#Termite Risk

[firstcare2]

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[imabiscuitinthousandworlds]

In your house eating the foundations room because I am a little termite

I don't know how to tell you this, little termite, but I think you picked a bad place. The marten is gone but there is still at least one ghost living in the walls. Also The Rumbling. You'll have to move somewhere else. I'm truly sorry.

[pigaletta]

I'll forever be jealous of people who live in countries where their stuff doesn't get dusty or catch fungus easily. They can maintain a house like those aesthetic insta posts without having unholy amounts of cleaning to do every week.

[hecksupremechips]

Something to be said about how much more fucked up the nonary game that Sigma and Akane made is compared to the one that Akane and Aoi made. Like the experiences of the 999 cast were fucked up and traumatic and they did suffer nine hours all genuinely believing they were on a sinking ship with bombs planted in their bodies, but the game didn’t put them in any actual danger. There were no bombs, they were in a normal building, the nine door was modified to let everyone escape, they were given a car to drive home with. There was the risk of Ace killing them if the wrong path was taken (or clover), but the only actual danger from the game itself was the incinerator and idk the water at the beginning. They were still kidnapped and went through some terrifying shit but measures were taken to make sure they people being used for Zero’s gain would get to return to normalcy afterwards

In vlr though it’s completely different. The threat of penalty is very much real, it’s less of a fucked up death than bombs but it’s still a real thing that will happen if the rules are broken or if someone’s bp is 0. They’re also infected with the deadly disease that caused the literal fucking apocalypse. The number 9 door can be opened by anyone with 9 bp and everyone else will just be trapped for the rest of their lives. But those are all bad ending ass scenarios, everyone can make it out if you get the good ending, right? Except no actually, these bitches are on the moon. Luna and K were specifically made for this purpose. Alice, Clover and Phi have to discover they’ve been trapped in deep sleep for 45 years and are incapable of ever getting their lives back. Tenmyouji and Quark were tricked and have nothing to gain from this experience except for more trauma. Everyone was just a pawn used to make Sigma go create the magical happy timeline that they will never see. They don’t get to return to normalcy, Zero doesn’t give a single shit about what happens to them, they’re just disposable objects. Just termites incapable of understanding the beauty they helped create

[seelestia]

— ❝𝐎𝐇 𝐌𝐘 𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐇, 𝐘𝐎𝐔'𝐑𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐌𝐘 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍!❞

SUMMARY. "oh my gosh, you're literally my dream person!" here's a list of red flags for you, honey. (inspired by a tiktok trend! the one with the soundboard, iykyk.)

CHARACTERS. wanderer, alhaitham, albedo, childe + GN!reader.

GENRE. full-on crack, some fluff, not-so serious and light-hearted character slander.

CW. has heavy refs to albedo's story / 2.3 event and wanderer's story, brief mentions of blood in childe's part (not detailed/graphic), one brief mention of kissing in wanderer's part, light cussing and terrible humor. + read the alt text on the headers for extra captions, hehe!

THOUGHTS. this is my most unserious work yet and for that, i apologize if this gets too unhinged or inaccurate at some point LMAOOO. red flags are fine, red is my fav color anyway (it's actually light purple) <33 can you guess who's the favorite here 🧍‍♂️

✰ masterlist.

[ WANDERER ]

❝Dream person, huh? That's oddly fitting because the day you win me over is only gonna happen in your dreams too.❞

Has some abandonment and mother issues. ...Yeah. These issues may result in emotional walls as strong and firm as the Great Wall of China but when you break through them, he's never ever gonna let you go (unfortunately). I'd tell you to start running but this silly guy can float and zoom in the air, so best of luck.

You'll only hear crickets if you fall asleep on his chest. On the very rare occasions where he allows you to, that is. If you're into that romantic "falling asleep on your lover's chest while listening to their heartbeat" stuff, you're not getting it with Wanderer here. But if you listen hard enough, maybe you'll get to hear termites or something because he's canonically made out of white wood. (I'm joking, I love him too.)

Terrible with feelings. He'd rather jump off a cliff than start talking about his feelings. ...Okay, fine. Harboring humane emotions is an annoyingly blurry line that he has vowed to stop caring about after regaining his memories. It doesn't mean he doesn't cringe at himself every now and then, though — knowing that he has talked about his feelings to someone else (only you and Nahida) keeps him up at night, as embarrassing as it is to admit. ("Hey, do you remember that one time when you told me—" "I don't.")

May prioritize his pride over you sometimes. Let's take a rainy day as an example. It's pouring cats and dogs which means that the risk of catching a cold is high as ever... thus, as the rain begins to soak you, you turn to your companion (whose clothes are saved by the hat on his head) with puppy eyes. His reply comes in the same speed as a lightning strike; "No," he says. Beg and cry if you want, he is not letting you under his hat because it's "not a damn parasol". Fine, maybe he just doesn't care about your well-being and that's totally fine (sarcastic) — but the very next second, as he grabs your wrist and starts dashing to a nearby inn with you in tow — you can't help but let a small smile slip. Maybe he does care? Pride just gets in the way sometimes.

Might accidentally suffocate you when you two kiss because how the heck is he supposed to remember that humans need to breathe when your lips are just so soft for no reason? Ugh, humans and their ridiculous needs (derogatory but he still loves you simp).

Has a long list of crimes and felonies that we don't talk about. Ah, yes, the courtesy of being a previous Fatui Harbinger, indeed. Irminsul may have forgotten about this list, but the Wiki sure as heck hasn't.

