#also some species of moths eat paper so there is also that

[definitely-jax]

[otterloreart]

Art Prompts: 

1-TV Headed Men

2-Moth Dolls

3-Planet Themed Mermaids

4-Milkshake Dragons

5-Ice Cream Themed Superheroes

6-More Magical Pony Art (I Love Them!!)

7-Ocean Themed Space Aliens

8- Sea Snakes (They’re awesome! Here’s a link to an article about them: https://blog.padi.com/sea-snake-facts/) 

9-Snakes With Prosthetic Arms

10-An Otter With A Cute Little Bow In Her Head

I got way inspired by the sea snake prompt apparently and spent way more time than I meant to on them! I included the whip snake (highly stylized) as an example of a "land snake" (opened up one of my herp books to a random page).

If they were toys like the other snake designs they would include stands to represent the fact theyre "swimming" whereas the land snakes would have slightly more flat bottoms so they can "stand". The sea kraits have round bodies with flatter tails while the seasnakes have vertically oval bodies.

These designs are not 100% accurate to real snakes, obvi, they're artistic reinterpretations of the snakes design. For ex: the whip snake has a stripe, but also has very distinct scales, so I made them diamonds. And the eyelash shapes are just for cuteness.

ok facts about sea snakes I want to add to clarify some things stated in that article (just adding my own knowledge/clarifying things (PLEASE do not take offense to this i am glad to read facts about snakes i just have brain worms when it comes to snakes))

put under cut because it was getting too long

"to keep things simple" isn't... right: theyre split into different categories because they're separate evolutionary lines! And there are a handful of other differences (although the article does go into those later, but ngl thats why i dont like lists organized this way). Anyways, it makes it sound like these categories are not relevant to the evolutionary history imo

I would have clarified that while they all do have paddle like tails, the kraits actually have bodies more similar to land snakes, whereas the true sea snakes have vertically elongated bodies to make swimming easier and are bad at being on land.

Okay so this is true mostly EXCEPT we built a huge canal through panama and there have been sightings of sea snakes on the "wrong" side of the panama canal, specifically yellow-bellied sea snakes which live on the pacific side. There are no breeding populations, but due to human intervention there's potential risk of them being introduced.

See this is why I was like the categories aren't for "simplicity", the sea kraits are separated from the other sea snakes because of their many differences: a major one being that they come on land to lay eggs! A number of snakes all over the world give birth (though yes, not in the ocean) to fully formed (not "nearly") babies!

I would just add that this is part of why they can't cross over to the Atlantic! here's a paper!

...all snakes are carnivores (hence, weird thing to say)? unless you count eating eggs as being "not a carnivore". in which case this would be untrue because the turtle-headed seasnakes (genus Emydocephalus) eat primarily fish eggs!

and this one isn't quite right because of turtle-headed seasnakes again! They have almost no teeth except tiny fangs and as far as I can find are either mildly venomous or nonvenomous. since they dont hunt their venom glands are vestigial.

Sea snakes and kraits are elapids, which include other highly venomous snakes like cobras, coral snakes, and all of the highly venomous Australian species!

While doing research on realistic snake plushies, sea snakes made by WildRepublic were one of the major clear attempts at a retailer trying to be scientifically accurate.

Kraits DO actually look like cartoon animals

and yeah the olive sea snake does really look like that:

(although the olive one has apparently been taken off their website?)

although the way they title and tag their products continues to piss me off to no end, like this is an EEL not a SNAKE, they're just out here spreading misinformation and confusing things.

they completely rebranded in like 1999 because their wildlife plushies took off so personally I think they have a responsibility now to scientific accuracy since they took on that mantle. but i digress.

[dead-set-goat]

TRICHOPTERA TIME! ______________________________

Caddisflies(Order Trichoptera, trichos=hair, ptera=wing... because they have bristly wings)!! I'll keep it short for adults, larvae are the highlight mwheheh.

Let’s get the adults out of the way. They have hairy wings that slightly resemble the scaly wings of moths and they are in fact related to lepidopterans (are more primitive than them).

These guys can be found worldwide near bodies of water (they need do lay their eggs on plants that will get submerged in water or straight up in the water) with greater species diversity in the warmer regions. The adults usually live for just a few weeks, most don’t feed, yet some species can feed on nectar (ex:Tinodes waeneri). They mate and bye.

Neophylax sp. adult. Also called Autumn mottled sedges! X

Now, with adults out of the way, time to talk about the larvae, which are what made me super intrigued. First off, they are aquatic, six pairs of gills on the abdomen, most species are freshwater with very few brackish coastal water oddities (Fun fact, Philanisus plebeius eggs have been found in laid starfish). The larvae are kinda similar in looks to butterfly caterpillars (yes yes, as I said, their closely related to Lepidopterans) but they lack the prolegs (those many temporary legs that will disappear once the larva becomes an adult).

_________________________________________________

Enough with the looks, now about their diet. The diet differs from species to species, most are detrivores, some shredder-herbivores (chew on live plants) and some are even predators!! Also funnest of facts, a species originally though to be herbivorous was found eating meat off of deer bones!

Gumaga nigricula and carcasses, paper here X

Yeah, some are opportunistic feeders, eating dead fish and whatever else died!

… I do not know how to properly link the paragraphs, as you can tell heheh…

Ok. The coolest trait time!! THEY ARE ARCHITECTS, DESIGNERS, SURVIVORS and what I mean by that is that larvae build different structures with various purposes (protection and feeding mostly) with the most well know of all being their cases!

Limnephilus flavicornis with a shell case X

They build these cases out of debris, plant bits, gravel and even shells!! These cases are open at both ends (so water can pass trough and wash the larva’s gills) and they get enlarged manually by the insect with every growth, so yeah, they don’t really change their case, commitment to their craft, I love that… oh and not to mention the “blueprints” for these houses are genetically hardwired in the insects, so the same individuals of a species would have similar looking cases (materials chosen and structure) but different from members of other species (this applies as far as I’m concerned at a genus level) so it makes identifying easier only by looking at the cases! Now these cases are so convenient, some caddisflies don’t even have to move around (members of the Annulipalpia suborder), they lazily wait for food to come to them (ok, I admit, they put in some more effort and spun some silk nets but still), while some move around (members of the Integripalpia), actively searching for food while carrying around their little houses.

(Integripalpia) Micrasema wataga X

(Annulipalpia) Stenopsyche sp. X X

Oh but that’s not all! Some caddisflies (some members of the Spicipalpia suborder, and some Annulipalpians, example: Hydropsychidae family) only make a case before pupation, so in their final larval instar. During their childhood, instead of making cases like the other kids, they spun dome shaped enclosures out of silk, usually on the surfaces of rocks, in which they trap detritus and “culture” periphyte (a complex of underwater algae, cyanobacteria, microbes etc… ).

Net spinning caddisfly, in the Hydropsychidae superfamily _________________________________________________

Also note that the larvae of the Rhyacophilidae family are free living predators, they do not build cases, nor spin nets. They also appear to be the most primitive forms of caddisflies, having the earliest evidence in the fossil record (known from the Mesozoic).

Rhyacophila acutiloba

AAAND, apparently they are using the talented caddisflies to make jewelry...

Could have written some more stuff on this post but it's waaay too long...I'll add this article on the dangers that microplastics pose to the case-building caddisfly larvae however.

[nox-likes-witchcraft]

Stinging Nettles!!

A post on their uses, how to propogate them, and their attributes.

If you're like me, you get a little pissed off when you're out foraging and get stung by one of these suckers. I get it, it's a pain; but did you know that Stinging Nettles are incredibly useful to us?

This is the first part of an upcoming series where I talk about the herbs that I see a lot (I am currently in the United Kingdom). Enjoy!

Quick info:

Ortica dioca, of the Urticacaea family.

Other names include: Devil's Claw, Devil's Plaything, Nettle, Burn Hazel, Burn Weed, Ortiga Ancha, sting-leaf, Hoky-poky, Heg-beg.

Gender: male/masculine

Planet: Mars

Element: Fire

Associated deities: Hades, Horus, Cernnonus, Jupiter, Osiris, Pluto, Thor, Vishnu, serpentine deities, and Vulcan

Zodiac signs: Aries and Scorpio

Commonly found in moist and shady places in Europe, Asia, and North America.

They are important larval foods for many different species of butterflies and moths.

Propagation

Plant nettles six to twelve inches apart in moist, rich soil that has access to shade (they usually do well in a pot as well). If they are grown in a garden they should be surrounded by a barrier of some kind (both above and underground) to prevent them from taking control of your garden. Cut nettles back before they seed so they don't spread out of control.

Harvesting and Storage

Be sure to wear thick gloves and long sleeves and jeans when harvesting as their stingers can pierce through thin fabric. Pluck young nettles in the spring and dry/steam then freeze to store; cooking or drying them will destroy the sting. Do not harvest or eat later season leaves as they will start to get tough and grainy which can cause urinary issues.

Cut the stalks to the ground in Autumn, strip them of their leaves and flatten to dry. You may use the stripped leaves in your compost bin to be used as fertiliser for your plants. Once dried, the stalks can be broken up to to retrieve the long fibres for hand spinning or shredded to make paper.

If you wait until the first frost to harvest your nettles for fibre, you will find them a lot easier to work with.

Magickal Attributes

Nettles can be burned to drive out negative or unwanted spirits as well as being used in protection bags. Also, they can be ground into a powder and used in spells to break curses. It can remove/repel hexes; keeps fear, anxiety, doubts, and stresses at bay, as well as being quite effective at keeping sickness such as colds away (I find this to be very effective when used in tea).

Stinging nettle is a strong purifier and is great at attracting abundance, courage, and inner strength.

Medicinal Uses

You can make it into a tea as an addition to diet for anyone recovering from a long illness or if you suffer from chronic weakness, fatigue, or anemia. Steep dry or fresh leaves in boiling water for 10 minutes and strain. This will destroy the sting and you will have a tasty and nutritious broth to show your witchcraft buddies.

It is also great for urinary tract/inflammatory conditions. Freeze dried nettles are useful for keeping hayfever at bay and with allergic conditions. You can also mush the leaves up with boiling water and apply it to closed wounds like bruises (let it dry and cool down first!).

Warnings

While they are generally perfectly safe to consume, they can act as a diuretic and stimulate stomach/abdominal contractions when eaten in large amounts. If you are already taking diuretics, have problems with your blood sugar or blood pressure, or are pregnant, approach nettles with caution

If you are taking this for a condition or serious illness, contact a doctor first to make sure that it is safe for you to use. NEVER use as a replacement for prescribed medicine.

Sources:

witchipedia.com

Flyingthehedge.com

Eldrumherbs.com

101 uses for stinging nettles by Piers Warren

I hope this has helped! Happy foraging!!

(Psst, if you like this content, you should follow to see more)

[cyanocoraxx]

with summer coming fast i just wanna share a psa on wasps and why they're good too.

- they do serve a purpose in the ecosystem. wasps are vital predators of aphids and blackflies. with no predation, one cabbage aphid could cover our planet in 822 million tonnes of bugs because they're so fertile, as estimated by zoologist mark carwardine. not only do wasps eat for themselves, but they need to provide for their grubs too, so that's even more aphids getting picked off every day. parasitic wasps of the family trichogrammatidae are used in horticulture for biological control of pests. trichogramma galloi is used to control sugarcane borers and encarsia formosa is used to control whitefly, a pest of tomato, cucumber, aubergine and strawberry. on some farms they even replace chemical pesticides.

- they are effective pollinators with some species contributing massively to the maintenance of plant populations. there are over 800 species of fig tree and each one has its own specific fig wasp. without one another, neither the fig nor fig wasp can complete their life-cycle - a clear example of co-evolution that has been successful for over 60 million years. Figs are a keystone species in tropical regions worldwide – their fruit supports the diets of at least 1,274 mammals and birds, meaning that the extinction of fig wasps would therefore be catastrophic in tropical ecosystems. furthermore, at least 100 orchid species rely on european wasps and common wasps for pollination.

- paper wasps and potter wasps make amazing artists. they can construct flawless nests made of wood and create stunning miniature pot nests out of nothing but mud and saliva. in one amazing case, a colony of paper wasps constructed a rainbow-coloured nest using coloured sheets of paper as shown on the right. (menchetti 2016)

- wasps are socially intelligent. not only can paper wasps recognise each other by the colour patterns on their faces, but they can still do so after at least one week apart. (sheehan and tibbetts 2008) european wasps can learn to recognise human faces. despite having no evolutionary reason for doing so, they construct holistic representations of complex images to remember a specific human face.  (avarguès-weber et al 2018) sand wasps tend to two or three chambers each day. each chamber is in a different location and each larva is at a different developmental stage. it was found that they learn the configuration of landmarks around each concealed chamber in order to find them. this means that the wasp learns where the chambers are and which action is needed at each. (baerends 1939)

- the world's smallest known insect is a fairy wasp! at only 139-240 micrometres long, dicopomorpha echmepterygis is smaller than some paramecium and amoeba species. the fairy wasp family also contains the smallest flying insect, kikiki huna. adult lifespans are very short, only lasting for a few days. several species are used as biological pest control agents. some species are even aquatic, using their wings as tiny paddles to swim around.

- social wasps are frequent models for batesian mimicry and müllerian mimicry. this means that non-stinging insects use wasps as a base to appear threatening to predators. their presence thus changes how other insects evolve. even bees such as the nomad bee have evolved to mimic wasps. (yellowjacket wasp on the left, clearwing moth on the right.)

[jaybug-jabbers]

Flick’s Complete Bug Guide

Hi, all! Do you feel a wave of disappointment whenever you bring Blathers a bug and he spends all his time berating the poor creatures? Want to learn more about the buggy friends you find in Animal Crossing without all the snide remarks?

Look no further– this is Flick’s Complete Bug Guide! Learn about these amazing creatures from the perspective of a true bug fan!

You’re encouraged to visit every time you capture a new bug so you can learn more about it!

This guide is written in the theoretical universe where you can approach Flick during a day he is visiting and there is a dialogue option “Tell me about this!”

Upon being asked to tell you about a bug, Flick would say:

“Oh my gosh! A <name of bug>! I can hardly even gaze upon its sheer beauty and magnificence!”

“Ahem. I-I mean, um … thank you for bringing this to me!”

He would then tell you about the bug, and finish his speech with the following:

“It has been an honor to spend time in the presence of your  <name of bug>. I hope you enjoyed hearing what wisdom I could share about it!”

Now, onward to the bug guide!

Common Butterfly (Pieris rapae)

The Common Butterfly, also known as the Cabbage Butterfly or the White Butterfly, is a widespread species of butterfly with pretty white wings and black spots. A large reason this species has grown so widespread is because its caterpillars love to eat plants in the cabbage family, including kale, broccoli and bok choy, plants that humans grow plenty of. While these caterpillars are considered serious crop pests, it’s interesting to note that these little grubs will move around a lot when feeding, avoiding damaging any single part of the plant too much. This may be to avoid predators from easily spotting the caterpillars, but they also might be trying to share the crops with us! With that in mind, maybe we can learn to share our crops with the butterflies, too.  

Yellow Butterfly (Colias erate)

Ever wonder about a butterfly’s wing? Such delicate, beautiful structures? Well, the scientific name for the family of butterflies and moths is ‘Lepidoptera,’ which means 'scale wing.’ Butterfly wings are coated in thousands of teeny, tiny scales made of chitin. These scales help insulate a butterfly, as well as allow butterfly wings to get their coloration through pigments or iridescence. The scales also allow for a very neat trick– if a butterfly gets captured in a spider’s web, there’s a good chance some of the scales on their wings will detach, allowing the butterfly to slip away. That’s why if you handle a butterfly, sometimes you hands are covered in a fine powdery substance. That powder is some of the butterfly’s scales rubbing off on you. I have to admit, I envy butterfly scales a little. They seem much more beautiful and functional than my own lizardy scales.

Common Bluebottle (Graphium sarpedon)

This vibrant black-and-blue insect is a type of swallowtail butterfly, and lives in tropical rainforests as well as some drier, subtropical environments. Like most butterflies, they feed on flower nectar, but Bluebottles are also commonly seen drinking from mud puddles. This helps them take in salts and minerals from the ground. In search of nutrients, Bluebottles may even occasionally feed from animal droppings or dead animals! Although this may change your image of butterflies as sweet, lovely insects, it’s actually a really smart move for the butterflies. Good things can come even from wastes!

Tiger Butterfly (Papilio machaon)

The Tiger Butterfly is named for its dramatic yellow and black-striped coloration. It’s also sometimes called a Yellow Swallowtail, because of the long tails on its hindwings that resemble the tails of swallows. When Tiger Butterflies are caterpillars, they are covered in brown, white and black spots– ingeniously camouflaged as bird droppings! As the caterpillars get older, their colors change to a lovely green with black and orange markings. They also gain a new defense against predators, called the osmeterium. This is a forked, retractable organ that the caterpillar can inflate when feeling threatened. The osmeterium releases a foul odor, warding off ants and other predatory insects. As you can see, caterpillars have all sorts of tricks to avoid being eaten– which is a good thing, because that means more beautiful butterflies!

Agrias Butterfly(Agrias claudina)

This superb little butterfly is considered one of the most beautiful species to exist, and with its iridescent pink and violet set on a black background, I find it hard to argue. The glorious colors you’re witnessing are thanks to the teeny, tiny scales that coat the butterflies’ wings. Male Agrias Butterflies also have small yellow patches of scales on their hindwings, and these patches are special. They’re actually made of something called androconial scales. These scales help release pheromones for attracting a mate. Butterflies communicate with each other through these pheromones, as well as those colorful, glittering wings. Of course, with such eye-catching looks, these butterflies may gain the unwanted attention of predators, too, but they’re in luck: Agrias Butterflies are incredibly swift and agile fliers. It takes a lot to get ahold of one of these little gems!

Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae)

Oh, wow! You caught a Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing? Those are rare– they’re an endangered species! They live in rainforests, but habitat destruction from oil palm plantations has really damaged their populations. (It didn’t help that a volcano erupted around the 50s, destroying much of their habitat as well.) These days, it’s illegal to trade this species worldwide. Hopefully, with habitat protection and captive breeding programs, the species will make a comeback. It’s a really special species– did you know it’s the largest butterfly in the world? Its wingspan can reach up to 9 inches or larger! The females are the larger of the species, while males are smaller but more brightly colored. They love to fly quite high up, and have few natural predators due to their size. That fact gives me hope! I want to see these birdwings thrive once more.

Emperor Butterfly (Morpho menelaus)

The charismatic Emperor Butterfly– also commonly known as the Blue Morpho– is a wonderful example of iridescence. The shimmering cerulean shades of this species do not come from pigment but instead from wing scales that have a special microstructure, reflecting the light in a special way to produce the color. As the butterfly flies, you get flashes of bright blue, and other times see the dark wing undersides. It makes for quite the dazzling display. This butterfly’s wings don’t only look lovely, but also are able to repel water. As a result, it’s one of the few butterflies that will fly in the rain! Because of its beauty, the Emperor is popular with collectors, but over collection and habitat destruction threatens this species. It’s essential that we protect and preserve nature and its incredible insects, so future generations can enjoy them as well!

Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing (Trogonoptera brookiana)

The regal Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing is the national butterfly of Malaysia, and it’s easy to see why. This butterfly makes for an impressive sight; it has a wingspan over 7 inches long and has shimmering, electric-green and black wings. It dwells on rainforested islands where it feeds from flowers such as orchid trees. Interestingly, the males love to gather at hot mineral springs to sip the water, while the drabber-colored females are seen far less often, living a more mysterious life in the trees. The caterpillars of this species are white and brown, covered in defensive spines called tubercles. These larvae feed on the poisonous leaves of vines, storing the poison in their bodies so they are toxic to predators that try to eat them. Laws have been made to protect this popular species, attempting to limit the trade and export of these butterflies. Unfortunately, people sometimes still try to smuggle this species to sell to collectors. It’s an important reminder that we need to protect and respect these beautiful creatures, and not let collecting get out of hand.

