#giant burrowing cockroach
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uncharismatic-fauna · 1 year ago
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Uncharismatic Fact of the Day
The rhinocerus cockroach got its name for a good reason-- it's the largest species of cockroach in the world. These guys can be as long as 80 mm (3.1 in), and weigh a whopping 35 g (1.2 oz). Because of their large size, they are also one of the few species of cockroach that lack wings.
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(Image: A rhinoceros cockroach (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) by Steve and Alison Pearson)
If you like what I do, consider leaving a tip or buying me a kofi!
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potatobugz · 3 months ago
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OHH GIANT BURROWING COCKROACH... ALSO KNOWN AS THE RHINOCEROS COCKROACH... SHES SO BEAUTFIFUL I COULD CRY.... MOTHER OF PEARL
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thewarpsystem · 1 year ago
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we’ve been reading this book on the mass extinction of insects in the last several decades (“the insect crisis” by oliver milman) and while we’re devastated by the grave statistics and what the loss of so many insect species could mean for biodiversity and the human race, we’re also really enjoying learning about so many cool new bugs
for example, we had no clue that in queensland australia giant burrowing cockroaches are a common and popular pet. you can keep them in a fish tank/small terrarium and the only real maintenance their environment requires is moisturizing the dirt by spraying it with water and making sure to remove mold if any starts to grow. they feed off of dead leaves and prefer extremely dry and crumbled up ones, but they can also eat fruits and vegetables like apples, bananas, and potatoes.
they also like to be pet! they can make a soft hissing sound when you pet them and they fit well in the palm of your hand :)
they’re pretty cute too!! we love these funky little guys
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temeraire · 2 years ago
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I'm not the one who sent the ask about a human in the roof and the SPEED with which I scrolled to see what the fuck you two were talking about when I read that ask felt ungodly.🌱
ALSO WHY the cockroach SLANDER. they're just some funny little guys. I had a buddy I used to feed biscuit crumbs to when I had one with my tea. he was cool. they're just flat little dudes.🌱
OKAY FOUND WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT. dying at you feeling the need to point out that you can't put a guy under a cup. you probably could if he was small but I digress because that would be so much worse actually. fuckin. homunculus infestation. god can you imagine.🌱 also hi other anon, thanks for the most exciting (?:concerning) moment of my week so far.
like listen i Get having irrational fears outside of your control but logistically i feel like dealing with a LIVE HUMAN secretly hiding in your attic is WAY MORE DIFFICULT than a cockroach infestation. and the idea you've raised of a fucking . borrower infestation is also fucking wild but actually wigs me out far less than a single fullsize human i think. bc at that point theyre like little fantasy creatures and not a Live Stranger Fullsize Human In Your House Secretly
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todaysbug · 11 months ago
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February 12th, 2024
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Giant Whip Scorpion (Mastigoproctus giganteus)
Distribution: Found in the southwestern United States, including New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma and Texas, down through much of Mexico, as well as Florida.
Habitat: Found in arid habitats; deserts, scrub forests and grasslands, where they take shelter beneath plant debris, in rock crevices or in abandoned animal burrows. Can be found living at altitudes of up to 6000 metres.
Diet: Carnivorous; feeds on a variety of invertebrates, including cockroaches, crickets, millipedes, other arachnids, worms and slugs. Has also been documented feeding on small toads and frogs.
Description: Though their name would suggest otherwise, giant whip scorpions are more closely related to spiders than they are to true scorpions. This species is also referred to as the giant vinegaroon, as it has the capacity to spray a substance containing high concentrations of acetic acid, the same acid found in vinegar. They're able to spray up to 19 times in a row before their pygidial gland is depleted (though it fills up pretty fast; they're usually ready to go again the very next day!). This spray does not usually cause long-term harm, but can occasionally cause the skin to blister, as well as intense pain if it gets into the eyes. Luckily, they only spray when touched—as long as you remain at a respectful distance, you'll be okay! They may also deliver a painful bite or pinch with their powerful chelicerae, though they have no venom.