[ ALHAITHAM ]

❝So, you consider me someone who fits your type? I see. Unfortunately, knowing whether or not I fit into another person's ideals doesn't have much value to me.❞

Books > people. Is that really a flaw? He doesn't think it is. Books are a source of knowledge and aren't they supplements that enrich the minds of those who read them? Not to mention, there is no need to cater to whatever social standards with inanimate objects unlike when you're around people. ...But apparently, Kaveh told him that this mindset "makes him look like an absolute loner with no social skills and no friends whatsoever" to which he'd usually bite back with an "at least, I have a stable housing." TLDR: books are Alhaitham's closest friends and that's a little sad (he doesn't care about other people's opinions, though).

Unreachable when his soundproof headphones are on. Shush, he is in his official (but not-so-official) 'Do Not Disturb' mode. Sorry in advance, he may or may not accidentally ignore you when his soundproof headphones are on. If you want to have a few words with him, either be patient and wait or make sure they're of absolute importance lest you risk being given the deadliest, emptiest stare ever known to mankind. If looks could kill, you would've keeled on the spot. Instant unintentional (??) homicide, so true of him.

Awkward with small talks. Alhaitham is good at talking about topics that really matter and he very much prefers it that way too. But that's the thing; when the discussion of that particular subject ends, that's it. He often dodges the silence in a 'cool' way, though; either by taking an early leave or bringing out a book if the situation there still needs him present. (In his defense, if no one wants to start and carry the conversation, then isn't it a bit hypocritical to count on him to do that too?)

Physical affection stupefies him (it'll take time). Alhaitham doesn't hate it, no, but something about it just doesn't align much with his sense of familiarity. He usually keeps his distance; even with new acquaintances, shaking hands has never been his thing and it's been a long time since Alhaitham has had someone he feels comfortable enough to receive physical affection from or to give some of it to (his grandmother was the last, maybe). By all means, this isn't meant to be a sob story — it's just brought up to explain that physical affection is a thing he's not familiar with, so it'll take some time to get used to. Good luck to those with physical touch as a preferred love language (me), this feeble scholar who may turn into a stiff log when you hug him is in your capable hands!

[ ALBEDO ]

❝Is that a compliment of some kind? I must say it's certainly not one I hear very often, thus I feel inclined to appreciate it all the more. Thank you.❞

Has a lab located in Dragonspine. Yes, this is a red flag because look me in the eyes and tell me you would realistically travel up that death trap of a mountain every single time just to spend time with him. He comes down from the mountain at least twice or thrice a month, so you'll still get to see his pretty face regardless, just not as frequently — so, it's either you exchange letters every week or you go trekking up Dragonspine to see him yourself. (There is a better place to die on than that wretched mountain, but I digress.)

His mother caused world destruction and he has a twin brother that is out for blood (Imposterbedo). ...Seriously, what the heck is going on in this family? We need to keep an eye on them like they're fascinating wild animals on National Geographic, for real. If you don't mind crazy in-laws that might commit felonies against you (also looking intently at Alice as I say this, by the way), then you're all good to go! Aha, just watch your back and be safe out there, comrade.

Babysitting Klee comes as a 2-in-1. If you're good with kids, great! If you're not, good luck! You know what they all say; a child's curiosity is only limited by the skies (and a guardian's supervision), so be prepared for when Klee starts tugging you around to go fish blasting or exploring with her. Being with Albedo means you get to see her a lot and she's such an adorable ball of sunshine! But the way she innocently hands you a little bomb like it's a slice of Fisherman's Toast and not a weapon is certainly something to remember, huh? (At this point, this is basically an extra to my previous point about questionable in-laws.)

Eats spiders (not often, but has eaten them and that's concerning). Granted this only applies to a specific type of large spiders that can be found at the roots of Petrified Trees in Domains (in the words of the Chief Alchemist himself), but there will definitely be a time where he goes: "Are you hungry? If I remember correctly, there are still some smoked spiders left from the other day. Fortunately, the temperature here in Dragonspine aids in the preservation method—" Spiders can be cute to some and a nightmare to some, but the fact that he has a whole recipe for it really makes you want to know the how and most importantly, the why. Does he sprinkle parsley on them or some stuff like that, ayo? (at least, if you ever get stuck in a domain one unlucky day, this recipe might help you survive? thanks??)

[ CHILDE ]

❝Oh? I've never been called a dream person before. ...Heh, that sounds new, I like the sound of that!❞

Thinks combat and battles are a better substitute for oxygen. Okay, that may be somewhat of an exaggeration — but it isn't an understatement to say that the thought of challenge rushes the blood into Tartaglia's veins. Not one for the secretive schemes most Harbingers do, this man would even go charging ahead if that guarantees he'll encounter a good fight. Like seriously, if he and a fellow Harbinger are heading to a place where there is a good opponent, you bet Childe is about to speed there first. You could say he is speeding towards uncertain death, essentially.

Might have come home with blood on his cheek once or twice. And what's worse is that this guy probably doesn't even realize it's there. Sorry, he was just too caught up in the moment to properly notice any leftover 'trophies' from his previous fights... Aha, don't worry about it! ("I'm home!" Tartaglia cheers loudly as he, quite literally, throws open the front door to your shared home — only to be greeted by that dumbfounded look on face. "Please tell me that's just juice on your cheek," you frown. He scratches the side of his neck awkwardly, "Uhh. Things didn't go particularly well when I was collecting debts.")