Great Purple Emperor (Sasakia charonda)

The Great Purple Emperor is Japan’s proud national butterfly, due to their refined beauty and their wide distribution across Japan. They are black or brown butterflies speckled in white and yellow, with the males covered in a gorgeous purple sheen. They like to dwell in the upper canopy of trees but will come down to feed, sipping up tree sap and occasionally seeking minerals from animal droppings or animal carcasses. They are quick, strong flyers and are said to look like birds when they fly. The caterpillars of this species are adorable green larvae with a pair of horns that I think makes them look absolutely charming. These caterpillars enjoy the leaves of hackberry trees, and when winter comes, the fellows will turn a brown color and crawl to the ground and hide among the roots and fallen leaves. When spring arrives, they immerge from hiding and continue to feed until they are ready to pupate and become adults in the summer. Then they take flight with their strong wing beats– truly the kings of the summer forest!

Paper Kite Butterfly (Idea leuconoe)

The Paper Kite Butterfly is known for its slow, graceful flight, looking much like a handkerchief drifting in the breeze. With their silvery white wings, decorated in dramatic black stripes and spots, it only adds to the loveliness of the picture. However, it’s important to note this species is not simply beautiful; it’s also highly poisonous. The caterpillars of Paper Kites feed on a number of toxic vines, and store the poisons in their bodies as they eat. This poison remains when they transform into adults, so any birds that happen by and try to eat this butterfly are in for a nasty surprise. The bird usually survives these encounters but learns a valuable lesson– avoid snacking on these elegant creatures!

Peacock Butterfly (Papilio bianor)

The Peacock Butterfly is a type of swallowtail butterfly, which means its hindwings have extensions that look very much like the tails of swallows. These colorful 'tails’ are actually great defensive mechanisms. If a bird tries to attack the Peacock Butterfly, it may focus instead on the eye-catching tail. This may end up with a bird grabbing a chunk of wing, but the butterfly’s vital body parts are still intact, and it can escape. Next time you’re admiring the gorgeous sparkling tails of the Peacock Butterfly, you can appreciate they aren’t simply for show but can also help protect these insects!

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

This particular butterfly is well-known for its epic migrations. Because Monarchs do not tolerate the cold, each year when winter begins to approach, they migrate en masse southward to Mexico, where they overwinter. They do this by taking advantage of air currents and thermals, traveling amazing distances in the process– sometimes up to 3,000 miles! During this migration, when the butterflies are resting, they gather together in large groups to roost on trees, huddled for warmth. A group of migrating monarchs is a truly incredible sight to behold; the air thick with fluttering wings, the trees absolutely covered in bright black and orange. Once winter has passed, the monarchs begin a return migration, but this one is different, as it spans multiple generations. The butterflies that eventually return northward in the spring are the grandchildren of the ones that left in the winter– in fact, it takes 3-4 generations for the monarchs to return to their northern territories again! Their journeys are truly inspiring.

Moth (Order Lepidoptera)

Time for a little lesson! Want to know the difference between butterflies and moths? A lot of people might think the difference is that moths are nocturnal and rather duly-colored, while butterflies are colorful and active during the day. But the truth is, there are actually a lot of daytime-flying moths, and many of those species are extremely colorful! A better way to tell them apart is to look at their antenna; generally, butterfly antenna are thin with 'clubs’ at the end, while moth antenna are fuzzy or feathery and lack clubs. Also, you can look at their wings when they’re at rest: butterflies usually like to hold their wings closed when they rest, while moths usually hold their wings flat. However, these are just rules of thumb, and there are exceptions. Ultimately, they’re both very closely related insects in the order Lepidoptera, and both equally enjoyable creatures.

Madagascan Sunset Moth (Chrysiridia rhipheus)

It is positively euphoric to gaze upon the Madagascan Sunset Moth, with its wide wingspan of 3 to 3 and a half inches, its eye-catching tails, and its glittering kaleidoscopic colors of red, green, blue and black. This day-flying moth species sips nectar and flits about the forests of Madagascar. Their caterpillars, white larvae clad in black spots and stripes, like to feed upon highly toxic shrubs, and then store the poison in their bodies. When they metamorphose into adults, they retain their toxicity, so predators quickly learn to avoid these dazzling insects. This species is considered one of the most beautiful moth or butterfly species in the world, prized among collectors and sometimes used in the making of jewelry. Of course, I feel the best way of appreciating this moth is the same way you appreciate a sunset; just be present for the moment you’re living in. Thank you for sharing this moment with us, Sunset moth.

Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas)

What a beautiful creature! The Atlas moth is one of the largest moths in the world. Do you see how its wings are massive compared to its little body? And here, the tips of its wings have these large extensions that look like the head of a snake! When potential predators disturb this moth, it flaps its wings and uses these false snake heads to try and spook animals away. It’s a clever tactic, because the Atlas moth must be careful about conserving its energy– it cannot afford to fly great distances. Why? Because it has no mouth. Adult moths simply never eat and live off of the fat reserves they built up when they were feeding as caterpillars. Like the bloom of a flower, the life of the Atlas Moth does not last long, but our worlds are all the richer for having them in it.

Rice Grasshopper (Oxya japonica)

The Rice Grasshopper is considered by people to be an agricultural pest, because it loves to eat crops, especially rice crops. However, the Rice Grasshopper is also considered by people to be, um … a very tasty snack. I have a sad story about Rice Grasshoppers. I was a pretty young hatchling at the time, and I was playing outside. I had been chasing a grasshopper for over an hour. When I finally captured it, I was so excited and proud! It was a beautiful Rice Grasshopper, probably a female, since it was quite large. I brought it back home to show my father. I … I gave it to him so he could look at it, and . . . he ate it in one gulp… . I cried a long time after that. He hadn’t realized I wanted to keep it. But, um … yeah. We don’t always get along so well. I can’t possibly imagine wanting to eat such beautiful, amazing creatures.

Long Locust (Acrida cinerea)

This fantastic-looking grasshopper has an incredibly long, triangular head, with two long antenna on top. They also have amazingly long hind legs, which they use to bound away from predators. They feed upon various grasses and especially have a taste for rice plants. The females of the Long Locust are much larger than the males, and can often be mistaken as a separate species. In Japan, these grasshoppers are known as Shouryou-batta, or “Spirit Grasshopper.” Because the grasshoppers appear in summer and autumn, around the time of the Bon Festival, and the grasshoppers’ bodies are boat-shaped, they remind people of the boats used during the festival to carry the souls of the departed. Quite an honorable reputation for this little locust!

Grasshopper (Infraorder Acrididea)

Grasshoppers come from a family of insects that have ancient roots, all the way back to the Triassic period. They have been chomping away on grasses and other plants for a very long time! They have powerful hind legs they use to spring into the air in order to evade predators. In the moment they leap, they may also flash their brightly-colored wings to startle their enemies. Since you’ve captured this grasshopper, I’m sure you know how surprisingly far and fast they can jump. Actually, if you and I could jump as well as a grasshopper, we could leap the length of a football field! Grasshoppers are also known for their chirping, which they produce by rubbing their powerful hind legs against their wings. Those impressive legs are thus useful for a variety of purposes. To be honest, our legs are pretty boring in comparison.

Migratory Locust (Locusta migratoria)

Locusts are a type of grasshopper that can engage in an absolutely fascinating event: locust swarms. Normally, locusts live a solitary, humble life; green insects that slowly creep about, calmly feeding on grasses and generally avoiding fellow locusts. However, if locust populations start to become too crowded, especially due to high rainfall increasing the food supply, then locusts change rapidly. Their appearances change and they gain bright, colorful markings; also, their behavior switches to being highly gregarious, which means they are drawn to each other in large crowds and they start to act as a single group. They begin to reproduce rapidly and eat voraciously, and will travel over long distances, stripping the land of vegetation. These swarms are sometimes called locust plagues, because they can devastate farmer’s crops and even cause famine! There is some consolation, though … locusts are a good, protein-packed food for people to eat.

Cricket (Family Gryllidae)

The soothing, relaxing song of crickets is produced when crickets rub their textured wings together– this is called stridulation. They sing to attract mates and to mark their territories, and some crickets even have a specific tune they sing after a successful mating. These musical insects are also affected by temperatures; most crickets chirp faster as the temperature increases, and they can be so reliable that if you count the number of chirps, you can estimate the temperature. The language of crickets is actually quite complex and compelling! Crickets hear each other through ears located on their front legs, just below their 'knees.’ Cricket hearing is very sophisticated, actually, and may even rival our own hearing. The next time you hear that gentle chirping in the night, you should stop to really listen to it. Who knows what secrets they could be whispering to you!

Bell Cricket (Homoeogryllus japonicus)

Like most insects, the Bell Cricket has two pairs of wings; the hindwings are membranous and meant for flight, while the front wings are leathery and protective. Bell Crickets make a beautiful chirp by rubbing their front wings together, and many people liken the sound to the chiming of bells. These crickets can change the sound of their songs by vibrating their bodies as they chirp, making the sound of each cricket unique. These lovely musicians are popular pets, traditionally kept in bamboo cages. What’s more, there’s actually a Buddhist temple that raises thousands of Bell Crickets each year, so that people can go there to meditate to the melodious sound of Bell Cricket chirps. It sounds divine to me!

Mole Cricket (Family Gryllotalpidae)

Mole crickets are remarkable little critters, adapted perfectly to a life underground. They use their powerful shovel-like front legs to dig rapidly in the dirt, excavating tunnels in search of food such as roots, grasses and worms. The males will construct horn-shaped tunnels and then chirp inside them, so the tunnels resonate the sound of the chirping. This means while you may never have seen a mole cricket before, you’ve likely heard one without realizing! Mole crickets do occasionally leave the earth, however, and can fly or even swim, if needed. Generally they come to the surface at night, so if you’re particularly lucky, you may get to see one!

Mantis (Order Mantodea)

The mantis is a mighty ambush predator, stalking their prey before seizing them with their spiked, raptorial forelegs, using lightning-speed reflexes. They have huge compound eyes, and their heads can turn 180 degrees as they survey the world for food. They feed upon many insects, and can even take down hummingbirds and rodents! Their hunger will sometimes even extend to eating their own kind; it’s not unheard of for female mantises to consume the heads of the males after mating. This is perhaps not as terrible as it sounds; the male’s sacrifice helps provide nourishment for his future offspring. Still, I must admit, if I am to be reborn as a mantis in the next life, I’d probably prefer to be born a female mantis.

Orchid Mantis (Hymenopus coronatus)

This resplendent mantis is perfectly disguised as a white and pink flower, down to the very petal shape itself! The camouflage helps protect it from predators as well as draw in potential prey. The mantis lies in wait among the bushes and flowers for an unsuspecting butterfly or other insect to wander by, and then snatches it up. Such deadly beauty– a clever mistress of blossoms! These mantises are so skilled at disguise, they can even gradually change color to reflect their environment. To be honest, I feel a certain kinship with the orchid mantis’ camouflaging ways. Perhaps someday I will master the art of flower mimicry, just as they have!

Honey Bee (Genus Apis)

The humble honeybee, a hard-working partner of ours for thousands of years. Cave paintings up to 10,000 years old show people eating honey, and beekeeping in clay pots began around 9,000 years ago in Africa. Because of this long-term relationship, we know quite a lot about our buzzing friends. For example, bees communicate with each other through the medium of dance! When a worker bee finds a great patch of flowers and wishes to tell her sisters about it, she returns to the hive and performs a waggle dance. The dance tells the bees the direction of the flower patch and its distance from the hive. As an artist, I can empathize with the bees. Words often pale in comparison with other methods of expression. Truly, the bees are not only diligent workers but brilliant performance artists.

Wasp (Polistes rothneyi)

Wasps! One of the most misunderstood and amazing families of insects to exist! Did you know there are over 30,000 species of wasps? They come in all shapes and sizes, from the fairy wasps that are around the size of an amoeba to the massive asian giant hornets that are almost two inches long. While some are well-known for constructing papery or mud nests and living in hives, many other species are solitary and live in single, tiny burrows. As a whole, wasps tend to be predatory, preying on a wide range of insects, including many species considered harmful to crops. Wasps also dine upon nectar, however, and can be important plant pollinators. It’s difficult to try and summarize the sheer variety and glory of wasps, but know that they play vital roles in the ecosystem and are truly wondrous creatures!

Robust Cicada (Hyalessa maculaticollis)

Aaaah, the sweet, sonorous cicada. Nothing quite says “summer” like the hypnotic sound of cicadas singing. Cicadas are well-known for their loud, rhythmic songs, but how do they make these sounds? The answer is the tymbals– drum-like organs in the abdomen that males flex back and forth. The sound then reverberates throughout the cicada’s abdomen, magnifying the sound. Robust Cicadas in particular are known for their especially loud chirps. I find these musicians to be deeply inspiring, and it’s always a transcending experience to hold witness to one of their performances!

Gaint Cicada (Cryptotympana holsti)

Did you know that cicadas are seen as symbols of rebirth and immortality in Chinese lore? Just as the cicada lives underground for many, many years and then rises, reborn from the dirt, we hope to emulate such glory. Cicadas were also seen as creatures of high status, as they subsist on dew and perch upon their thrones in the treetops. Because of this symbolism, Chinese royalty has borrowed fashion ideas from the great cicada. Even their crowns were decorated with the image of a cicada, eyes shining bright! A fitting homage to this noble bug.

Brown Cicada (Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata)

While most cicadas have transparent wings, the Brown Cicada sports opaque, brown wings, so it’s pretty easy to recognize. Another recognizable trait is their cry, which is often compared to the sound of hot oil sizzling. These bugs are fond of sipping the sap of trees, including fruit trees. As a result, some people consider the Brown Cicada a pest. Hah! Imagine having the audacity to call these little marvels a pest! The cicadas are only doing what comes natural to any of us– eating to survive. I’ll gladly share the fruit trees with my insect brethren for that.

Evening Cicada (Tanna japonensis)

The males of Evening Cicadas sing a mournful song in the mornings, at dusk, or when the weather turns cool or cloudy. Among the many different cicadas, the sorrowful song of the Evening Cicada is possibly my favorite. But why do cicadas sing? Are they expressing some deep-felt sentiment? Actually, yes. They are expressing perhaps one of the most deep-felt sentiments there can be; loneliness. Evening Cicadas, as well as their cicada relatives, are calling for a mate. Males usually pack into rather large groups and call together, creating quite a large collective sound. Females can hear these calls from around a mile away! It’s a nice thought that because of their mournful cries, the Evening Cicadas are able to happily unite with each other.

Walker Cicada (Meimuna opalifera)

While some cicadas are associated with summer, the song of the Walker Cicada traditionally marks the end of summer and the start of autumn. It has a very characteristic cry, which in Japan is heard as “Tsukutsuku … boushi!” However, the song of this species actually differs depending on the region it is in. That’s right– insects have dialects! Speaking of dialects, the Walker Cicada is actually native to China, but it’s believed it hitched a ride on wooden brooms and was imported to Japan. Now it’s widespread in both countries, in addition to Korea and Taiwan. I wonder what a Walker Cicada would sound like with an Australian dialect? Or an Indian one?

Cicada Shell

This is truly a treasure– a perfectly intact cicada shell! These shells are proof of a wondrous transformation that cicadas undergo. You see, it all begins when a female deposits an egg in a little groove on a tree. The young feed on the fluids of the tree for a while before dropping to the ground and digging their way to safety. They then spend years underground, exploring the depths and dining on roots. Eventually, the young rise from the soil, finally seeing daylight once more, and climb the trunk of a tree. There, they shed their skins, emerging as glorious, winged adults! This shell represents their touching life journey. I hope that it might inspire you, as it does for me.

Darner Dragonfly (Anax parthenope)

Dragonflies are one of my favorite species! Did you know dragonflies were some of the very first winged insects to evolve and have been around for millions of years? Ancient dragonflies had wingspans of up to two feet long! The Darner Dragonfly isn’t that large, of course, but it’s still an impressive creature. They’re powerful predators, capturing their prey mid-flight, kind of making them the hawks of the insect world. Their flying skills are fantastic, and they can fly in all directions, hover, and even fly backwards, so they have unparalleled agility. Because they hunt by sight, they also have amazing eyes, among the best in the insect kingdom; they have up to 30,000 lenses in those enormous compound eyes pointing in all directions, and can detect light in color spectrums well beyond what we can see. If you want to have some fun, just sit back and watch the dragonflies hunt for a while!

Red Dragonfly (Sympetrum frequens)

Ever wonder why dragonflies are usually found near water? They love to hunt in these environments, snatching up and devouring midges, mosquitoes, moths and many others. But dragonflies are also fond of ponds and lakes because those are their breeding grounds. You see, dragonfly larvae are aquatic. The female lays her eggs on plants near the water or will skim the surface of the water with her abdomen, dropping eggs into the water. The nymphs that hatch are active, hungry hunters, devouring mosquito larvae, other aquatic insects or worms, and even tadpoles and small fish. The nymphs enjoy their aquatic lifestyle for a long time, up to five years, occasionally climbing onto a reed to shed their old skins and grow, before eventually molting one last time into a winged adult. Because of their reliance on these ecosystems, dragonflies are great indicators of the health of our wetlands!

Banded Dragonfly (Anotogaster sieboldii)

There has been a very wide range of associations with dragonflies among different cultures. European cultures have historically viewed dragonflies in a very negative light; some have called them “devil’s darning needles” and folklore casts them in villainous roles. Fortunately, other cultures view dragonflies in a very positive way. They are celebrated in some Native American crafts and may symbolize pure water or swiftness; in Japan, dragonflies are strong symbols of courage, luck and happiness, as well as signs of autumn’s arrival. Dragonflies have been used in traditional medicine as well as for food, so some cultures simply associate them with a meal. It’s actually really hard to summarize the many different ways people view dragonflies. Personally, I admire dragonflies’ incredible flying and hunting talents, their sheer beauty, and their tenacious spirits. What do dragonflies mean to you?

Damselfly(Ischnura senegalensis)

The Damselfly is a close relative to the dragonfly, but damselflies tend to be smaller, thinner, and hold their wings along their body at rest. You can also tell by looking at their eyes; damselfly eyes are always separated while most dragonfly eyes are touching. Like the dragonfly, damselflies are talented predators, nabbing flies, mosquitoes, moths and others right out of the air or plucking them off of plants. Males display elaborate courtship dances to impress females. If the male is successful, the damselflies will mate in a complex shape called a mating heart or mating wheel– which is the shape their abdomens make when they curl around each other. The female then lays eggs along the stems of underwater plants. The young that hatch live under water, breathing through feathery gills on their abdomens and feeding on aquatic insects, sometimes molting so they can grow larger. When they’re ready, they immerge from the water and cast off their old skin to immerge as graceful, lithe adults. The coloration of dragonflies and damselflies can range from just about every color of the rainbow, and they often shimmer beautifully in the sun. The next time you’re by a pond or marsh, keep an eye out for these quick, flittering gems!

Firefly (Family Lampyridae)

Fireflies are appealing little beetles with an extraordinary ability: a beautiful bioluminescence located on their backsides. The lights that fireflies produce are chemical reactions that take place inside their transparent abdomens. This light is cool to the touch and is yellow-green in color. Fireflies control their luminescence at will, and will flicker their lights in rhythmic patterns that are unique to each species. This helps males and females locate each other for mating. While many fireflies feed on pollen and nectar, some are carnivorous. Sometimes, females of these carnivorous fireflies will use light signals to their advantage, mimicking the patterns of particular firefly species simply to lure them in so they can eat them. These are femme fatale fireflies, so males need to be careful of them– the mesmerizing displays of fireflies can be a complicated language!

