American beautyberry is one of the most colorful native shrubs found across the South Carolina Upstate. Learn how to identify its brilliant purple berries, why wildlife depends on them, and why this easy-to-grow native deserves a closer look.
Carolina horsenettle is a native South Carolina nightshade with purple flowers, sharp prickles, and small yellow berries that resemble miniature tomatoes. Learn how to identify this common Upstate plant and why its tempting fruit should never be eaten.
Panicled tick-trefoil is a native South Carolina wildflower with delicate pink flowers, three-part leaves, and sticky seed pods that hitch rides on wildlife and hikers alike.
Coyotes are now common across the South Carolina Upstate, but they have not always been here. Learn how coyotes reached the region, what they eat, why they thrive around our neighborhoods, and what homeowners should know when one shows up in the backyard.
A flash of electric blue caught our attention high along Pinnacle Mountain Trail. Meet the five-lined skink, one of Table Rock’s smallest, fastest and most colorful residents.
Turkey Vultures are a familiar sight above the South Carolina Upstate, but few people realize just how remarkable these birds are. Learn how they ride mountain winds, how to identify them in flight, and why they are an important part of the Upstate ecosystem.
Discover the mushrooms hiding along the trails of Table Rock State Park. From bright orange woodland mushrooms to towering fungi and turkey tails, see some of the fascinating species you might encounter after a warm summer rain.
Devil’s Walking Stick is one of the strangest native plants hiding in the Upstate. Learn how to identify this thorn-covered tree and why it is an important part of South Carolina’s forests.
What really happens in an Upstate backyard when no one is watching? In just two weeks, our cameras captured a black bear, bobcat, deer, armadillo, opossum, raccoons, birds and more, revealing a surprisingly busy world hiding in plain sight.
Officials say there are no sharks in Lake Hartwell. But bull sharks can survive in freshwater, the Savannah River once flowed without today’s massive dams, and real alligators have turned up where they supposedly don’t belong. We investigate the Upstate’s newest aquatic conspiracy.