artifacts-and-arthropods

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Giant Antlions (Palpares immensus): these enormous antlions have been known to attack geckos and other small reptiles

The images above depict the larval stage of Palpares immensus, which is one of the largest antlion species in the world.

This article provides more information about the unusual behavior of this species:

The larvae live freely in sand and are ambush hunters. They are voracious predators and feed mainly on other arthropods, but have been known to attack geckos and, in one case a small adder. They are unable to feed on these reptiles and usually die as a result of not being able to extract their jaws from the vertebrate prey.

These antlions can be found in sandy, arid environments throughout southern Africa.

The adult form of Palpares immensus is also depicted in the images below:

Sources & More Info:

Biodiversity and Development Institute: Palpares immensus

Global Biodiversity Information Facility: P. immensus

Animal Life: Giant Antlion Larva

What's That Bug?: Uncovering Antlion Habitats

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Palmetto Tortoise Beetle: the larvae of this species produce long, thin strands of feces that are gradually woven together to form protective "fecal shields" around their bodies

During its larval stage, the Palmetto tortoise beetle (Hemisphaerota cyanea) uses its own feces to create a defensive layer known as a "fecal shield" or "fecal thatch."

As this article explains:

Most remarkable, perhaps, is the fecal “thatch” of Hemisphaerota cyanea. In the larva of this beetle, the feces are emitted in strands, which, as they build up over the course of larval life, form a loose assemblage that totally hides the larva from view.

The construction of the "fecal thatch" begins almost immediately after the larva hatches. Each larva begins to feed within minutes of hatching, and the very first fecal strands emerge from its anal turret just a few minutes later. Subsequent strands are then produced in quick succession, and they begin to accumulate around the larva's body; as each strand emerges, it is made to curve around the larva's left or right side depending on whether the anal turret is flexed to the left or right. The direction of the curve usually alternates from one strand to the next, ensuring that a nest-like structure is formed around the larva's body.

As they emerge, the fecal strands are gathered together and then cemented into place with the help of an anatomical feature known as a caudal fork. Once an individual strand has been extruded to its full length, the anal turret is rotated upward until it comes into contact with the caudal fork, and the larva then pinches off the strand while secreting a droplet of "glue," which effectively cements each fecal strand into place against the caudal fork.

It generally takes about 12 hours for the larva to finish building its very own "fecal shield."

As an adult, the Palmetto tortoise beetle has another unusual defense mechanism: its tarsi (i.e. feet) are each lined with 10,000 tiny adhesive bristles, and when the beetle is attacked, it can press its feet flat against the surface of a leaf and secrete an oil that allows it to adhere to that surface with an enormous amount of strength. The adhesive mechanism is strong enough to resist pulling forces that are up to 60 times greater than the beetle's own weight for a full 2 minutes; it can resist even greater forces (up to 230 times greater than the beetle's own weight) for shorter periods of time.

According to this article from the University of Florida:

Each of the greatly enlarged tarsi is equipped with approximately 10,000 adhesive bristles. Each bristle has two terminal pads. When walking, only a few of the bristles touch the leaf surface. However, when attacked by a predator, the beetle puts all or nearly all of the bristles in contact with the surface and secretes oil onto the pads. With the adhesive force created by the oil between the leaf surface and tarsi, the beetle is able to clamp its hemispherical shell down tightly against the leaf and has been demonstrated to withstand pulling forces of approximately 60 times its own weight for up to two minutes. This time period is sufficient to thwart the efforts of predatory ants attempting to pry the beetle from the leaf. 

Palmetto tortoise beetles are native to the southeastern United States, and they're especially common in Florida (which is why they're also known as Florida tortoise beetles).

Sources & More Info:

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: Defensive Use of a Fecal Thatch by a Beetle Larva (Hemisphaerota cyanea)

Earth Touch News Network: By the Power of the Poop-Shield: Beetle Defenses of the Faecal Kind

Cornell Chronicle: Fecal Defense: This Beetle Uses 'Overhead Sewer System' to Ward off (most) Predators, Cornell Biologists Discover

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: Defense by Foot Adhesion in a Beetle (Hemisphaerota cyanea)

University of Florida: Palmetto Tortoise Beetle

Bug Guide: Hemisphaerota cyanea

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

African Woolly Chafers (Genus Sparrmannia): these beetles have a uniquely "fluffy" appearance, thanks to the long, fur-like setae that covers their bodies

Beetles of the genus Sparrmannia are widely distributed throughout the arid regions of southern Africa. They have very distinctive features, with large, plump bodies and tawny-colored "fur," and some species can measure up to 25mm (nearly 1 inch) long.

They generally hide in underground burrows during the day, and emerge only at night, when the desert is substantially cooler. The dense layer of "fur" acts as insulation, which allows the beetles to remain active at night, even when the temperatures plummet.

