
The Critter Shed
If you like learning about the weird and wonderful side of nature - about things like spider sex, venom-packing frogs, or mind-controlling parasites, and more - then this is the podcast for you! Oh, and it's in a shed.
Collie Ennis & Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media
Show overview
The Critter Shed has been publishing since 2019, and across the 6 years since has built a catalogue of 65 episodes, alongside 1 trailer or bonus episode. That works out to roughly 35 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a roughly quarterly cadence, with the show now in its 5th season.
Episodes typically run twenty to thirty-five minutes — most land between 23 min and 39 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. It is catalogued as a EN-language Science show.
There hasn’t been a new episode in the last ninety days; the most recent episode landed 9 months ago. The busiest year was 2019, with 23 episodes published. Published by Collie Ennis & Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media.
From the publisher
If you like learning about the weird and wonderful side of nature - about things like spider sex, venom-packing frogs, or mind-controlling parasites, and more - then this is the podcast for you! Oh, and it's in a shed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest Episodes
View all 65 episodes
Back from the brink: The Scimitar-Horned Oryx
A re-release from several years ago in honour of World Scimitar-Horned Oryx Day.The scimitar-horned oryx is an antelope from the very dry regions of north Africa. They were once listed as 'extinct in the wild' and now – thanks to the conservation efforts – these animals have made a comeback.And in this episode we're meeting Brendan Walsh, zoo keeper at Dublin Zoo He spent time in north Africa studying this animal. And of course, he spent time looking after them in the Zoo.Presented by Collie Ennis and Colette KinsellaProduced by Colette KinsellaA Red Hare Media production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Wonderful Wild Bugs of Oz
Collie and Colette attempt a cross-hemispheric episode between Australia and Ireland to talk about... Australian shield bugs.Presented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella, produced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media. As usual, don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about:FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 59Harvestmen: The Spiders That Aren't
The Spiders That Aren'tIn this episode Collie and Brian Murray undertake a micro-safari in search of the wonderful, beautiful and mysterious harvestmen arachnids: the spiders that aren't spiders.Brian Murray is the founder of Microwild in Co. Wicklow, Ireland, a conservation area set up specifically for the smallest, most elusive and under-appreciated members of this planet's web of life.Brian is also involved in outreach and education. One of his missions is to help people to see, and then fall in love with, the insects and invertebrates that live in the Microwild meadow. He runs all sorts of courses throughout the year, and a visit to Microwild is great family day out. Pop over to his website for more information and a calendar of activities.https://www.microwild.org/We love hearing from you, so if you have any wildlife questions you want us to answer, please drop us a line:FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected]:Podington: CuriousPresented by Collie Ennis and Colette KinsellaProduced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 59The Great IN YOUR NATURE Mash-up Part 2
Collie chats with the great folk from the In Your Nature podcast about herons.https://birdwatchireland.ie/https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/in-your-nature/id1554068928Don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about.FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected]:Podington: CuriousThe Critter Shed is a RED HARE MEDIA production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 58The Great IN YOUR NATURE Mash-up Part 1
Collie chats with the great folk from the In Your Nature Podcast, which brings you conversations about wildlife and the work of conservationists all over Ireland.https://birdwatchireland.ie/https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/in-your-nature/id1554068928Don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about. FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected] Music:Podington: CuriousThe Critter Shed is a RED HARE MEDIA production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 57Pond Stories
Collie and Colette talk about the bugs they find living in and around their ponds.Do you have questions or queries for us? Get in touch... deets below. FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected] Music:Podington: Curious, The ConfrontationPresented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella.Produced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 56Oryx Tales
A feel-good tale about a north African antelope species to lift your spirits.Image link: Creative Commons imagehttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Scimitar-horned_oryx.jpgAs always, hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about.FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected]:Podington: CuriousPresented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella.Produced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 55Bedfellows
NEW SEASON Today we meet an unusual bedfellow with extraordinary survival skills.Don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about. Or tell us about some of the oddly toxic animals in your life. FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected] Music:Podington: Curious, Algo Rhythm NaturalPresented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella.The Critter Shed is produced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S5 Ep 54New Newt News
Collie and Colette chat to research scientist Éinne Ó'Cathasaigh about a new species of newt that has mysteriously appeared deep in the Irish countryside...The Critter Shed is presented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella and produced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media.As usual, don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about:FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected]:Podington: CuriousPhoto:Creative Commons imagehttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Alpine_newt_%E2%99%82_%28Ichthyosaura_alpestris%29%2C_Rocherath%2C_Ostbelgien_%2840909766513%29.jpg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S5 Ep 53Pimp my pond!