A warrior in the streets, also a malewife who can make you treats. Why does he have that double side for, huh? For other people to swoon over and fall for? No way someone can be a househusband and a good fighter simultaneously. What do you mean he can cook and clean then beat up anyone who threatened you the next? And you're saying he is genuine about it too? I say deception, deception, deception! Sue this fellow for fraud this instant. (This might actually be a green flag in disguise, but you didn't hear that from me.)

No good with saving money. He's stinky rich and most of it might be from the Fatui. You have to wonder whether each Mora he gives goes on the Fatui's tab or something like that... You don't find the idea of owing something to the Fatui fun, but it's so ironic how you're more worried about this than the Eleventh Harbinger is. Welp, at least, you don't have to worry incessantly about saving money now...? ("There's that thing you said you wanted to buy the other day, right? Here you go, honey!" "Tartaglia, why is this Mora pouch heavier than a toddler—")

Has a long list of crimes and felonies that we don't talk about #2. You could definitely argue that Childe might have the least mind-boggling list of crimes amongst the Harbingers all, though. (And does he slay for that? Who knows.)

─ ⊹ ⊱ ・・・・・・☆・・・・・・・⊰ ⊹ ─

© SEELESTIA, mar 2023. do not repost, plagiarize, translate nor claim as your own.

✰ TAGLIST: @meimeimeirin @hcikazu @tsuk4sa-yug1 @catcze @semi-orangeapple @yuuki4646 @d-a-r-k-s-w-a-n @daisydkj @omgscaramouche @coquettemaiden @lemontum @herdrops @lleoll @xiaosonlybeloved @chiisananingen @irethepotato @ainescribe @blooodyvampy @starlightaura @jihyuniepark @duhsies @maybemiko @lordbugs — [ bolded names are unable to be tagged (check your settings!) + register here to be a part of my taglist! ]

[freesidexjunkie]

"If the Dalish could raise someone with a spirit like yours... have I misjudged them?"

This isn't blind flattery towards the Inquisitor. It's not "I'm questioning my whole plan of world ending because I have a crush" (if you romanced him.) "Have I misjudged them?"

He woke up and saw a hollow, empty, husk of a world with husks of people walking around, bickering and fighting over everything and nothing. He didn't expect to find beauty here. He didn't expect to find friends to care about (and he does genuinely care about them, in his party banter and dialogue). He didn't expect to find someone to love. Has he misjudged the Dalish, in his haste to write them off as a pale imitation? Has he misjudged the worth of this world?

The implications of that are staggering though. Imagine you have a house with your family. The house is rotten through and through; mildewed and molded, rotten floorboards, leaking ceilings. Doors and windows don't close, holes in the walls, termite-riddled supports. But there is no other house to live in. What do you do? Do you let your family keep living in that house, cold and wet and sick? Do you try to fix it? Where do you start? How much work will these renovations take? When do you start to consider that you could just tear the house down, and build a new one? You don't want to leave your loved ones with nowhere to live, but look at this house. It won't last like this. They deserve better.

So you do it. You start to tear down the house, even though it's a big risk. The biggest you've ever taken. But now, in this transitional period, where you're finally free to build a better house with sturdy walls and strong supports and a watertight roof and windows that shut - you lose your whole family. They can't live without a house.

You can't live without one, either. But imagine you come back, decades later, to find the house even more run down and destroyed. And there are people living in it. People who don't seem to care that the house is in such a sorry state - it's the only way they've ever known the house. And even though it's so ruined and rotten, it's far better than no house. They can't live without a house, either. But these squatters, these primitive, unrefined, barely grasping at how to live people. They are still in the house. The house you tried to tear down to build a better one. And maybe if you can just build a new house, a really good house, your family can come back. Or at least you can start to reclaim what you lost. And this miserable, dilapidated, sorry excuse for a shack is nothing but a sore on your memory now. The people inside are nothing compared to your family.

So you knock a giant fucking hole in the side of the wall. Didn't help, but you didn't get caught, and the people inside welcome you with open arms. You say you can help them, you know a lot about the house. Your nature isn't cruel and callous; you took these big risks in the first place because you can't help but care about people. So why does it surprise you so much when you start to care about these people? They're little more than children rooting around in the dirt, struggling to understand the house. They don't even know how bad the house is.

The house can't be left standing the way it is. That's very clear. But tearing it down, to make way for the house you dreamt of building... wouldn't that doom these people too? But can you let them keep living like this, in this filth and muck? You hate this house, this house that's taken everything from you. You want to destroy it and build a better home for all of you. Maybe even your family; if not them, you can build something new and reclaim what you lost trying to fix this house. But the house isn't a blight to the people here now; it's home, as horrid as it is. It's where they've loved and lived and wept.

Do you still try to repair what you can, piece by piece? Hoping your hands can replace the rot faster than it spread? Do you leave the house the way it is, pretend it's better to have this than nothing, even knowing how soon it could be nothing? The people here are sick, cold, dirty - just like your family. They're suffering, even if it is home. How do you handle this?

There are no easy or right answers. If you ignore the rot, it will spread; the effort it will take to fix the house might be more than building a new one, and people will fight you every step of the way to preserve their image of the house's wonky beauty. If you do tear it down, the people here now might die of exposure. If you told them you wanted to tear it down, they'd fight you tooth and nail; if you didn't, they'd still be inside when it came tumbling down. You'd lose more people. How much do you care about these people? Can you even reclaim your family, even if you do build the new house?