This species is usually considered to be beneficial, as it often hunts other undesirable arthropods, such as scorpions, as well as agricultural pests that may threaten crops. Giant whip scorpions are also fairly common in the exotic pet trade, as they're non-venomous and have a long lifespan; males can live to 10 years, and females, twice that long!
Images by Bryan Maltais and Diego Barrales.
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wikipedia-the-non-official · 6 months ago
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*they open one of the packages of fresh tuna setting wiki down infront before laying on the coach again
Coach rhymes with cockroach
Hehe
Cockroach
Cockroaches (or roaches[1][2][3]) are insects belonging to the order Blattodea (Blattaria). About 30 cockroach species out of 4,600 are associated with human habitats. Some species are well-known pests.
The cockroaches are an ancient group, with their ancestors, known as "roachoids", originating during the Carboniferous period, some 320 million years ago. Those early ancestors, however, lacked the internal ovipositors of modern roaches. Cockroaches are somewhat generalized insects lacking special adaptations (such as the sucking mouthparts of aphids and other true bugs); they have chewing mouthparts and are probably among the most primitive of living Neopteran insects. They are common and hardy insects capable of tolerating a wide range of climates, from Arctic cold to tropical heat. Tropical cockroaches are often much larger than temperate species.
Modern cockroaches are not considered to be a monophyletic group, as it has been found based on genetics that termites are deeply nested within the group, with some groups of cockroaches more closely related to termites than they are to other cockroaches, thus rendering Blattaria paraphyletic. Both cockroaches and termites are included into Blattodea.
Some species, such as the gregarious German cockroach, have an elaborate social structure involving common shelter, social dependence, information transfer and kin recognition. Cockroaches have appeared in human culture since classical antiquity. They are popularly depicted as large, dirty pests, although the majority of species are small and inoffensive and live in a wide range of habitats around the worl
Cockroaches are members of the superorder Dictyoptera, which includes the termites and mantids,[4] a group of insects once thought to be separate from cockroaches. Currently, 4,600 species and over 460 genera are described worldwide.[5][6] The name "cockroach" comes from the Spanish word for cockroach, cucaracha, transformed by 1620s English folk etymology into "cock" and "roach".[7] The scientific name derives from the Latin blatta, "an insect that shuns the light", which in classical Latin was applied not only to cockroaches, but also to mantids.[8][9]
Historically, the name Blattaria was used largely interchangeably with the name Blattodea, but whilst Blattaria was used to refer to 'true' cockroaches exclusively, the Blattodea also includes the termites. The current catalogue of world cockroach species uses the name Blattodea for the group.[5] Another name, Blattoptera, is also sometimes used to refer to extinct cockroach relatives.[10]
The earliest cockroach-like fossils ("blattopterans" or "roachoids") are from the Carboniferous period 320 million years ago.[11][12][13] Fossil roachoids are considered the common ancestor of both mantises and modern cockroaches, and are distinguished from the latter by the presence of a long external ovipositor. As the body, hind wings and mouthparts are not preserved in fossils frequently, the relationship of these roachoids and modern cockroaches remains disputed. The first fossils of modern cockroaches with internal ovipositors appeared in the early Cretaceous. Recent phylogenetic analysis suggests that cockroaches arose by the Jurassic.[14][15]
The evolutionary relationships of the Blattodea (cockroaches and termites) shown in the cladogram are based on Inward, Beccaloni and Eggleton (2007).[16] The cockroach families Anaplectidae, Lamproblattidae, and Tryonicidae are not shown but are placed within the superfamily Blattoidea. The cockroach families Corydiidae and Ectobiidae were previously known as the Polyphagidae and Blattellidae.