Is your wildlife pond a bit overgrown? Well, pop in your headphones and clean it up along with Collie as he prepares his own pond for the breeding season.Questions or queries? Hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about:FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected]:Podington: CuriousPresented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella, and Dr. Steph Maher.Produced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media.The Warren:The Critter Shed is a founding member of https://www.thewarren.ie/ podcast network.The Warren is a collection of some of the most innovative podcasts in Ireland, all of which are independently owned and produced. Pop on over to discover great new podcasts to listen to and TELL YOUR FRIENDS if you like what you hear.The Critter Shed is still available in all the usual places like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, etc. AND please give us a rating on Apple Podcasts if you like the show. We really appreciate it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S5 Ep 52Predatory Plants
This episode is about plants that eat.... INSECTS!Don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about. Or tell us about some of the oddly toxic animals in your life.FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected] to Marie Förg for taking us on a tour of the Hortus Botanicus in Leiden University, The NetherlandsPhoto: Triona - CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6463757Music:Podington: Curious, Algo RhythmPresented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella.Produced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An ode to goldfish
So, here's a joke for you:My friend's goldfish died the other day So I surprised her and got her an identical one!She was furious, saying “what am I supposed to do with two dead goldfish?”TODAY! We bust the many myths about goldfish and learn how they're so much more than fairground prizes that die as soon as you put them in a glass bowl. And also about why they should NEVER be put into a traditional goldfish bowl, how goldfish have better memories than many of us... AND, they're smart.Presented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella, produced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media.As usual, don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about:FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected]:Podington: Curious, BelfastImage:GOLDFISH: By Benoît Prieur - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16152756 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S5 Ep 50Stupendous sticklebacks!
Today we meet a remarkable fish and an energetic puppy.Don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about:FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected]:Podington: CuriousThe Critter Shed is a founding member of https://www.thewarren.ie/ podcast network.The Warren is a collection of some of the most innovative podcasts in Ireland, all of which are independently owned and produced. Pop on over to discover great new podcasts to listen to and TELL YOUR FRIENDS if you like what you hear.The Critter Shed is still available in all the usual places like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, etc. AND please give us a rating on Apple Podcasts if you like the show. We really appreciate it!The Critter Shed is presented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella.It's a Red Hare Media production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S4 Ep 49The Scoop on Sliders
Collie introduces us to some of his new, rescued critters: red-eared sliders.As usual, don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about: FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected] Music:Podington: CuriousImage:Creative commons image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red-eared_Slider_(14585091976).jpg The Critter Shed is a founding member of https://www.thewarren.ie/ podcast network.The Warren is a collection of some of the most innovative podcasts in Ireland, all of which are independently owned and produced. Pop on over to discover great new podcasts to listen to and TELL YOUR FRIENDS if you like what you hear.The Critter Shed is still available in all the usual places like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, etc. AND please give us a rating on Apple Podcasts if you like the show. We really appreciate it!The Critter Shed is presented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella.It's a Red Hare Media production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S4 Ep 48The curious case of the frog and your granny's pregnancy
African clawed frog image used under Creative Commons:Muffet, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S4 Ep 47Christmas Crabs
This festive season we visi an island in the Indian ocean where crabs and ants battle for dominance.Prsented by Collie Ennis and Colette KinsellaProduced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare MediaAs usual, don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about:FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected] Island red crab image:By DIAC images - Christmas Island, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24284778 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S4 Ep 46Dublin's dear old deers...
We visit the Phoenix Park in Dublin to learn about its iconic wild residents. We also hear what happens to these animals when humans just won't leave them the heck alone. Spoiler alert: it's not good.Image:By Daveleicuk - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22830244Credits:The Critter Shed is presented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella, and produced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media.As usual, don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about:FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S4 Ep 45The Creepy Shed - a Hallowe'en Special
Matricidal spiderlings, zombie tarantulas and intestine-splurging sea cucumbers... welcome to THE CREEPY SHED Hallowe'en special!The Critter Shed is presented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella, and produced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media.You can watch the Suriname toad doing its thing here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ7b4spjXhwFootage of the tarantula hawk wasp immobilizing a tarantula https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq8916ZbjfEAssassin bug, Acanthaspis petax: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/this-insect-uses-its-victims-carcasses-as-camouflage-83656246/As usual, don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about:FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S4 Ep 44Wildlife Saviours
Ireland has one dedicated wildlife rehabilitation and teaching hospital. It's run by volunteers and is an incredibly demanding, emotional and tireless job, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They get very little government support and they need help to help our wildlife.If you have a few quid to spare, please think about supporting them: www.wri.ieYou can also report wildlife crime here: https://wildlifecrime.ie/The Critter Shed is presented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella, and produced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media. As usual, don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about:FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S4 Ep 1Dragonflies
Collie and Colette visit a local pond in search the elusive dragonfly larvae.Further reading:For more information on how to identify dragonflies, click here.Presented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella, produced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media.As usual, don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about:FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheCritterShedDUB/TWITTER: @crittershedpodEMAIL: [email protected] Music:Podington: Curious, Rope SwingImage: Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dragonfly_15.jpg#filehistory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.