There don't feel like any right answers. The only wrong answer feels like inaction. But what action can you possibly take?

[infodumpingaboutnature]

Great news for monotreme lovers!!!

The Sir David Attenborough's Long-Beaked Echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi) has been sighted for the first time since 1961!

Also known as the Cyclops Long-Beaked Echidna, this nocturnal critter was first described by Western scientists in 1961 during the Dutch colonial era of what was then known as Dutch New Guinea. It was only described from a fragmentary preserved specimen (pictured below) and was of course named after the famous naturalist Sir David Attenborough. However, I do want to point out that, as is the case with many newly discovered species, it was known to the native people of this region way before this and was traditionally hunted for both food and for ceremonial peace offerings. However, according to my research since the species was classified as Critically Endangered, the native villagers were very enthusiastic about its conservation and agreed not to hunt them in order to help preserve the species.

Z. attenboroughi is native to the Cyclops Mountain Chain in northern Indonesian New Guinea and feeds mostly on worms, ants, termites, and other invertebrates by using their long beaks to forage through the soil and creating distinct “nose pokes”. For a long time, these “nose pokes” were the only sign scientists had that this species hadn’t gone extinct. The last unconfirmed sighting by locals was in 2005, though some tracks and burrows that were thought to belong to the species were discovered in 2007.

Now, over 60 years after it was initially described, an expedition of scientists from Oxford University to the Cyclops Mountains has resulted in this elusive monotreme being videotaped by a game trail camera.

Photo credit: Cyclops Expedition

Attenborough’s Long-Beaked Echidna might somewhat resemble hedgehogs in appearance and behavior, however, they are one of only five species of egg-laying mammals known as monotremes! The other four species are the Short-Beaked Echidna, Western Long-Beaked Echidna, Eastern Long-Beaked Echidna, and the Platypus. The Attenborough’s Long-Beaked Echidna is the smallest species of Echidna and is apparently more closely related to the Short-Beaked Echidna than it is to the other two species of Long-Beakeds. It also possesses a more reddish coloration. All species of monotremes are known for, as I mentioned before, laying eggs instead of giving live birth like placental mammals and marsupials do. Monotremes also lack nipples and instead produce milk for their young out of modified sweat glands like how the early ancestors of all mammals did. Male Platypi/Platypuses (both terms are correct) and Echidnas also have ankle spurs which are highly venomous in the case of the Platypus, but Echidnas seem to have lost their venom and instead use them to help dig. Apparently, they also seasonally secrete a creamy substance their spurs but this, while kinda gross, is harmless.

While the rediscovery of this species is super exciting, we mustn’t forget that Attenborough’s Long-Beaked Echidna is considered Critically Endangered and is still at risk of extinction. Habitat loss and poaching seem to be the biggest threats to this species and many other unique creatures endemic to Oceania.

[eminsunnytoons123]

The parodies cousin Show characters

Part 1, 2 And 3

Disclaimer: I made the parodies cousin Show for the sake of enjoyment And creativity, And again, for the sake of creativity And enjoyment, i'll risk it for all my besties, Sisters, Brothers, pen pals And girlfriend: @splashy900 @kxllboii @cheezekennith @aquamarine-dream-queen @dayzsaclark @oscarandgrinchfan @moshywoosh @ilovescaredysquirrel2 @nuggetaubrey @sharkyy599 @nightkit92 @familyoffood @mysafespaceblog13 @thelazzyblogzz @sugar-miss1 @shrimpathizer @muppet-fan-real @shypeachrunaway @iggyguyy @sophia-does-skits @typical-sophie @peaceforpeople @ben5569 @xxkurosakutisaxxaltofshitaccount @ducktoonz903707 @artismeyou-12 @blackstar044 @acen402 @walt-diego-rodriguez @nia1sworld @rumplestiltsbear @s4gefr0g @beeware-of-lulu @leafith @bluebird-in-a-cagedrawing that always loved me And supported me And always loved my Work.

~

Ever since I have decided to make the FOURTH counterparts of the muppets, here they are =^_^= And theyre like cousins to the muppets, And some of them even changed genders. And I have imagined something called "the cousins Show" And its related to the "Sisters Show" =^_^=

And in their infos, I wont say how old are they, because theyre the same age like the muppets, And you can go see the ages from the teppums And You'll see how old are the muppets with them ^///^; And I wont really Type who are they dating, but i'll soon make who are they dating =^_^= oh! And i'll say their sexualities soon when I draw them all, even the same goes to the moopets, whatnots And teppums =^_^=

Now some info about them (im still thinking about their info, i'll soon make a post about it too):

Lucille the ladybug - Lucille the ladybug is Kermit the frog's parodie cousin counterpart, she is the leading ladybug Lady who plays the harp. And she is ms. Moosa's And Garrett's love interests. Her headcanon voice actor is John Roberts, And her voice claim is Linda belcher from bob's burgers.

Ms. Moosa - Ms. Moosa is miss piggy's parodie cousin counterpart, she is the hot tempered primadonna moose lady, And Lucille's And Garrett's love interest. Her headcanon voice actor is Mark Hadlow, And her voice claim is Heidi the hippo from meet the feebles.

Garrett Rhino - Garrett Rhino is fozzie bear's parodie cousin counterpart, he is the comedian Rhino on the Show that does many Circus tricks And loves making jokes. His headcanon voice actor is Jim Cummings, And his voice claim is tigger from Winnie the Pooh.

