Emma Terrell Website

Emma Terrell

Biologist

Emma Terrell is a Biologist, Citizen Scientist, and passionate educator based in Ottawa, Canada. Known professionally as The Urban Botanist, Emma has over 10 years of professional experience spanning entrepreneurship, environmental education, digital marketing, public speaking, and content creation. The Urban Botanist is an eco-educational brand dedicated to helping people reconnect with nature through hands-on workshops, biophilic design, conservation storytelling, and accessible science education. Emma has organized and led hundreds of educational workshops across Canada as well as Citizen Scientist Expeditions to Costa Rica. She has also collaborated with major organizations, including Google, Pinterest, Salesforce, and Shopify, and created educational content focused on biodiversity, sustainability, wellness, and nature connection. Emma holds a degree in Biology from Carleton University, with a particular focus and passion for entomology, botany, ecology, and environmental education.

Education

  • Bachelor of Science, Biology, Carleton University

Favorite Piece of Advice

You don't have to be a scientist to contribute to science. Some of the most valuable observations come from everyday people who take the time to notice, document, and stay curious about the species living around them.

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Co-authored Articles (12)

How to Identify Common Flying Insects (and Get Rid of Flies, Mosquitoes, and More)

What’s that bug flying around your house? Is it dangerous or just a nuisance? Whether you’ve got a pest problem or just want to learn how to tell apart commonly confused insects, we’ve put together a guide on the m...

How to

Identify Stinging Nettle

Botanist Emma Terrell explains how to recognize stinging nettleHundreds of species of plants that are commonly called "nettles" exist in the world, many which are named because of the similarity to a common weed known as...

How to

Identify Elderberry

The elderberry plant is a fruiting plant that is native to North America, Europe, and parts of South America. The berries of the plant are often used in homeopathic remedies for pain and the common cold. If you want to i...

How to

Preserve Insects

Entomologist & botanist Emma Terrell explains the best methods for preserving hard and soft-bodied insectsInsects are fascinating and complex creatures. Many people find enjoyment in preserving the bodies of dead insects...

The Top 18 Creepiest Insects from Around the World

A fun look at the most skin-crawling insects in the world Looking for some nightmare fuel? Wondering if that gnarly bug you ran into cracks the top of the list? We’ve done the (very unfun) research required to find the...

How to

Identify Common Poisonous Berries in North America

Botanist Emma Terrell shares tips for identifying poisonous berriesNow how does one know which berries are edible? The best way is to learn about various species of harmful berries. Although eating a lethal berry just on...

How to

Grow Black Soldier Flies

Black soldier flies (''Hermetia illucens'') are unique bugs that can be a big help on any farm. They love decaying things, so don’t throw your compost away if you see sleek, wasp-like flies or fat, white grubs on it. I...

A Complete Guide to 29 Different Types of Stink Bugs

Find out the names of different stink bugs and how to identify themStink bugs are recognized for their shield-shape and foul odor. They get their name because when they’re squished or feel that they’re in danger, the...

How to

Start a Worm Farm for Profit

Few opportunities arise in life that offer the possibility of teaching, learning, giving back, being environmentally friendly all the while earning an income in the process like worm farming. At one point in the past, wo...

How to

Identify Beetles

There are over 350,000 identified species of beetles! This can make it a daunting task to identify a single beetle. However, if you find a beetle in your home or outdoors, you might want to know what kind of beetle you�...

20+ Common Bee Species & How to Identify Them

Plus, learn how many different bee species existSave the bees! But if you want to save the bees, it’s important to know what types of bees there are. There are over 20,000 species of bees worldwide, so it’s impossibl...

How to

Identify an Insect

Identifying insects is a fun activity and a great way to increase your knowledge of the natural world around you. When you are looking at the insect, observe its different physical characteristics. This will make it easi...