Appearance Three species of jellyfish can be found in the Chesapeake Bay: Jellyfish have a transparent, gelatinous body and an umbrella-shaped bell called a medusa. Tentacles with stinging cells hang from the bell. The stinging cells are called nematocysts. Sea nettles have a smooth, milky white bell that grows to about 4 inches in diameter. […]
200 Miles of Beauty and Bounty The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula, including parts of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and the state of Delaware. The mouth of the Bay at its southern point is located between Cape […]
Learn some surprising facts about this iconic insect, known for its sweet honey and sharp sting BY STEPHANIE SMITH | JUNE 17, 2015 During the summer months, butterflies, hummingbirds, bats and beetles can be seen darting from flower to flower, collecting nectar and carrying pollen. But no pollinator has quite as close a relationship with humans as the European […]
1. Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) Hellbender is already a pretty unique name for this clean stream-loving salamander, but its nicknames—which include snot otter, devil dog, 2. Whistlepig (Marmota monax) Commonly known as woodchucks or groundhogs, this stocky critter gets the nickname whistlepig from the shrill, piercing whistle that it uses when threatened. 3. Lumpsucker (Cyclopterus lumpus) The lumpfish, also […]
Did you know there are 12 shark species in the Chesapeake Bay? While some are quite abundant, others are very rare. The five most common sharks in the Bay include the sandbar shark, bull shark, sand tiger shark, smooth dogfish, and spiney dogfish. Scared of a bite? Don’t fret! According the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, […]
