#frog eyesight

[daydreamerdrew]

Marvel Mystery Comics (1939) #39

[ad15124]

btwbtw I like the themeeeee

tyyyyyyyyyy

[amnhnyc]

Orange and black are so in right now. Just take it from the common blunt-headed tree snake (Imantodes cenchoa). This nocturnal species uses its keen eyesight to hunt for prey including small lizards, frogs, and eggs. In fact, this snake’s “googly” eyes can measure up to 25% of the length of its head! It can be spotted slithering through the treetops in parts of Central and South America.

Photo: josh_vandermeulen, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, iNaturalist

[bethanythebogwitch]

Wet Beast Wednesday: giant salamanders

Everyone knows salamanders, right? The little lizard frogs that show up around ponds. Well what if I told you that not all salamanders are little. In fact, some species can get quite large, but none get bigger than the aptly-named giant salamanders. I'm not just talking about any big newt, I'm talking about the unique members of the family Cryptobranchidae.

(Image: a Chinese giant salamander. It is a large, lizard-shaped animal with brown skin and black blotches. Its limbs are short and its tail is flattened to look like a long fin. It has wrinkly folds of skin along the side. End ID)

There are three(ish) species of giant salamander in two genera: the Japanese and Chinese giant salamanders of the genus Andrias and the hellbender of genus Cryptobranchus. The name Cryptobranchidae means "hidden gills", which is appropriate as giant salamanders are unique in that they are the only salamanders who reaming fully aquatic as adults without retaining external gills into adulthood. All salamanders are aquatic as juveniles and have external gills and many groups have independently evolved to remain fully aquatic as adults. However, other species, from axolotls to olms, adapted by retaining their external gills as adults, a trait called neoteny. Giant salamanders have had to find another way, especially since a body as large as their needs quite a bit of oxygen. Their solution was to take a common amphibian trait and turn it up to 11. It is common among amphibians to be able to absorb dissolved oxygen in water through their skin. This is usually a supplement to either gills or lungs, but giant salamanders use it as their main means of respiration. The skin is thin and filled with small veins that can perform gas exchange with the water. Giant salamanders evolved very wrinkly skin flaps along ther sides to increase the amount of surface area available for gas exchange, allowing them to sustain themselves. They do require access to running water with a high oxygen content, as still or low-oxygen water doesn't provide enough oxygen to survive. They do have lungs, but use them more for buoyancy control than breathing.

(Image: a man holding/bear higging a giant salamander. The salamander is longer than his torso, not including the tail. end ID)

The Japanese and Chinese giant salamanders are very closely related to each other and rather similar in physiology and behavior. There's also not just one Chinese salamander. Genetic testing has reveals that what was once called Andrias davidianus is actually a species complex. This is when what was thought to be one species turns out to actually be a group of related species. There is some debate over whether the five identified populations of Chinese giant salamander should be classified as subspecies or their own species, though the latter interpretation seems to be the most popular. All the populations are very similar and can interbreed with each other, so I'll discuss them as a group. The largest of the group (and world's largest amphibian) is the South China giant salamander (Andrias sligoi) which can reach 1.8 m (5.9 ft) and 50 kg (110 lbs), but adults average 1.15 m (3.8 ft) and 25-30 kg (55-66 lbs). The Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) reaches a slightly smaller maximum size of 1.5 m (5 ft) and 25 kg (55 lbs), with most being smaller. The Chinese and Japanese giant salamanders are closely related enough that they can hybridize.

(Image: a Japanese giant salamander resting on mossy rocks underwater. Its body is light brown with darker blotches and the head is covered in nodules. End ID)

Because of how closely related the Japanese and Chinese salamanders are, their biology and behavior are quite similar. They are mostly a dark brown color, but can also be other tones of brown, reddish, or black. The eyes are lidless, small, and poorly-developed, giving the salamanders poor eyesight. Their primary sense comes from the lateral line, a line of hair cells that extends down the body and sense movement of the water. Using the lateral line, the salamanders can sense the movement of prey and threats in the water around them. They utilize suction feeding, slowly approaching prey, then rapidly opening the mouth to generate a vacuum and suck food into the mouth. The prey is then killed or incapacitated with a powerful bite. The esophagus is lined with powerful muscles and uses mucus as lubricant to allow the salamander to swallow large prey. The head and throat have nodules on them, the arrangement and number of which can be used to differentiate Chinese and Japanese salamanders. Both groups of salamander can secrete a strong-smelling, milky white substance to ward off predators. A low metabolism and generally low activity level allows the salamanders to last of up to a few years between meals. The Chinese salamanders can make vocalizations including barks, hisses, and sounds very similar to the crying of a human baby. The hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) is smaller than it's Asian relatives, reaching a length of 30-74 cm (12-29 in) and up to 2.2 kg (5 lbs). They are usually brown or reddish-brown, but can also have a gray, yellowish, or black coloration. Hellbender biology and ecology is fairly similar to that of their relatives.

(Image: a hellbender underwater. It looks like the other two species, but is smaller, lighter brown, and has no nodules on the head. End ID)

Chinese and Japanese giant salamanders live in cool, clear streams and rivers in the Yangtze river basin (Chinese) and the islands of Honshou, Kyushu, and Shikoku (Japan). Hellbenders live in similar treams in the eastern United states, with one population (which may be a subspecies) living in the Ozarks region. As predators, their diets include worms, fish, crayfish, freshwater crabs, other amphibians, and small mammals. They are also cannibals and will opportunistically feed on smaller members of their own species. All species are territorial animals that will attempt to drive others out of their territory, though hellbenders are less territorial than the other species. Hellbenders prefer to live in cavities dug out under rocks, which helps them shelter from predators. Due to their low metabolisms, giant salamanders live much longer than most amphibians. Captive individuals have been recorded living for 60 years (Chinese), 52 years (Japanese), and 25 years (hellbender). All species are nocturnal.

(Image: a hellbender emerging from beneath a rock with a crayfish in its mouth. End ID)

Mating occurs seasonally, triggered by warmer water in the summer. During this period, males will search for ideal nesting sites, leaving their territories if necessary. An idea nesting site is sheltered beneath a rock. There are often fewer nesting sites than males, meaning only the largest and strongest males will be able to claim nests. Males then use courtship displays to woo females. Alternatively, male hellbenders will chase passing females into the nests and refuse to let them leave until they mate. Unlike most salamanders, giant salamanders practice external reproduction, where the female lays eggs and then the male fertilizes them. The male then guards the nest until the eggs hatch. During this period, he will keep the nest and eggs clean and use his tail to keep water moving over them. Males will eat eggs that are unfertilized, unhealthy, or show signs of infection. This helps keep the other eggs as healthy as possible. The offspring are born with external gills, which they will lose as they mature. It can take several years for the larvae to reach maturity.

(Image: a group of giant salamander larvae in captivity. They look like smaller versions of the adults, but with feathery gills emerging from each side of the neck. End ID)

Both hellbenders and Japanese giant salamanders are classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, while Chinese giant salamanders are critically endangered. Their primary threats are habitat loss as streams are dammed, dry up, or become polluted. Warming water temperatures also threaten them. Chinese giant salamanders have experienced a major drop in population since the 1950s. In addition to habitat loss, Chinese giant salamanders are also eaten by humans. While hunting wild specimens is now illegal in China, they are heavily impacted by poaching. The fine for poaching giant salamanders is pathetically small compared to the sale price for one of them, further encouraging poachers. Captive breeding and release programs have shown some success, but may have contributed to the spread of disease. In response to the rarity of the salamanders, a new farming industry has sprung up in, raising giant salamanders for food. The captive population of Chinese giant salamanders in farms vastly exceeds the estimated wild population. Chinese giant salamanders have also been introduced to Japan, where they have been hybridizing with the Japanese salamanders, a major hindrance to conservation efforts. Japanese giant salamanders have been legally protected since 1951. The origin of the name hellbender is unknown. Other names for hellbenders include the water dog, Allegheny alligator, grampus, snot otter, and (my personal favorite) lasagna lizard.

(Image: a holding pen in a Chinese giant salamander farm. Over a dozen salamanders are sitting in a shallow water enclosure stocked with bricks and small fish. End ID)

I will leave this post off with a weird fact. In 1726, a Swiss physician named Johann Jakob Schuechzer declared a fossil giant salamander to be the remains of an ancient human who died in the mythical flood of Noah's ark and named it Homo diluvi, meaning "man who witnessed the deluge". In 1812, paleontologist Georges Cuvier examined the fossil and realized (probably very quickly) that it definitely wasn't a human. Once the fossil was identified as a salamander it was given the name Andrias scheuchzeri. As Andrias means "image of man", both the genus and species names acknowledge Schuechzer's weird idea.

