How much do you know about local wildlife and what they do to survive the cold season? Take the following quiz and test your knowledge (check back next week for the answers).

With Charlotte enduring one of the coldest winters on record we cannot help but wonder how local wildlife is faring. Some animals will migrate; others will hibernate, while others will stay around and find out how to stay warm well fed and safe during the cold winter months.

1. How do chipmunks spend the winter?
a. Migrate, they head south for warmer weather
b. Pupate, they metamorphose and form a pupa
c. Hibernate, they become inactive and go into a state of dormancy with a slower breathing and heart rate and a change in body temperature
d. All of the above

2. How do most insects survive the winter?
a. Migrate, they head south for warmer weather
b. Hibernate and become inactive
c. They lay eggs that will hatch in the spring, the adult dies and the cycle begins again
d. Pupate and form a pupa until the days become longer again

3. Barred owls survive the cold winter months by
a. Migrating south to warmer climates
b. Hibernating in hollow trees
c. Staying active hunters and growing extra feathers
d. None of the above

4. What are some ways that squirrels keep warm during long winter nights?
a. Sharing nests and huddling together for heat
b. Staying awake all night and eating
c. Digging burrows alone
d. None of the above

5. Where do all the worms go in winter?
a. Deeper underground
b. They lay eggs before their life cycle ends
c. Migrate south for warmer climates
d. A and B are correct

Charlotte Nature Museum is home to several wildlife ambassador species such as a Southern flying squirrel, several insects, opossums, snakes and more. Stop by to learn more about Carolinas wildlife and chat with a naturalist about how you can help protect the wildlife in your backyard.