Calvin the bat - Calvin the bat is Rizzo the rat's parodie cousin counterpart, he is actually an vampire bat And he is very sarcastic And sassy, And he is Harris' and Emma the bat's love interest. His headcanon voice actor is Paul Tylak, And his voice claim is snake from skunk Fu.

Harris the King ant - Harris the King ant is Pepe the King prawn's parodie cousin counterpart, he is an actual king ant And other ants listen to his orders, he has an thick Brooklyn accent, And dont call him a "termite" he is a "King ant". His headcanon voice actor is Kyle Rideout, And his voice claim is Vinnie from littlest pet shop.

Franklin the best - Franklin the best is gonzo the great's parodie cousin counterpart, he is an acrobat And Daredevil that loves doing dangerous tricks, And he is interested in mermans. His headcanon voice actor is Scott Menville, And his voice claim is Robin from teen titans go.

Professor Charles van rosecrew - professor Charles van rosecrew is dr bunsen honeydew's parodie cousin counterpart, he is the Scientist on the Show And he helps bunsen in his Experiments, And he is Carson's love interest. His headcanon voice actor is Jim Rash, And his voice claim is Gyro from ducktales.

Carson - Carson is beaker's parodie cousin counterpart, he is an nervous wreck just like beaker but he is good friends with him too, And he is professor charles' love interest, And he speaks in "eeh!?" And "beep!" His headcanon voice actor is Tom Kenny, And his voice claim is Spongebob squarepants from Spongebob squarepants.

Houston the bull - Houston the bull is rowlf the dog's parodie cousin counterpart, he is the Wise And laid back accordionist on the Show And he is from Texas. His headcanon voice actor is Tom Kenny, And his voice claim is Roy Rakoon from talking Tom And friends.

Austin the King Buffalo - Austin the King Buffalo is Sam the eagle's parodie cousin counterpart, he is an King Buffalo from africa And he is a real King Buffalo, And just like how other ants listen to Harris' others, other buffalos listen to Austin's orders. His headcanon voice actor is Keith David, And his voice claim is flame King from adventure time.

Isabella - Isabella is Walter's parodie cosuin counterpart, she is a BIG fan of the parodies, especially a fan of Lucille And since she is a part of them, she is best friends with Ruby And she has a crush on her too. Her headcanon voice actress is Jennifer Hale, And her voice claim is Madison from class of 3000.

Ruby - Ruby is Scooter's parodie cousin counterpart, she helps Lucille with The Show, And she is Riley's little sister and Isabella's best friend, And she had a crush on Isabella, And Riley teases her with that. Her headcanon voice actress is Katie Griffin, And her voice claim is Alex from totally spies.

I hope y'all will like these, And again, you're allowed to make fanart out of the parodies, And even moopets, whatnots And teppums, you dont have to ask me for permission =^_^= 💝 but just dont make NSFW or fetish Art out of them..

[cnestus]

(tagged on this post)

@notahorseindisguise sure, just like a general guide on insect pinning? i can do that.

the nice thing about insects is that once they dry they'll stay exactly as they were positioned indefinitely, so the trick is to pin them when they're still pliable. if you're trying to pin an old, dried insect, you can rehydrate them by putting them in an airtight container with some wet paper towels or sponges for 12-24 hours but probably not much longer than that or you'll risk them molding. i spray some ethanol in there too to be safe. as an example, here's my rehydration box with some bee samples:

once your insect is ready to curate, put the pin through the thorax to the right of the midline like in my previous post. now, i'm of the philosophy that if you're pinning an insect, you ought to curate it as best as you can so that its death wasn't in vain, so while the specimen is still pliable, secure it to a thick piece of foam and use more pins to position all the legs and antennae into as pleasing an arrangement as possible. here's a botfly i arranged:

besides the aesthetic reasons, this will also help with future identification if that's a possibility since often insects die curled up with important diagnostic features covered up or otherwise hard to see, so at least unfurling the legs a bit and making sure the wing venation is visible on insects where that's important is a good idea.

sometimes you get a longhorned beetle with very long antennae. this is why you want to have a lot of pins on hand:

for insects that are too small to pin without risking obliterating their thorax, you'll want to point-mount them, which means gluing them to a small paper triangle and pinning that:

i rarely see people do it but you can sometimes curate point-mounted specimens too if they're the right size, though you'll want to do it under a microscope:

then let your specimens set in a nice dry area for at least a day or two:

after that you just need to label them (probably for another post. this one is long enough) and they're good to go. once they dry out they're pretty much good to last forever as long as you keep them protected from mold and pests, so the preservation part is handled just by keeping them in an airtight container if possible or at least one with desiccants/pesticides as needed. at the very least try to toss the specimen box in a feezer for a few days at least a couple times a year. otherwise your nicely curated specimens will end up as dermestid shit:

i think that about covers it! it is worth noting that some soft-bodied insects will shrivel horrible when they dry out. small soft insects like silverfish, termites, springtails, most kinds of larvae, etc should go into a vial of alcohol rather than be pinned. same goes for most non-insect arthropods like spiders and centipedes and millipedes which will also fall apart when they dry. also some larger semi-soft insects will need to be stuffed to keep their abdomen from shriveling up, primarily larger grasshoppers, crickets, stenopelmatids, mantids, and stick insects. i made a post about how to do that here.

[redd956]

Beekeeping Myths & Facts

I'm just tired of seeing the myths being spread about beekeeping. I'll probs include some bonus facts for wasps and hornets too.