Behold: a man (Image: the original Andrias scheuchzeri fossil that Schuechzer thought as a human. It is a front half of the skeleton of what is clearly a lizard-shaped animal and not a human. End ID)

[alocon]

Business As Usual - Lance Stroll

written by alocon

Summary: Lance meets a lovely business woman and decides to drop some game with the help from the community

Before you read: Fluff, Lance being nice, Lance is underrated - I do not want Lance Stroll hate here pls, Quickly written, not edited so sorry if it isn't great x, This is basically some backstory just in case I decide to turn it into a SMAU series!!

Genre: Fluff, some social media at the end

fc: Tess Holloway for profile picture, faceless blondes from Pinterest

[The Masterlist]

Business as Usual - LS18

You walked through the woods, heading towards the isolated little river that you sat by whenever you felt overwhelmed. As you approached the opening in the trees, you saw a figure, someone sat down on the rock next to the one that you normally say at. You shrugged to yourself, not really caring if someone else was there, he seemed quiet and you could still unwind. As if he could sense a presence, he turned, looking at you. You sent him a gentle smile, walking over and sitting on the rock that sat beside the one he was on.

“Do you mind? This is my spot,” he said, sounding rather frustrated at the new presence.

“Well it's my spot too, so I'm going to quietly enjoy it,” you responded, not really in the mood for another argument that day. He seemed to accept that, groaning rather dramatically before accepting it and going quiet.

You watched as the river flowed gently, the crystal-clear water meandering gracefully between rocks. You could see the pebbles below the water, laying contently on the river bed, some adorned with moss which had slowly covered more and more pebbles over time. The sound of running water and gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze subdued the loud sounds in your brain, allowing you to shut everything that you were feeling out. The fragrant scent of wildflowers and mud filled your senses as you breathed in, causing a sigh of content to leave your mouth. The natural canopy provided by the trees above allowed you to sit there calmly, shading the sun from your face and body as you watched the ripples of the water. 

You heard a gasp and sudden movement from the man sat beside you. You looked in his direction, looking into his eyes and following his eyesight to the creature that had landed by him and startled him so much. You started laughing softly. “It's not funny, don't laugh.”

“You're scared of a tiny little frog?” You asked, leaning over to pick it up. “Hi little buddy.” You spoke gently to the frog as it sat contently in your hand, bringing it up to eye level with you and looking at it. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw the man sit back down. “Do you want to hold him?”

He was silent, so you looked up at him, seeing the anxious look in his eyes. “What if I hurt it? I don't want to do that.”

You smiled softly. “You trust me?”

He thought for a moment before gently nodding. “I guess, why?”

You signalled for him to hold out his hand, which he did, before gently moving your hand over so the frog could move onto him. You watched as his brown eyes softened, his mouth turning into a grin as he held the tiny creature in his hand. “It’s kind of cute…”

“I hope this doesn't sound weird but may I take a photo of it in your hand? Your face won't be in the picture, of course, but I like infodumping about animals, plants, buildings and history on my Instagram pages that I'm an admin on.”

“Pages, plural?”

“Yes, I have 2. One for nature and history and I have one where I post personal stuff.” He nodded, before allowing you to take some photos. You did, answering his questions about the type of frog as you took photos, him offering to take one of you holding it afterwards, which you gladly accepted. Placing your camera back in your bag after turning it off, you looked back at him as he spoke again. You placed the frog on your knee, luckily having chosen to wear shorts so your clothes weren't getting dirty from the little creature that rested contently on you. 

“Why do you come here?”

“It's… an escape.” He looked at you, his expression unreadable so you continued talking. “When everything gets too loud, when family gets overwhelming, when work is stressful, it's nice to be able to escape here and just listen to the breeze and the water, the trees. It's all just so calming. What about you?”

He nodded, understanding exactly where you came from. “Same.”

“You wanna talk about it?”

He pondered your question for a moment before he decided to explain. “Where I work… people can be quite harsh sometimes. It's like I can never do anything without people hating me. They call me a nepo baby.” He paused, chuckling bitterly. “I know that it sounds stupid, getting frustrated over it, but people always say I don't deserve my job, that the only reason I'm here is because of nepotism. It's mental.” He sighed, looking in your direction, eyes scanning you. “What about you? What's going on with you?”

“My dad, well, step dad's trying to convince me to give him my business now that it's successful. Just like handing it over to him willingly. He invited me over to ask me to willingly give up the thing I built from the ground up.”

“Really? Why would he do that?”

You lifted your hands up, making quotation marks with your hands. “Women shouldn't run businesses, they should marry, have kids and stay at home doing housework.” He snorted, thinking you were joking. “I'm serious.”

“People still think like that?” He looked confused, watching as you nodded, sighing in response to that. Unfortunately, some people were still like that. And it pissed you off a lot.

“Unfortunately, I always wondered why mama willingly gave up working despite absolutely loving her job after they got married.” You shrugged. “He won’t be getting my company though. No way in hell. He only wants it for the money.” You paused, checking your phone. “Speaking of my business. I’ve got a business meeting party thing tonight so I will have to go.”

“It was lovely meeting you.” He smiled at you as you placed the frog on the rock, picking up your tote bag and heading out. 

You went straight home, thinking that he looked familiar but you couldn’t quite put your finger on it. Sat in your hotel room, you decided to paint a bit before you headed for the business event. You wore quite a basic smart casual outfit - some white pants with a green shirt and matching blazer. Your hair was left down and you wore some basic makeup, not feeling like going over the top. 

Stepping into the venue, you sighed. This was something you didn’t love about running a business. Sure, you enjoyed the small delicacies and the free wine you got all evening, but you couldn’t stand the large handful of males who decided that you, a woman, couldn’t understand basic terminology so would spend the entire time mansplaining to you. Usually, you’d bring a friend, but being in Canada, away from your main place of residence, you didn’t really have anyone to bring. So you wandered around the venue quietly, other than stopping to say hi to people as you passed them, champagne in hand. That was until you saw a white-haired man approach you. 

He smiled, seeming rather friendly. He held out his hand. “Hi. Miss Martins, yes?” You nodded. “It's lovely to meet you, I'm Lawrence Stroll.” You shook his hand, smiling back. “Your step-father said that you're here on behalf of his business?”

You shook your head. “Martins Associates?”

“That's my business, not Anthony's,” you said, leading to a look of confusion on his face. “He's been trying to convince me to hand over my business to him willingly now it's doing well.”

“Oh, well I am very sorry if I insulted you there, dear. I genuinely had no idea.”

“No, it's perfectly fine. Has he been telling everyone this?”

Lawrence nodded. “Want me to go have words with the owner of this?”

“I’m meant to be talking later, so I’ll just bring it up then.”

You and Lawrence continued to talk, making friendly conversation. He talked a lot about his son, you realised. You didn’t mind, though. You didn’t usually know what to talk about. He explained about how his son is a Formula One driver and how he was super proud of him and how far he’s come over the years. He then looked around before waving somebody over. Your eyes turned from Lawrence to the person who was being waved over. When you glanced at the familiar man who you had spent time with earlier that day, you smiled. His face twisted from a look of boredom to one of relief, likely at someone he had noticed, someone who wasn’t an old man. “Y/N, this is my son, Lance Stroll. Lance, this is Miss Martins, she runs Martins Associates.”

“Miss Martins. It is very lovely to see you again.” Lance lifted your hand gently, placing a kiss to your knuckles.

“Please, call me Y/N, Mr Stroll.”

“Alright, and you can call me Lance, of course.” His dad excused himself so he turned back to you, a gentle smile on his face. “May I get you a drink?”

The rest of the night went by pretty quickly. You had done your little talk, making it very clear at the start that you owned your business, not your step-father. You then spent the rest of your evening with your new Canadian friend, who you found out also lived in Switzerland, relatively close to you as well. However, eventually, your conversation wrapped up and you had to head home to catch your plane back.