Sources & More Info:

The Coleopterists Bulletin: Biology of Sparrmannia flava

The Book of Beetles: Sparrmannia

Eyewitness Travel Guide to South Africa: Sparrmannia flava

Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa: Revision of the Genus Sparrmannia

Descriptive Catalogue of the Coleoptera of South Africa: Genus Sparrmannia

Excerpts from the Book Pollinators, Predators, and Parasites: Temperature Control in Sparrmannia flava and Dung Feeding in Woolly Chafer Beetle Larvae

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

"Zeugma Mars" Statue from Turkey, c.250 CE: this statue depicting Mars, the Roman god of war, was unearthed from the ruins of a city that was occupied and plundered by the Sassanids in 253 CE

The bronze figure is nearly 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. It has a strikingly intense expression, with eyes that are highlighted by gold and silver inlays.

According to this article:

A bronze statue of Mars, the Roman god of war, was found in the ancient city of Zeugma in the course of an excavation campaign in 1999-2000. The statue represents one of the most interesting and spectacular finds from this city on the banks of the Euphrates river in southern Anatolia.

The statue is of great interest on one side for its rarity, as few Roman bronzes of such size are so well preserved, and on the other for its unusual iconography, depicting the standing God as a young athlete. The figure stands with the weight centered on the right leg, while the left, slightly bent, rests only on the flexed toes. The right arm is raised, its hand closed around a spear that has not been found, while the left is bent at the elbow, to almost 90° and with the hand wielding an object that appears to be a scourge with multiple and symmetrical endings.

Beneath the helmet, thick curls frame the face of the young man whose frown is marked by strongly furrowed eyebrows and a very intense gaze, highlighted by silver and gold inlays around the pupils.

A chandelier was found along with the bronze. It is composed of a drum, similar in length to the sculpture, which passes through a disc and is inserted in a base. The small size of the space in which the artifacts were discovered and its place in the general plan of the villa suggests a closet where the precious materials were hidden to escape the pillaging of the city, carried out in 253-6 AD by the Sassanids.

Sources & More Info:

CCA (Centro di Conservazione Archeologica): Zeugma Mars Conservation Project

Journal of Roman Archaeology: The Bronze Mars of Zeugma

Turkish Museums: Time Capsule of Ancient Roman Art: Zeugma

Packard Humanities Institute: The Rescue Excavations at Zeugma in 2000 (PDF)

UNESCO: The Archaeological Site of Zeugma

Archaeological Institute of America: Troubled Waters

Archaeology Magazine: Zeugma After the Flood

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Giant Emerald Pill-Millipede: when these enormous millipedes are all rolled up, their bodies can be as big as a baseball, a tennis ball, or a small orange

This species (Zoosphaerium neptunus) is commonly known as a giant emerald pill-millipede. The females can measure up to 90mm long (roughly 3.5 inches), making this the largest species of pill-millipede in the world.

There is a significant degree of sexual dimorphism in this species, with the males measuring only about 45mm (1.8 inches) long -- roughly half the size of the females.

Giant emerald pill-millipedes are found only in Madagascar, which is home to several endemic species of giant pill-millipedes (order Sphaerotheriida). The Malagasy name for giant pill-millipedes is "Tainkintana," which means "shooting-star."

Pill-millipedes use conglobation as a defense mechanism, which means that they can curl their bodies up into a spherical shape so that their dorsal plates form a protective shield around the softer, more vulnerable parts of their bodies, just like an actual pill-bug or a "roly-poly."

When they roll themselves up completely, they look almost like gently polished chunks of malachite, emerald, or jade.

Giant emerald pill-millipedes will sometimes form large swarms that travel together as a group. This is the only species of giant pill-millipede that engages in any sort of swarming behavior, and the purpose of that behavior is still unclear. The swarms often contain thousands of individuals, with almost all of them moving in the same direction, even when there is no physical contact that might allow the millipedes to "herd" one another along.

Their swarming behavior also has some very peculiar features, as this article explains:

During swarming, Zoosphaerium neptunus individuals pay little attention to their surroundings; many specimens were observed walking straight into and drowning in small puddles. Some swarms even display ‘cliché lemming behaviour:' in Marojejy, a large part of a swarm walked into and drowned in a small river.

No single specimen was observed walking ‘against the current,' all specimens were moving in the same direction (southeast), even when not in contact with one another.

Of 273 randomly collected individuals, 105 were males, while 168 were females. The males were 8.3 - 14.1 mm wide (average width 10.4 mm). According to the inner horns of the posterior telopods, all males were sexually mature. The females were 9.95 - 15.4 mm wide (average width 11.4 mm). All females displayed non sclerotized vulvae and were sexually immature.

Some researchers argue that the swarming serves as a defense mechanism, providing a layer of protection (or at least some cryptic cover) against local predators, but the swarming behavior is still poorly understood.