1. Myth: Bee smoke calms the bees.

This simply isn't how it works. The bee smoke causes bees to think there is a fire near the hive. Bees go to fill up on as much as honey as they can, and prepare to leave for a new home. They become too busy to mess with you doing this and resume normal life when the smoking stops.

2. Fact: It helps a hive to remove some honey.

Without the removal of some comb or honey, the bees will simply run out of room, especially for their larva. When a hive runs out of storage space, bees will abandon it and risk the dangers of swarming somewhere else. Taking some comb out stops this process.

3. Myth: Taking honey upsets the bees.

This is not true whatsoever. The interesting thing about beekeeping is that if a swarm doesn't like a beekeeper they'll simply leave. This doesn't mean bees won't sting or get defensive. It's important to know bees have a variety of temperaments.

4. Fact: Bees die after stinging.

Yes, it's true. Most bees perish after a hard sting. Their stingers are barbed. When they sting you the stinger stays put. In the meantime, the bee loses some of their innards and dies.

5. Myth: There's male and female bees.

This is a yes and a no. Bees do not have a human concept of gender. In fact, the gender roles we project onto bees aren't fully perfect either by our own standards too. Bees have three genders; queen, worker, and drone. It's all a little complex. Workers can't lay or produce eggs however the same larva that becomes a worker or drone can alzo become a queen.

6. Fact: Bees, wasps, and hornets know where your face is.

I know this one sounds weird. When bees, wasps, and hornets get defensive or are aggressive, they go for your face and neck. They will try to hit you where it hurts, that includes the eyelids. That's why we cover our faces just enough to see a little when attacked by killer bees.

7. Myth: Africanized Bees are like normal bees.

If you didn't know this, you do now. Africanized Bees is the formal name for our buddy ol' pal killer bees. They look pretty normal though. Why the name? Killer Bees were made in a Brazilian lab by crossbreeding honey bees from Europe and Africa. This was supposed to create bees with better honey yields. Instead, we created bees with a sadistic liking for deadly attacking.

8. Fact: Bees are what's known as a superorganism.

Superorganisms are what you get when a whole gathering of organisms acts as one or in the faith and safety of a whole organism. Think like the cells in your body. Except instead of cells, they're bees. Bees aren't the only superorganism. There's termites, wasps, hornets, and also ants.

Bonus Facts

The two second most powerful stings are dedicated to a wasp and a hornet.

There's the powerful and paralyzing Tarantula Hawk sting, and the sudden and strong Giant Asian Hornet sting. Number one of the Schmidt pain index scale for worst stings goes to an Ant though, the bullet Ant.

Wasps and hornets can also produce honey and pollinate. They don't pollinate as well as bees though, and their honey is never as sweet.

The gene tied to allergic reactions for bees, is also loosely tied to the allergies for hornets and wasps, too. If someone who is allergic to bees have children, their kids can be allergic to wasps but not bees and vice versa. Someone can also inheret all three too. I've never been stung by a hornet, so I guess I'm safe 2/3 so far

[firstcare2]

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[slightlysadfilter]

So Saltburn: a story of obsession and control

Warning: spoilers ahead

You bet I'm gonna dissect this mfing movie. It left me scarred at 3 am on a workday so here I am, giving my own personal interpretation. Enjoy!

So as I've anticipated, I think the entirety of the movie is a battle between obsession and control. Specifically, Oliver's need to control everything and anyone, and his very clear obsession with Felix. But how does it unfold? And are the two conciliatory, or is Oliver a walking oxymoron? Why does he fuck a grave? We'll get to that.

Part I: Obsession.

We know nothing of Oliver's past. We come to know, very shockingly, that he has a peaceful-looking family, in an alright neighbourhood. The only hint we might've been given about his past behaviour is how his mother immediately tries to soothe the situation when he refuses lunch and wants to leave. But still, too little, so for the purpose of this dissection, Oliver starts with Oxford.

I believe that, at the beginning of the movie, Oliver is more inclined towards obsession. He picks his god (Felix) and yearns to please him. Still, we also notice his need to control very early (actually we do at the end, but yk, early). The control aspect is apparent in his manipulations, this new reality he carefully crafts, but all of it is to appeal to Felix. "He's a scholarship guy who buys clothes from Oxfam", he clearly doesn't want to be that. He doesn't want to be part of the equation-spurting loner group, to be a kid from a boringly simple family and a modest, row-house neighbourhood.

He needs to appeal to Felix, so he takes control of everything. Here, obsession and control go hand in hand. The only reason Oliver is doing what he's doing, is to feel seen by his god. To seat at the "olympus" table with all the trendy, rich kids and their godly-like aura. He threads slowly at first: he knows he can't become them, so he plays the poor-guy part. Crappy family, no money, but still so, so generous and ready to listen. His god is surely pleased; not only that, Felix feels protective of him. He's gained a spot in paradise, albeit due to someone else. Then he makes a mistake, he gets too comfortable and lets too much of his desire of perfection slip. Felix gets annoyed and he's kicked out of heaven. Therefore, more manipulation, more offerings: oh no my dad is dead. Please Felix notice me again, make my tragic story part of your entertainment, let me in again to delight you further.

And so he does.

Part II: Control.

It is a gradual event, control eclipsing Oliver's obsession. For a while, the two co-exist almost equally.

It is very subtle at first. He appears shy, but he's not: I reckon runny eggs don't really make him sick. But he gets to order someone around and he surely takes the chance. For the first time, the reality he's crafted doesn't only need to appease a "superior being" but also, himself.