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instagram

youruser

liked by lance_stroll and others

youruser Canada was lovely, home time now x

-view all comments-

mickschumacher: Hello???? The painting??????

mickschumacher: You're so talented PLEASE youruser: THANK YOU MICK!!

yourbff: You beautiful, beautiful woman. I miss you, hurry back to Switzerland xx

youruser: Of course, my love. Will come and see you as soon as I land yourbff: Thank you, darling youruser: ofc, anything for my wife x

lance_stroll: Safe travels back!! Maybe we could meet up when you're next free?

user1: Hey Lance! Thank you for fixing world hunger! user2: Lance, you amazing man, remember when you picked up that bus with your bare hands to stop it from hitting me? Thanks for that, buddy, you're a real one user3: Lance, thank you for landing my airplane safely that one time. estebanocon: Bonjour Lance, thank you for saving my cat from being abducted by aliens that one time!!! -175 more comments-

youruser: Oh my lord what is going on in my comments 😭

youruser: also @ lance_stroll, message me and we will plan something.

lance_stroll: Yes ma'am, will do x user1: HE DID IT! OUR BOY ACTUALLY DID IT landonorris: LETSGOOOO

youruser added to her story!

-and 8 more-

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habitatsandhistory

📍 Montreal, Canada

liked by lance_stroll and others

habitatsandhistory: Today, we stumbled across a pseudacris crucifer, known more commonly as a Spring Peeper! These small tree frogs from the Hylidae family are found in woodland areas of the Eastern states of the USA and Canada. They are usually grey, tan or olive brown with an x-shaped, often irregular, brown mark on it's back. They grow to a length of between 2.5 and 3 cm in size!

This little guy was found by the river on slide 5, when it jumped up onto a nearby rock and I couldn't resist getting a photo of it! Feel free to follow for more history and nature facts!

-view all comments-

lance_stroll: Wowwww who's hand is that in the second photo? Must be someone pretty cool

youruser: They were alright, I guess. Not as cool as the person in the first photo

-Word Count: Around 1.5k not including socials-

Hi All, Next chapter of MV1 will hopefully be out in the next week, I have had some writers block though so my apologies for that. Hope you're all well. Here is a Lance story, it is unedited tho so pls give feedback. I used tweetgen for the tweets and used canva to make the instagram page and post Have a lovely day x Alocon

[wing-ed-thing]

Of Frogs and Crowns (Ichiji Vinsmoke x Reader) Part II

Synopsis: You couldn't say that being engaged to a man as emotionless and serious as Ichiji didn't bother you. But after a night of sneaking out, you think you've found a quirk to humanize him a bit, and Ichiji finds that he might be in over his head. Two-Shot.

Word Count: 3.8k

Part I Part II

Tags/Warnings: No Reader Pronouns, Language, Arranged Marriage, Royal!Reader, Minor Original Characters, Dancing

Notes: I am very glad this is finished. I accidentally messed this chapter format up and it wasn't showing up anywhere so hopefully everything is okay this time around!

For as quickly as Ichiji seemed to have walked to the garden, he slowed down significantly to follow you into town and did so silently. You took a path that stood out starkly among the grasses. The narrow footpath had been beaten into the ground and looked to have been done so by one person. Even the steeper parts of the terrain appeared smooth and trampled down compared to the surrounding earth. 

Ichiji had no issue with the walk, trailing behind you at a short distance. He always kept close and never once offered to help you with your bag or across physical obstacles, but he kept himself uncomfortably present. Although, his trailing would completely stop once you entered the gates. 

You were mobbed almost instantly by children.

Cheers and screams filled the air, far too shrill for Ichiji’s comfort. Ichiji was almost taken aback by how they scrambled out of the woodwork, physically recoiling slightly as tiny, sandaled feet scampered through the dirt streets. 

He scowled at the small town's appearance, glancing flippantly at the wooden buildings and quaint fixtures. Everything was far too colorful for his liking, painted in yellows and other pastels. The brightly pigmented paint did nothing for the water stains and weathering of the buildings, especially with ugly things like worn clotheslines and chipped orange shudders daring to be within Ichiji’s eyesight. Draping shrubbery lined balconies, but even the greenery he assumed was meant to distract from the dingy houses and rusting farm tools appeared plain and poor. 

The people reflected their home, sporting colorful overalls and patterned button-up shirts stained with dirt and clearly worn by time. The children wore oversized shirts, sporting rough edges where the large sleeves were torn off. Traditional garments were mixed into outfits, with each citizen wearing at least a small accessory reflective of the kingdom. And yet, for their sorry state, they greeted you warmly.

The children swarmed around you, and to Ichiji’s surprise and disgust, you even picked one up in your arms, making your way deeper into town as you chatted with the townsfolk. Ichiji trailed at a growing distance behind you, and even though he stood at least a head taller than almost everyone, all eyes were on you. 

Each and every citizen called you by your royal title, including the old man mayor who hobbled up to you. You had since placed the child in your arms down, and the mayor took the opportunity to clasp both of your hands in his. 

“You don’t have to be so formal,” you sighed, your light tone almost holding a reprimand. 

“To us—” The old man’s brows rose to reveal shiny, sad eyes underneath. —“You’ll always be royalty in title, spirit, and more.” You sighed again, gazing fondly at him with a small smile. 

“How can I argue with that?” you conceded with a playful dip of your head.

“Oh well, you can’t!” The mayor let out a boisterous laugh. He released your hands with a firm pat. “What are you doing here, my dear? Shouldn’t you be at the castle celebrating your engagement?” You couldn’t help but snicker at the way his thick, gray eyebrows knitted together in concern. You always considered how much he looked like an old sheepdog. His busy beard seemed to bounce as he spoke, and the way he glanced down at your left hand didn’t escape you. “Up to no good are you?”

You gave his hands a light squeeze, leaning forward with a tilt of your head.

“Aren’t I always up to no good?” Your laugh was light like a bell, and the sound shot right through Ichiji’s chest. The mayor’s eyes went wide as he howled with laughter, his mouth forming a round shape as he cackled. Ichiji couldn’t understand what was so funny.

He felt a tug on his slacks and had to physically restrain himself from swatting the tiny hand away. 

“Hey, mister—” Ichiji scowled downward to find himself surrounded by about five small children. He shoved his fingers in his pockets with a roll of his eyes, glancing off to the side. But Ichiji’s ignorance of them didn’t make him invisible. —“Your hair’s kinda funny.” The child giggled before running off.

“Yeah,” another chimed. “It kinda looks like a duck butt!”

The mayor began to move, ushering you to a familiar building with a patio and two saloon-style doors. Upbeat music and drums resounded from the other side, and light from the modest bulbs cast a golden glow onto the street. He looked around your shoulder. His thick brows crinkled again before he returned his gaze to you with a smile and a friendly nod.

“Ah, yes, and your friend is welcome as well.” 

You glanced behind you, having to physically turn due to your large backpack. Most of the children had already gone inside, but the few that remained had surrounded Ichiji, who looked to be growing more annoyed by the second. Despite his cold and tense demeanor, his lips were moving, and you were surprised he was still there in the first place.

You turned back to the mayor with a shrug.

“He’ll find his way inside.”

***

Ichiji did find his way inside the dance hall before long, trailing a small posse of children behind him. To Ichiji’s relief, they seemed to find other things to occupy their attention. 

The hall was large, open, and made almost entirely out of wood. A few tables lined both sides of the room, leaving the center for people to dance. And they did dance; couples, children, and the elderly alike mingled together under the sizable chandelier above, moving in a traditional dance to the music that filled the air. 

If people weren’t dancing, they were eating or spectating from the wooden balconies above. Ichiji had to climb a flight of wooden stairs before he found you. 

You were set up at a round table on the right side of the U-shaped balcony. Your backpack was completely unfolded and laid flat, revealing a sizable pile of hand-wrapped meals. You handed food to adults and children alike, laughing and chatting amongst your people as they filtered back and forth. The balcony wasn’t very large, especially for the number of people coming to get food, although the space was about twice as ample as the section for tables down below. Despite the crowd of people that surrounded you, your face remained perfectly framed in Ichiji’s gaze.

“And Mary is doing better?” Ichiji somehow heard you over the noise. He began to make his way toward you, bumping into townspeople as he tried to maneuver around the bustling throng you had amassed. He never took his eyes off you, even as the current of people moving opposite him grew.

“Oh yes, she even stood for a bit yesterday.” 

Ichiji bumped into another woman, barely muttering a curt apology under his breath. 

“That’s wonderful!” Your voice was never drowned out, no matter how loud the music was.