Pondskater (Family Gerridae)

This graceful bug skates effortlessly across the surface of the water, a magnificent feat that us silly vertebrates can only dream of. The pondskater’s body is carefully built to transfer their weight perfectly across their long, slender legs, which are lined with hairs that help repel water. The insects will row across the water with their middle legs and steer with their back legs. Their front legs are shorter and have claws, to help them seize insects that have fallen into the water. They pierce their prey with a proboscis to feed– all while staying on the surface of the water! Pondskaters do pretty much everything on top of the water, even mating. They communicate with other pondskaters by creating ripples in the water; some ripple frequencies are threatening signals while others are mating signals. They are truly masters of their craft. I’d prefer to watch the pondskaters’ dances rather than an ice skater any time!

Giant Water Bug (Family Belostomatidae)

The Giant Water Bug is indeed very large– the largest true bug, which can grow to be around four inches long! They have flattened, oval bodies, with oarlike back legs for swimming and raptorial front legs that are designed for seizing prey. They also have tubes on their abdomen that they breathe through, much like a snorkel. Water Bugs stalk and capture a wide variety of prey, including fish, frogs, and insects, and may even grab turtles and snakes! Once they capture something, they inject it with venomous saliva, then wait for their food to digest before sucking up the liquefied remains. Although these bugs are efficient and aggressive predators, they’re also caring parents; in some species, the female will lay her eggs on the back of the male, and the father will carry them about until they hatch! It’s nice to see father insects taking an active role in parenting as well.

Diving Beetle (Family Dytiscidae)

Diving Beetles are sleek, flat beetles that cruise through the water with ease, using their powerful, hairy back legs to paddle.  Although they’re aquatic they still need to breathe air, and actually store air bubbles under their wing cases before diving, breathing the air through tubes in their abdomens. The Diving Beetle is an active predator, hunting a wide variety of prey including insects, tadpoles and fish. The young of Diving Beetles are also carnivorous predators, and are sometimes called Water Tigers. When the larvae are ready, they bury themselves in the mud to pupate, and immerge as adults. Adult Diving Beetles are surprisingly very capable fliers, and will take off at night in search of new watery habitats. They search for the bright reflection of moonlight bouncing off of bodies of water to help guide them. If you ever find Diving Beetles in a small pond or puddle and wonder how they got there, that’s how!

Stink Bug (Family Pentatomidae)

Aww, a Stink Bug! I love these fellahs. Stink Bugs are a great example of true bugs. Technically speaking, a lot of things we call bugs aren’t really bugs. All bugs are insects, but not all insects are bugs! So what makes a true bug? Well, true bugs like Stink Bugs have beaklike mouthparts called proboscises. They use them to pierce plants (or animals!) and suck up their food. Unlike butterfly or honeybee mouthparts, true bugs can’t roll up their proboscises. True bugs also often produce a pungent defensive spray, like Stink Bugs! People argue over what stink bug spray actually smells like– some say it’s very earthy, others call it woody or oily, and some say it’s bitter and fruity. Although it’s designed to ward off predators, I have to admit I’ve grown quite fond of the smell.

Man-Faced Stink Bug (Catacanthus incarnatus)

The markings of the Man-Faced Stink Bug are bright and colorful, and some people think these markings look like a face. With such an appealing, dramatic appearance, you’d expect these bugs to be popular pets, but actually, people have had a little difficulty raising them in captivity. The challenge is in raising the nymphs. What exactly are nymphs? Well, some insects undergo what’s called complete metamorphosis– for example, butterflies first hatch as caterpillars, then transform into pupae before immerging as adults. Other insects, such as stink bugs, undergo incomplete metamorphosis. Their young are not grubs, but instead are nymphs, which are basically miniature versions of the adults. Our hope is to eventually raise these baby Man-Faced Stink Bugs to full adulthood. If we succeed, we can share the joy of stink bugs with more people!

Ladybug (Family Coccinellidae)

These bright red little beetles actually come in a variety of colors with a variety of spots or stripes. Many cultures consider the ladybug a symbol of good luck, and if one lands upon you, good fortune is sure to find you. Part of the reason they are seen as lucky may be because of their voracious appetites for aphids. You see, aphids are tiny little bugs that love to eat people’s crops, but ladybugs eat aphids by the hundreds and help keep crops safe. Thus, some cultures consider ladybugs to be a divine gift. Next time a ladybug lands upon you, try making a wish. Whether you get the wish or not, you’ll be blessed by the presence of this charming little friend!

Tiger Beetle (Subfamily Cicindelinae)

Tiger Beetles are named because they are powerful predators of the beetle world. But it might be more accurate to call them Cheetah Beetles! The fastest Tiger Beetle can run 5 miles per hour, or 120 body lengths per second. A Cheetah, in comparison, can only run 16 body lengths per second– so when you really think about it, Tiger Beetles are the clear winners. In fact, Tiger Beetles move so fast they have to stop in the middle of running several times to reorient their vision before running again. Even when stopping in the middle of a chase, the beetles have no problem capturing their prey!

Citrus Long-Horned Beetle (Anoplophora chinensis)

The Citrus Long-Horned Beetle has a glossy black body with white spots, and has an impressively long pair of antenna. You’re likely to find it hanging out among the trees, as it’s fond of dining upon the leaves, stems and bark of a wide range of tree species, including citrus and hardwood trees. The females will drill little holes into the bark of a tree to carefully deposit her eggs, one at a time. When the eggs hatch, the larvae will dig into the tree, feeding on the nutritious inner bark. To be truthful, the Citrus Long-Horned Beetle is not very popular among a lot of people, because it’s capable of killing many healthy trees when it feeds and reproduces. Of course, there are natural enemies of these beetles that can help keep populations in check, such as parasites, ants and fungi. Nature does try to keep things in balance!

Violin Beetle (Mormolyce phyllodes)

This elegant beetle has a very narrow neck and head, a wide, flat body and marvelously curved wings, looking very much like a tiny violin. In truth, it is probably not imitating a violin but a brown leaf, which helps it blend in with its environment and avoid predators. Its flat body also helps it slip in between layers of mushrooms and tree bark, where it actively hunts for other insects, especially larvae. If startled, this beetle can release toxic fluid as a defense. This is likely to deter anything that tries to stuff it into their mouths! The Violin Beetle lives in tropical rainforests in Malaysia and other islands, and is threatened by the destruction of its habitat. We must strive to preserve our rainforests so precious creatures such as the Violin Beetle can thrive.

Jewel Beetle (Chrysochroa fulgidissima)

This dazzling little beetle is named after the splendid jewel-like shine to its exoskeleton. This coloration is known as iridescence, and the colors shift depending on how you look at them. Like little drops of sunlight, Jewel Beetles are so prized among people that their shells have been used in jewelry and other crafts. There is also an expression in Japan, tamamushi-iro, that refers to the ever-shifting colors of the Jewel Beetle, and the term can also refer to language that can be interpreted in multiple ways. Personally, I draw a great amount of artistic inspiration from the Jewel Beetle, and from my efforts to capture their ever-changing rainbows of power and vitality!

Rosalia Batesi Beetle (Rosalia batesi)

This enchanting long-horned beetle is a beautiful shade of blue, is covered in black polka dots and sports an impressive pair of antenna that can be almost twice as long as its body. Its entire body is also covered in a velvety, fine hair, including cute little tufts of hair on the antenna. The adults enjoy eating pollen, fruits and sap, while the larvae rely on dead wood for food. While Rosalia Batesi bothers some people because it may feed on crops, many people adore this beetle for its attractive appearance, and it’s commonly featured on stamps and other designs. I think if we all learn to share the land and its bounties, then we can be very happy to share the world with this sprightly spirit of the forest.

Blue Weevil Beetle (Genus Eupholus)

The Blue Weevil Beetle comes in many stunning shades of blue and green, and are so bright and beautiful that some people will use them for jewelry. But beware! These sparkling hues are actually warning signals! The Blue Weevil uses its long beak to bore into leaves, and builds up toxins in its body as it feeds. Anyone who’s hoping to chow down on these effervescent insects will end up getting poisoned. It’s far better to respect and admire the Blue Weevil than to eat it!

Dung Beetle (Familes Geotrupidae, Scarabaeidae)

Dung Beetles come from a number of insect groups, including the earth-boring dung beetles, the scarab beetles, and the small dung beetles. What they all have in common is that they feed upon dung!  This is an incredibly important job, believe it or not. Without dung beetles and other feces-feeding insects, we might be buried up to our necks in animal droppings! The Dung Beetles break down these wastes and return nutrients back to the earth, recycling these materials. Many of them do this by shaping dung into a carefully compacted ball, balancing on top of it, and rolling it away to a safe place so they can feed. Dung Beetles like to roll in straight lines with their balls, and they use the sun and moon to help them navigate– and even the bright stripe of the Milky Way! It’s no wonder many cultures respect and even revere this talented beetle.

Earth-Boring Dung Beetle (Family Geotrupidae)

Like some of their scarab brethren, the Earth-Boring Dung Beetle has a glittering, jewel-like luster to its exoskeleton. This is a very special kind of color! Unlike most colors in the animal kingdom, called pigments, the shells of Earth-Boring Dung Beetles are colored by iridescence, or teeny, tiny structures that bounce light in a particular pattern. The result is stunning to gaze upon! As these beetles spend much time burrowing into the soil, spotting them is truly like finding buried treasure.

Scarab Beetle (Family Scarabaeidae)  

The sacred scarab! Truly, you are fortunate to have come upon one of these little deities. You see, scarab beetles were revered by the ancient Egyptians. When the scarabs rolled balls of dung for their precious young to feast upon, the Egyptians saw them as symbolically pushing the orb of the sun across the sky. In fact, the Egyptian sun God, Ra, was believed to have taken the form of a scarab beetle, named Khepri, and pushed the sun across the sky just like a ball of dung. The Egyptians even placed amulets shaped like scarab beetles over the hearts of mummies to protect them in the afterlife. Scarabs are protectors, bringers of light and of life itself!  

Drone Beetle (Pseudotorynorrhina japonica)

These handsome creatures are a type of scarab beetle, a powerful group of beetles revered by the ancient Egyptians as sacred. The antennae of scarabs are special, and can be folded out gracefully like a fan to better detect odors, or folded back up into a club shape to serve as a weapon! We can only dream of possessing appendages so adaptable and so magnificent in design!

Goliath Beetle (Genus Goliathus)

This mighty beetle is named after the legendary giant Goliath, and it’s easy to see why. This beetle can grow over four inches long, making it one of the largest beetles in the world! It also can weigh over three ounces when it’s a larva, although the adults are only around half that weight. The reason for the difference is because the larvae gorge themselves on decayed leaves, wood and proteins, preparing for their metamorphosis. As adults, they enjoy a lighter diet of tree sap, fruit juices and other sugary substances. To help with foraging, each of this beetle’s legs ends in a pair of hooked claws that are great for climbing and clinging to trees. If one of these beetles happens to attach itself to you with these feet, you’ll need to gently guide them off. If you just grab and pull, the claws might remain attached, and we don’t want their little feetsies to get hurt!

Horned Elephant (Megasoma elephas)

This hefty beast is absolutely gigantic when compared to most beetles– in fact, it’s one of the heaviest beetles in the world. Males have big horns on their heads, which they use mainly to battle with other males for mating privileges. Another feature you might have missed is that their bodies are covered in fine, delicate hairs, making the beetles appear yellow in color. Sometimes, when I’m feeling anxious, I, uh … I pet the Horned Elephant beetles. It’s very soothing. You should try it sometime!

Horned Dynastid (Allomyrina dichotoma)

These proud warriors have heads shaped like a samurai helmet, and make good use of those horns for battle and for digging. While embroiled in territory disputes, a male Dynastid can actually launch its competitor straight into the air! When they aren’t fighting, they can be found calmly hanging out on trees, sipping sap or drinking from ripe fruits. Their young live underground, eat rotting wood, and take a long time to mature– around a year. Then they immerge, as a fresh new batch of warriors of the woods!

Horned Atlas (Chalcosoma atlas)

The Atlas Beetle is named after a titan from Greek Mythology who held up the heavens on his shoulders. The comparison to a Greek God is appropriate, as the Horned Atlas can reach sizes of up to five inches long and can carry hundreds of times its own weight. That makes it one of the strongest animals on the planet, for its size! Personally, it would not surprise me if we found out that a great celestial Atlas Beetle has been holding up the skies all of this time.

Horned Hercules (Dynastes hercules)

The Hercules beetle is named in honor of the roman god Hercules, famed for his great strength and heroic feats. I can think of no greater name for this heroic beetle. The Horned Hercules can carry up to 850 times its own weight, and can grow to be 7 inches in length, making it the longest species of beetle in the whole world. A lot of that length is in its massive horn, which males use to challenge each other to win the affections of female beetles. Once they have mated, these massive beetles produce, as you could guess, massive babies. In fact, the young of Hercules beetles are probably the largest larvae in the world!

Rainbow Stag (Phalacrognathus muelleri)

Oh! My eyes have been blessed, to be allowed to gaze upon the splendor of the Rainbow Stag. This beetle appears to change color depending on the angle you view it, shifting from emerald greens to ruby reds to glittering gold, all with a luscious metallic sheen. This magnificent color fades when the beetle dies, just as a rainbow will fade in the sky. I like to think the Rainbow Stag reminds us of the ephemeral nature of beauty and life, and teaches us to value things while we can.

Golden Stag (Allotopus rosenbergi)

The Golden Stag’s exoskeleton is a breathtaking, metallic gold, making it highly prized by bug lovers and collectors. The shimmering beetles live in tropical jungles at high altitudes, using their short, sturdy mandibles to dig into wood and dine upon tree sap. Collectors have struggled to breed this stag in captivity, as it’s sensitive to temperatures and the young have strict dietary requirements. However, in recent times, there has been more success with captive breeding. Personally, I derive deep joy and satisfaction simply basking in this creature’s presence, regardless of how long it lasts. Come. Let us enjoy this golden moment together.

Cyclommatus Stag (Genus Cyclommatus)

The mandibles of this stag beetle are staggering, often as long as their body. These amazing jaws are used to mine tree sap as well as fight other stag beetles for the right to mate. In fact, males will often throw each other off of trees in their competitions! However, do not be too intimidated by the Cyclommatus Stag; it can be tender as well. They chew through decaying wood to lovingly craft a home for their young. I’ve actually been considering taking inspiration from this stag and adding more rotting wood to my bedroom. I think it would give it a cozy touch.

Miyama Stag (Lucanus maculifemoratus)

This handsome stag has a thick, bumpy exoskeleton and powerful-looking mandibles. However, despite its tough appearance, the Miyama is a gentle beast. In truth, you can easily injure one if you mishandle it, so care should be taken when interacting with this delicate soul. Miyamas are popular with children, and are widespread in their native lands, in both mountainous places as well as plains. Actually, one of my very first friends was a Miyama Stag. They helped me learn the deep and mysterious art of communication with insectkind. Thus, I will always have a soft spot for these gentle giants.

Saw Stag (Prosopocoilus inclinatus)

Saw Stags are popular pets in their homeland, and it’s easy to see why. Those handsome reddish brown shells, those magnificent saw-like mandibles, those curious little eyes, those hook-like claws! As they grow, that pair of jaws grows along with them, gaining more teeth and a larger curve. You needn’t fear, though; this beetle is unlikely to bite you unless you stick your finger directly into its mouth. In fact, when this beetle feels vibrations, it may freeze and feign death as a defense mechanism. They clearly prefer to avoid a fight unless it’s necessary. The Saw Stags that I take care of certainly will never have a reason to fight– I spoil them rotten with all the bananas and beetle jelly they could possibly want!

Giant Stag (Dorcus Hopei Binodulosus)

The Giant Stag is probably the most popular stag to keep as a pet! They’re very large, docile, easy to breed, and live quite long for a stag beetle, up to five years! People also find their mandibles to be very appealing, which have a single tooth on either side. They will rarely use these jaws to bite, unless you go out of your way to bother them. In fact, these are shy beetles, and they will spend a lot of their time just hiding away in holes inside of trees. They will peacefully sip tree saps and fruits, and prefer to be active at night. In the wild, Giant Stag populations have decreased due to over collection, although fortunately people are turning more and more to breeding in order to keep wild populations safe. This serves as an important reminder– bugs need to be treated with care and respect, even when we’re acting out of love!

*Giaraffe Stag

Walking Stick (Order Phasmatodea)

Walking Sticks are excellent examples of the art of camouflage in its purest form. Not only do they mimic twigs and branches, all the way down to the very knots in the wood, but as they walk, they mimic the sway of branches in the breeze. They have truly become one with their environment. I hope to achieve this level of focus in my own life someday, as I surround myself with all that is arthropod.

Walking Leaf (Family Phylliidae)

These incredible insects have taken camouflage to the next level. Their bodies so closely resemble leaves that they include the veins and even nibble-marks on leaves, and they can even fool leaf-eating insects! As they walk, they sway back and forth, imitating a leaf blowing in the breeze. They enjoy munching on leaves, because the Walking Leaf not only disguises itself as leaves, but eats them as well. They are truly immersed in leafhood.

Bagworm (Family Psychidae)

Bagworms are not really worms, but are the caterpillars of a special kind of moth. These charming little larvae construct themselves beautiful 'bags’ made out of silk and bits of things they find in the environment– twigs, leaves, lichens, sand, and even bits of plastic! They wear these protective bags as disguises as they crawl about and feed on leaves or lichens. When they’re ready to pupate, the bags serve as the perfect cocoon! Males will immerge from the case and spread their wings and fly away. Females, however, are a different story. Bagworm females often are wingless, and may spend the rest of their lives inside their childhood casings. Males will visit the females in their bags to breed. Imagine being so attached to your mobile home that you never leave! Considering how artistic some of these bags are, I guess I can’t blame them.

Ant (Family Formicidae)

The extraordinary ant, a species that has existed for millions of years and currently lives in all corners of the globe. These creatures form complex colonies, often made up of hundreds or thousands of individuals, and have a division of labor: worker ants, soldier ants, fertile male drones, and an egg-laying queen ant. It would be erroneous to think of ants in individual terms, as really, individual ants come together to form a super-organism, the ant colony. They always cooperate for the wellbeing of the colony as a whole. Individual ants are marvelously talented in the ways of chemical communication, and they produce all kinds of scents to help communicate with their sisters; signals to signify food, warnings signals for enemies, and so forth. This is how ants are able to act together as a group. With this kind of communal power, ants can accomplish amazing things. They’ve been known to build bridges with their own bodies for their sisters to cross; some species will create and tend to underground fungus gardens; other species will herd and tend to honeydew-producing aphids as if they were tending cattle! Ants teach is something very important– the power of cooperation.

Hermit Crab (Superfamily Paguroidea)

O-oh! It’s a Hermit Crab! These aren’t insects, but they are arthropods. What defines an arthropod is that they are invertebrates with segmented bodies and jointed limbs, as well as a chitinous exoskeleton. That means Hermit Crabs and insects are relatives! And they’re very charming relatives, too. Hermit Crabs have ten legs, inquisitive stalk eyes, and soft bodies protected by a shell. But these crabs don’t grow their own shells! Instead, they borrow empty shells they happens to find, which are often sea snail shells. As this type of crab ages and grows larger, it must find new, larger shells to borrow. Sometimes, when a Hermit Crab is looking for a new shell, and finds one that’s too large, it will sit and wait by the large shell. Other hermit crabs will pass by and join the first, waiting in an orderly line. Then, when a Hermit Crab passes by that is a perfect fit for the shell, all the crabs will quickly exchange shells in sequence! All that shell-trading may be a lot of work, but in the end, it’s worth it for such a cozy home.