Important Note: I just want to remind everyone that these animals belong in their own natural habitat -- they should not be trapped, bought/sold, traded, shipped, collected, or kept as pets. This particular species does not survive well in captivity, either, and the demand for these "exotic" invertebrates is putting the wild populations in jeopardy. The previous article discusses those issues, too:

Another possible threat for Z. neptunus swarms are collections for the pet trade. There exists a large demand in Japan, Europe and North America for 'green -eyed monsters’ as pets. Giant pill -millipedes from Madagascar unfortunately have a very short survival time in terraria. The species is specialized on low-energy food (dead leaves), and adapted to the cool climates (<20°C) of the highlands. Specimens in terraria often starve to death quickly.

So I know that they're adorable and really, really fascinating...but let's just let them be their chunky, adorable little selves out in the wild where they belong.

Sources & More Info:

European Journal of Taxonomy: Seven New Giant Pill-Millipede Species and New Records of the Genus Zoosphaerium from Madagascar

Madagascar Conservation & Development: Swarming Behavior in the World's Largest Giant Pill-Millipede, Z. neptunus, and its Implication for Conservation Efforts

Bonn Zoological Bulletin Supplementum: The Giant Millipedes, Order Sphaerotheriida (an Annotated Species Catalogue) (PDF)

African Invertebrates: Madagascar's Living Giants: Discovery of Five New Species of Endemic Giant Pill-Millipedes from Madagascar (PDF)

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Ram's Head Pendant from the Eastern Mediterranean, c.500-300 BCE: this adorable glass pendant was made nearly 2,500 years ago

The pendant measures about 2.22 cm (7/8ths of an inch) across, and it depicts a ram's head, with a pair of twisting, caramel-colored horns framing its face.

According to The Walters Art Museum:

Miniature glass pendants in a large variety of colors and shapes can be found all over the Mediterranean world and were probably produced in several glassmaking centers, including Carthage, Iran, and Syria. These objects were distributed through the expansive, widespread trade routes established by the Phoenicians. Rams were considered fertility symbols, and this pendant likely also had a protective function and was intended to ward off evil.

Above: another ram's head pendant made in the Eastern Mediterranean (possibly Carthage) during roughly the same period, c.400-300 BCE

And the Smithsonian adds:

Small amulets made of faience, stone, ceramic, metal, or glass were common personal possessions in ancient Egypt. They were most frequently fashioned in the form of gods and goddesses or of animals sacred to them. Amulets were believed to give their owners magical protection from a wide variety of ills and evil forces, including sickness, infertility, and death in childbirth. They were often provided with loops so they could be strung and worn as a necklace. Some amulets were made to place on the body of the deceased to protect the soul in the hereafter.

Above: two more ram's head pendants from the Eastern Mediterranean, c.500-300 BCE (top) and c.100-50 BCE (bottom)

There is evidence to support those explanations, of course, but I always feel the need to point out that some ancient artifacts were also made for reasons other than practical or ritualistic/spiritual purposes -- sometimes they were just decorative or artistic. These particular pendants may or may not have had any spiritual significance...but either way, they're adorable.

Sources & More Info:

The Walters Art Museum: Pendant in the Shape of a Ram Head

Corning Museum of Glass: Ram's Head Pendant

Smithsonian: Glass Pendant

The Walters Art Museum: Pendant in the Shape of a Ram's Head

McClung Museum of Natural History: Glass of the Ancient Mediterranean (PDF)

Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism: The History of Ancient Glass

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

"Ram in the Thicket" Statuette from Ur (Iraq), c.2600-2400 BCE: this statuette is made of lapis lazuli, shells, gold, silver, limestone, copper, and wood

This sculpture is about 4,500 years old. It was unearthed back in 1929, during the excavation of the "Great Death Pit" at the Royal Cemetery of Ur, located in what was once the heart of Mesopotamia (and is now part of southern Iraq).

Sir Leonard Woolley, who led the excavations at the site, nicknamed the statuette "ram caught in a thicket" as a reference to the Biblical story in which Abraham sacrifices a ram that he finds caught in a thicket. The statuette is still commonly known by that name, even though it actually depicts a markhor goat feeding on the leaves of a flowering tree/shrub. Some scholars refer to it as a "rampant he-goat" or "rearing goat," instead.

It was carved from a wooden core; gold foil was then carefully hammered onto the surface of the goat's face and legs, and its belly was coated in silver paint. Intricately carved pieces of shell and lapis lazuli were layered onto the goat's body in order to form the fleece. Lapis lazuli was also used to create the goat's eyes, horns, and beard, while its ears were crafted out of copper.

The tree (along with its delicate branches and eight-petaled flowers) was also carved from a wooden base, before being wrapped in gold foil.

The goat and the tree are both attached to a small pedestal, which is decorated with silver paint and tiny mosaic tiles made of shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone.

This artifact measures 42.5cm (roughly 16 inches) tall.

