Ringtails are named for the ring-like markings on their tails – I guess it doesn’t take a genius to figure that out. Recently, though, we were visited by a ringtail whose ringed tail was ring-shaped – he was taking his name doubly seriously. (I say “he” but only for brevity; we don’t know the ringtail’s sex.)
Dan thinks this ringtail looks as if he’s trying to imitate a scorpion. That may be true; we have lots of scorpions around and the ringtail certainly knows what they look like. In fact, according to some online sources, ringtails eat scorpions. Maybe this little critter had eaten one too many?
We know ringtails here in Texas like their food spicy. Take a look at this video showing a ringtail eating a paper wasp: https://texasbackyardwildlife.com/ringtail-eating-a-yellowjacket-2.