A man bumped Ichiji’s shoulder, sending him a step back in the face of the growing current of people retreating with their meals. Someone stepped on Ichiji’s foot. 

“All thanks to that new medicine.”

“Please take extra home to her and tell her I say—” 

Ichiji was finally pushed back by the throng of people. Townsfolk came up to greet you, take their dinner, and find a table to sit at if they weren’t taking their food home to a bedridden loved one. 

So many people vied for your attention. Ichiji wondered how you balanced it all. He couldn’t fathom how you remembered so many asinine details about others or how you weren’t possibly overwhelmed at the mere amount of voices speaking to you at once. And most of all, he was most astonished at the glow that radiated from your smile. 

You hadn’t looked at him like that once. 

Not that it mattered.

But after much effort, Ichiji resigned himself to a still spot at the corner where the balcony began to branch off. His forearms crossed over the railing, and Ichiji let his head hang for a moment. The current of people passed around him, and the positioning of the railing allowed him to have a bit of a reprieve, but Ichiji could still see you where you stood on the right-hand side of the balcony despite the bottlenecked footway. 

He could see how the people danced on the floor below, creating a sea of different fabrics and bouncing heads of hair. Like the people he saw outside, many wore a mix of farming attire, but some sported complete outfits of brightly colored traditional garb. The band sat at the far end of the hall, and a chorus of foreign instruments blared. People ate their meals all around the hall— it looked to be some sort of vegetable and rice dish. 

Ichiji’s gaze finally settled back on you. 

“You’ve found yourself quite the gem, deeply loved by every soul here.” A voice sounded just barely over the noise. Ichiji hadn’t realized it was addressing him. He swiveled his head, and only when he looked down did he see the old mayor standing beside him. The mayor barely stood taller than the railing. “It's quite a commitment, aligning yourself with such heartfelt dedication, don't you think?”

Ichiji frowned, staring down at the old man’s bald spot. His gaze didn’t linger. Ichiji jerked his neck to move a few strands of hair out of his eyes. His attention settled somewhere random in the room. 

“You don’t make much sense, old man,” he grumbled. The mayor laughed. 

“Oh-ho-ho-ho! I never do!” he chuckled, holding his belly in a jolly manner. His other hand slapped onto Ichiji’s forearm, much to Ichiji’s dismay. And just when Ichiji thought he might punch him, the mayor retracted his touch. “You know—” The old man tilted his head to the side knowingly. Ichiji still didn’t look at him. “Serving the people requires more than just a noble birth—it takes a noble heart.” The hand that slapped onto Ichiji’s arm moved to his chest, poking him with emphasis. 

“Your gem comes here, bringing extra meals from the castle a few times every week, you know.” The mayor placed his hands staunchly on his hips. Ichiji chose to ignore his wording. You were hardly his yet. “All this food when things are so scarce.” 

“I didn’t know,” he said plainly. The old man nodded a few times in emphasis. 

“Bless the king, of course! But between you and me—” The mayor lifted himself on his toes, and Ichiji found himself tilting down to lend his ear. —“The people will rejoice in the streets when the new reign begins. They know that it is the individual that cares for them.”

Ichiji rose to his full height, pondering silently to himself. He didn’t care much for sentiment, how much you were adored, and he most certainly didn’t care for having to stand in the middle of the noisy throng of peasants, for that matter. But Ichiji had to admit that perhaps he misjudged you. 

In fact, he hadn’t judged you at all, at least not much more than your appearance and some technical data that had little to do with you personally. The number of times and the duration that he stared at your portrait was information that would have to be tortured out of him. And you would never know that it was Ichiji who had approached his father with the idea of an arrangement (and had even put in a great effort to convince him).

And despite your hard times, your kingdom did more than well for itself regarding trade. In fact, your nation basically dominated the grain trade, mined rare region-specific metals on the side, and had shot to the top of citizen happiness polls for the last handful of years despite your foreign conflicts. He had heard rumors of your competence but had assumed that your involvement was on the bureaucratic side, as the involvement of royal families tended to be.

He deemed your personality otherwise unimportant. You were beautiful; your father was well-connected; you opened up new avenues for Germa, and your country did well for itself. Ichiji couldn’t have cared less about settling a raid issue when he knew that, on top of everything else, he wanted you the moment he saw your photo.

(And although he may claim that he could do without the sharp tongue, Ichiji couldn’t deny that he was more than attracted to your fire. A bit of feistiness kept things interesting, after all.)

He hadn’t signed up for any of this.

“I wonder…” Ichiji hadn’t realized that the old man had been staring at him intently as he thought. The mayor tutted to himself, clicking his tongue as he faced forward, hands resting behind his back. “I wonder if your kingdom thinks similarly or if you might find yourself challenged in a new way, my boy.”

By the time Ichiji snapped back to reality, the music had changed, and you were already halfway down the stairs. He whipped around in surprise, not one to miss things passing him by in his surroundings. And without thinking, he followed you, leaving the mayor laughing where he stood by the balcony.

The mayor turned, watching the back of Ichiji’s head disappear down the wooden stairs. 

“Oh-ho-ho-ho! Something tells me that boy has no idea how to dance!”

His statement wasn’t exactly true, but it wasn’t false. Ichiji had been taught how to waltz for formal international events for the sheer purpose of wooing other royals and political figures. If it wasn’t a waltz, then it was a similar, simple dance. The Vinsmokes never had many dance lessons and were taught little more than what looked reasonable for young royals of their stature. The princes had also been taught a traditional North Blue dance commonly performed by men for the sake of preserving culture, but those movements were nothing like what you were doing. 

By the time Ichiji reached the bottom level, he had officially lost you again. He scanned the mass of heads congregated together on the ground floor before he finally spotted you. You were on the dancefloor this time with your arm locked around some other man’s as you danced around each other. Your opposite hands waved in the air like the elegant feathers of a bird. But Ichiji wasn’t in the mood to admire your traditional dance. 

His scowl set in deeper than usual as he decided that it was time to leave.

For no particular reason. 

Ichiji marched straight into the crowd of dancing people, unabashedly pushing his way to the center. Everyone jumped to the side in time with the beat, arms flowing in passionate yet fluid motions in sync with the music. The man stood behind you with his right hand behind his back and his left hand twirling in the air while you danced in front of him, your arm movements complementing those of your hips. Another crack of heels thumped with a hearty boom of the drums, followed by a combined shout.

Ichiji shoved his way past one last couple before he reached you, but the harsh demands to leave died on his tongue as you swiftly took him by the hands, pulling him forward as everyone seemed to switch dance partners. 

You fell right into him. Your right palms met each other; then, you intertwined your left-hand fingers as you twirled to wrap Ichiji’s arms around you. Your hips moved while your back brushed his chest. Your heel slammed against the ground in unison with everyone else, followed by a resounding shout.

You avoided eye contact with Ichiji beyond coy glances. You were still angry with him after all, and you wanted to dance, which seemed to keep him shut up enough, whether it be by the shock or the sheer overload of your crowded environment. He insisted on coming along, so he’d stay for as long as you desired.

Neither of you said anything as you whisked him around the dancefloor, and you preferred it that way. Ichiji was hilariously stiff, almost fighting you as you looped your arm through his. But Ichiji ultimately allowed you to rotate him around before switching linked arms.

“Are you always this tense?” you teased, and a deep shade of red rushed to Ichiji’s cheeks, much to his dismay. You couldn’t really tell under the lighting but you were more than gleeful to add to his discomfort.

The music drummed on in the background, growing faster with the sounds of heels slamming against the ground and the snapping of fabric.

You resumed a position in front of him; your palm extended out to the left. Your right foot pivoted, moving your knee in and out in tandem with your arm. Energy coursed through your movements as you pushed your right palm to meet the back of your left hand with a rhythmic jerk of your hip. You couldn’t help the snicker that rattled your chest. You glanced at Ichiji from over your shoulder, taking a bit too much pleasure in how out of place he appeared. 

Ichiji looked around at some other dancers in the room, and like the man from before, many men held a hand behind their backs while twirling the other in the air as their partners danced more intricately in front of them. And it didn’t escape Ichiji’s notice how all attention was on the two of you. 

The collective gaze of the people wasn’t romantic but watchful. The children above held the bars of the balcony railing and stared through the gaps. Men with mustaches leaned against the posts, looking on at how Ichiji stood stiffly on the dance floor. Ichiji even found himself catching the eyes of those dancing around you. Everyone watched the two of you, waiting. Waiting for his next move.