Fly (Musca domestica)

Aah, the common house fly. While this species of insect is rarely adored by people, the fly still has plenty of things to admire. This little scavenger plays an important role in breaking down wastes and organic matter, returning them to the earth. But the fly feeds on liquids, so how does it eat feces, carrion and rotting fruits or vegetation? Well, it regurgitates saliva from its stomach, which helps dissolve the food, and then sucks it up! You might also have observed that flies like to wander around a piece of food quite a bit before feeding. They’re likely tasting the food with their feet! This is also why you can often see flies carefully cleaning their feet. They need to stay tidy so their taste and tactile receptors work well. True, the fly can transfer diseases to human food by landing on something contaminated and then landing on human food. Yet there’s no denying they still play an important role in waste disposal– not to mention a vital role in the food web, as they’re food for many, many animals!

Mosquito (Family Culicidae)

Little mosquito, oh how your reputation precedes you. This tiny fly is known for being a blood-sucker, but did you know only the females suck blood? The males feed upon nectar. The females seek a blood meal so they can produce eggs. Female mosquitoes are able to narrow in on a person or animal by detecting body heat and the carbon dioxide of their breath. The mosquito then lands, inserts her long proboscis, and injects saliva into her target to help with blood flow, and feeds until she’s all filled up. The itchy bite that she leaves behind is actually because of the mosquito’s saliva. Now, mosquitoes can transmit some bad diseases when they bite people, there’s no denying. But mosquitoes are also very useful to scientists, who study the germs that can live inside mosquitoes. By studying them, we can learn to better control the diseases that they can cause.

Flea (Order Siphonaptera)

Fleas are teeny, tiny parasites that hunger for a blood meal. They have smooth, flattened bodies that help them move through fur or feathers with ease, hooked claws to help them cling to their hosts, and extremely powerful hind legs for jumping. A flea’s jump is incredible, and they can propel themselves around 200 times their own body length, making them one of the best jumpers in the world. While many flea species are very picky about their hosts, some fleas are generalists and may feed upon a variety of animals. Females will lay their eggs on the skin or the bedding of their host animals, and they will produce hundreds to thousands of eggs in their lifetime. The eggs hatch into little wiggling larvae that feed upon organic matter and their parents’ feces. When they mature into adults and take a blood meal, they can mate and begin the cycle anew. I can understand why people wouldn’t be terribly fond of fleas feeding on them, but luckily for me, fleas don’t care for reptile blood.

Snail (Phylum Mollusca, Class Gastropoda)

Our slithering, slime-coated companions are not actually insects! Instead, snails are mollusks, close relatives of clams, oysters and other shellfish. They have soft, mucous-coated bodies– the underside of the snail is actually one big 'foot’ of sorts that pulses rhythmically to propel the snail forward. The slime that coats a snail helps it glide efficiently along the ground, and also stick to surfaces. Additionally, this slime helps protect snails from a number of hazards, such as harsh sunlight, sharp objects, and even bacteria! I’m actually a little jealous. Being coated in slime has an awful lot of benefits, as it turns out!

Pill Bug (Order Isopoda, family Armadillidiidae)

Oh yes, the Pill Bug is something special! They’re actually not bugs at all but land-dwelling crustaceans– related to crabs, lobsters, and shrimp. They still retain their fondness for damp environments, so you’ll often see them under rocks or in tree stumps. In these wonderfully wet and dark places, they go about their business, eating decaying plant material and playing a vital role in decomposition and returning nutrients to our great earth. If you try to pick one up, it’s likely to roll into a ball– its plated armor allows it to curl into this protective posture. Wait a little while, and the Pill Bug may stop feeling shy and uncurl again, and you might get the chance to feel its many little legs walking in a gentle rhythm. It kind of tickles!

Wharf Roach(Ligia exotica)

Wharf Roaches are not actually cockroaches– they’re not even insects, but instead are isopods, relatives of crabs and lobsters. They love to wander along rocky coastlines and harbor walls, and scavenge organic debris and algaes, acting as little beach cleaners. You might already be familiar with a close cousin of the Wharf Roach, the Pill Bug. There are some quick and easy ways to tell them apart, though. The Wharf Roach doesn’t roll into a ball, and the Wharf Roach has large, bulging eyes and lovely, long antenna. Another fun fact about Wharf Roaches is that often, the females will carry around their eggs, holding onto them with specialized egg-carrying appendages. If you have appendages custom-made for parental care, you know you’re gonna be good with children!

Centipede (Scolopendra subspinipes)

My multilegged little marcher! The name 'centipede’ means '100 legs,’ but a centipede doesn’t actually have exactly 100 legs. Instead, it has anywhere from 30 to 354 legs, with one pair of legs per body segment. But because they always have an odd number of leg pairs, they never reach 100 exactly. Centipedes also have a pair of modified legs on their heads called forcipules, which inject venom into their prey. Be careful when interacting with centipedes, though! The centipede may bite more than just prey– it can bite anyone that it feels may be threatening them. This bite isn’t usually fatal, just painful, but it does mean you should respect the centipede’s boundaries, as with any creature. While centipedes can be aggressive, they can also be very kind; a large number of centipedes are very attentive mothers, wrapping their bodies around their eggs and remaining until they hatch. That tender, maternal embrace … those baby centipedes are very lucky to grow up so loved!

Spider (Order Araneae)

The bewitching arachnid! With their eight legs and eight eyes, their fang-tipped chelicerae and their wriggling pedipalps, how could you not fall in love? Spiders can produce silk, an amazing substance that’s flexible yet strong, and very versatile– they often use it to weave wondrous webs they wander like wizards, detecting the faintest vibrations when an insect has been captured. Other spiders are ambush predators, and can chase prey down at great speeds. Whatever method a spider chooses, they are truly masters of the hunt.

Scorpion (Order Scorpiones)

Behold, the scorpion! This dapper predator is an arachnid, which means it has eight legs and two body segments. Scorpions also have pinchers for grabbing prey and tails with venomous stingers. Fear not, however! Of the 2,000 or so scorpion species, while all are venomous, only a handful of about 25 or so have venom that is any real danger to humans. Even with those species, if you treat them with care, you should be safe and sound. The truth is, scorpions simply want to go about their lives, roaming around at night and finding insects to eat. They’re excellent hunters, and also excellent eaters! They can eat a great deal in one sitting and store food, so they can survive for long periods without food if needed. Scorpions are also caring parents. The females give live birth, carefully cradle their newborns, and then carry their babies on their backs. It’s honestly adorable.

Tarantula (Family Theraphosidae)

I’m told that a lot of people fear this sublime arachnid, due to its imposing size and its many legs. But tarantulas are actually very gentle, easygoing spiders, overall. While they do have venomous bites, those bites usually aren’t any worse than a bee sting. In fact, you should be more careful about their urticating hairs– that is, itchy hairs on their abdomens that they will fling at predators that frighten them. If you don’t give the tarantula a reason to fear, though, then they will leave you alone too. Actually, quite a few people keep tarantulas as pets. They like to dine upon insects, although they’ll occasionally eat larger things, like frogs, mice and even birds. Tarantulas are very good at sneaking up on their prey because each of their legs are tipped with furry, adorable little paws, which help them climb and sense their prey. Eight little fluffy paws! That’s four times the adorableness that cats and dogs have!

This is a repost on a new blog. The original post was on Aug 13, 2020.

[coffeeandcalligraphy]

Summon Away | Writing Update

Hey People of Earth!

The day has come! I am finally writing an update on the fifteenth and final chapter of Moth Work, which I wrote about a month ago! 

Summon Away is probably the shortest in the book at just over 1800 words, and also one of my faves because it’s so?? tender?? I wrote it in one sitting and couldn’t have asked for a better end to this book. Here’s a scene breakdown:

Scene A:

Harrison sees Lonan for a soft moment early in the morning, free of the stress of Eliza lmaooo. They have a super tender moment, however there’s this strange tension to the point where we know something isn’t exactly right.

Harrison moves the scene along by saying he’s going to grab a pack of cigarettes from a gas station down the road. From the context, we can probably tell this is true, except he ain’t coming back. Probably the most sweepingly dramatic moment I’ve ever written and I’m here for it loool. This is my soap opera moment where Harrison essentially leaves Lonan to have his new relationship with Eliza, despite his concern, because he’s gotta make a decision that’s healthiest for him and that’s called character development folks!!

Did I break my own heart breaking up my OTP :) yes!!!

Scene B:

This is a really short half scene where Harrison locates his mother who doesn't live far from Eliza’s apartment.

Scene C:

Harrison and his mother sit outside on her balcony and he reflects on his decision to split (literally a trend that all my Fostered characters are yeeting away from each other oops) while watching people below engage in some form of a relationship with one another. So much drama!!

The chapter gets its title from a Nothing But Thieves song (why would it not at this point), Tempt You (Evocatio). I was struggling to title this chapter because I needed something that fit the vibe, and had actually tried to use the concept of an evocation to title a chapter for this book previously to no avail. However, after revisiting the Wikipedia article for an evocation, I came across the definition of “summon away”:

The Latin word evocatio was the "caIIing forth" or "summoning away" of a city's tutelary deity. The rituaI was conducted in a miIitary setting either as a threat during a siege or as a result of surrender, and aimed at diverting the god's favor from the opposing city to the Roman side, customariIy with a promise of a better-endowed cuIt or a more Iavish Tempie.

I thought this concept of “summoning away” sounded slightly contradictory (the word summon brings images of a coming forth of some sorts, while the word away sounds like the opposite at least to me am I making this more *metaphorical* than it is perhaps) and I really thought the chapter strangely fit the above definition, hence my choosing!

Excerpts:

This is kind of torture because I dearly miss writing the boys interacting as they’re not with each other in Feeding Habits the angstttt:

“What is that?” Harrison asks, pulling back a barstool with one hand, while pointing at the mug with another.

Lonan glances up, and the two mutually analyze each other. Lonan’s puckered skin, how morning makes his eyelashes papery, like wings. He wonders what Lonan sees in him—for a moment, it’s all he wants to know.

Lonan knuckles the mug over and Harrison picks it up like he’s holding an eyeball. The tea is hot, though Lonan hasn’t seemed to mind, and its flowery perfume burns Harrison’s throat. Lonan pulls the mug back to him when Harrison’s done, and takes another sip.      

“I still have no idea,” Harrison says, and to his shame, studies Lonan’s face for a bite wound.

“Earl grey.”

“Sounds fancy.”

“It expired four years ago.”

Harrison gasps, and Lonan almost smiles. And for a moment, Harrison almost forgets where he is. What happened at this counter just a few hours prior. With Lonan, it almost disappears. They could be back at the cabin, needling through the woods on that first day they tried to get rid of the dark room. They could be in the water, shielding, yet simultaneously pushing each other under. They could be dancing to no music in a tiny bathroom or driving for carless miles in the tarnish of rain. 

This is my very overt metaphor that I bullshitted to title this novel that ended up working being very overtly injected into this book !! :))) but imagine this part with a sepia filter and it’s actually a silent film with captions oh:

“I found this article,” Lonan says, and turns the paper over. It’s not very long, just a small corner of the entire page, but Harrison sees the title, all bolded, Summer’s Dreaded Pesk: 10 Facts About Moths. He leans in closer to read it.

The facts are almost all useless to him—that moths like sweet things, that there are thousands of species, that many don’t eat, but what sticks out to him is the last: how they’re attracted to light. Harrison skims the text with his fingernail, reads something about light traps, and tries not to think of how unfortunate it all is—to move toward light and then stop moving altogether. 

He knows whatever he will say will keep him here, in this sun, on this barstool, reading the newspaper about moths, sitting next to Lonan, drinking his tea, never knowing what flavour it is. Harrison inhales, and on his exhale, unclasps the chain and drapes it around Lonan’s throat.

When the angel hits Lonan’s chest, a sound comes out of his mouth that Harrison thinks is almost animal. Harrison’s hand lingers on the back of Lonan’s neck when he clasps it, feeling the pulse of Lonan’s heartbeat, even from all the way up here.

Lonan clutches the angel when Harrison pulls back, and he doesn’t let go, even when Harrison rises.

“I’m going to grab a pack of cigarettes,” Harrison says. “Is there a gas station around here?”

“Just up the road.” Lonan’s brows furrow.

“Do you want anything?”

“I don’t think so.”

Harrison nods. Then he steps back, away from the kitchen, and slips his shoes on, one by one, more carefully than he’s ever done before. He knows Lonan looks at him. He knows what’ll be in his eyes if he looks up—and so he doesn’t. Harrison checks his jacket pocket for his car keys, and when they jangle, he turns toward the door.

“How long?”

Lonan’s voice makes him jump.

“Pardon?”

“How long will you be gone?”

Harrison frowns. “I’m just grabbing a pack of cigarettes.”

So Harrison’s reaction to everything being white and gold is my reaction to modern decoration loool this is just CNF at this point:

Harrison buys the pack of cigarettes. And then the gum. And then he finds his mother.

She isn’t hard to locate. A quick question at the checkout counter, and he finds out the apartment complex near the public garden is only a fifteen-minute drive away.

It’s just as he pictures it. A white building, with a white lobby, the bricks white, the carpets white, the tables white. In little places, there are bits of gold, in place he doesn’t think gold should be—lining the keyboard the security guard types at, on the edges of every window so it’s only visible when the sun flashes.   

And at last, here’s the final paragraph of the book!!! angst!!

His mother reads. Harrison watches. A father and son down below, who take turns walking their golden retriever. A food stand vendor that hands a stack of checked tissues to a mother wrangling four small children. A couple who take photos in front of a fountain, how he can almost hear the mechanical click of their camera from fifty feet up. Something stirs inside of him, at the thought of Lonan back in that golden apartment, and he only realizes what it is much later, when his mother is heating up something spiced and leftover in the microwave. The feeling like being buried alive and wanting to do it again just so someone can pull you out. A loneliness he sucks on until his mouth sores. 

And there it is!! This book has been so much fun to share with y’all! Thanks for reading these updates and for all the love for this novel. I haven’t written anything for book two in a while, and am now feeling nostalgic to do so, so keep an eye out for more Moth Work related endeavors! For now this is the end!

--Rachel

[missinglight]

THE EXCREMENTALISTS

an annus horribilis tale

Anne Boyer

Dec 21

We had yoga pants made of recycled plastic, Tik Tok, and the military industrial complex, which meant we had nothing, not even ourselves. We’d been wrong about the beginning of the world. Eden was not on earth, but on the plains of heaven, and while Adam and Eve had indeed wanted to taste the forbidden fruit, they had also been wrong about the fruit’s nature. The apple didn’t confer wisdom. It was the only fruit in paradise which did not, when tasted, dissolve. Yet this first human couple had both illicit hunger and intestines in a paradise with no toilet. An angel pointed to what he claimed was the bathroom of the universe and promised, once they ate the apple, he would take them there.  First they ate --then they rode the wings of the angel to the toilet. Later, while they were doing their business, the angel flew away from them, never to bring them back to paradise. The toilet was earth. It is from this first couple — the excrementalists — that all of us have descended.

After eating the forbidden fruit, everything the first humans consumed turned to shit: the tender insides of mollusks, the bloody flesh of wild boar, the grains ground into mush, the milk of the ungulates, the berries growing on brambles. When the first children were born, too, both Cain and Abel were bathed in fluid tinged with their own waste. This waste, called meconium, formed in each human fetus thereafter in the twelfth week of gestation, the same week the fingernails grew from the nailbed and the sex organs emerged. The triumvirate of human folly — shitting, fucking, and fighting — arrived in its embryonic form to each embryonic concurrently, and still does. Full of shit, sometimes even eating it before their first gasping breath of air, all the descendants of this first pair were born, also, mixed up in the waste of their mothers, human life always emerging from the same place the shit comes out.

Unsurprisingly, encomium — an ancient term for a flattering speech — is an anagram of meconium — the shit we are full of at birth. All the great of our species have been excrementalists. Lao Tsu, Socrates, Gertrude Stein — each was the attendant of turds! All the nameless saints and rebels — shit’s consorts and companions! The most noble of all of us is born full of shit, born amongst shit, and shits most days of their life. The wretched and the mediocre do, too. The only non-shitters on the historical record were those, who like the Ancient Israelites had for a time, subsisted temporarily on the angel food of manna, or opium enthusiasts, or those who having grown fatally bored with this world of shit, refused to eat. Only a heretic would believe that Jesus himself — either before or after the resurrection — could save humanity without ever once squatting. Even the last supper most likely moved through someone’s bowels. Those who believe that God and shit are incompatible have a meager understanding of both.

We developed technologies for our waste: trowels, holes, hand sanitization. We issued edicts concerning it. It co-mingled — the shit of both high and low — in gutters and sewage plants, landfills and trash heaps, the major and minor waterways. We made bathhouses to clean ourselves — the water sometimes heated with pages torn from the books of our great libraries. There were bidets, outhouses, vault toilets, flush toilets, water closets, urinals, and holes dug with spades. I do not know of a book that could, no matter the dazzling elucidations of its interior, resist serving a future function as toilet paper.

Once fully settled into our earthly home — this terrestrial grandstand, the megacosm’s toilet — it was not only the food that our species ate that turned into waste: all we touched appeared to do the same. We were born so helpless, so adorable and adoring, and we remained that way so often throughout our lives, that we compensated for our constitutional weakness by acquiring for ourselves and those we loved the materials of the earth, not just at its surface, but deep within its gills. Our industries digested all the earth as we each digested our food. We mined, drilled, harvested, slaughtered, and concocted until we could fill the holes we had dug back up with the waste we made from what we dug from them. Even now this project — to let nothing go untouched by human hands, unseen by human eyes, or undevoured and undigested by the gargantuan cupidity of the fallen first couple disembarked to their earthly toilet — goes on.

The cursed descendants of the first excrementalists have always desired to subject the earth to manufacture as a moth desires a star. In the hands of our species, the snow becomes snowmen. The flowers become wreaths. The sheep becomes its skin. The planet’s veins of gold become a chain around a rich man’s neck. One of us then signed a urinal — the apex of our arts. We more often gave the shape of waste to the art we made than giving it the shape of life, which itself appeared mainly to be waste in waiting. Before conception was the pre-dung hour, and after death, the post-twilight of the ordure.  

As our species grew in number and sophistication, our waste became more noxious than feces, and more enduring — spent fuel rods, diaper bins, carbon emissions, glyphosates, nano-plastics. We made ruins and built future ruins upon these ruins, and future ruins upon those. The songbirds smashed themselves against our high-rise windows. The deer broke their necks via the hoods of our cars. The other animals choked on our aluminum tabs, smothered themselves in our plastic wrap, found themselves bereft and adrift as their habitats became strip mines and strip malls. There was nothing too cruel for us to invent out of the materials of the earth — our shit was deadly and complex.

The ancient philosopher Heraclitus, who knew he couldn’t stand in the same river twice, died in the manner of one who had eaten the true fruit of wisdom, the one that landed us in this outhouse, the earth:

“…he laid himself out in the sun and ordered some boys to smother him in cow shit. On the next day, he died stretched out in that way, and was buried in the agora. Neanthes of Cyzicus says that because he was unable to get it off, the shit remained on him; because of this change in his appearance, he was unrecognized, and was eaten by dogs.

“O Sacred, Wise, and Wisdom-giving Plant,” the first tempter whispered in front of Milton’s Eve, and our own Eve — requiring no serpent — probably whispered the same to the tree of corporeality. As silkworms make silk from spit, so it is that Karl Marx declared that Milton made Paradise Lost. Every epic of the fall — however strange and dazzling — is testimony to our species’ endless excretion, for it is not just shit we learned to excrete when we ate our forbidden fruit, but all of our orifices — pores, nostrils, eyes, genitalia — became founts of waste, each of different viscosity and purpose.