Then, we have Venetia. It's the first time we clearly see what a little of control does to him, his first true sliding through the cracks of Saltburn like termites. Control is a high for Oliver, fusing with arousal. He likes telling her what to do, to share his excitement and make her do his bidding with it. And still, he is entertaining someone: he's the guy who doesn't cower around period blood and actually plays with it. He's stepped up, but he's still surrounded by higher beings.

Of course, we can also see how obsession remains in how he, uhm, slurps some delicious bathwater and also readily denies having anything to do with Venetia. Felix is still his god after all, and the fake reality exists to appease him. Not Venetia. She gets thrown to the side.

Then, Farleigh, who is actively trying to sabotage him. He wants him gone, he looks down on him, he likes to remind Oliver just how ephemeral he is at Saltburn. They already had moments of tension at Oxford, but now it's pathological: Farleigh is a risk of getting kicked out again. And so again, Oliver deals with it through arousal. Being able to bend him to his will is exciting, control is exciting. He's getting a better taste.

Then, the tragedy. Felix finds out about all the lies. Oliver's god is enraged, outraged. He's still in paradise, but on borrowed time and clearly unwanted. But the worst of it all: Oliver's object of obsession can never, ever accept his offerings again. His entertainment. Though he tries to salvage it, it's gone, the sparkle; and he's been getting skilled at control. So the night of the party, last night in heaven, he kills his god. If he can't please him, he'll conquer him. If he can't obsess over him, he'll take his place. (the symbolism is also very strong in this one!!! Felix having wings, and Oliver antlers to represent horns, or perhaps just earthly beings.)

So why does he fuck a grave? Quite simply, in my humble opinion, he's weeping the death of his god and getting aroused by his conquest at the same time. That's what I mean when I say he's a paradoxical character, and the conflicting nature of him is more prominent in this scene than in any other.

Now that Felix is gone, the road is easy. He's taken one of the highest spots and he wants more. Farleigh? Gone. Venetia? Disposed of. The plan halts upon the father's ultimatum (who, though apparently soft, is still head of this paradise) but when he dies, it is back in motion. The mother is too trusting, too desperate for a friendly face. Oliver is now the one with power over her, it's so easy to kick her out. Her slow assassination is partially merciful, partially ecstatic for Oliver, once again. But he's won, he has complete control (and so, he thankfully doesn't fuck her comatose body.)

His crafted reality is now real. He does not only belong to paradise, he runs it. He has become the god he's killed, and his last funky dance shows how control has definitely taken over obsession. No need for that, he sits at the top.

[doublejango]

VERSE INFO: FOLK OF THE AIR

Blitz is loyal to his lover, @botanikos's Stolas, prince of the Avernus Territory. They have his whole heart, and if Stolas asked, Blitz would do anything for him. Anything. It doesn't matter who else might come into their lives, or what loyalty Stolas might swear. Blitz only cares about Stolas. Passionately, dangerously, unhealthily, and without regret. The imp is a killer--an assassin who can be hired, although he tends to be tough for clients to court in this verse--and revels in violence. Any time he has an excuse to kill for Stolas, he takes it without regret. Sometimes, even if he doesn't have an excuse, beings end up lifeless and Blitz will leave their hearts for his beloved to find in the morning.

He came down from the Court of Termites several years ago, hired to kill Stolas--and the moment he saw him, the first instant, he fell in love. He didn't know if they had enchanted him, if they had some sort of trick, but he doubted it; Blitz has always had an incredibly strong resistance to magic, although he has very few powers of his own. Even if Stolas was using magic on him, it didn't matter. Looking at them was the first time Blitz cared about the beauty he saw, the first time he was moved. He didn't even let Stolas know he was there, he just returned home, killed his client--or so rumor says--and promptly went back to Prince Stolas's court to, well, court him.

Blitz's magic is limited. He is wholly immune to fire (he'll take a nap in a fireplace if he comes home chilled) and can create fire at will, although it takes a lot out of him to do so. He possesses a black crystal, embedded into his left hand, that he uses to portal. It can only transport him--or so he has hinted--and it hurts him to use, but if he doesn't use it for too long, the crystal begins to fade... and so does Blitz. He considers his twisted relationship with it to be worth it. It can't be taken from him anyway, unless one manages to take his hand with it, and the imp is tenacious, tough, and very violent. In this verse, Blitz actually had a formal education, but he also grew up learning combat--and never the honorable kind. Kill quickly, kill brutally, make it dirty, make it fun. He's not high society and he's not powerful, but he's dangerous to tangle with all the same.

Blitz is about 5'6" when he stands upright--which, in this verse, he actually does, lacking the injury from his main verse that crippled his feet. He's a little more muscular--and definitely more feral. His horns are always dyed fully black, and he decorates them with tokens he steals from his kills. Melted gold drizzled prettily, a delicate bejeweled chain spiraled 'round, a ring slid over the tip. He does the same with the spines on his tail and head, but the ones on his shoulders are almost never decorated--and he will not let anyone but Stolas touch those ones without a fight.

The spade of his tail almost always has a delicate-looking blade fitted over it--lovely filigree, the edges razor sharp. He won't hesitate to injure someone with it if they try to touch his shoulder spines.

Blitz prefers to dress in all red--typically a red corset, long jacket that is such a deep red it is damn near black, and trousers that are just as dark, but with cheerfully bright red ribbons stitched on seemingly at random. He walks up on his hooves and almost never wears any sort of shoe or footwear--although he will decorate his hooves from time to time, if he's feeling fancy, and he keeps them sharp.