Of course, they knew who he was and why he was there, but no one said a word. 

Ichiji met your eye. He sighed deeply with a gesture of his brows. You rolled your eyes, giving him an encouraging nod. Ichiji wondered if you had lured him there on purpose if all of this was your test or theirs. 

He glanced one more time around, locking stares with multiple pairs of eyes that didn’t deviate from his. Ichiji wondered if it was worth the hassle, stuck between the prospect of embarrassing himself further or admitting that he was in over his head. His pride wouldn’t allow either.

His gaze locked onto yours, holding little expression other than the slight dip of his lip and a small heave to his chest that resembled a sigh. 

Ichiji’s hand raised in the air, swaying awkwardly as he tried to mimic the dancers around him. As soon as he did, the townsfolk let out a boisterous shout in time with the music, and the cheering continued as the music picked up. Ichiji jerked forward as a volley of hands slapped his back. Tight, joyful grips sat firmly on his broad shoulders, almost waving him back and forth. The townspeople didn’t crowd you, nor did they make too much of a show in the face of Ichiji’s reluctant gesture, but they grew louder, their gestures of support coming as they passed you before disappearing into the crowd.

Ichiji wasn’t convinced, nor could he be described as dedicated, but he was interested and willing to go along for the ride. You knew as much as did the town, and the more you danced together, the more you were convinced that perhaps your union had the slightest glimmer of hope. 

Ichiji’s expression didn’t change much, but you didn’t think you needed to know him for long to see the apparent shock on his face in the form of his barely widened eyes. The dance floor moved in unison, and despite Ichiji’s inability to keep on rhythm, he didn’t resist you with too much force as you dragged him around once again. Your head dipped as you laughed, the noise coming out silently as your chest shook. 

It was all so ridiculous. He was so ridiculous, yet you wrapped your arm around Ichiji’s neck and grasped his hand. 

Now, this was a stance he was familiar with. 

You could hardly cover your expression of surprise as Ichiji suddenly took the lead, and while his movements were stiff and off-rhythm at best, he moved you across the floor with fire. He dropped onto one knee, his back leg hitting the ground hard enough to shake the floor. Ichiji let out a masculine, almost startling shout with the movement, and before you knew it, his arm wrapped around your lower back as he flipped you backward in the air over his knee. 

You landed on your feet to roaring applause. Your wide eyes found Ichiji’s, and he only gave you a slight shrug before rising to his feet to retake the lead. The upward twitch to his lips didn’t escape you.

His motions were harsh, aggressive, and strong compared to yours, which seemed to move like a breeze. You gave some resistance to his lead, wordlessly guiding him back to the beats of the music. However, the effort began to strain your muscles in the face of Ichiji’s newfound rigor. You hardly noticed the space starting to clear around you as you and Ichiji engaged in a dance that was half of your kingdom and half from the North Blue, both halves complimenting each other in a way you would never have thought they could. 

Your eyes were only on him as you moved. His ice-blue irises didn’t leave you for a second, even as rhythmic clapping filled the hall. You stomped your feet together, his heel shaking the floor once again. The music swelled to a final crescendo, and in a moment without thought, you fell into a low dip with Ichiji’s strong arm supporting your back. 

The music faded as joyful voices filled the air. And still, your gazes remained locked. Sweat beaded on your forehead, and you were sure it had pooled under your clothes. You were too hot to tell. Even Ichiji breathed a bit harder as an unknown expression eclipsed his face. 

“I’ll have a better ring crafted,” he conceded, his tone ever flat. You laughed, but the corners of your mouth faltered. Your brows crinkled as you tried to catch your breath. All the commotion around you might as well have been silent.

“The ring wasn’t the problem.”

For the umpteenth time that night, Ichiji pierced you with his intent, steel-blue stare. His head bobbed with certainty.

“I will have a better ring crafted.” 

Thank you to all who liked, reblogged, followed, and supported. Your support means so much and is greatly appreciated.

The original inspo was from Swayzee - Whales Talk (don't ask me why I don't know). The new soundtrack is 100% Kingdom Dance from the Rapunzel soundtrack

Part I Part II

[shadowgale96]

Little Moments in S2E2 of Heaven Official's Blessing

San Lang's jewelry sparkling when he's amused (?) by something. This one happens when the ghost gambling bets his daughters life. Reminds me of an anime glasses character's glass shine. this happens several times through the episode and is usually accompanied by a high pitched metallic sound. Like the chime of a sword unsheathing.

The green deer demon girl is adorable. Loving the frog man too.

The wind master genderbending back into a man after being dragged to a ghost spa with the undead women and freaking out about what kinda of products they used on his precious skin.

Xie Lian physically grabbing the wind master to keep him from slipping away to find a mirror. You're on a potentially life or death mission my guy. Bring a compact mirror on your next adventure. Fast thinking on an excuse by Xie Lian though!

This guy having zero points in stealth on a mission that the emperor himself said must be handled discreetly to avoid conflict with the ghost realm.

I love how they both panic, than immediately accept Qianqiu's imminent death at Hua Cheng's hand after he continues to insult the man in his own establishment.

'This place of mine is meant for revelry. If you don't want to take the path to heaven, and break into hell, what else can you do?' Hua Cheng revealing that he knew who they were already. Which isn't surprising because they all stand out enough as is, even if his husband wasn't with them and standing within within eyesight.

Respecting the demons/ghosts for calling out Qianqiu when he said they're lacking humanity and decency. Like 'Bruh, We are literally NOT human. We don't share you're morals or sense of decency at all. Just let us live our lives.' Like, I'm actually in agreement with them.

Getting into an air bender battle, while San Lang is barely flicking his wrist at him. I like how San Lang crushes the table and sends the shards flying at him. Showing he could easily impale Qianqiu before pulling him up at the last moment. It felt like San Lang was trying to teach him. He might have recognized that Qianqiu was young and foolish, but was trying to do good. So San Lang warns him by showing him what could happen if he keeps running his mouth without knowing who he's threatening. That or he decided not to dice Qianqiu because Xie Lian was watching... could go either way

HuaLian having a tender moment looking into each other's eyes while everyone waits downstairs confused.

San Lang 100% offered Qianqiu as a prize to give Xie Lian the chance to help him and Him the chance to hold hands with Xie Lian X'D

We hear that metallic chime noise again here. I think San Lang gave Xie Lian some of is luck here. San Lang also holds Xie Lian's hands on the final round too when Xie Lian rolled two 6's and wins.

Everyone's reaction to San Lang calling Xie Lian 'Gege'. Qingxuan is curious and confused. Qianqiu looks shocked and a little embarrassed. and the grandma Pleakley looking demon's head falls off their body.

San Lang telepathically ordering his assistant to have everyone STFU while he's playing with Xie Lian.

Wind Master Qingxuan pelting Qianqiu with his fan for continuing to run his mouth.

San Lang being completely smitten with Xie Lian as he drops a man from the ceiling

Xie Lian making Qianqiu shut his mouth. Dude BE QUIET! They JUST saved you.

It was incredibly sweet how when San Lang approaches Xie Lian asking for the bet he's owed, Qianqiu steps between them and holds his arm out to protect Xie Lian from who he perceives to be a threat. Qianqiu knows he wouldn't win, but he moves to protect Xie Lian anyway. He's so foolish but so brave.

San Lang would eat stale pringles off the floor if Gege touched them,

Prince being to good for his own good again by telling Xie Lian not to lie to Hua Cheng. Despite himself not liking him at all for treating him like a pinata prize in front of everyone.

This was a very cute episode and there were so many enjoyable moments.

[demitsorou]

My lovely Shakratu, Fury. They/she/he are focused on electrogenesis and weather manipulation.

They're especially fond of creating downpours, fog/mist, and thunderstorms to obscure their passage and corral their prey to seek shelter from the elements, only for their prey to find itself with no options to escape when Fury comes around to capture or eliminate them.

When not manipulating storms to cause further environmental disasters, he enjoys observing nature and critters considered less-desireable by many, like slugs, worms, frogs; anything that prefers rain and moisture.

She's also adept at underwater survival and navigation, having been made with Chimaerax's genetic material, who is a primary Makuta for creation and maintenance of deep oceanic regions. Infused with traits of some sharks and fish, Fury easily navigates by electroreception, compensating her poor eyesight.