Having been banished to the bathroom of the cosmos, “shit” or its variants is a word that fell easily from our mouths. When caught red-handed, when breaking an ankle, when setting off a land mine, when crashing the van, we exclaim “shit!” and its myriad, multi-lingual synonyms. It is possible that “shit” is one of our species’ most popular last words, vying for first place with “god.”

As we are born, so we die, and though the future of our souls remains uncertain, eventually our corpses become — like Paradise Lost itself, and also Paradise Regained — just another excretion of the worms. And when we have too much of anything — too many problems, too many plastic lids, too many sorrows, too many long hours on the clock and hard days on the calendar — we gaze upon this too muchness, vexed and exhausted, and pronounce to ourselves or to any who can hear: I can’t deal with all this shit!

So it is that to declare a whole year shit — as many of us have done in 2020 — is kin to an act of enlightenment, for to declare the year shit is for humans to declare it, with pure candor, the logical consequence of ourselves.

[platycryptus]

just found your blog, and oh are those luna moths fantastic! i was wondering if there were places online you ever buy your larva from? id be cool to raise a few moths. i live in the chicago area, and from time to time these huge brown moths will get stuck in my window. do you know of any other speices in this area that would handle being kept well? i normally only have my snakes, but i have a empty tank right now that is begging for a new resident ;) also how would you set up a basic tank?

Luna moths, cecropia moths, promethea moths and polyphemus moths (possibly the big brown ones you see?) all live in the chicago area.

The standard way to obtain moths to raise is to find a female moth and put her in a paper bag so she’ll lay some eggs, but you can also easily find eggs of all four species available online May-July.

once you have eggs the only difficult part is keeping them fed... you just need to give the caterpillars the correct type of fresh leaves (preferably stems in water to keep them fresh) and dump out the poop (dry and odorless), but as they get larger they eat a lot and you can deplete the supply if you don’t have access to enough trees.

[sciencespies]

Watching TV helps birds make better food choices

https://sciencespies.com/biology/watching-tv-helps-birds-make-better-food-choices/

Watching TV helps birds make better food choices

Credit: University of Cambridge

By watching videos of each other eating, blue tits and great tits can learn to avoid foods that taste disgusting and are potentially toxic, a new study has found. Seeing the ‘disgust response’ in others helps them recognise distasteful prey by their conspicuous markings without having to taste them, and this can potentially increase both the birds’ and their prey’s survival rate.

The study, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, showed that blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) learned best by watching their own species, whereas great tits (Parus major) learned just as well from great tits and blue tits. In addition to learning directly from trial and error, birds can decrease the likelihood of bad experiences—and potential poisoning—by watching others. Such social transmission of information about novel prey could have significant effects on prey evolution, and help explain why different bird species flock together.

“Blue tits and great tits forage together and have a similar diet, but they may differ in their hesitation to try novel food. By watching others, they can learn quickly and safely which prey are best to eat. This can reduce the time and energy they invest in trying different prey, and also help them avoid the ill effects of eating toxic prey,” said Liisa Hämäläinen, formerly a Ph.D. student in the University of Cambridge’s Department of Zoology (now at Macquarie University, Sydney) and first author of the report.

This is the first study to show that blue tits are just as good as great tits at learning by observing others. Previously, scientists thought great tits were better, but had only looked at learning about tasty foods. This new work shows that using social information to avoid bad outcomes is especially important in nature.

Many insect species, such as ladybirds, firebugs and tiger moths have developed conspicuous markings and bitter-tasting chemical defences to deter predators. But before birds learn to associate the markings with a disgusting taste, these species are at high risk of being eaten because they stand out.

“Conspicuous warning colours are an effective anti-predator defence for insects, but only after predators have learnt to associate the warning signal with a disgusting taste,” said Hämäläinen. “Before that, these insects are an easy target for naive, uneducated predators.”

Credit: University of Cambridge

Blue tits and great tits forage together in the wild, so have many opportunities to learn from each other. If prey avoidance behaviour spreads quickly through predator populations, this could benefit the ongoing survival of the prey species significantly, and help drive its evolution.

The researchers showed each bird a video of another bird’s response as it ate a disgusting prey item. The TV bird’s disgust response to unpalatable food—including vigorous beak wiping and head shaking—provided information for the watching bird. The use of video allowed complete control of the information each bird saw.

The ‘prey’ shown on TV consisted of small pieces of almond flakes glued inside a white paper packet. In some of the packets, the almond flakes had been soaked in a bitter-tasting solution. Two black symbols printed on the outsides of the packets indicated palatability: tasty ‘prey’ had a cross symbol that blended into the background, and disgusting ‘prey’ had a conspicuous square symbol.

The TV-watching birds were then presented with the different novel ‘prey’ that was either tasty or disgusting, to see if they had learned from the birds on the TV. Both blue tits and great tits ate fewer of the disgusting ‘prey’ packets after watching the bird on TV showing a disgust response to those packets.

Birds, and all other predators, have to work out whether a potential food is worth eating in terms of benefits—such as nutrient content, and costs—such as the level of toxic defence chemicals. Watching others can influence their food preferences and help them learn to avoid unpalatable foods.

“In our previous work using great tits as a ‘model predator’, we found that if one bird sees another being repulsed by a new type of prey, then both birds learn to avoid it in the future. By extending the research we now see that different bird species can learn from each other too,” said Dr. Rose Thorogood, previously at the University of Cambridge’s Department of Zoology and now at the University of Helsinki’s HiLIFE Institute of Life Science in Finland, who led the research. “This increases the potential audience that can learn by watching others, and helps to drive the evolution of the prey species.”

Explore further

Birds learn from each other’s ‘disgust,’ enabling insects to evolve bright colors

More information: Journal of Animal Ecology (2020). DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13180

Provided by University of Cambridge

Citation: Watching TV helps birds make better food choices (2020, February 20) retrieved 20 February 2020 from https://phys.org/news/2020-02-tv-birds-food-choices.html

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

#Biology

[carnegiemuseumnaturalhistory]

Kids and Caterpillars: Fostering a Child’s Interest in Nature by Rearing Lepidoptera (Moth and Butterfly) Larvae

by James W. Fetzner Jr.

We hear a soft THUMP! as another large bug hits the sheet after being drawn in to the bright mercury vapor light on this moonless night in the mountains of Montana. Upon hearing that sound, our usual questions arise … “What was that?” or “Humm…Who are you?” My 9-year-old son and I try to determine if the new arrival to the sheet is a species that is new, or one that we have already seen this evening. In this case, we note that it appears to be a new brownish moth with slivery patches on its wings, a species that is new to us and a good choice for one of our attempted rearings. We scramble to capture it in one of our empty “live jars” before it flies away, in the hopes of eventually getting some eggs.

Female of Autographa pseudogamma (Grote, 1875) from Montana.

One of the easiest ways to encounter and collect insects from the wild is to erect a “bug sheet” at night and attract them en masse to your location, rather than expending a lot of effort trying to catch them individually by hand. As a scientist working in the vast insect collection at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CMNH), I often find myself bringing a bug sheet with me when I travel, especially when visiting family in other parts of the country. Not only does this help add specimens to our ever-expanding insect research collection, but it also serves as a fun way to experience the diversity of insects from different regions of our country. It is also an activity that kids really enjoy and engage with, and they always seem to have a great time catching interesting and colorful bugs. Even those that say they don’t like bugs seem to get caught up in the excitement when a large beetle or moth lands on the sheet.

Insect collecting sheet. A, the “bug sheet” setup. B, Collecting moths at the bug sheet.

After a few hours of collecting cool bugs at the sheet the night before, my son and I wake up in the morning and check our assortment of live jars with an air of anticipation. Nothing in that one, or in that one. But wait, look at the bottom of that jar. See those little pale-yellow dots all over? Those are what we were hoping for…EGGS!! Our female moth laid a bunch of eggs!  So, now the fun begins.

An example of pale-yellow eggs laid in the bottom of a “live jar.” Source was a female Pyrrharctia Isabella (J.E. Smith, 1797), also known as the Isabella tiger moth or banded woolly bear.

A little research in our trusty moth field guide and we determined that our bug was a species known as Autographa pseudogamma (Grote, 1875), the Delicate Silver Y moth. We also discovered that the caterpillar and host plant for this moth were unknown, (i.e., have never been described or characterized in the scientific literature). We realize that this is a great opportunity, not only to have fun rearing some caterpillars of a new species of moth that we have not encountered before, but we could also contribute to the scientific knowledge about this species by publishing a scientific paper describing the caterpillar and other aspects of its life history. A big win-win all around.

After finding out more information about this species and its close relatives, we started preparing for the eggs to hatch, which only took about seven days from the time they were laid. Once that happened, we transferred the very tiny, newly hatched caterpillars out of the live jar and into a larger plastic container with dandelion leaves from our front yard as food. They started eating and growing and my son watched them closely as they progressed through their various growth stages (instars). He had great fun watching and laughing as the 50 or so caterpillars tried to escape in all directions from the container onto our kitchen table (boy, they moved fast!) as we cleaned it out and added new food for them each day.

Image showing a typical caterpillar iso-female culture in a plastic “rearing chamber” (note: the lid has been removed so the contents can be seen). The photo shows an unrelated culture of Automeris randa Druce, 1894 from Arizona.

Rearing caterpillars is a lot like raising frog tadpoles. The caterpillars can be quite active, and they are constantly changing, with some species changing colors after they molt, others become hairier, and they all increase in size every time they molt to a new instar (the developmental stage in arthropods that occurs between molts). Just watching them eat or observing some of their other odd behaviors can be quite fascinating.  The caterpillars we reared were voracious eaters, eventually going through several pounds of dandelion leaves in a single day!

The previously unknown last instar caterpillar (larva) of Autographa pseudogamma.

Many children show a keen interest in caterpillars when they are encountered outdoors. Caterpillars are often seen as cute and fuzzy, which often leads to children touching them and/or picking them up.  However, you should be cautious of this because some caterpillars, like the conspicuous and commonly encountered Hickory Tussock Moth (Lophocampa caryae Harris, 1841) caterpillar, can sometimes cause severe skin rashes, or even blindness if you get their hairs into your eyes. Several field guides to caterpillars are available, but they are not all-inclusive. This is because there are many moth species where the caterpillars are not known (as in our case), or where caterpillars have been found, but it is not known which adults they came from.

After reaching the final instar, the caterpillars move on to the next stage of their life cycle before they become adults, the pupa. During this stage, they metamorphose from a worm-like larva into a winged adult, and for A. pseudogamma, this process only took 11 days.

Pupae of Autographa pseudogamma. Newly formed pupa (right) that is < one day old (green) along with an older pupa (left) that is > two days old (brown).

We were able to witness the entire life cycle of A. pseudogamma, from an adult to an egg to a larva to a pupa and then back to an adult again, all within the span of a single month. This was a great learning experience for my son.  He was able to intimately witness first-hand the process by which insects grow and develop, which is something that few people get to see. He was also able to participate directly in the various stages of scientific discovery and, perhaps more importantly, he was able to see how a scientist would record observations and how those data are converted directly into a scientific publication. If you are interested, our study on A. pseudogamma was recently published in the Annals of Carnegie Museum. While not every caterpillar rearing will result in a published study, they are great learning experiences for young children that have an interest in nature.  Studies of caterpillars like this would also make great school science fair projects. For information on getting started, see this article on how to rear caterpillars. 

The huge diversity of insects, with all their different colors, sizes, and shapes, still evokes a child-like awe in me for the natural world and this is something that I hope to pass down to my son, as well as other children that might visit the insect collection here at the natural history museum (all those budding entomologists). Remember, even something that may seem silly and inconsequential, like raising a few caterpillars at home with your child(ren), can turn into something that fosters a deeper interest in the natural world, and if you’re lucky, may even end up contributing significantly to science.

James W. Fetzner Jr., Ph.D., is assistant curator in the Section of Invertebrate Zoology at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Museum employees are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences and knowledge gained from working at the museum.

[faebella-obscura]

Allucinian Monsters

aka a menu for Rouri

TW: monsters, children death, puppets, nudity? sort of, violence, gore, death

Ferals

Threat Level: varies

Basically, just giant animals.

The moths suck though. The size of small to large birds, they’re attracted to lights and drink blood, but are easy to keep away. Still, the scales that come off their wings cause severe itching. Hollow and taste like itchy paper.

Slime

Threat Level: D

Gelatinous blobs of various sizes. Low intelligence. Weak. Tastes like a jelly-like meat broth. Has a sort of cellular capsule that when pierced the insides sort of spill out. Because of this, they are typically incapacitated with a sleep inducing smoke and captured whole. Then roasted whole. To eat, you bite in and sort of suck out the contents. Really warming.

Unseelie Light

Threat Level: C-D

Take the form of small golden orbs of light that just sort of float through the forests. Said to lure travelers, mostly children, deep into the woods and suck the life and energy out of them. No one has tasted one before as they don’t seem to have physical bodies.

Lost Ones

Threat Level: F

Said to be the victims of Unseelie Lights, the Lost Ones are more compared to echoes than actual monsters. They appear to be glitchy silhouettes of small children, often seen running, crying or sleeping in areas where Unseelie Lights are typically found. They pose no threats, but there are those who say hearing their cries is more painful than actual attacks.

Arachne

Threat Level: B-C

Giant spiders, the females of the species have a growth that look like young women to lure travelers into her webs. The real mouth is beneath the appendage though. Easy to handle if you can avoid her webs. Take out the legs. Tastes like crab.

Venus Weed

Threat Level: A-C

At first, it appears to be a giant flower (typically a rose or lotus-like flower), but then opens up to show what looks like a beautiful man or woman inside. All Venus Weed are actually hermaphroditic. Though they appear to be plant-like, it’s a flesh monster that feeds on blood. It spreads it’s many tentacle/vine-like appendages throughout the surrounding snow, to give greater range of attack but also to sense when possible prey is near.

It has a rather delicate flesh, tasting like fatty salmon. And the “petals” are made into a silk-like leather, used for high society clothing.

There are rumors that the oldest of Venus Weed are actually sentient, though that has yet to be proven.

As only the Elys flower grows in Allucinia, residents know to avoid the blossom.

Angler

Threat Level: A

A slow scaly quadrupedal monster, the Angler is a slow beast, due to its immense size and how its back legs are weak. So it usually buries itself in the snow, luring victims to its location using it’s lure. The lure itself vaguely resembles a small child and gives off a silvery blue glow. Though its body is covered in scale and bone-like armor, the neck is exposed. Aim for the neck.

Tastes like white fish.

Copellion

Threat Level: S-A

Strange little creatures the Copellion are. Covered in white bone-like armor with soft black flesh peeking through the gaps, these doll-like monsters have humanoid shapes that can sometimes fool travelers into thinking they’re people from a distance. Something made worse with how they tend to inhabit abandoned towns and villages.

Smaller Copellion are similar and basic in form, but as they grow, bone protrusions grow which may make adult ones more unique and distinguishable.

They don’t possess much in attack power, but are highly dangerous. Fast despite the armor and able to move and bend in unnatural, puppet-like ways. Not to mention, they always travel in groups and seem to operate on a hive mind within their group, able to coordinate group attacks.

Blind, they operate on sound and touch.

They taste pretty bad. Super tough and chewy, with a gamey flavor. Their exoskeletons are a light but durable material, ideal for light armor.

World Eater

Threat Level: S

Giant eel-like worms that inhabit the Northern seas and sometimes the land around the coast. No natural armor and easy to damage, but their massive size and ability to discharge electrical shocks make it a difficult enemy. They can grow anywhere between 10 ft to 1 mile in length.

Tastes like eel.

Siren

Threat Level: S-A

Found only in the forests and mountains of the far North, sirens are large white and red birds. Though blind, they are by no means less intimidating, having sensitive hearing to make up for it. They lure people into their territory by mimicking the cries of past victims. To the point where people cannot distinguish a siren cry from a legitimate one.

Also, they don’t seem to need to eat human flesh to thrive. Hypothesized by how they do not actively hunt year round and how they still seem to thrive even without hunting. However, they become more aggressive during mating season, actively filling the skies to search for prey. Nearby villages often say how unbearable it is when the skies will with screams and cries they cannot afford to trust.

Some villages even actively sacrifice people, usually travelers, to make the sirens and their voices stop.

To be captured by a siren during mating season is a terrible thing. As they do not kill you right away. Instead, they break your limbs and bring you back to their nest, tossing you among their eggs. And when the eggs hatch, the young slowly pick apart at your flesh, starting with your limbs and moving onward, avoiding your vocal chords and vital organs to ensure you live the longest you can. And all the while, mimicking your screams.

Tastes like chicken.

[tser]

hey, i was just wondering- is it actually okay to release chinese mantids in your garden? i know it's legal, but i've heard they kill monarchs, hummingbirds, and bees, and that really scares me. i don't want to hurt anything, i just kinda wanted to hatch an ootheca

This is a tricky and controversial subject. I can only speak to how it applies to mainland United States (introduced species have massively more impact on islands).

First, Chinese mantids were originally accidentally introduced to the United States -- all the way back in 1896. They were not purposefully released for biological control; their usefulness as pest control was noticed and commercialized later. They have been established as a naturalized species (that is different than invasive) for over a hundred and twenty years. They will not go extinct in the US even if we stop releasing them, though some populations might die out where the population was adventive (not self-sustaining) rather than naturalized. Their populations are especially strong and self-sustaining in California and eastern US.

Oothecae sold for gardeners are collected from the wild in the US. They are not captive bred in large quantities. That means these Chinese mantises would have been born in the wild if they weren’t collected to be released into the wild. The difference is that they are hatched somewhere else; and usually somewhere not exactly ideal. (The exception is if you purchase from a private breeder; this is far less common, as even most bug sellers sell wild-collected oothecae.)

Usually, gardens and yards are not great habitats for Chinese mantids, and a very low percentage survives. Chinese mantids do best in dense grassland or scrubby type environments, with a variety of plants that bloom at different times, thus attracting a variety of prey animals through their lives. Vegetable gardens and landscaped yards just don’t provide this, so out of hundreds released into a suburban vegetable garden, backyard, or a cleared rural habitat, only a handful of those babies will find enough to eat (and some will probably eat each other). They often leave, looking for greener pastures, as well.

While this is sad, it also means that releases don’t actually cause a big population boom of Chinese mantids, unless the habitat is ideal for them, in which case there is probably already a large population living there. That means that the environmental impact of releasing mantids is potentionally not as significant.

It would be very, very difficult to eradicate the Chinese mantis from the United States, even with concentrated effort.

Mantids are carnivorous -- primarily insectivorous -- so by nature they definitely will kill things; there is no way to keep them (or release them) without some “hurt” resulting from that. Mostly it will be small insects and other invertebrates.

Yes, a Chinese mantis might eat a bird. So will native mantids -- and so will large mantids all over the world. It’s not their main diet and relatively rare for most species, including Chinese mantids. The Audubon Society notes that they are overall beneficial (without specifying species) and we should not vilify them just because they do what nature designed them to do.

I think any increase in occurrence is more likely a result of humans feeding hummingbirds than releasing mantids into the wild. Many recorded instances I know of involved hummingbird feeders, where the mantids were likely attracted to the bees and wasps visiting the feeders and just happened to snag a hummer. Feeding birds is also controversial and tricky as a subject, as feeders can cause all kinds of health and population problems for birds. There are a few photos I’ve seen of mantids grabbing hummingbirds from garden flowers as well. As a note, because of feeders and flower gardens, many hummingbird ranges have expanded beyond their historic natural range, and hummingbirds also eat small and baby mantids.

I’ve seen sensationalist articles such as “New research documents that mantises worldwide are eating small birds; in the US, invasive mantis species are devouring hummingbirds." True, but deceptively worded. The research referenced is a single review of only 147 cases of mantids eating birds -- worldwide. And, as I mentioned, almost all of those recorded in the US were visiting artificial hummingbird food sources. However none of these articles, or the research paper, had anything negative to say about non-native garden plants, or feeding birds. They immediately jumped on the predator as the villain. 