A second, nearly-identical statuette was also found nearby. That second sculpture (which is also known as the "ram in the thicket") is pictured below:

There are a few minor differences between the two sculptures. The second "ram" is equipped with gold-covered genitals, for example, while the first one has no genitals at all; researchers believe that the other sculpture originally had genitals that were made out of silver, but that they eventually corroded away, just like the rest of the silver on its body.

The second "ram" is also slightly larger than the first, measuring 45.7cm (18 in) tall.

Both statuettes have a cylindrical socket rising from the goats' shoulders, suggesting that these sculptures were originally used as supports for another object (possibly a bowl or tray).

The depiction of a goat rearing up against a tree/shrub is a common motif in ancient Near Eastern art, but few examples are as stunning (or as elaborate) as these two statuettes.

Sources & More Info:

Penn Museum: Collections Highlight

Penn Museum: Ram in the Thicket

Expedition Magazine: Rescue and Restoration: a History of the Philadelphia "Ram Caught in a Thicket" (PDF version)

The British Museum: Ram in the Thicket

A Companion to Ancient Near Eastern Art: Statuary and Reliefs

World Archaeology: Ram in the Thicket

Cambridge Scholars Publishing: Colour in Sculpture: a Survey from Ancient Mesopotamia to the Present (PDF excerpt)

Goats (Capra) from Ancient to Modern: Goats in the Ancient Near East and their Relationship with the Mythology, Fairytale, and Folklore of these Cultures

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

2,300-year-old Horse Headdress from Siberia, c.350-250 BCE: this ceremonial headdress/mask was found on the body of a horse that had been buried in the frozen tombs of Pazyryk

The elaborate headdress features a pair of "antlers" that were crafted from wood, leather, fur, and dyed horsehair, with a mask made of blue-colored felt and gold foil. This is just one part of a larger ceremonial costume that was made by Scythians/Altaic nomads. It was found in the Pazyryk barrows, located in the Altai mountains of Siberia, where many other Scythian artifacts have been preserved in the permafrost.

The term "Scythian" refers to the nomadic cultures that once roamed across Eurasia. The Scythians were among the very first people to begin using horses as mounts, and they invented the earliest form of saddle; with their mastery of horseback riding and mounted warfare, the Scythians quickly gained control over vast sections of Eurasia. Their nomadic lifestyle also meant that they were deeply dependent upon their horses, and many traditions and beliefs were developed around that relationship, ultimately giving rise to a very prominent "horse culture."

Scythian warriors were often buried alongside their horses, which would be dressed in elaborate ceremonial costumes that included special masks, headdresses, antlers or horns, decorative bridles, harnesses, and/or saddle covers.

Few of those costumes were as elaborate as this one, however.

Above: a full reconstruction of the costume that was found with the headdress

This particular costume (and the horse that was wearing it) was found in a tomb that also contained the bodies of nine other horses; all of them had been buried with ceremonial bridles, harnesses, and saddle blankets, but this horse had the most elaborate costume by far, and it was the only horse that was actually wearing its costume when it was buried.

It was also the oldest horse at the burial site, with researchers estimating that it was about 20 years old when it died. The second-oldest horse (which was about 18 years old) was also buried with a costume that included an elaborate headdress and horns/antlers. Those features were not found on any of the younger horses, however.

As this article notes:

At Pazyryk-1, the size and complexity of each horse’s saddle decorations were generally correlated with age; the horses who wore the most elaborate costumes with headdresses were the oldest.

It is clear the costumes were not made specifically for the burial: all horse costumes, even the most elaborate, were well-worn and in some places mended, indicating regular use. Because these costumes are impractical for everyday use, they probably were reserved for ceremonial use – and due to their being well-worn, such use was common. As with contemporary Mongol pastoralists, perhaps these costumes were reserved for the Pazyryk’s seasonal changes of camp, or perhaps for other alternate or additional ceremonies significant to the community.

Sources & More Info:

Hermitage Museum: Mask with Antlers for a Horse's Head

Perspectives and Studies in Ethnozooarchaeology: Killing (constructed) Horses: interspecies elders, empathy, emotion, and the Pazyryk horse sacrifices

British Museum: Introducing the Scythians

Journal of World Archaeology: Do the Clothes Make the Horse? Relationality, roles, and statuses in Iron Age Inner Asia

Arts: Deer or Horses with Antlers? Wooden figures adorning herders in the Altai

Fashion Theory: Glittering Bodies: the Politics of Mortuary Self-Fashioning in Eurasian Nomadic Cultures (700 BCE-200 BCE)

Archaeology, Ethnology, and Anthropology of Eurasia: Manufacturing Wooden Horns for the Ceremonial Masks of Horses from the Pazyryk Tombs (PDF)

The Silk Road: Korea and the Silk Roads (p.6)

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

The Common Whistling Moth: the males of this species produce a "whistling" sound to attract potential mates

The common whistling moth (Hecatesia fenestrata) is able to "whistle" with a set of castanet-like structures located on the leading edges of the forewings.