Fury was the second Shakratu to be created, after Kayos. While Kayos was to be the major destructive force, an unstoppable one-man army for the Brotherhood, Fury was made with a more defensive focus rather than pure carnage. Their weapon of choice is a guardsaber, a blade with a built-in hybrid kanoka/rhotuka launcher, that extends their ability to weather the incoming assaults, as well as potentially protect others.

Fury has enjoyed their rivalry with Kayos, which led the two to develop begrudging respect and friendship-with-benefits. Fury was one of the first lovers who did not submit to Kayos's domineering presence, managing to come out on top in their frustrated sexual struggle. It was an enlightening experience for both of them.

[mutant-distraction]

Imagine a tiny emerald green frog with the biggest, roundest eyes you've ever seen! That's the Uluguru tree frog, a real-life cutie found in Tanzania's Eastern Arc Mountains.

These little guys are practically all eyes, with huge globes that bulge out from their heads. Those eyes are like powerful night vision goggles, helping them spot insects to munch on in the darkness.

But the Uluguru tree frog isn't just about impressive eyesight. Their bodies are a beautiful shade of green, sometimes speckled with tiny white or yellow spots, like a living jeweled leaf.

And even though their feet don't have much webbing, they're incredible climbers. Their sticky toes grip leaves and branches like tiny green mittens, allowing them to navigate the rainforest canopy with ease.

Image credit: Helen Haden

Text credit: Earth Unreal

[marlee-goat]

working on oc related things. today its this guy (betty) . strange slime creature but he usually takes the form of a goat.

...n' he's a fucked up goat at that, she's got paws instead of hooves and a real big tail, alongside weird horns that curve up at the ends and whiskers. this is because she sort of bases her form off of what she sees - trying to fit together pieces of what he thinks is "correct" as an attempt to fit in . at a young age he was mostly surrounded by their father (rabbit) and the people he conspired with (people with big tails) , alongside all the pictures he happened to have in their home. one of which happened to be a goat (and with eyesight as bad as his, she sort of had to fill in some gaps... which left her with the weird horns)

anyhow. experimenting a bit with just. stuff she does. or has. for instance: the Frog Tongue .. i imagine she would use it for... frog tongue things. like grabbing things or eating shit or whatever. i just think it's be cool. but given how i think he'd have some issues with the minor intrusive thought here and there, just not thinking very much, and having full absolute control over their own physical form it'd probably lead to some.

scenarios.

next thing is an idea i've had for a little bit now actually - i think she'd be able to replicate sounds she hears sort of like a parrot. really he'd just use it to screw with people, honestly. but also because it's cool.

hed definitely idly sing songs that play in the pizzeria he lives next to whilst sitting around. yes, she would also mimic how it's muffled through the wall as well

. anyways that's all ive got to say. ;w; i dont ever post art here or post on tumblr very often. or post abt ocs. yaur,

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Prancing Peacock Spiders

Maratus volans is perhaps the most widely known member of the genus Maratus, also known as peacock spiders-- part of the jumping spider family-- which contains 108 recognised species. Maratus volans is common across Australia and the island of Tasmania, and occur in a variety of habitats. They are most commonly found among leaf litter and dry vegetation, especially in dunes, grasslands, and sparse deciduous forests.

Peacock spiders like M. volans are extraordinarily small; both sexes only reach about 5 mm (0.19 in) in length. Members of the Maratus genus are famous for the male’s coloration, and M. volans is no exception; the abdomen is covered in brightly colored microscopic scales or modified hair which they can unfold for mating displays. Some males can also change the color of their scales, and the hairs can reflect both visible and ultraviolet light. Female M. volans lack this distinctive coloration, and are a drab grayish brown.

Reproduction for M. volans occurs in the spring, from August to December. During this period, males will approach females and raise their patterned abdomens and third pair of legs for display. He then approaches, vibrating the fan-like tail, and dances from side to side. If a female is receptive, he then mounts her; if not, she may attempt to attack and feed on him. This may also occur post-copulation. In December, the female creates a nest in a warm hollow in the ground where she lays her eggs. Each cluch contains between 6 and 15 eggs, though females typically lay several clutches. Male M. volans hatch the following August, while females typically hatch in September. Both sexes mature quickly and typically only live about a year.

Like other jumping spiders, peacock spiders like M. volans do not weave webs. Instead, they hunt during the day time using their highly developed eyesight. These spiders are also able to jump over 40 times their body length, which allows them to pounce on unsuspecting prey like flies, moths, ants, crickets, and other, much larger spiders. Other spiders are also common predators of M. volans, as well as wasps, birds, frogs, and lizards.

Conservation status: None of the Maratus species have been evaluated by the IUCN. However, it is generally accepted that they are threatened by habitat destruction, like many other insects.

If you like what I do, consider leaving a tip or buying me a ko-fi!

Photos

Jurgen Otto 2 & 3

[monstersflashlight]

Maybe not weird facts but ones that I find interesting:

Some snakes like rattlesnakes, garter snakes and some boa constrictors don't lay eggs but give birth to live young.

King cobras are known as the most intelligent snakes on the planet and can raise themselves on their tails to be eye level with most people. Surprisingly they have also been recorded creating stable partnerships with the male even helping the female find or build a neat and staying with her to protect the eggs until they begin to hatch.

There's a breed of tarantula in the Amazon that has a symbiotic relationship with a frog. The frog protects the tarantula eggs from ants and in return the tarantula protects it from predators. Often a tarantula will live with more than one frog (saw a video of one with 3 in a burrow)

Tarantulas are also near sighted so they have a hard time seeing. Infact most spiders are near sighted. Jumping spiders however are one of the few to have great eyesight since they mainly hunt other spiders and adapted more human like sight.

Hi anon! Thats so interesting! To add to your weied symbiotic relationships: wolves and crows 🥰

[bonzosbunker]

Guzzwog, The Madpole Pokémon

Type: Water/Dark

As soon as it’s born, Guzzwog is said to be filled with a burning hatred for all things. Pokémon and people who unknowingly enter its domain are met with vicious headbutts and spews of water.

It has multiple spikes extending from its body. It is easily swept away by fast-flowing waters. To combat this, it anchors itself to the ground with armlike appendages.

-

Guzzmaw, The Horn Frog Pokémon

Type: Dragon/Dark

A very territorial Pokémon that bites anything that gets too close. It’s hard to get Guzzmaw to bring out its softer side.

Offering Guzzmaw food and treats is said to make it more likely to trust you, but typically, they enjoy being around other members of their species the most.

-

Guzztoad, The Lizard Toad Pokémon

Type: Dragon/Dark

Guzztoad will only get along with other members of its evolutionary line. Guzzwog often accompany a Guzztoad, and provide battle assistance with its water-type attacks.

Guzztoad almost never stops eating, but still has the heart to share the food it finds with its allies. The Guzzwog on the top of its head will eat whatever leftovers its Guzztoad leader gives it.

-

UB-?? PERCUSSION

TYPE: GROUND/DARK

THIS ULTRA BEAST’S BODY IS COVERED IN LUMPS THAT RESEMBLE DRUMS. IT PATS THESE LUMPS TO CREATE EARTHQUAKES. THE STRENGTH AND RHYTHM OF THE BEATS DETERMINES THE MAGNITUDE OF THE QUAKES. WETHER IT PLAYS DRUMS WITH ITS LUMPS FOR ITS OWN ENJOYMENT OR TO CAUSE DESTRUCTION ON PURPOSE IS STILL UNCLEAR.

IT HAS NO EYESIGHT. ANY EYES THAT IT HAS ARE OBSCURED BY ITS LARGE LUMPS, MAKING IT PERMANENTLY BLIND. TO MAKE UP FOR THIS, IT CAN SENSE VIBRATIONS IN THE GROUND TO “SEE” WHAT’S AROUND IT. IT CAN EVEN SENSE CHANGES IN THE AIR, WHICH CAN COME IN HANDY TO PREDICT WHERE A FLYING ENEMY IS COMING FROM.

UB-PERCUSSION IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS CROBONGO AND IS CLASSIFIED AS THE BASS DRUM POKÉMON.

(i drew some more guys for the fakémon challenges happening over on twitter. this time, i swapped the roles of seismitoad and guzzlord to create the guzztoad line and ub-percussion!)

[creepy-crawly-connoisseur]

Praying Mantis

Mantis religiosae

The Praying Mantis can be identified by its typically bright green coloring and long, skinny body. It is commonly found in environments around moist and vegetation-rich areas such as forests and gardens.