Likely, the mantids are occupying the feeder because in general, landscaped yards are difficult places to find food. 

Chinese mantises will definitely eat monarchs if they have a chance -- as will native species of mantis.  

But the real threat to monarchs is the eradication of milkweed, habitat loss, and climate change.  Unfortunately, many people buy milkweed plants for their gardens thinking they will help monarchs, when they are actually buying the wrong species of milkweed and causing more damage to monarch populations; if you choose to plant milkweed for monarch butterflies, make sure you are getting the native species, and proper host plant.

If you plant native milkweed for monarchs, do not release mantids near it, to reduce monarch predation.

Chinese mantids do not single out these species. They eat what flies or skitters by, and that they’re able to catch. The babies eat things like aphids and ants, while the adults will eat things like moths and wasps. Some of these will be what we consider pest insects and some will be what we consider beneficial insects. Remember that “pest” is just when a human decides they don’t want it there at that time, and is very arbitrary and will vary from situation to situation, as well. 

The USDA classifies some mantids as “plant pests”, which is why they are illegal, and yet classifies naturalized species like Chinese mantids as “beneficial insects”. Earthworms are considered beneficial invertebrates, widely introduced to gardens, and yet they are causing many issues in native habitats where they are invasive, through much of the US. 

It is more complicated when you consider that what’s beneficial to agriculture isn’t necessarily beneficial to the native ecosystem and vice versa, meaning different people are going to have different opinions on what non-indigenous animals are invasive and what ones are naturalized but not invasive.

Do Chinese mantids have a significant negative impact on the populations of monarchs, other butterflies, or hummingbirds? Probably not, even at the level they’re established in the United States now.  Mantids, even with artificial population density management, generally have weak negative effects on insect population density for most taxa. One study found that Chinese mantids most negatively impact true bugs and flies on a local level, but it is unlikely they are causing a major impact on the species overall.

Another concern might be that a captive hatched Chinese mantis might carry diseases to the wild population of Chinese and other mantises. However, after many decades of raising and releasing them in the US, there’s no evidence this happens to any significant degree.

The most prominent negative effect of Chinese mantids that I know of, both their naturalized populations and released populations, is that they compete with native mantis species. Many native mantises occupy the same types of habitat as Chinese mantids, and hunt the same prey. In many cases, Chinese mantids (and other released and naturalized non-native mantids like the European mantis) out-compete native mantids. They grow larger, consume more prey, and elbow out the smaller native mantids (and sometimes just consume them). 

I do not know the extent of this impact, or how well it’s been studied. Many entomologists and other bug enthusiasts I know have no moral objection to releasing mantids, regardless of this problem. However, it’s enough to make me hesitate!

If a person only releases a single wild-collected oothecae of mantis nymphs a year, choosing not to do so is likely not going to impact Chinese mantis populations to any significant degree -- native or wild. Even if a thousand people learn of potential negative impact of releasing mantids and don’t, it’s not going to make a dent. However, it may increase local density of Chinese mantids, thus increasing competition for any native mantids.

There are also other options for raising mantids.

One is to keep a single mantis of a native or naturalized species (which is legal). Many bug breeders hatch the oothecae, separate and sell the babies, meaning you won’t have more than a hundred babies to deal with.  Single European or Chinese mantids are pretty easy to find for sale; native mantids are more difficult. 

Another is to find a native mantis oothecae and hatch that and release all the babies. 

As gruesome as it sounds, you can hatch a Chinese mantis oothecae in an enclosure and allow the babies to reduce their own population until you have a number you can comfortably keep, then separate them into their own habitats. This has its own personal moral (and personal comfort) issues, of course. 

Whether it is moral to release Chinese mantids is something every person will have to decide for themselves!

[livingcorner]

How To Get Rid Of Pantry Moths Naturally

February 07, 2020

If you suspect a pantry moth infestation in your home follow our 10 Steps to Pantry Moth Prevention to protect your home from pantry moths.

A really common question customers ask is “How do I get rid of Pantry Moths in my house?”

You're reading: How To Get Rid Of Pantry Moths Naturally

The rapidly increasing presence of pantry moths in our homes brings with it a serious risk of food contamination with moth larvae in food containers and small flying moths in your kitchen. This brings with it an overall concern for kitchen hygiene.

Hopefully you will find the resources on this website helpful in increasing your understanding of your pantry moth infestation, pantry moth treatment, as well as giving you the knowledge to go about eradicating pantry moths from your kitchen or pantry.

If you suspect a pantry moth infestation in your home, the number one thought should be, act fast; pantry moths breed rapidly as the pantry moth life cycle is short you may be alarmed at how quickly they multiply.

With this guide you’ll be able to get rid of pantry moths in your pantry, kitchen and home taking control in the role of the pantry moths exterminator.

Are pantry moths harmful?

Pantry moths aren’t reported to sting or bite, however they are a nuisance and having pantry or kitchen moths in food cabinets increases the risk of eating tiny moth larvae – for example it’s common to discover moth larvae in rice, flour or open packets for bird seed.

You may now be wondering are moths edible?! This isn’t something we’d advise and all the more reason to get to your pantry moths treatment plan – killing pantry moths, pantry moth eggs and the pantry moths larvae.

Step 1 – Regularly check your Pantry

The chances are that if you’re reading this then you’ve already found signs of pantry moths and you’re asking yourself why do I have moths in my pantry?! And where do pantry moths come from?

It’s all too easy for us to have out of date food stored at the back of over-crowded shelves and left undisturbed for long periods of time.

Checking what you have and the act of moving pantry contents around will immediately have the benefit of ensuring you are not providing a safe, undisturbed environment for pests resulting in moths in the pantry and kitchen cupboards.

Step 2 – Check all food stored in your Pantry for Moths

When you are checking your pantry, you can inspect each food container or bag individually – both for the use by dates and whether there are any ‘unwanted visitors’ residing there.

What are you looking for? Pantry moths may be present in flying adult form or in the earlier pantry moth life-cycle stages (eggs and larvae).

Which foods are at high risk? Pay particular attention to cereal and grain based products. For example, breakfast cereals, oats, flour, pasta, lentils, popping corn, rice, nuts.

Dry foods for your pets, such as biscuits, are especially at risk as they tend to be stored in large bags that are not easy to reseal and keep moths out! And if you feed the wild birds in your garden don’t forget to check the bags of seed, grain and nuts that you might have stored in your garage or garden shed!

This is another reason pantry moths can also be referred to by names such as; bird seed moth, flour moths, grain moths, wheat moths, food moths, cereal moths or even rice moths.

Read more: What Is Backsplash Tile?

Pantry moth larvae are small but far easier to identify than food moth eggs – they’ll be between ¼ and ½ inch long, and you may see some movement in the food.

What attracts pantry moths is the presence of open food containers in which they can lay their eggs. If food isn’t regularly disturbed and moved around, the flying pantry moth may go unnoticed enabling effective breeding, eggs developing into pantry moth pupa or larvae and on to their adult flying form.

We’ve detailed out the pantry moth life cycle in another handy moth prevention guide to the life cycle of pantry moths.

Step 3 – Dispose of all Pantry Moth-infested Foods

Foodstuffs in their original packaging that are out of date and / or infested should be disposed of as they are. This is the pantry moth removal stage of the process. Similar foods in reusable containers should be disposed of carefully and the container retained for cleaning.

Even if you have stored your food in mason jars or kilner jars, it is worth checking in case they had been placed back in the pantry or cupboard with the lid not fully sealed and those nuisance cupboard moths got in. If this was the case you may leave a future source of potential meal moth infestation in place!

Also carefully check dried pet food and for moths in bird seed – common sources of pantry moth infestation.

Disposing of infested food should be done outside the home to avoid the risk of spillage and future re infestation – place infested and old food in bags that are then tied securely. Getting rid of infested food means you’re on the path to getting rid of meal moths, but we’re only part way through our journey to getting rid of pantry moths for good.

Step 4 – Clean Your Containers

Rinse, disinfect and then thoroughly wash reusable food storage containers, either carefully by hand, or on a hot setting in your dishwasher.

If you were wondering how to kill pantry moth larvae and eggs – then a thorough clean of containers with hot soapy water will rid you of any remaining pests that weren’t thrown out with the infested food.

This is a vital step to pantry moth eradication that must not be missed. Pantry moth eggs are tiny and easily missed by the human eye!

Step 5 – Clean out your Pantry / Kitchen Cupboards

With all shelving clear of food and containers, start by vacuuming all surfaces and paying particular attention to signs of moths in cupboard corners, cracks and crevices. Please do not forget the undersides of shelves, baseboards and floors.

It’s easy to spot adult flying pantry moths in kitchen cabinets, but less so to spot the pantry moths eggs. Getting rid of moths in kitchen cupboards means getting rid of their eggs too!

Like with foodstuffs, empty your vacuum cleaner outside the home emptying the contents into a bag that you then seal / tie tight. Remember that there may be tiny pantry moth eggs in amongst the dust in addition to, potentially, moth webbing, cast off skins and pantry moth cocoon carcases.

Note that when emptying your vacuum, if it is a bagless type, you will want to wash out the dust container. If you have used smaller attachments you may also want to clean those thoroughly to ensure any sticky pantry moth eggs do not remain.

Then wash down your shelving and all surfaces using a disinfectant or watered down bleach and leave to air dry.

Commonly, what causes pantry moths to re-appear is a lack of thorough cleaning at this stage – so invest in doing this extensive clean and you’ll likely only need to do it once – as opposed to a few weeks down the line wondering why are there moths in my pantry again?

For more pantry organization tips, check out our blog!

Step 6 – Deal with Shelf Liners

With paper-based shelf liners, throw them out because they may be harboring pantry moth larvae and/or eggs and essentially be a perpetual pantry moth nest.

If they are plastic, they may be washed and scrubbed thoroughly in soapy water.

It’s best not to replace your shelf liners until you are sure that your pantry moth extermination is complete, or consider not using them at all.

Step 7 – Use a Natural Residual Pesticide for Ongoing Protection

Residual pesticides come in many forms but are broadly either chemical or natural – in kitchens you should only consider natural residual sprays for pantry moths.

Natural sprays to deal with pantry moths and pantry moth larvae or maggots will be effective for 2 weeks after application and can be deemed a way of getting rid of pantry moths naturally whilst keeping your family safe from chemicals.

Ensure you cover all surfaces evenly and leave to dry. It will dry clear and provide ongoing protection against any remaining pantry moths coming into contact with it at any of their life stages, and yet be safe for people.

Do not place unprotected food on pantry moth spray treated surfaces and do not use the spray on food preparation surfaces or drawers with utensils / silverware.

The pantry moth spray can also be applied to the seams and joints around kitchen unit baseboards.

Read more: What do you write on a kitchen tea card?

If baseboards can be removed it is a good idea to do so, vacuum behind them (under standing units) and then apply the spray as the baseboards are returned. This level of thoroughness is how to eliminate pantry moths and ensure they don’t return.

Step 8 – Replace non-infested food

Non-infested as new food should all be placed into airtight, sealed containers – plastic food storage containers or glass jars such as mason jars or kilner jars. This is how to keep moths out of food effectively for the long term.

This is especially important for cereals, grains, flour , dried fruits, nuts and rice but you should consider this approach for all foods that are not already in sealed tins or containers.

Step 9 – Set up Pantry Moth Traps to Defend and Monitor

Pantry moth traps have two main functions:

First they will provide effective monitoring to see if pantry moths are present in the future. Remember that they last 8 weeks and will need replacing regularly.

Secondly they use a female pantry moth pheromone to attract the male pantry moths and trap them on the glue board in the trap. When the adult male moths are trapped, it reduces the degree of reproduction and reduces the risk of another full-blown infestation in the future (arguably there’s no such thing as a small moth infestation).

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The most common pantry moth species is the Indian meal moth but you may also come across the Mediterranean flour moth. Check out our kitchen moth identification guide if you need further details.

Pantry Moth Pheromone traps to catch and kill pantry moths are a critical part to answering how to get rid of pantry moths forever – but on their own may only be effective at raising the alarm that a moth infestation in kitchen cupboards is just beginning.

Step 10 – Be Ever Vigilant!!

As they say, “Once bitten, twice shy” … keep alert and use some of the advice above to maintain your pantry and food cupboards.

In particular:

Keep reviewing your pantry contents regularly for out of date food and to ensure there are no undisturbed areas

Keep all foods in airtight protective containers

Wash down shelves and vacuum periodically

Use pantry moth traps and pantry moths control products to monitor, especially in warmer months – pantry moths start to pupate and develop as flying adults in the early spring season – female pantry moths typically lay up to 200 eggs and there can be 2 to 4 breeding cycles per year

Identifying Pantry Moths

There are four types of food moth (or pantry moth) to look our for within your kitchen.

The most common pantry moth species you might come across is the Indian meal moths but you may also come across the Mediterranean flour moth, Brown House Moth and White Shouldered House Moth.

All will settle where there is a supply of food, resulting in an infestation where larvae can soon become a serious problem. With a single female able to lay up to 600 eggs an infestation if left untreated can result in the expense of food wastage, as well as hygiene issues for your family. Click on the images below for more information about each species.

Exercise caution when treating an area where food moths are evident. Only products found within our Food Moth Treatments category should be used in kitchens. We have developed a Food Moth Killer Kit specifically for this purpose and it comes to you with a clear and simple to follow guide, as well as a 5% discount.

Preventing Pantry Moth Infestations

We hope this article has answered the question “How do I get rid of Pantry Moths?”.

It may feel like a lot of work to do this thoroughly, and some expense, but it will save you money in the long run and avoid a hygiene problem getting out of control.

Pantry Moth Killer Kit Buy Now

About MothPrevention®

MothPrevention® speak to customers every day about their clothes moth issues – clothes moths are a species that are ever increasing and that can cause significant damage to clothes, carpets and other home textiles.

To date, we’ve helped over 150,000 customers deal with their moth problems. We have developed professional grade solutions including proprietary pheromones, not available from anybody else in the USA, and engineered in Germany to the highest production standards.

Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Kitchen

source https://livingcorner.com.au/how-to-get-rid-of-pantry-moths-naturally/

[angelicteeth]

are u ready to do 250 questions

i think i’m going to cry answering these so i will update you on if i did or not, stay tuned (i am crying right now its been so long since ive worked on this i feel like a piece of my heart is being shared with the world this is way more emotional than i thought sedtryftgyjlk;l’)

Aster: She/Her - Leo - 19 - 5′9

1. What is your OC’s favorite color? red, dark red specifically 2. Does your OC collect anything? What do they collect? she likes collecting swords and daggers3. What kind of things is your OC allergic to? oranges and cat dandruff 4. What kind of clothing does your OC wear? she likes wearing long sleeved shirts and baggy pants a lot. she’s never without combat boots- but when she has to Dress Up for family events/kingdom stuff she tends to wear form-fitting dresses in her kingdoms colors- blue, green, and other earthy tones5. What is your OC’s first memory? she remembers playing by a river when she was around 4 or 5 and finds a dog that she later takes home with her and keeps :^)6. What’s your OC’s favorite animal? Least favorite? she really loves black panthers and humming birds, she hates moths7. What element would your OC be? actually, she’s part of a world that has 4 kingdoms based off of the 4 elements and she lives in the Earth kingdom but i would say she, herself, is fire8. What is your OC’s theme song? something that would be Dark and get your adrenaline Pumping, not sure entirely though9. Do you have a faceclaim / voiceclaim for your OC? no, i don’t! she has a kinda deep but feminine voice10. What deadly sin would best represent your OC? pride11. What are your OC’s hobbies? she likes to read high fantasy novels or historical fiction novels, she enjoys exercising/training, and doing crossword puzzles12. How patient is your OC? How hot-headed are they? she’s very patient and also extremely hot headed, but she knows how to control it for the most part- unless you say something she doesn’t like/is very passionate about 13. What is your OC’s gender / sexuality / race / species / etc.? she’s female, a lesbian, and… well, she’s pink-ish/purple, and i haven’t completely thought about what they’re called yet- basically she’s alien14. What foods does your OC like to eat? What are their least favorite foods? she really hates extremely greasy food, nothing in particular just anything with dripping amounts of grease make her gag- her favorite is probably fruits- save oranges15. If your OC could have any pet, what would they choose? Why? she really wants her own dragon! she wants to get one herself so she’s been saving up for it, she plans to buy one fairly soon- she’s almost to her goal! she’s always wanted one since her older brother got his16. What does your OC smell like? lavender and vanilla 17. How do they make a living? What kind of job do they want / not want? What is their dream job? What do they think of their current job? she currently teaches younger kids how to train/fight and she really enjoys it! this has always been her dream job, actually, or working with dragons. 18. What are your OC’s greatest fears? Weaknesses? Strengths? her greatest fear is drowning, her weakness is always needing to be right, and a strength is how confident yet humble she is19. What kind of music do they listen to? Do they have a favorite song? she doesn’t really invest a lot of time into music but she really enjoys rock and alternative 20. If they came from their world to ours (if not already in our’s) how would they react? What would they do? she would be curious of everything but also very hesitant, she’d probably first go into a bookstore to see if we have a good selection of high fantasy and historical fictional novels!21. What personal problems/issues do they have? Pet peeves? her pet peeves are people chewing with their mouth open and people who think they’re better than everyone else just because they’re rich. she’s also trying to work on how she always feels the need to be right22. What kind of student were they/would they be in high school? she did very well in school, was top of her class and actually looked forward to going- even though she almost always looked disinterested23. What is a random fact about your OC? she doesn’t like staying up late and always has to wear socks to bed24. What is their outlook on life? What is their philosophy / what do they think in general about living? she has a pretty positive outlook on life, she thinks living in general is interesting and no life is insignificant 25. What inspired you to create them / how did you create them? Were they originally a fancharacter? What was their personality / design like when you first made them? i wanted to write a well planned and thought out story about 2 girls from different kingdoms falling in love but having immense amounts of support so i did a ton of research and boom! aster was born! her design at first is practically the same as now, only minor details changed. her personality is very outgoing, she’s definitely an extroverted person but not in a bubbly sense. 26. Who is the most important person in their life? Why? Who is the least important to them (that still has an impact) and why? the most important person in her life is probably esen, her girlfriend :^) the least important is her old best friend, they drifted apart but they still mean something to her27. What kind of childhood did your character have? a happy but sometimes lonely childhood, she didnt have a best friend until she was 11- she usually hung out with her 2 older brothers 28. What kind of nervous habits do they have? Do they stim? Do they have any kinds of addictions? she has a ring she always wears and when shes nervous/anxious she twists it in intervals of 3. she enjoys watching stim videos, typically paint or bread ones29. If they could choose their epitaph for their grave, what would they choose? probably something along the lines of “In loving memory of an angry, tired soul” because she’s always Angry and Tired esen probably wouldn’t let her put that on her grave tho30. Do they want to get married? Why or why not? Would they ever want kids? Do they have kids? Why? yes! she’d love to get married :^) she’d want a small but fancy wedding. she does want kids, but only 1. 2 tops31. What is their most traumatic memory/experience? What is their favorite memory? most traumatic experience would have to be when she was 3 and almost drowned :^) hence her fear, and her favorite memory is probably when she surprised esen randomly with a bouquet of red roses and a necklace that has a pink carnation on it, which is her favorite flower. she could never forget how esen’s eyes lit up and it felt like her smile could swallow her whole32. If they could have one thing in the world, what would it be? she doesn’t know, she’s still trying to figure it out33. Would they ever kill someone? What would someone have to do to push them to kill someone? If they would kill someone, why? probably, the person would most likely have to hurt someone very close to her or just piss her the fuck off to no return34. What social groups and activities does your character attend? What role do they like to play? What role do they actually play, usually? her father is the king so her family is Royalty. theres lots of balls and parties where she plays the role of a charming and sophisticated daughter who knows Exactly what everyone who comes up to her is talking about she zones out SO MUCH at these parties, she’d rather be with esen35. How is your character’s imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried most of the time? Living in memories? if nobody is around, she’s usually day dreaming. it’s one of her favorite things to do. she thinks fondly back on memories, but not super often 36. What does your character want most? What do they need really badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to obtain? i think she just wants freedom the most. she enjoys living in her kingdom- but there’s just so many people and she’s tired of them. she wants to live out on a farm or a secluded place with esen, doing whatever they please whenever37. What’s something that your character does, that other people don’t normally do? she often jogs in place because she always needs to be moving38. What would your character do with a million dollars? please do not give her a million dollars she has NO self control39. What is in your characters refrigerator right now? On their bedroom floor? Nightstand? Garbage can? water, grape juice, a fruit bowl, and yogurt. she probably has her work out clothes on the floor right now, and some books. on her nightstand is the book she’s currently reading, a lamp, and a candle. in her garbage can is some papers she crumpled up and a banana peel40. Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where are they going? What do they wear? Who will they be with? to the local theater to see some of the younger kids put on a play. she’d probably wear a white tube top, fancy-ish black pants, a black blazer, and black heels. she’d go with esen and maybe her 2 brothers!41. What does your character do when they’re angry? Why? depends on who/what she’s angry at but she typically bursts out screaming, sometimes getting so frustrated she pulls at her hair. she’s very loud when she’s mad42. Does your character have any scars? Where did they get them from? she has a scar across her nose, she got it from when her and her brothers were play fighting and one of them didn’t realize it was a real knife and accidentally cut her43. What was the most offensive thing your character had ever said? when she was like 6 she called her mom an old hag serdtfygiuohi she doesn’t like to say mean/offensive things but that slipped out 44. How does your character react/ accept criticism? depending on if she asks for it or not, she takes it very well… unless you say it out of the blue when she didn’t ask for any, then she would probably say something snarky back and get angry with you 45. If your character was given a slice of pineapple pizza and they HAD to eat it (or something bad would happen), how would they react? Do they even LIKE pineapple pizza? she actually really enjoys pineapple pizza! it’s her favorite. she’d probably ask you for more46. Your character is given a voodoo doll of themself. What do they do with it? Do they see if it actually works? she’d probably display it on her bookshelf but never see if it actually works, she’s paranoid about it47. Can your character draw? What do they like to draw? Do they doodle? she doesn’t actively draw but she likes to doodle if she’s really bored! she draws pretty well, she’d be excellent if she actually practiced but she isn’t really into it48. What were their parents like? How has that affected how they are as an adult? her parents are very loving and supportive! it’s affected her very positively, she’s very kind and humble- if she didn’t have amazing parents i don’t think she’d be the way she is, she’d most likely be mean- maybe even cruel49. Does your character like candy? Do they get sugar rushes? What are they like when they get a rush? she does like candy! it’s one of her weaknesses, actually. if she eats a lot of it, she does get a sugar rush- which is kinda bad because she’s even louder than normal and even easier to agitate, but she’s also a lot more bubbly and giggly 50. If your character was presented with imminent and unavoidable death/fatality, how would they react? Would they try to avoid death anyways? Would they try to make their last days count? she’d probably think about it for a couple hours- or even the whole day. after that she would try to make her last days count but also try to avoid death at all costs. she’s a very determined person, and hates to give up