Above: the forewing of a male whistling moth, with the transparent "castanet" structure clearly visible

These unique structures are basically just curved, transparent patches of cuticle with a pleated/ridged texture and a knob-like protrusion; when the moth claps its wings together, the knob-like protrusion from one wing rubs up against the cuticle ridges on the opposite wing, and a distinctive "clicking-whistling" sound is produced.

Male whistling moths typically "whistle" during courtship rituals and territorial displays. In some cases, they will fly in circles around one another as they whistle competitively, in a behavior known as "buzz-bumping." As this article explains:

Only a few [noctuid moth species] have proved to use sound during courtship. Among these are males of the Australian whistling moths Hecatesia exultans, H. fenestrata and H. thyridion.

The signals function primarily in a mate-attraction mode. Females approach calling males and solicit copulations. The mating system of Hecatesia appears to be an example of lek polygyny. Males defend territories that lack resources or oviposition sites.

Above: female whistling moth

Male–male agonistic interactions are also mediated by acoustic signals. Males frequently approach males calling nearby, and territorial ‘buzz-bumping’ matches result in which vigorous calls are interspersed with attempts to butt the intruder.

H. thyridion��and H. fenestrata have similar acoustically mediated mating systems. Males in these species call during special upwind zigzagging display flights over their territories. Instead of ‘buzz-bumping,’ territorial males participate in buzzing aerial ‘dogfights’ with intruding males.

The genus Hecatesia contains several different species of "whistling moth," all of which are endemic to Australia. Each species produces its own unique whistle; the exact social context/role of that behavior also differs slightly from one species to the next.

Sources & More Info:

Journal of Experimental Biology: 'Un chant d'appel amoureux': Acoustic Communication in Moths

Australian Lepidoptera: Hecatesia fenestrata

Field Guide to the Insects of Tasmania: Genus Hecatesia

Journal of Experimental Biology: Moths are not Silent, but Whisper Ultrasonic Courtship Songs

Communicative and Integrative Biology: Private Ultrasonic Whispering in Moths

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

The Madagascan Sunset Moth: these moths are often mistaken for butterflies, thanks to their colorful, iridescent appearance

The scientific name of this species is Chrysiridia rhipheus, but it's commonly known as the Madagascan sunset moth. These gorgeous day-flying moths can be found only in Madagascar.

Above: a dorsal view of the same species

The Madagascan sunset moth has a strikingly colorful appearance, especially when its underwings are exposed, as a rainbow-like effect is produced by the iridescent scales that cover the underwings (and appear in smaller sections on the dorsal side of the wing).

Above: some of the iridescent scales on the underwings of Chrysiridia ripheus, as seen through a scanning electron microscope

The markings on the dorsal side are primarily black, with some patches of iridescent green, blue, and red. A "fringe" of white scales can also be seen along the edge of each wing; these are especially prominent on the hindwings.

Above: the dorsal patterns are visible only when the wings are left open

Like most day-flying moths, the adults of this species will often feed on nectar. Their caterpillars are known to consume Omphalea plants, which are toxic; those toxins are sequestered by the caterpillar and then retained through the pupal and adult stages of development, which means that the adult moth is toxic. Their colorful appearance is likely aposomatic, deterring predators by signaling that the moth itself is toxic.

Above: a magnified view of the white scales that outline the hindwings

Sources & More Info:

Navsari Agricultural University: Sunset Moth: the most beautiful insect

Oxford University Museum of Natural History: Madagascar

Moth Identification Guide: Madagascan Sunset Moth

California Academy of Sciences: Sunset Moth

Optica: Polarization-Sensitive Color Mixing in the Wing of the Madagascan Sunset Moth

Wikipedia: Chrysiridia rhipheus

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Skeletorus Spider: this species of jumping spider was named after the cartoon villain, Skeletor, because the males are covered in black-and-white markings that resemble the bones of a skeleton

This species is found only in Queensland, Australia, where it was first discovered by a PhD student named Madeline Girard back in 2015. Inspired by the black-and-white markings that cover the spider's body, Girard decided to give it the name "Skeletorus," after the cartoon villain known as Skeletor. The scientific name of this species is Maratus sceletus.

According to Dr. Jürgen Otto, who co-authored the article in which this species was first described:

[Skeletorus] looks dramatically different from all other peacock spiders known to date, making me think that this group is perhaps much more diverse than we had thought.

Jumping spiders of this genus (Maratus) are commonly referred to as "peacock spiders," and they're famous for their charming and elaborate courtship dances, which differ from one species to the next. You can watch footage of the mating dance for this particular species here.

