but also remove the scent trails they leave.” More at: https://www.tomsguide.com/home/pest-experts-warn-you-should-never-squash-ants-in-your-home-heres-why. 

 

Ants are a nuisance, but bees are another story. “Bees are crucial for both human well-being and the health of the planet, primarily due to their role as pollinators.” A recent discovery adds some amazement to this process. “Plants can hear bees buzzing and serve up more nectar when they are nearby.” 

 

Say what? “There is growing evidence that both insects and plants can sense and produce, or transmit, vibro-acoustic signals. The findings add to the truly astonishing multitude of ways that plants can perceive their surroundings, including the presence of beneficial and harmful insects, temperature, drought and wind. In the future, buzzing noises could be used on farms as an environmentally friendly way of enhancing the pollination of crops.” (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/21/plants-produce-more-nectar-when-they-hear-bees-buzzing-scientists-find)

 

A good way to end this foray into the animal kingdom is with an amazing comeback story. For the past five hundred years there have been no beavers in Portugal. “After centuries of absence, evidence of the presence of the European beaver (Castor fibre) in Portuguese territory has finally emerged.” (https://rewilding-portugal.com/news/more-than-500-years-later-the-beaver-is-back-in-portugal/)

 

Rewilding Portugal tells the tale. “The last known record of beavers in Portugal probably dates back to the end of the 15th century. Since then, this emblematic species has disappeared from our rivers, a victim of intensive hunting and habitat destruction.” 

 

The animals were nearby in Spain. “We’ve been on the lookout for this breakthrough for a few years now, and now we’re thrilled to confirm its return. The beaver is a natural ally in restoring the health of our rivers and wetlands and has a fundamental role to play in our river ecosystems.” No word if these little guys rooted for the Oregon State Beavers in the U.S. College World Series baseball tournament. 

 

Jim Neff is a local columnist. Read Neff Zone columns online at CadillacNews.com and NeffZone.com/cadillacnews.