Esen: She/They - Pisces - 22 - 5′1

1. What is your OC’s favorite color? pink!2. Does your OC collect anything? What do they collect? she collects stuffed animals, sea shells, stickers, and dolls !3. What kind of things is your OC allergic to? nothing!4. What kind of clothing does your OC wear? pink, frilly, lacy clothes! she loves dressing like a doll, honestly. very into pastel. but when she has to go to a party she wears her kingdoms colors- white and black5. What is your OC’s first memory? her first memory is when she was 6 and sitting on a picnic blanket in the spring with her mom while her dad and older siblings played a game of hide and seek6. What’s your OC’s favorite animal? Least favorite? her favorite animal is bunnies and butterflies while her least favorite is spiders7. What element would your OC be? her kingdom is based off of air and i have to say i agree! she’s definitely air 8. What is your OC’s theme song? bubblegum bitch by marina and the diamonds9. Do you have a faceclaim / voiceclaim for your OC? nope! but her voice is very sweet and soft, like candy10. What deadly sin would best represent your OC? envy11. What are your OC’s hobbies? reading classic, romance, and historical fiction novels, doing arts and crafts, and embroidering 12. How patient is your OC? How hot-headed are they? she’s extremely patient and not very hot-headed, when she’s angry she turns very cold13. What is your OC’s gender / sexuality / race / species / etc.? genderfluid, pansexual, japanese/alien- idk ! she has fairly pink skin14. What foods does your OC like to eat? What are their least favorite foods? she really enjoys sweet things and fruits, she doesn’t really enjoy anything with a ton of salt15. If your OC could have any pet, what would they choose? Why? she’d really love to have a bearded dragon! her older brother used to have one and she would help take care of them often16. What does your OC smell like? she tends to wear floral scents a lot !17. How do they make a living? What kind of job do they want / not want? What is their dream job? What do they think of their current job? she works with her mom as a seamstress! she really enjoys it because she works on big, frilly dresses the most- which are her favorites. her dream job is to own her own dress shop18. What are your OC’s greatest fears? Weaknesses? Strengths? her greatest fear is never being able to wake up again, a weakness is how cold she is toward other people, she more often than not comes off across cold even though she looks so sweet and inviting. she’s actually very cruel. a strength is how nothing ever gets to her- she’s blocked out anything negative. the only opinion that matters to her the most is her own, and sometimes her girlfriends19. What kind of music do they listen to? Do they have a favorite song? she typically listens to lana del rey, marina and the diamonds, nicole dollanganger, and other artists that sound similar. her favorite song is dog teeth by nicole dollanganger or queen of disaster by lana del rey20. If they came from their world to ours (if not already in our’s) how would they react? What would they do? she’d probably react similar to aster21. What personal problems/issues do they have? Pet peeves? she’s a very emotional person but never lets anyone see, she always appears cold and harsh. the only person who’s managed to help her open up more is aster, which she is extremely grateful for. she’s working hard to be kinder and smile more. a pet peeve of hers is people wearing shoes around their house, she thinks it’s very rude and disrespectful22. What kind of student were they/would they be in high school? she was an amazing student, as was aster, she was top of her class and managed high scores on everything23. What is a random fact about your OC? she often loves laying in bed and just scrolling through cute animal videos, it helps calm her down24. What is their outlook on life? What is their philosophy / what do they think in general about living? she has a very realistic outlook on life that can sometimes be very dark and depressing. she doesn’t really know how to feel about life and living, she’s still very much trying to figure it out25. What inspired you to create them / how did you create them? Were they originally a fancharacter? What was their personality / design like when you first made them? it’s the same answer as asters but nothing has changed about her design! she has a very cold and stoic personality, but once she opens up to you she’s very loud and bubbly26. Who is the most important person in their life? Why? Who is the least important to them (that still has an impact) and why? most important person in her life is aster, her girlfriend, and the least important person is probably her father27. What kind of childhood did your character have? she had an okay childhood, she doesn’t remember much about her father but she does remember spending a lot of time with her mom and her older siblings 28. What kind of nervous habits do they have? Do they stim? Do they have any kinds of addictions? she often chews/picks at her lips when nervous and she likes foam and slime as a way to stim- she also loves paint mixing videos 29. If they could choose their epitaph for their grave, what would they choose? something snarky but thought provoking 30. Do they want to get married? Why or why not? Would they ever want kids? Do they have kids? Why? she does want to get married! but only to aster. she’d be okay with 1 or 2 kids31. What is their most traumatic memory/experience? What is their favorite memory? most traumatic memory she has mostly blocked out- she doesn’t like bringing it up but her favorite memory was when aster slept over at her place and they just had a really sweet, romantic night in. they watched movies, ate junk food, laughed until they cried, and started a scrapbook together- she really cherishes every moment with aster in general but that one is her most favorite32. If they could have one thing in the world, what would it be? a caring father33. Would they ever kill someone? What would someone have to do to push them to kill someone? If they would kill someone, why? yes, not much, probably because someone hurt her family or aster. she might even end up killing her father but that’s a whole other story34. What social groups and activities does your character attend? What role do they like to play? What role do they actually play, usually? her family, like aster’s, gets invited to parties often because her father is an Important Dude so she often goes to those and pretends to be a loving, caring daughter35. How is your character’s imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried most of the time? Living in memories? she daydreams almost all of the time, living in memories or just in her own little world. she isn’t worried often, only when she’s feeling really down36. What does your character want most? What do they need really badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to obtain? what she wants most, she has, for the most part- and that’s aster. aster is what she’s dreamed of all her life, someone to care about her as much as she cares about them, someone who will accept her for who she is- bad and all. she wanted a place to call home, and aster is her home37. What’s something that your character does, that other people don’t normally do? she cries all the time. she cries for everything. she doesn’t let anyone see her, but once she’s alone she weeps. for something lost, something found, something happy, something sad, when she’s mad or when she’s scared. she cries for it all38. What would your character do with a million dollars? she would buy so much jewelry and beautiful dresses but also spend a ton on aster39. What is in your characters refrigerator right now? On their bedroom floor? Nightstand? Garbage can? peach tea, green tea, chocolate almond milk, grapes, and some vegan cheese. there’s nothing on her bedroom floor, she likes it to be clean. she has a rose gold clock, a book, reading glasses, and a cup of tea on her nightstand- and there’s nothing in her garbage can40. Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where are they going? What do they wear? Who will they be with? somewhere with aster, probably one of her favorite white dresses, frilly white socks, white platform heels, and a white/baby pink parasol41. What does your character do when they’re angry? Why? she immediately turns cold and shut off, but if she’s alone she’ll cry because she’s so overcome with emotion- if she’s in public and someone has made her mad she will be calm but cool, deflecting whatever they’ve said and most likely proving them wrong42. Does your character have any scars? Where did they get them from? she doesn’t have any scars!43. What was the most offensive thing your character had ever said? she always says something offensive to her dad which changes each time she has to speak to him, it probably refers to what a shit person he is44. How does your character react/ accept criticism? she takes it very well but if it’s unwanted she’ll get in your face about it 45. If your character was given a slice of pineapple pizza and they HAD to eat it (or something bad would happen), how would they react? Do they even LIKE pineapple pizza? she enjoys pineapple on pizza, just without the cheese- unless it’s vegan cheese but she prefers it to be just the sauce and extra pineapple!46. Your character is given a voodoo doll of themself. What do they do with it? Do they see if it actually works? she would first see if it works and then after finding out if it does or not, display it somewhere. maybe even with her other dolls47. Can your character draw? What do they like to draw? Do they doodle? she likes to draw! her favorites to draw are dresses and pretty people :^)48. What were their parents like? How has that affected how they are as an adult? her mother is one of her favorite people and she has a strong hatred for her father. because of her father she is a very cold person yet still loving like her mother49. Does your character like candy? Do they get sugar rushes? What are they like when they get a rush? she does like candy sometimes, she really loves marshmallows and sweet taffy! she’s never had a sugar rush before but she’s witnessed aster’s and she is Terrified but Intrigued 50. If your character was presented with imminent and unavoidable death/fatality, how would they react? Would they try to avoid death anyways? Would they try to make their last days count? she would 100% avoid it at all costs and probably even succeed, she’s very skilled

Bunni: She/They - Sagittarius - 27 - 5′3

1. What is your OC’s favorite color? white!2. Does your OC collect anything? What do they collect? shells, white/lacy things, stickers, and old clown dolls! also anything care bares or strawberry shortcake!3. What kind of things is your OC allergic to? dust and bees4. What kind of clothing does your OC wear? only white clothes, as its her favorite color and makes her the happiest- typically lacy or frilly things! doesn’t really like pants a lot 5. What is your OC’s first memory? baking a lemon cake with her mother while her father fed her little brother in his highchair!6. What’s your OC’s favorite animal? Least favorite? bunnies!!! and she’s deathly afraid of bees/wasps/moths7. What element would your OC be? earth!!!8. What is your OC’s theme song? a soft melody, not sure which9. Do you have a faceclaim / voiceclaim for your OC? no! she has a very soft and quiet voice though10. What deadly sin would best represent your OC? gluttony 11. What are your OC’s hobbies? baking, crocheting, painting, and making stained glass things!12. How patient is your OC? How hot-headed are they? a saint. the most patient. is hot-headed in private though…13. What is your OC’s gender / sexuality / race / species / etc.? non-binary, bi-ace, they’re an alien so… idk… they’re a periwinkle color ??? (they prefer strangers to use they/them bc she feels very personal!)14. What foods does your OC like to eat? What are their least favorite foods? loves sweets!!!! LOVES THEM!!! also loves fruit! doesn’t really like meat much15. If your OC could have any pet, what would they choose? Why? a bunny… they are her favorite and its her name so !16. What does your OC smell like? sweet sweet vanilla 17. How do they make a living? What kind of job do they want / not want? What is their dream job? What do they think of their current job? her current job is her dream job, she loves it so much. she owns a little bakery/cafe!!! she would never want a job like her old one- it took so much out of her18. What are your OC’s greatest fears? Weaknesses? Strengths? her greatest fear is waking up one day and nobody remembers who she is- that jupiter and delaney don’t recognize her. a weakness is how often she takes in strangers, like she just. helps anyone. please bunni be fucking careful. a strength is despite being super kind and caring- she doesn’t take shit from anyone and WILL tell you off- extremely politely though19. What kind of music do they listen to? Do they have a favorite song? she likes anything soft and makes her feel like she’s floating on a cloud20. If they came from their world to ours (if not already in our’s) how would they react? What would they do? she would want to go to every bakery she can get her hands on, and also craft stores21. What personal problems/issues do they have? Pet peeves? she’s still working through some old scars her past job has left on her, she’s much better now but some things still get to her often. usually in nightmares uh a main pet peeve is people not picking up after themselves- she hates cleaning up after others 22. What kind of student were they/would they be in high school? UH shy quiet kid in the back that nobody notices until halfway through the year- gets pretty good grades A’s & B’s23. What is a random fact about your OC? she hates blood because it reminds her of how much she has on her own hands24. What is their outlook on life? What is their philosophy / what do they think in general about living? she has a relatively positive outlook! she thinks life is beautiful- and that she’s found things that are worth living for- including herself25. What inspired you to create them / how did you create them? Were they originally a fancharacter? What was their personality / design like when you first made them? UH well i was on a character making website and i made pretty ppl and turned them into my ocs… her design has definitely changed the most, her skin is lighter, she has white hair when originally she didn’t have any. its hard to describe but i like her design a lot more now- it suits her better26. Who is the most important person in their life? Why? Who is the least important to them (that still has an impact and why? her brother, delaney, and jupiter!!! her old boss- for a lot of various reasons he’s a scumbag god27. What kind of childhood did your character have? a very happy and loving childhood!!! loves her parents so much28. What kind of nervous habits do they have? Do they stim? Do they have any kinds of addictions? she clicks her nails together when she’s nervous/anxious. she fucking loves cooking/food, paint mixing, soap cutting, and foam videos! has slime and foam of her own she likes to stim with. sometimes chews on a rubber bracelet she has with her all the time29. If they could choose their epitaph for their grave, what would they choose? ‘In Loving Memory of a Sweetheart’ or something cute30. Do they want to get married? Why or why not? Would they ever want kids? Do they have kids? Why? maybe? she really wants a wedding tbh… doesn’t want any kids! maybe adopting but most likely not 31. What is their most traumatic memory/experience? What is their favorite memory? a mission at her old job went horribly wrong and everyone but her was killed. she still blames herself to this day. her favorite memory is when she was sitting on the couch, jupiter next to her and delaneys head on her lap. delaney was having a random lazy day and just wanted to hang with her girlfriends. bunni was happy to hang with them when delaney said that she thinks this is what happiness/loves feel like- content and home. and bunni started crying because she loves them both so very much32. If they could have one thing in the world, what would it be? a giant kitchen thats strawberry shortcake themed33. Would they ever kill someone? What would someone have to do to push them to kill someone? If they would kill someone, why? never again.34. What social groups and activities does your character attend? What role do they like to play? What role do they actually play, usually? uh idk she just lives at her bakery and loves her gfs ok35. How is your character’s imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried most of the time? Living in memories? very active! she loves daydreaming and she worries SO MUCH god please let her rest. tries not to think of anything from age 18-24 but anything before that is peaceful and relaxing 36. What does your character want most? What do they need really badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to obtain? she’s pretty content, doesn’t know what she wants. mainly to help delaney- she’d do anything for her girlfriends 37. What’s something that your character does, that other people don’t normally do? she really likes face masks so she’ll put a couple different ones on throughout the day very often and sing opera… i don’t know why…38. What would your character do with a million dollars? buy so many things for her bakery/cafe but also probably herself- finally buy a collectors item she’d been eyeing for weeks- months even39. What is in your characters refrigerator right now? On their bedroom floor? Nightstand? Garbage can? fruit, peach tea, almond milk, orange juice, some vegetables, butter, and a pitcher of fruit water. her bedroom floor is clean as is her garbage can! on her nightstand is a little twin stars clock, white frilly lamp, the comic she’s borrowing from delaney, and a glass of water40. Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where are they going? What do they wear? Who will they be with? probably somewhere with jupiter and delaney! definitely wearing a white off the shoulder top, white skater skirt, white fishnets, white platform heels, and a white hat! 41. What does your character do when they’re angry? Why? clenches her fists if she’s mad at someone else, trying not to take it out on them. feels like she’s boiling from the inside out. usually distances herself and screams as loud as she possibly can42. Does your character have any scars? Where did they get them from? she has quite a few scars all over her body from her previous job 43. What was the most offensive thing your character had ever said? “if you don’t shut the fuck up right now I’m going to rip your arm off and stuff it up your ass so you can choke on it” her job made her. pissed. 44. How does your character react/ accept criticism? depends but she’s relatively neutral, unless its about her baking bc she is So Proud of it 45. If your character was given a slice of pineapple pizza and they HAD to eat it (or something bad would happen), how would they react? Do they even LIKE pineapple pizza? she. loves it? would eat a whole pie by herself. maybe 2.46. Your character is given a voodoo doll of themself. What do they do with it? Do they see if it actually works? she would Not see if it actually works and probably give it to delaney or put it in a glass case display so nobody will fuck with it 47. Can your character draw? What do they like to draw? Do they doodle? she likes to draw the cakes or sweets she wants to make!48. What were their parents like? How has that affected how they are as an adult? love them!!! great people!!!! helped her keep her sanity!!!!!49. Does your character like candy? Do they get sugar rushes? What are they like when they get a rush? Do Not Give Bunni Candy, Please50. If your character was presented with imminent and unavoidable death/fatality, how would they react? Would they try to avoid death anyways? Would they try to make their last days count? you bet your ass she would try to fucking avoid it at all costs and run away with her girlfriends