About a year ago, I was doing background research for some of my other animal posts when I started noticing that there are a lot of interesting (but often obscure) animals that have "Halloween-like" features, including orange-and-black patterns and markings that look just like skulls, jack-o-lanterns, skeletons, or ghosts; I started keeping track of those "Halloween animals" so that I could post the most unique examples in the weeks leading up to Halloween, and over the course of the last year, I've added more than 150 different species to that list, including moths, beetles, birds, spiders, bats, squirrels, and snails, among other things.

So far, I've written posts about the painted woolly bat (Kerivoula picta) and the skeletorus spider (Maratus sceletus), but I'll probably post more "Halloween animals" later this month.

Sources & More Info:

Sci News: Two New Species of Peacock Spiders Discovered in Australia

Peckhamia Scientific Journal: Two New Peacock Spiders of the Calcitrans Group from Southern Queensland (PDF)

National Geographic: Behold Sparklemuffin and Skeletorus, New Peacock Spiders

Animal Diversity Web: Genus Maratus

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

The Painted Woolly Bat (Kerivoula picta): this bat species has a stunning orange-and-black appearance

Kerivoula picta is commonly known as the painted woolly bat, thanks to its strikingly colorful appearance and thick, curly fur. Researchers believe that its orange coloration might actually serve as camouflage, to some extent, as it has been reported that the bats can easily blend in with dried leaves and flowers when they are roosting.

For several months each year, these bats form small family units that generally contain two adults and one pup. They often reconnect with the same reproductive partner over multiple breeding seasons.

This species is increasingly threatened by the international demand for so-called "bat décor:"

... painted woolly bats (Kerivoula picta) are collected and killed in their native habitat in South and Southeast Asia and sold as décor globally. The United States is a major and growing market for this trade: The U.S. has imported hundreds of painted woolly bats over recent years. As this species is not bred in captivity, all the bats are taken from the wild.

Painted woolly bat populations are declining. The International Union for Conservation of Nature assessed the species as “near threatened,” yet few nations within the species’ range offer the bats effective protection from killing. The bats live in China, India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam.

Given that they only produce one offspring at a time, painted woolly bats are particularly vulnerable to trade. Scientists have been raising concerns about the potential harms of the bat décor trade for nearly a decade, yet the market has only grown. Online listings offering painted woolly bats for sale are plentiful on major ecommerce websites.

This article provides more information about the threats that this species is currently facing and the ongoing efforts to protect it.

Sources & More Info:

Bat Conservation International: Kerivoula picta

Thai National Parks: Painted Bat

Mammal Study: The Ecology and Monogamous System of the Painted Woolly Bat, Kerivoula picta

Ecology and Evolution: Bat Mating Systems

Cambridge University Press: Growing Concern Over Trade in Bat Souvenirs from Southeast Asia

European Journal of Wildlife Research: Dying for Décor

Center for Biological Diversity: Endangered Species Act Protections Sought for Painted Woolly Bats

Center for Biological Diversity: Going to Bat for Painted Woolly Bats

UC Davis: E-Sales of a Wild Bat Sold as Décor Threaten Species

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Poplar Lappet Moths: these moths are able to mimic the dead leaves of a poplar tree (there is at least one moth in each of the photos below)

Above: the photo at the top shows two poplar lappet moths disguised as foliage (the two "leaves" on the left-most end of the branch are actually moths) and the photo on the bottom shows another poplar lappet moth clinging to a leaf

The scientific name of this species is Gastropacha populifolia, but it's more commonly referred to as the poplar lappet moth. It's also known as pappelglucke in German and feuille-morte du peuplier in French.

The moths are distributed across large sections of Europe, Russia, China, Korea, and Japan, but they're regarded as a rare species throughout most of Europe.

The shape, color, wing pattern, and resting position of this species all contribute to its unique disguise, as it bears an uncanny resemblance to a dead leaf. It even has a dark, snout-like projection (the labial palpi) that mimics the stem of a leaf, and its wing pattern completes the illusion with a dark, raised line forming the central "vein" of the leaf; the soft ridges and scalloped edges of its wings also add to the effect.

There are many other leaf-mimicking moths out there, but this species is particularly impressive.

The caterpillars also have a knack for blending in -- thanks to their cryptic coloration and fuzzy, setae-lined sides, they are easily camouflaged against the bark of a poplar tree.

Above: the photos at the top show Gastropacha populifolia caterpillars blending in by pressing their bodies flat up against twigs/branches, and the photo at the bottom shows one of the caterpillars in a more conspicuous setting

These moths are defended by more than just mimicry, though; they can also produce ultrasonic clicks that interfere with the echolocation signals of predatory bats, which allows the moths to avoid being detected (and ultimately eaten) by bats.