In this verse, Blitz does not have any children, adopted or otherwise, but has still been magically sterilized.

He will only ship with Jude's Stolas--no other ships, at all, although muses are welcome to try if they want to risk it--and the only Cardan is @cruelprincae, in case others magically come out of the woodwork. I'm happy to write with anyone who wants to play in this verse, but will probably keep all threads related; ie, if he kills person X in one thread, he will probably think about it in the next thread as a pleasant memory.

Ironically, despite being a faerie, this may be Blitz's most demonic verse. He is basically chaotic evil; the only check in his life is Stolas, and Blitz is just fine with that.

[mybreadsmybutters]

my deepest darkest fantasy is that somehow one of my dear friends becomes saddled with a child they are riddled with complex emotions for and i have to sacrifice my life time energy and career to raise the kid who i soon become the primary caregiver and surrogate father to but then! my friend, should i say FORMER friend, says out of the blue that she’s moving across the country and taking my kid with her to meet up with some 50 year old guy ive never met!?!? i fight, but the kid was never really mine, not legally, and i make the desperate choice to kidnap the kid. we live in motels on the fringes of society for a decade. i teach the kid how to shoot, how to fight, how to deal with cops. then senior year, kid wants to live in a real house for once dad! mom doesn’t care! she’s not looking for me! she never was! and even though i know that she has never stopped searching for her kid, know about just how many close calls we’ve had, i can’t bear to tell kid that… so i take the risk. buy a house full of termites, but ours, to ride out senior year. i work in an auto shop to get by, get paid under the table, and we work on the house together some evenings. kid wants it to be a permanent home, but both of us know that once college starts neither of us will ever come back here. then the very day that kid’s college acceptance letters arrive in the mail, so does… the estranged friend, the one who tried to steal my kid from me. she wants kid back. we get in a screaming fit. the neighbors call the cops, say that weirdo next door is terrorizing his girlfriend. kid comes home and is panicked, furious with both of us. she tries to bundle kid into the van, but kid shoves her and- a gunshot. the cops shot him. my baby, dead. i kill myself 7 months later. im left in a persistent vegetative state. the friend stares down at my overgrown hair, traces the stubble on my poorly shaved face. she still doesn’t know whether she was chasing the kid or me.

[ganymedesclock]

Why would Team Cherry choose to name their weapons Nails and Needles and Pins if they *weren't* trying to evoke a feeling of small size?

Yes. There is an aesthetic 'of the small'. But I would argue, especially given the horror overtones of HK, we see "what is big" and it is not closer to humanity or further from bugs. Again- look at Radiance. Look at PK's original body. This is a world that does have things far, far bigger than our player protagonist.

But to me, this has always felt like an assertion of an alien world. Like the carboniferous period with its gigantic dragonflies. At no point do those things at that grander scale look human. Again, I've held up pikmin for comparison. The creatures in pikmin look like tiny things we'd find under a log. I could probably scoop the plasm wraith up in a jam jar, provided I was wearing thick gloves and willing to undertake some personal risk. When you start to zoom out on this world, you realize things are familiar; a termite mound, a manhole cover.

There is none of this anywhere in Hollow Knight. The outsized, giant things in this setting- things like the big towers of the City of Tears, or the giant loom in the weavers' den- are built to be lived in and operated by creatures on our player protagonist's scale. Creatures as colossal as Bardoon or the Wyrms he speaks of are clearly out to the fringes.

Yes, HK is a game that is supposed to make you feel small. That is not what I resent. What I resent is the abject rejection of the notion that we are small alongside the protagonist; that we would not also be dwarfed by these giant leaves, or the drifting ash at Kingdom's Edge. It's the arrogance to see a message, "you are very small" and stubbornly insist this limitation could not possibly apply to us, only to the characters, and really we would stomp all over this entire world like Godzilla. When, no matter how big the world gets, there is not a window for a giant human.

When Needles and Nails and Pins are things intimately known to a civilization that can contrive of elevators, and the setting is completely bereft of them anywhere other than evidence that some bug or beast was around here to make them for exactly the purpose they end up used in.

When Hollow Knight is a story about death, and ruin, and the vast aloofness of space and time, and all of these things do a very good job of making you feel very, very small.

[lectorel]

Behold: the best pet adoption profile of all time.

Are you tired of regular cats that want to hang out with you all the time? Then maybe Termite is for you. Termite is a high-risk, low-reward, decorative cat that requires only slightly more work than a discounted houseplant.

Termite came to the shelter after his caretaker suspected he had been hit by a car. Because of this, his eyeballs were of no further use, and so they were removed. His eardrums also took quite a blow, and likely ruptured. The foster and veterinarian suspect his ear drums may be healing, but Termite relies more on vibrations from the floor to know when someone else is in the room.

It took Termite a long time to get accustomed to his special room, but he enjoys the simple things: laying in the sun, laying on his many beds, eating slowly, and his personal favorite pastime: not being touched by people.

Despite his prickly nature, Termite has coexisted peacefully with other cats, even allowing himself to be bullied away from his food bowl. Termite is litterbox trained--a fact his foster will literally not stop raving about.

Termite is a little chunky, but it's nearly impossible to play with him, as essentially all contact is perceived as a threat. Termite is very lowkey, except when an item in his room is moved 2inches to the left, at which point, he will cry dramatically.

If you think Termite may be the perfect addition to your household, please reach out to the foster team, or his proud foster at mwilliams@acctphilly.org.