Like most mantids, the Praying Mantis is a solitary insect and prefers to hunt alone.

The Praying Mantis is an carnivore and typically feeds on small insects, including flies, moths, spiders and crickets, but has been know to fight (and eat) small animals like, lizards, birds, frogs etc.

Some of its predators are birds, spiders, hornets, and lizards.

Fun fact: Praying mantises have exceptional eyesight and can rotate their heads 180 degrees.

Contrary to popular belief, The Praying Mantis is (currently) not listed as endangered, and is generally beneficial to the environment as it helps control the population of pests.

The Praying Mantis can be known to have parasitic relationships with horsehair worms (praying mantis-host, horsehair worm-parasite)

The stealth movements of the praying mantis have made it a symbol of meditation and contemplation. In China, the insect has long been honored for its mindful movements; It never makes a move unless it is certain that is the right thing to do.

it is not advisable to handle a Praying Mantis without proper training as they have a strong bite and can cause pain to humans if mishandled. However, they are generally not aggressive towards humans and will only defend themselves when provoked.

My person rating: 5/5 ★★★★★

I love mantids, they are extremely unique creatures and are one of my favorite bugs to keep and observe!

(Keep in mind this rating is just my personal opinion, you can feel differently about the praying mantis, There is no correct answer for how to feel about bugs!)

Thanks for reading and happy bug spotting! if you've got any questions or just want to chat bug stuff feel free to comment or dm me!

If i missed something or messed up a fact please comment and correct me!

Credits:

I believe both Dividers are from @strangergraphics-archive

[random-vyxx]

Sooo! Nn DIALTOWN HEADCANONS!! (Tw there are brief mentions of suicide-) [ill get to dsaf headvanons in a different post]

(Also there's a LOT.)

Gingi:

• phonegingi and typegingi are separate beings.

• biology is determined on whats funniest in context.

• can change their sex at will,, like a frog,

• sometimes sleeps at the foot of norms bed like some fatass dog /lovingly /inspiredby that one nrom blog

• they have an immense dislike of beans.

• when asked about any sort of beans they get defensive.

• red-green colour blind

• purrs,,

• has adhd ,,, because,, they,, akt like me,, *

• thinks the narrator and it are homoerotic, the narrator just wants to go home.

• has a hang in there cat poster in its tent.,, stole it from Billy's alternary school when smuggling him out to ask for help summoning satan.

• likes liquorice.

• every 1-3 years gingi has to get a rabies shot. WILL NOT go alone. Has to get someone to take her or else he IS biting a veterinarian.

• Gingi has broken a limb before, they tried gnawing it off but got distracted by an un-watched construction site (gravel yummy yummy)

Karen

• were married. /JOKR.. /perchance?!

• is not only protective of romantic companions (me rn: 🤓👆),, just anyone she likes.

• she doesn't stim often (repressing it n whatnot), but when she does its usually something simple like bouncing onto her heels. *

• HATTTEEESSS blueberries. Oh my god unless they're ripe in the right way she physically cannot make herself eat them. Likes the taste but GOD she cant deal with them. *

• sometimes when she has a painting she didn't like the outcome of, she lets gingi gnaw on it. (She uses non-toxic paints when painting near gingi)

• smart, but she can make dumb decisions out of impulse.

• goth phase, but eventually got out of it because she just.. Didn't like it anymore.

• girlboss, i love her! !!

• her boss HATED her!

• sometimes she gets art block and stares at the canvas, contemplating if shes actually an artist.

• found a leaf that looked strangely like Charlie Chaplin, showed it to gingi and gingi devoured it instantly.

Randal.

• Randy finds it very hard to sleep naturally!! He will curl up around the airvent in the ticket booth.

• shares a braincell with Oliver n Karen.

• as pathetic as he is, can be pretty damn assertive at times.

• not sexually, bro would be shook if he held your HAND.

• he daydreams about some disney ass "getting pushed onto the dance floor and #ROCKING IT!!!!! " (If he got pushed onto a dance floor hed cry.)

• HAS drempt (dreampt? ) about invader zim and rainbow dash frim mlp beating the shit out of him. Has cried to Oliver about it, and Oliver asked if he did or did not deserve their beating,, in the dream.

• honestly kinda in love with Oliver.

• has honestly known Karen a BIT longer than hes known Oliver,, probably met her after leaving his dads house at 16.

• anytime he passes by the swan pond while walking back to the funfair, he starts shaking

• religious trauma, but meeting god kinda eased his fears a bit

• maybe it was the whole "god is really just an alcoholic hobo.. Hm... Maybe im nOT going to hell! He just like me fr! ",, still scared of him tho since if his life got that bad god aint in control.

• ASS EYESIGHT!! cant afford repairs.

• Randy will scarf down ANY food given. Hes usually nervous about being given stuff, but food? No questions asked, already consumed

Oliver

• has some crazy ass habits

• OLIVER IS SMART. IM TIRED OF PRETENDING HES NOT. HE CAN ACT ON IMPULSE, YES, HE CAN MAKE BAD DECISIONS, YEAH, HELL HE CAN SAY DUMB/IMMATURE SHJT BHT HE UD SMAR HE ISS SMA

• actually a pretty good welder, just sometimes uses it for... Evil.

• he welded a dick then him and gingi giggled about it for 38 minutes. He hides it around the scareshack sometimes and when mr dickens finds it, he sighs and places it somewhere new to continue this GOD AWFUL game.

• jokes about committing crimes, but wouldn't,, chaotic good type shiz.

• romance is boring ahh self.*

• likes randy,, but subtly, since hes greyromantic

• once listened to "kiss me son of god" by they might be giants so long he felt physical withdrawal when he WASN'T listening to it. Would pay money to listen to it for the first time again. ****

• used to overbind just because hed forget hes wearing a binder. Average conversation would be like "god randy i feel sick as FUCKK... " "maybe get that checked out..? " "like my chest hurts n shit,, iunno if its actually serious but it does hurt" ".. Oliver are you wearing the binder thingy... If thats what its called-? "*

• Oliver speaks in stage directions, instead of right, he says "stage left"

Bigfoot

• it takes a lot to coax Bigfoot into the city, usually more responsive when karen does it.

• no longer allowed near a car. *

• actually knows several languages, just doesn't speak.

• dude its Bigfoot what can i say, he like 'naners.

Norm

• INTRUSIVE thoughts. Bro is tweaking. *

• whenever he gets intrusive thoughts he feels PHYSICALLY SICK. Like one he gets is doing what he was going to do in the bad ending. One bullet for mingus, one for himself. He wouldn't, definitely not. Giving up his happy ending would be stupid and he knows that. He cant control it though. Thats what intrusive thoughts are. He has yet to tell anybody about them. (Yes im starting his hcs with these two)

• bisexual, had the awakening during his isolation.. Fill in the blanks.

• the hat he wears is,, thank god,, not the infamous erotica hat. Though he has yet to get RID of the erotica hat.

• used to play bloody knuckles. I SWEAR ITS FUN*

• bickers with Mingus a lot, but sometimes they're calm (prolly after some hijinks.)

• was a fucking hOMO for Callum, it was not mutual, and he knew that.*

(tHIS IS NOT ME VILLAIN-IZING ANYONE HERE ITA OKAY TO NOT LIKE SOMEONE BACK I JUST NEED TO ADD TJIS DISCLAIMER BECAUSE SOEM PEOPLE FUCKING SUCK)

• God gets him to make omelettes sometimes. Norm is somewhat freaked out by it, but does it nonetheless because its fucking god.

• sometimes sees bad edits of spaceships going into space on Facebook reels... And he HAS gotten nostalgic over it. *

• isn't ready to date anybody, no siree, but he is able to form close bonds. And thats okay!!!

• sleeps with a rifle under his pillow*

• after little to no contact with fellow humans for YEARS, he is DOGSHIT at several social cues. I dont know if its the autism or the isolation anymore.... Vro also doesn't know about several important events!

• ended up giving gingi a turnip so theyd DHUT UP.

• asked my dad for ideas, he just "double cheeseburger". I dont know what this means.

• The ink spots fan at heart 💖

Mayor Mingus

• The mingling has a specific pin to show they're in it, but nobody knows what it means so they just look fruity. Mingus didn't accept the pin idea, but they did it any ways. She REFUSES to acknowledge the fact she put it on a board in her office.

• Has cat like behaviors,, obviously,, but sometimes shit like purring shows and she HATES it.