Above: the adorable face of a poplar lappet moth

Sources & More Info:

Nota Lepidopterologica: Continuous Long-Term Monitoring of Daily Foraging Patterns in Three Species of Lappet Moth Caterpillars

Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Belgium: Gastropacha populifolia

Moths and How to Rear Them: Gastropacha populifolia

Wikipedia (German): Pappelglucke

Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa: G. populifolia

EurekaMag: Effect of the Scale Coverage of the Moth Gastropacha populifolia on the Reflection of Bat Echolocation Signals

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Magical amulets were relatively common during the Middle Ages, particularly in the Jewish communities of the Near East (though they were also fairly common in Europe). The amulets from the Cairo Genizah collection would be textual amulets -- brief ritual texts that were usually written on paper, stored in a pendant case, and then worn around the neck or wrist.

This article provides a more detailed explanation:

For the most part, an amulet has a specific purpose: to ease childbirth, facilitate recovery from illness, improve one’s livelihood, and so on. ...

The texts of amulets usually include holy names that are believed to have the ability to affect reality, along with incantations summoning angels or other magical powers.

These amulets, which date back to about 1000 CE, are from the Cairo Genizah collection:

Above: an amulet to protect against scorpions, banishing them "in the name of Aphrodite," with a drawing of a scorpion at the bottom

Above: an amulet to be used in case of extreme illnesses, featuring the Tetragrammaton and the names of the angels Azriel and Seraphiel, along with instructions for a preparation containing saffron, myrrh from Soqotra and hyssop to be dissolved in white vinegar

Above: an amulet to protect against "demons and afflictions" (left) and an amulet to facilitate childbirth (right)

Sources & More Info:

Cambridge University Library: Magical Amulet to Protect Against Scorpions, Amulet for Extreme Illnesses, Amulet Against Demons and Afflictions, Amulet to Facilitate Childbirth

YIVO Encyclopedia of the Jews in Eastern Europe: Amulets and Talismans

Child's Writing Exercises and Doodles, from Egypt, c. 1000-1200 CE: this was made by a child who was practicing Hebrew, creating doodles and scribbles on the page as they worked

This writing fragment is nearly 1,000 years old, and it was made by a child who lived in Egypt during the Middle Ages. Several letters of the Hebrew alphabet are written on the page, probably as part of a writing exercise, but the child apparently got a little bored/distracted, as they also left a drawing of a camel (or possibly a person), a doodle that resembles a menorah, and an assortment of other scribbles on the page.

This is the work of a Jewish child from Fustat (Old Cairo), and it was preserved in the collection known as the Cairo Genizah Manuscripts. As the University of Cambridge Library explains:

For a thousand years, the Jewish community of Fustat placed their worn-out books and other writings in a storeroom (genizah) of the Ben Ezra Synagogue ... According to rabbinic law, once a holy book can no longer be used (because it is too old, or because its text is no longer relevant) it cannot be destroyed or casually discarded: texts containing the name of God should be buried or, if burial is not possible, placed in a genizah.

At least from the early 11th century, the Jews of Fustat ... reverently placed their old texts in the Genizah. Remarkably, however, they placed not only the expected religious works, such as Bibles, prayer books and compendia of Jewish law, but also what we would regard as secular works and everyday documents: shopping lists, marriage contracts, divorce deeds, pages from Arabic fables, works of Sufi and Shi'ite philosophy, medical books, magical amulets, business letters and accounts, and hundreds of letters: examples of practically every kind of written text produced by the Jewish communities of the Near East can now be found in the Genizah Collection, and it presents an unparalleled insight into the medieval Jewish world.

Sources & More Info:

Cambridge Digital Library: Writing Exercises with Child's Drawings

Cambridge Digital Library: More About the Cairo Genizah Manuscripts

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Brush Jewel Beetles (Genus Julodis): these distinctive beetles are covered in tufts of brightly-colored bristles

Above: Julodis cirrosa (top) and Julodis viridipes (bottom)

These beetles are found only in southern Africa. They generally measure about 20-30mm (roughly 1 inch) long, and they are covered in tufts of wax-coated bristles that sprout up through their metallic, bluish-green shell. The bristles are usually a vivid shade of orange, yellow, or red.

Above: close-up images of the bristles on a brush jewel beetle, Julodis viridipes, which has a metallic blue shell that makes the bright orange bristles stand out

It's believed that the beetles' colorful appearance is aposomatic, meaning that it likely deters predators by signaling that the beetle is chemically defended (i.e. toxic).

Above: Julodis cirrosa (top and bottom right) and Julodis viridipes (bottom left)

Sources & More Info:

Smithsonian Magazine: The World's Most Interesting Insects

Eyewitness Insect: Hairy Jewels

Insects, Spiders, and Other Terrestrial Arthropods: Julodis klugii

The Book of Beetles: Common Brush Jewel Beetle

Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society: Insects Injurious to Forest Trees in South Africa

Insects and Spiders: Brush Beetle (screenshot from page 36)

Australian Journal of Entomology: The Buprestins: Bitter Principles of Jewel Beetles (PDF)

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

The Giant Wood Moth: these rat-sized moths have a wingspan of up to 23cm (about 10 inches) and can weigh as much as 30 grams, making them the heaviest moths in the world

This species (Endoxyla cinereus) is found only in Australia and New Zealand. It has a larval stage that can last 2-3 years, and the larvae spend most of that time eating and tunneling into the wood of eucalyptus trees. Once they are finally ready to pupate, they transform their tunnel into a pupation chamber, and they eventually emerge from the chamber as adult moths.

