Contributor

Michelle VanGurp

Freelance Writer · Wildlife, Botany, Camping

Michelle is a freelance writer covering wildlife, botany, and camping.

She holds a B.A. in Creative Writing and Secondary English Education from Florida State University and a post-baccalaureate in Secondary English Education from Arizona State University.

Follows Outforia's editorial standards

8 stories published

Stories by Michelle VanGurp

A rock pigeon with gray and purple-green plumage stands on a stone ledge above a blurred city skyline
Wildlife

35 Types of Pigeons: Exploring Their Fascinating Urban Diversity

35 pigeon species from urban flocks to endangered varieties, with diverse roles in history, culture, and ecosystems.

 A hairy brown tarantula walks across pale gravelly desert ground beside a small dry shrub
Wildlife

25+ Amazing Spiders in Arizona: ID Guide, Pictures, and Facts

Arizona's 25 spider species range from harmless cellar spiders to medically significant black widows and brown recluses.

 A towering anvil-topped thunderstorm cloud rises over open grassland with a dirt track and a wire fence
Natural World

Cumulonimbus Clouds: The Sky’s Severe Weather Billboard

Cumulonimbus thunderclouds tower 30,000+ feet with anvil tops, spawning heavy rain, hail, tornadoes, and lightning. These severe weather billboards develop in 20-30 minutes via convection and warm ocean moisture in unstable air masses.

 A gray fox with a rusty neck stands on a moss-covered branch in woodland, glancing to one side
Wildlife

Gray Fox: The Elusive Tree Foxes of North America

Gray foxes are North America's only tree-climbing canids, with exceptional agility, elusiveness, and solitary behavior that makes sightings remarkably rare.

 A tiny transparent jellyfish with an orange center drifts above algae-covered rocks in clear shallow water
Wildlife

The Curious Case of the Immortal Jellyfish

The immortal jellyfish reverses its aging process under stress, transforming from mature medusa back to immature polyp stage repeatedly.

 spiders in Texas infographic
Wildlife

45+ Most Common Spiders in Texas (With Pictures)

Texas is home to roughly 1,500 spider species, with orb weavers, jumping spiders, and wolf spiders being the most common families in the state.

 An American robin with an orange breast perches on a bare branch in spring woods with fresh green buds
Wildlife

40 Wonderful Michigan Birds: ID Guide, Photos, Locations, and More!

Over 400 bird species inhabit Michigan, ranging from year-round residents like cardinals and chickadees to migratory warblers and waterfowl.

 A small brown gecko clinging head-up to a weathered gray tree trunk with blurred reeds behind it
Wildlife

18 Amazing Types of Geckos in Florida: ID Guide and Photos

Identify 18 gecko species in Florida with unique adhesive toe pads, lidless eyes, and vocal calls.