• post chapter 3, shes less frantic about fixing callum, but wont put him down,, never.

• head overheats easily become cats cant sweat (a lot)

• tries to get people to shut up as soon as possible, but will negotiate if she deems it necessary. *

• strangely knows "McDonald's lore". Doesn't elaborate.

• Mingus and the rest of the mingling are back as a group, gods no longer in it and bunnys there!!

• has a list of citizen's she dislikes immensely!! If this got leaked, she'd be in big trouble. *

• catnip works. Well. Too well.

• tango will find her high off her ass on catnip,,, just staring at a lamp like a fucking moth.

• The mingling isnt ENTIRELY incompetent now that bunnys back, theyre kinda together as a crime force. Shooty and stabby have yet to be given real weapons but they're still there so the REST of the mafia can say "Honey... We can call the MAYOR for this disrespect. "

• Passively aggressively says "Im fine. " if shes pissed off. [Needs al-kee-hol.. Aka milk]*

• walks her paw-paw around the nursing home just to keep him a little fit. Callum does NOT know who thos strange cat lady is but hes okay with that.

• tired mom-core

• AROACSE!!!! ACE!!! ARO!!!*

[The next characters wont have as many headcanons.]

Abel

• his complaining taught everyone his legal name was "Unabel". Everyone calls him that now.

• Drinks on the job.

• going through a messy divorce. He started it.

• Abelvynny??!!!

• hes alergic to peppermint and coconut.

• strange deja vu when he sees certain phones,, like... Whoever the hell Joe and Harry are, and Tango too for some reason. It confuses him and he does NOT like it.

Bunny

• ABEL DIVORCED HIS ASS WHILE BUNNY WAS IN THE HOSPITAL.

• Disabled because of getting slammed with a fucking machine.

• has prosthetic legs,, because,,, getting slammed with madame mediocre,, AND a call back to callum crown.

• ALSO drinks on the job

• doesn't actually like rabbits, changed his name for marketing.

• eats lemons. *

God / Local Hobo

• RARELY gets seriously mad, and when they do, its not that bad

• Churches weird him out,, but doesn't really care. *

• everyone in town knows them in some way.

• hes the one who pissed on the bank floor

• doesn't actually like eating waffles. He'll eat anything but waffles just are for decorative purposes in his mind.

• genderfluid,, but hes usually too drunk to use anything other than he/they.. Used to use everything though. Maybe when sober they'll use she/her,, but again, rarely sober.

• also has a feminine voice,,, just for sillies. *

Shooty n Stabby

• team rocket type shit

• they datin. They queer.

• their head was done by some dude in an alleyway between an applebees and a hospital.

• Originally he knife headed one is stabby, the gun headed one is shooty. They don't know that,, because they only call eachother "bro".

• dialtown mob isn't even that bad.. They're just incompetent. Like zim compared to the rest of the irken empire. Im sorry invader zim brainrots getting to me.

• HAD good weapons before, because mingus didn't know how shitty they were. Never again. Mingus learnt her lesson.

Theoraur Rustlebelt (famed adventurer and explorer)

• chronic back pain from wrangling large animals. Pain

• Put traps outside of gingis tent, gingi ate them

• sleeps holding a gun.

• says bully so much because its FUCKUNG A FUN WORD OKAY I UNDERSTAND THE HYPWY,, BULLY IS A FUN FUCKJNV WKRD*

• likes the colour green a little.. Too much, just doesn't ever wear it.

Little Billy

• Drinks pure ketchup and its scary. *

• Neurodivergent ,, *

• weed. Lots. [[[Most people thinks it's just kid shit, hes high. who gave him weed. ]]]

• Likes breakcore music (like atari teenage riot and machine girl ) *

• hates everyone equally ♡*

• peanut allergy,, but he mainly eats macaroni so does it matter????

• has one of those silly ass spinny chairs to keep him focused in mingling meetings,, but still easily diverges topic [SPINNY CHAOR IDEA WAS TAKEN FROM SOMEONE ELSS BHT I FORGOT FROM WHOM]

• knows a little too much about knives.*

• favourite knife is a bowie knife, since he finds the history neat. Thinks Jim Bowie did some SICK stuff... But like,, jim bowies still a terrible person and he knows it. Stoll that standoff was epic. This is self projecting im sorry***

• lies a lot, even when not needed. *

• picks up spiders and gives them to people he dislikes. *

• aroace,, but hes 7 so he doesn't know yet.. Nor care.

END!!!!! the amount of aroace headcanons is for a spECIFIC REASON!! (im aroace.)

[mieeaahhh]

How I view all for the game characters but it’s just pictures! (Updated version + some useless head-cannons)

Renee Walker

-Andrew helps her whenever she re-dyes her hair

-transgender mtf 🗣️🗣️🗣️

-he has a few smaller tattoos other than the wings on her back but she got them in ‘hidden’ places

-is really bad at video games

-has a pet rabbit named Barney that lives back at home with her mum

Allison Reynolds

-has been collecting shoes since she was thirteen and has a matching pair for every single outfit she owns

-her love languages are gift giving and acts of service

-has a diary that she still uses from when she was eleven

-she has one of those ‘upside down smiles’ or whatever it’s called

-low-key had an emo phase but if you bring it up she’ll post your home address and card information on social media. How? A magician never reveals his secrets🙂‍↔️🙂‍↔️

Neil Josten

-desperately needs braces but couldn’t care less about getting them so his teeth are messed up

-can do that frog blinking thing

-can cook and is actually really good at it but doesn’t enjoy it

-he would’ve been a chronic scooter kid if he grew up like a normal person

-has the face of someone with zero thoughts, eyes wide and face flat

Andrew Minyard

-the only reason he doesn’t wear his glasses is because he actually lost them years ago and doesn’t want to admit he can’t find them anywhere

-when he was a little kid he was actually really shy

-when his nail varnish chips he just paints back over it instead of taking the rest off before hand and it’s usually kinda messy

-since he has smoker lungs™️ whenever he’s sick it actually sounds like if a teenage boy going through puberty smoked twelve boxes a day

-only got piercings because Aaron had them and he thought they looked cool and he only really started finding his ‘style’ after moving in with Aaron and Nicky

Kevin Day

-has the LOUDEST snore ever but denies that he snores at all

-the foxes all tease him and have inside jokes about his ‘crush’ on Jeremy

-almost everyone and their mother has numerous videos of his drunkenly singing his heart out and it’s usually something like bohemian rhapsody or some basic ‘white chick’ music

-in the nest his hair was always trimmed and neat but when he left he let his hair grow a bit and just left it to flop around and do its own thing

-will literally stop, drop and roll in tears if a spider goes near him

Aaron Minyard

-growing up he was considered a ‘crybaby’ by a few people because he cries or gets teary when frustrated/angry

-has fallen out the bed so many times it’s ridiculous and then will wonder how he wakes up with random bruises (my other post about his weird sleeping🗣️🗣️🗣️)

-has a fear of cats

-Aaron’s eyesight is a lot worse than Andrews

-Randy often asks Matt to invite Aaron over during the holidays and stuff once Matt and Aaron become closer (they are best friends idc)

Seth Gordon

-he likes when Allison is the big spoon but that’s a secret for them and them only

-had a pet hamster named Jerry who ran away when he was a kid

-DAHLIA PIERCINGS🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️

-he was the sibling that turns off the lights and holds the door closed to scare his siblings

-Allison was the first (and last) girlfriend he was truly inlove with

Matt Boyd

-gives THE BEST hugs🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ I mean like lifting people off the ground in big bear hugs kinda hugs🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

-buys flowers for Dan everytime he goes to the shops

-he and Andrew do become somewhat friends at some point

-he the best at video games AND board games out of all the foxes

-he has very subtle freckles in his nose

Dan Wilds

-GUMMY SMILEEEEEE!!!!!!!

-she and her work sisters used to do secret Santa every year and she was known for the best/most meaningful presents

-she’s one of those people who hit when they laugh

-her favourite Disney princess growing up was Snow White

-she is absolutely COVERED in beauty spots/moles

Nicky Hemmick

-used to be very lanky before joining the foxes but ended up gaining some muscle after awhile

-he doesn’t like his hair being played with but he LOVES playing with other peoples hair

-has a resting worried/shocked face and the foxes find it hilarious

-would rather go bald than eat chocolate cake

-acts like the world is ending and his immune system is shutting down whenever he has a cold