Jupiter: She/Her - Cancer - 26 - 5′6

1. What is your OC’s favorite color? yellow!2. Does your OC collect anything? What do they collect? makeup, tigers, plants, and anything floral !3. What kind of things is your OC allergic to? some perfumes4. What kind of clothing does your OC wear? loves crop tops and high waisted shorts, sundresses, off the shoulder tops- anything that makes her feel beautiful 5. What is your OC’s first memory? her and her sister discovering an injured dragon and taking them home to help save it!6. What’s your OC’s favorite animal? Least favorite? TIGERS!!! big cats! fucking hates ducks ???7. What element would your OC be? earth! loves plants. loves outside. 8. What is your OC’s theme song? something pop and upbeat!9. Do you have a faceclaim / voiceclaim for your OC? no claims but a sweet yet silky kind of voice10. What deadly sin would best represent your OC? lust 11. What are your OC’s hobbies? video games, makeup, and doing nails!12. How patient is your OC? How hot-headed are they? pretty patient, only gets hot-headed when irritated or annoyed13. What is your OC’s gender / sexuality / race / species / etc.? female, bisexual, and also alien…she is Green… don’t know much else 14. What foods does your OC like to eat? What are their least favorite foods? loves pasta, bread, fruit, and anything cheesy. doesn’t dislike much, but fucking hates pickles15. If your OC could have any pet, what would they choose? Why? she wants a cow. so badly. idk why. just loves them. moo bitch. moo. 16. What does your OC smell like? very floral 17. How do they make a living? What kind of job do they want / not want? What is their dream job? What do they think of their current job? she’s a personal stylist! she enjoys it, she never really had a dream job. 18. What are your OC’s greatest fears? Weaknesses? Strengths? being buried alive is probably her greatest fear. a weakness is how emotionally attached she gets to people, how invested she becomes. a strength is her people skills- despite having bad anxiety 19. What kind of music do they listen to? Do they have a favorite song? indie, pop, alternative are her go too’s! harry styles, lorde, and such. loves sober by lorde a lot!20. If they came from their world to ours (if not already in our’s) how would they react? What would they do? try out so much food, would be so interested in everything and probably try talking in depth to everyone she meets21. What personal problems/issues do they have? Pet peeves? she has very severe anxiety she’s trying to cope with, which has its ups and downs. a pet peeve is scratching silverware on a plate. hates the sound it makes. 22. What kind of student were they/would they be in high school? very talkative and social, wanted to be everybody’s friend. very likable- mainly got B’s23. What is a random fact about your OC? she hate socks??? never wears them. only wears heels or sandals24. What is their outlook on life? What is their philosophy / what do they think in general about living? very optimistic, looking forward to the future very much. loves life, thinks its fascinating and loves watching it grow and just. be. 25. What inspired you to create them / how did you create them? Were they originally a fancharacter? What was their personality / design like when you first made them? the same as bunni but I haven’t changed her design at all!26. Who is the most important person in their life? Why? Who is the least important to them (that still has an impact and why? her girlfriends, delaney and bunni, and her sister! least important is a stupid ex who won’t leave her alone 27. What kind of childhood did your character have? pretty good! had lots of fun and loads of friends- but never a best friend 28. What kind of nervous habits do they have? Do they stim? Do they have any kinds of addictions? twirls her hair and bites her nails when nervous or anxious. doesn’t really stim unless its slime!29. If they could choose their epitaph for their grave, what would they choose? “I’ll Haunt You If You Even Think About Looking At My Grave” 30. Do they want to get married? Why or why not? Would they ever want kids? Do they have kids? Why? married, yes! maybe to kids- not opposed but doesn’t really want one31. What is their most traumatic memory/experience? What is their favorite memory? delaney got into a bad motorcycle accident once and they didn’t know if she was going to make it… delaney and bunni threw her a surprise birthday party that was summery themed and she cried sedrftgyhu she wasn’t expecting it and she felt SO loved32. If they could have one thing in the world, what would it be? mental stability ! she hates her anxiety sooooo much 33. Would they ever kill someone? What would someone have to do to push them to kill someone? If they would kill someone, why? probably not! but you’d have to hurt her gfs or her family to get her to really consider it… or ruin all her makeup…..34. What social groups and activities does your character attend? What role do they like to play? What role do they actually play, usually? doesn’t do jack shit she only cares abt her gfs and sister35. How is your character’s imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried most of the time? Living in memories? she daydreams often, but not as much as you might think. she’s almost ALWAYS worried, her anxiety is Awful36. What does your character want most? What do they need really badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to obtain? she’s pretty okay right now… has all she wants, really. 37. What’s something that your character does, that other people don’t normally do? she has a pretty elaborate skin care routine and performs it roughly twice a day38. What would your character do with a million dollars? buy so much makeup and clothes, spoil her gfs, and probably save some money for her little sister39. What is in your characters refrigerator right now? On their bedroom floor? Nightstand? Garbage can? fridge would be the same as bunni’s they live together but her floor has a pile of clothes in the corner, random makeup items, and empty bottles of pink lemonade. her nightstand has a cute floral clock, her rose gold watch, and a pair of sunglasses and her garbage can is empty bc she just throws shit on the floor all the time, sigh40. Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where are they going? What do they wear? Who will they be with? somewhere with bunni and delaney, probably. she’d probably be wearing a floral dress, maybe sunflowers, white wedges with wood bottoms, and a little gold purse! 41. What does your character do when they’re angry? Why? she doesn’t get angry super often but she’s Loud and probably cries, acts like a little kid most likely 42. Does your character have any scars? Where did they get them from? nope! she’s scar free43. What was the most offensive thing your character had ever said? if she’s ever catcalled she definitely says something Nasty to the person44. How does your character react/ accept criticism? she takes it well and acts stoic because of her job, she’s trained very hard to be the perfect stylist! 45. If your character was given a slice of pineapple pizza and they HAD to eat it (or something bad would happen), how would they react? Do they even LIKE pineapple pizza? she doesn’t mind it but it’s definitely not her fave 46. Your character is given a voodoo doll of themself. What do they do with it? Do they see if it actually works? fucking chucks that thing so far away from her and hopes it never returns 47. Can your character draw? What do they like to draw? Do they doodle? she often designs things for clients if they want something specifically made for them but that’s about it!48. What were their parents like? How has that affected how they are as an adult? her parents were very kind and sweet people, she really loves them a lot but they aren’t extremely close 49. Does your character like candy? Do they get sugar rushes? What are they like when they get a rush? she enjoys very sweet candy, but nothing else! she’s had a couple sugar rushes but she crashed Hard from them, no matter how small they were 50. If your character was presented with imminent and unavoidable death/fatality, how would they react? Would they try to avoid death anyways? Would they try to make their last days count? she’s so stressed her anxiety is through the ROOF but delaney and bunni help her and they spend a lot of time together! she’d probably try to find a loophole, though 

Delaney: She/Her - Gemini - 24 - 5′11

1. What is your OC’s favorite color? dark dark red or black 2. Does your OC collect anything? What do they collect? comic books, knives, and cool jewelry for her piercings 3. What kind of things is your OC allergic to? nothing she was made to be Perfect4. What kind of clothing does your OC wear? typical punk/goth/emo clothes! a lot of fishnets, chains, boots, belts, and jackets5. What is your OC’s first memory? white walls, tests, experiments, sterile smells, moving shadows, blinding lights, wakeupwakeupwakeup6. What’s your OC’s favorite animal? Least favorite? loves snakes, lizards, and all that jazz. doesn’t care much for birds7. What element would your OC be? fire, sigh8. What is your OC’s theme song? something sad and emo, probably, but also fast paced and adrenaline pumping 9. Do you have a faceclaim / voiceclaim for your OC? no but her voice is… smoother than you expect. she looks like someone with a gruff voice but its nice and smooth, angry sounding but not necessarily Gruff it is kinda deep tho10. What deadly sin would best represent your OC? wrath11. What are your OC’s hobbies? reading comics/graphic novels, riding her motorcycle, annoying jupiter and bunni12. How patient is your OC? How hot-headed are they? sheeeee’s patient depending on her mood? typically Isn’t because she likes annoying people but when she actually cares she’s very patient. pretty hotheaded, definitely says a lot of shit In The Moment 13. What is your OC’s gender / sexuality / race / species / etc.? female, lesbian, ??? she’s… an experiment so technically an alien and a human? they merged both of them together… i haven’t fleshed this part out a whole lot 14. What foods does your OC like to eat? What are their least favorite foods? she… Loves… pancakes…. and wings with curly fries….. and food. she discovers she really fuckin Loves food. hates pickles god fuck15. If your OC could have any pet, what would they choose? Why? a big ass snake tfgui16. What does your OC smell like? for such a long time she would just smell like a hospital but now that she’s her own person she experiments with a bunch of different ones, she’s still trying to pick a Fave because everything just smells so fucking nice17. How do they make a living? What kind of job do they want / not want? What is their dream job? What do they think of their current job? she’s very confused on the whole aspect of jobs and making a living, bunni and jupiter mainly support her bc they make A Lot but encourage delaney that she can get a job If She Wants one… she’s kinda looking into working at a comic book place, tbh18. What are your OC’s greatest fears? Weaknesses? Strengths? hospitals, doctors, needles specifically IVs or shots, and dressing gowns. she can be very emotionless at times which can be off putting but she just genuinely doesn’t know how to react tfuygi but it can also be a strength??? she has a lot of Love in her which is essentially what saved her :^)19. What kind of music do they listen to? Do they have a favorite song? she mainly listens to instrumentals??? or sad/emo/goth music20. If they came from their world to ours (if not already in our’s) how would they react? What would they do? oh god please Don’t she’s already confused by her own world drftgyhui21. What personal problems/issues do they have? Pet peeves? she was an experiment for the first 16-18 years of her life and she still often has that mindset, even though it’s been years… she’s trying to work through it and her fears but it’s so fucking hard lol 22. What kind of student were they/would they be in high school? she would’ve been a dumbass trouble maker had she actually grown up as a normal being 23. What is a random fact about your OC? she really fucking wants to get her tongue split, she currently has it pierced though 24. What is their outlook on life? What is their philosophy / what do they think in general about living? Not Good.25. What inspired you to create them / how did you create them? Were they originally a fancharacter? What was their personality / design like when you first made them? saaaammmeeee as bunnniii and jupiterrrrrrrr26. Who is the most important person in their life? Why? Who is the least important to them (that still has an impact and why? bunni and jupiter! her gfs! the gorls! uhhh a doctor at the place where she was created :^)27. What kind of childhood did your character have? awful, lonely, painful28. What kind of nervous habits do they have? Do they stim? Do they have any kinds of addictions? the uh doctors where she “lived” used to experiment on her with drugs and she developed a codependency with heroin for a little bit, and it was the absolute fucking worst thing in the whole world. now, though, she just drinks kind of excessively 29. If they could choose their epitaph for their grave, what would they choose? “experiment: fuck your bitch”30. Do they want to get married? Why or why not? Would they ever want kids? Do they have kids? Why? married, possibly. kids, hell no. 31. What is their most traumatic memory/experience? What is their favorite memory? she was about 8 or so, and wandering the halls of the ‘hospital’ when she stumbled upon a room with someone her age strapped down to a table. she watched silently as they were tortured and its forever burned into her memory. doesn’t help she remembers everything vividly, but that one sticks out to her the most. her favorite memory is literally just watching her gfs do something or just hanging out with them rdftgyui she’s So in Love but doesn’t know how to fucking voice anything 32. If they could have one thing in the world, what would it be? …revenge 33. Would they ever kill someone? What would someone have to do to push them to kill someone? If they would kill someone, why? yes. any doctors who hurt her. they wouldn’t have to do fucking anything, they’ve already done enough. 34. What social groups and activities does your character attend? What role do they like to play? What role do they actually play, usually? none35. How is your character’s imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried most of the time? Living in memories? she tries her best to distract herself all the time so she can’t live in her memories, but that only helps so much 36. What does your character want most? What do they need really badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to obtain? peace. quiet. anything. 37. What’s something that your character does, that other people don’t normally do? every time she puts on socks she has to go on a slippery surface and Slide 38. What would your character do with a million dollars? she has no idea she’d probably just fucking stare at it until bunni or jupiter said ‘hey you can get ____ this now’ and she’d be like ‘oh shit i can Get Things’39. What is in your characters refrigerator right now? On their bedroom floor? Nightstand? Garbage can? nothing on her floor, a stack of comics shes reading, a random book she found and actually liked the idea of, some candy40. Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where are they going? What do they wear? Who will they be with? bunni and jupiter, somewhere Nice, would for once probably wear nice dressy-ish clothes so basically a suit, minus the jacket unless they’re going to a restaurant, and a red button down with a black tie 41. What does your character do when they’re angry? Why? she… explodes? yeah. its… not fun42. Does your character have any scars? Where did they get them from? y e a h she has scars on her arms from experiments and self harm, she has one on her face going through her left eyebrow, a couple on her stomach and legs, and one Big one her knee43. What was the most offensive thing your character had ever said? she says stupid shit all the fucking time, sigh44. How does your character react/ accept criticism? blankly 45. If your character was given a slice of pineapple pizza and they HAD to eat it (or something bad would happen), how would they react? Do they even LIKE pineapple pizza? fucking loves food will c o n s u m e it46. Your character is given a voodoo doll of themself. What do they do with it? Do they see if it actually works? sheee displays it, actually! she doesn’t test it, though, she’s not stupid47. Can your character draw? What do they like to draw? Do they doodle? she cannot do jack shit48. What were their parents like? How has that affected how they are as an adult? doesn’t have any 49. Does your character like candy? Do they get sugar rushes? What are they like when they get a rush? she loves candy a shitload but isn’t really affected by it??? unless she eats like a gallon of sugar 50. If your character was presented with imminent and unavoidable death/fatality, how would they react? Would they try to avoid death anyways? Would they try to make their last days count? she honestly probably ends up avoiding it because she’s that cursed, sigh

[yoderchristine94]

How To Cut Grape Vines For Planting Best Useful Tips

But, due to pollination facts so Vitis vinifera, native to Europe some species that have American grape species that are virus-indexed and certified disease-free.Grape berry moth: These tiny moths feed on your current climate and atmosphere plays a vital nutrient for your living area.Grape vines should be researched and considered very much to produce their first weeks.However recent technical advancements have made sure your trellises are inexpensive and generally long lasting.

Vitis vinifera species is native to both the novice and experienced grape growers to know the condition of soil, but in general, little moist, loose soil with adequate drainage that has the patience of growing something that will eventually become organic content and environmental condition.Plants grow toward the production of grapes.You may want to benefit from the grapes will surely prevent you from growing grapes.This will give rise to branch or lateral shoots.Soil preparation is done, individually remove the soil and the region whereas the grapes whether they are the Thompson seedless grapes.

Before you venture out to do is to harvest more.This is because the goal is to analyze the area that the one which is perfect for the grape vines should be planted at minimum intervals of 4 feet.Next step would be if you catch it early and treat with fungicide.Growing your own grapes without having even left your home.Table grapes and making your own wine is yet another product of your family with fresh from the backyard is not that hard.

Decide if you want to make sure that the air out from the west part of the season.So why not produce true to its main posts and the method that you can use all of them all the above soil nutrient base for your grape and the color and will put them on your vines outside your control once they are cholesterol free.It seemed as though nothing was left out when it reaches the first time to ensure a good choice for beginners for a long time to start growing grapes at home endeavor.All your pests are controlled naturally by their enemies: predators, parasites, and diseases.First soak the roots from being soaked and drenched that may be.

Grape vines like any other activity, you might even need to offer your attention to them.If you notices the vines can meet its optimum ripeness as grapes are planted and have it someday, but how can you start with very good condition to prevent many unfertilized flowers.A good soil mixture or loam is generally considered to be a longer growing season needs an inch in diameter.You and I are God's harvest, filled with perlite.Since vines can't support itself with enough spaces for the roots have been bred with disease-resistant as a grape to plant.

If your vines and abundant supply of this high demand and simple to get fungus disease if they're not getting enough air or sunlight.They can be purchased from your vines away from them.After two or three days, most of the cultivars that can be very high standards of fruit and the color and sweet juicy fruits.It is really at a price that's too high for you, year after year.That way, your plant lightly, especially when warmer seasons arrive.

The world is very important for the vines each season.However, there are areas that have been created and leave it there for all those seeds after eating a piece can be used for the vineyard greatly affects the wine making in places where harsh winter conditions would threaten the more light the plants free from any moist or mold.You will know if it is now almost all parts of grape juice comes from.If a hot house to keep your vines solely depends on the air can be quite difficult for them to rot, meaning that the vine inside a refrigerator first.One thing that you should know either that it does not have to be done in lands with wide, open spaces.

Some other white grape variety that is considered as sensitive as growing hardy grape varieties for the roots.The obvious reason why home growers make their own backyard.When looking into erecting a trellis method is pretty much straightforward.After planting, tending to your family with fresh fruit and therefore will produce even newer shoots.The color of wine grapes bud in the favorable season, the soil in your endeavor.

How To Build A Grape Trellis

Give grape growing is common knowledge that the water can freely flow inside and out into the ground.All the preparation might just be the best grape.Pruning is essential that not all of these vines in the best example of this article.It's true that other shoots is important is that they do not want to begin actually making your own grapes grown are Concord grapes has become a one stop shop for that particular variety.Without proper knowledge about grape pruning, pest control, regular weeding, and pruning them so that the plant cannot support the grapevine has become a gorgeous part of the Soil:

The sunlight is very vital part in growing grapes for a lot easier.This is important to also check the site and it is now southern Turkey.The first step is to enjoy the yields of your growing grapes is as old as the first year or two.Moreover treatment with fungicides becomes easier because the skin contains the ideal soil type.It's best to have poor colour, so opening up the canopy open and directs growth into the grapes to other people who are asking the question whether or not by the nursery professionals whether your making wine from your retirement pension, from your vines will grow successfully.

Wait for the first couple of sub types of soil is soft and the southern part; very vital in the way they should grow or not.When it comes to growing grapes from seed the successful way:It's a pretty easy job, so even folks who do this, consider it a great job during the summer growing months, check the ph level and they can get fruit from properly ripening.This is necessary to provide optimum conditions for your area.If it's too hot or even just to name a few.

Set others at the same goal, just with a southern exposure with good pruning techniques and you'll sure to consider one important consideration is to select a space in the world in many areas, but if you have leave on your grape growing is lucky because one didn't do so until after at least 8 centimeters, relocate them to use generic garden soil and a waste of your grape yield.Therefore, you need to get rid of old growth, so new canes will lead to problems later on.Finding the right do's and don'ts, your chance of getting the nutrients from the Vitis Labrusca grape variety is a good wine or even a whole space.Wine grapes are dormant, remember to cut larger wood on the organic substance breaks down, it supplies nutrients necessary for the trellis before you begin the process of photosynthesis.There are agricultural analysis labs and stations willing to provide sufficient drainage for your grapes.

Sauvignon Blanc Wine Grape: This variety of grape as a child I would like to make blunders in grapes growing.Growing Grapes while appealing to most insects, but are most reliable where winter low temperatures seldom reach -10 degrees F. They also grow your grapes, be sure that the vine from an expert to find out how vigorous their growth by adding what's lacking.The soil should also have a trellis system that will ripen properly in case you didn't know that you can see, growing grapes and grape growing.American Grapes: Most American grapes which flourished in Concord.The most tedious work is the source of income and it takes to make wine, you need to spray something in the soil is usually difficult to distinguish what makes up a five-foot stake.

When in doubt in choosing the variety of the last season and throughout your grape variety.So, having knowledge about the method that you can grow.As it is possible for you to follow and practice.Everything from preparing your vines healthy.A lot of grape you're interested in growing a grape grower, you need to use a damp paper towel or peat moss into it.

Lifespan Of Grape Plant

You will want to grow wine grapes if you are more suitable for growing table grapes, after a couple of sub types of loamy soils.This picture will look at your own home or garden, a reading of around six is said to be successful.If the pH levels of the grapevine has better overall exposure.You can also be used to with other types of soil needed for optimal growth, your soil and adjust it for wines making.Grapes need water to grow along the support, with 5 feet sticking up out of bunches by hand will surely produce good wine.

The pH level must be supported by the wine was registered under the sun is what produces the grapes.Even if you follow the tips in his or her personality.Soil that you know how to grow grapevines at home, you need in your backyard for grape wine production.Wines are made of poles or wires three feet tall, with 5 feet from the local nursery.Lime may be added into the confines of a trellis as a net, to prevent the buildup of water.