Above: the enormous pupa of a giant wood moth

The adult moths can only survive for a few days after that; like many other lepidopterans, the adults of this species are incapable of feeding, because they do not have any functional mouthparts, so their lifespan is extremely brief. They spend their entire adult lives (which last only a matter of days) searching for a mate and reproducing. In order to accomplish that goal, they must rely on the energy afforded by the fat reserves that they accumulated when they were larvae.

Above: the adult moths

Giant wood moths display a significant degree of sexual dimorphism, as the females are roughly twice the size of the males; they can weigh up to 30 grams, which makes this the heaviest moth species in the world.

In fact, the females are so heavy that they can barely even fly. In order to find a mate, they must crawl to the top of a tree trunk or fence post, release their pheromones, and then simply wait for the males to find them.

Sources & More Info:

Australian Museum: The Giant Wood Moth

Austral Ecology: Life History, Ecology and Ethnoentomology of the Giant Wood Moth

Australian Geographic: Giant Wood Moth

Moth Identification Guide: Endoxyla cinereus

The Guardian: Giant Wood Moth: 'very heavy’ insect rarely seen by humans spotted at Australian school

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Bomber Flies: these flies launch their own eggs into the nests of wasps and bees, hovering in mid-air as they do so; the females also have a unique perivaginal pouch that is known as a "sand chamber" because it is filled with sand

Above: Anastoechus sp. (top) and Anastoechus nitidulus (bottom)

The flies of this family (Bombyliidae) are generally referred to as "bee flies," because they are known to mimic bees and bumblebees, but many of them are also known as "bomber flies," thanks to their unusual ovipository technique.

Above: a bomber fly of the genus Anastoechus

As the female bomber fly is preparing to lay her eggs, she will usually look for a soil-hidden nest that already contains the eggs/larvae of another insect. Most bomber flies lay their eggs in the nests of wasps and bees, but there are a few species that are known to target beetles, grasshoppers, locusts, other flies, and/or caterpillars, instead. Once the bomber fly has found a suitable nest, she will hover over the entrance to the burrow and rapidly flick her abdomen up and down until she has launched a single egg into the nest. She must then go searching for more nests in which to lay her other eggs.

Above: Anastoechus sp.

After hatching, the parasitoid larvae of the bomber fly feeds on the eggs/larvae of the host species (i.e. the nest's original occupants). As this article explains:

When a bee fly egg hatches, a tiny larva called a planidium emerges. The planidium is quite unlike most fly larvae (also known as maggots); they are adapted for moving quickly in search of a host. Once the planidium finds a host, it will attach itself to the host’s exterior, like a leech or sea lamprey, and begin to feed. Yes folks, this is the stuff of nightmares.

Female bomber flies also have another peculiar trait: their abdomen contains a specialized perivaginal pouch known as a "sand chamber." During the ovipository process, the fly fills this pouch with fine grains of sand, and her eggs are then coated in the sand as they pass through the perivaginal pouch. The pouch is also lined with elongated setae ("hairs") and enlarged spikes that prevent the grains of sand from spilling back out.

The overall purpose of the "sand chamber" is still unclear, but many researchers believe that coating the eggs in a layer of sand may help to improve the viability of the eggs by preventing them from being damaged as they are launched to the ground, and that it also provides them with some camouflage after they have landed. Some researchers have argued that it prevents the eggs from becoming dehydrated, because the barrier helps to improve fluid retention, while others believe that it improves the mother's aim by increasing the weight of each egg. There is some evidence to suggest that it could also prevent the eggs from being detected (and then destroyed, abandoned, or ejected) by the host species, because the sand helps to mask/mute the egg's biochemical signals.

Above: Anastoechus barbatus

Adult bomber flies tend to feed on pollen and nectar. They are excellent pollinators, and their parasitoid larvae may also help to keep wasp and bee populations in check.

This article notes that bee flies (particularly Anastoechus nitidulus) likely served as the inspiration for the Pokémon known as cutiefly:

Sources & More Info:

USGS: Bombyliidae Fly

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society: The Evolutionary Pattern of Host Use in the Bombyliidae (Diptera) Family

YouTube: Video of a Bomber Fly (Bombylius major) Selecting a Nest and then Launching her Egg into the Burrow

Smithsonian Institution Press: Bee Flies of the World (pages 6 and 27)

Michigan State University: Bee Flies

Animal Diversity Web: Genus Bombylius

Animal Diversity Web: Anthrax albofasciatus

Journal of Geek Studies: The Entomological Diversity of Pokémon