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Sheryl Smith-Rodgers

Sheryl Smith-Rodgers is a freelance writer living in Blanco.

Articles (27)

Long tailed weasel Larry Ditto_70K8618
December 2011 Issue

Long-Tailed Weasels Are Stealthy, Fearless Hunters

Weasels are rarely seen cousins of skunks and badgers.

Story by Sheryl Smith-Rodgers
Illustration with the words "Like a Mouth to a flame" with a luna moth used a a "T" in moth
July 2019 Issue

Aquatic Caterpillars Turn Into Beautiful Moths

Caterpillars can be pesky, but their transformations into moths are worth the trouble.

Story by
hognose snake curled at the top and bottom forming an "s" shape against a black background.
August 2011 Issue

Hognose Snakes Act Scary But Aren't Dangerous

Harmless eastern hognose can use a variety of tactics to scare us, including looking like a cobra.

Story by Sheryl Smith-Rodgers
Roly-poly (pillbug) crawling on dirt
October 2009 Issue

Roly-Poly Pillbugs Aren't Actually Bugs — They're Crustaceans

Neither pill nor bug, these critters are favorite playmates of many generations of Texas children.

Story by Sheryl Smith-Rodgers
Backyard with native Texas plants
May 2020 Issue

My Amazing Backyard: Native Plants Led to Transformation

How planting natives and paying attention attracted wildlife and opened my eyes.

Story and photos by Sheryl Smith-Rodgers
Poison Ivy at state parks
October 2011 Issue

The Basics of Poison Ivy

How to avoid this frightening plant, or at least lessen the agony of exposure.

Story by Sheryl Smith-Rodgers
Old toothache trees cover the trunks with warty, knobby spines
January 2011 Issue

Toothache Tree Eases Pain

The Hercules' club tree causes numbness (and benefits wildlife).

Story by Sheryl Smith-Rodgers
trail with moss draped trees
February 2011 Issue

Spanish Moss Drapes Texas Trees and Shelters Birds, Bats and Spiders

Neither a moss nor a parasite, Tillandsia usneoides is a rootless bromeliad that feeds on air.

Story by Sheryl Smith-Rodgers
1 S21937 Connie Hagar, Rockport G. Allen
May 2014 Issue

Connie Hagar: First Lady of Texas Birders

Her 35 years of Rockport field notes reshaped what ornithologists knew about migration.

Story by Sheryl Smith-Rodgers
clearwing moth rests on a branch with green leaves
June 2010 Issue

The Enigma of the Clearwing Moth

Clearwing moths can act like hummingbirds or bumblebees.

Story by Sheryl Smith-Rodgers