Test your Southern critter knowledge
Think you know all there is to know about the critters -- whether they're adorable, weird or a little bit of both -- that call the South home? Let's find out with our Southern critter trivia quiz!
A single opossum can eat around 5,000 ticks in a year, according tothe San Diego Zoo website.
Read more: 14 opossum facts you may not know
The world record weight for a channel catfish is 58 pounds, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. It was caught in South Carolina in 1964.
A crawfish has 10 legs total, according to National Geographic. The front two legs are modified claws.
While the rumors that lovebugs were created during an experiment at the University of Florida have been around for decades, there's not merit to them, according to the school's website. Lovebugs are native to Mexico and have been in the states since at least the 1940s.
A chorus of cicadas can can reach roughly 100 decibels, according to Smithsonian Magazine. That's like standing next to a chainsaw, y'all.
An armadillo can hold its breath for up to six minutes, according to the National Wildlife Federation. They're even known to “walk” along the bottoms of rivers.
An alligator can go through 3,000 teeth in a lifetime, according to Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.
That's right. Every mosquito bite you've ever gotten has been from a mama mosquito, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's because they need blood to produce eggs.
Green anole can live up to eight years, according to the Alabama Wildlife Federation. They typically live to around five years though.
A mountain lion, cougar, puma, panther and catamount are all names for the same species of big cat, according to The National Wildlife Federation. It has the greatest range of any living mammal in the Americas, which is why its name varies by region.
So, we don't think we're telling you anything you don't already know when we say that you might want to brush up on your Southern critter knowledge. We're not saying you don't know anything. We're just saying we're not totally convinced that you're from around here.
Sure, you didn't get 'em all right, but you didn't do too bad! We definitely think you could handle most Southern critters if you came upon 'em -- althought, for your sake, we hoping the one you come upon isn't an alligator because, well, that's a lot of teeth.
Hey, you really know your stuff when it comes to Southern critters! We bet you've spent a lot of time outdoors, rescuing turtles from highways, catching catfish and swatting mosquitos. (That last one has very little to do with your critter knowledge and more to do with just living in the South though.)