Most species of cockroach are about the size of a thumbnail, but several species are notably larger. The world's heaviest cockroach is the Australian giant burrowing cockroach Macropanesthia rhinoceros, which can reach 8 centimetres (3 in) in length and weigh up to 35 grams (1.2 oz).[22] Comparable in size is the Central American giant cockroach Blaberus giganteus.[23] The longest cockroach species is Megaloblatta longipennis, which can reach 97 mm (3+7⁄8 in) in length and 45 mm (1+3⁄4 in) across.[24] A Central and South American species, Megaloblatta blaberoides, has the largest wingspan of up to 185 mm (7+1⁄4 in).[25] At the other end of the size scale, Attaphila cockroaches that live with leaf-cutter ants include some of the world's smallest species, growing to about 3.5 mm in length.[26]
Cockroaches are generalized insects with few special adaptations, and may be among the most primitive living Neopteran insects. They have a relatively small head and a broad, flattened body, and most species are reddish-brown to dark brown. They have large compound eyes, two ocelli, and long, flexible antennae. The mouthparts are on the underside of the head and include generalized chewing mandibles, salivary glands and various touch and taste receptors.[27]
The body is divided into a thorax of three segments and a ten-segmented abdomen. The external surface has a tough exoskeleton which contains calcium carbonate; this protects the inner organs and provides attachment to muscles. This external exoskeleton is coated with wax to repel water. The wings are attached to the second and third thoracic segments. The tegmina, or first pair of wings, are tough and protective; these lay as a shield on top of the membranous hind wings, which are used in flight. All four wings have branching longitudinal veins, as well as multiple cross-veins.[28]
The three pairs of legs are sturdy, with large coxae and five claws each.[28] They are attached to each of the three thoracic segments. Of these, the front legs are the shortest and the hind legs the longest, providing the main propulsive power when the insect runs.[27] The spines on the legs were earlier considered to be sensory, but observations of the insect's gait on sand and wire meshes have demonstrated that they help in locomotion on difficult terrain. The structures have been used as inspiration for robotic legs.[29][30]
The abdomen has ten segments, each having a pair of spiracles for respiration. In addition to the spiracles, the final segment consists of a pair of cerci, a pair of anal styles, the anus and the external genitalia. Males have an aedeagus through which they secrete sperm during copulation, while females have spermatheca for storing sperm and an ovipositor through which the oothecae are laid.[27]
Cockroaches are abundant throughout the world and live in a wide range of environments, especially in the tropics and subtropics.[31] Cockroaches can withstand extremely low temperatures, allowing them to live in the Arctic. Some species are capable of surviving temperatures of −122 °C (−188 °F) by manufacturing an antifreeze made out of glycerol.[32] In North America, 50 species separated into five families are found throughout the continent.[31] 450 species are found in Australia.[33] Only about four widespread species are commonly regarded as pests.[34][35]
Cockroaches occupy a wide range of habitats. Many live in leaf litter, among the stems of matted vegetation, in rotting wood, in holes in stumps, in cavities under bark, under log piles and among debris. Some live in arid regions and have developed mechanisms to survive without access to water sources. Others are aquatic, living near the surface of water bodies, including bromeliad phytotelmata, and diving to forage for food. Most of these respire by piercing the water surface with the tip of the abdomen which acts as a snorkel, but some carry a bubble of air under their thoracic shield when they submerge. Others live in the forest canopy where they may be one of the main types of invertebrate present. Here they may hide during the day in crevices, among dead leaves, in bird and insect nests or among epiphytes, emerging at night to feed.[36]
Social behavior
When reared in isolation, German cockroaches show behavior that is different from behavior when reared in a group. In one study, isolated cockroaches were less likely to leave their shelters and explore, spent less time eating, interacted less with conspecifics when exposed to them, and, among males, took longer to recognize receptive females. Because these changes occurred in many contexts, the authors suggested them as constituting a behavioral syndrome. These effects might have been due either to reduced metabolic and developmental rates in isolated individuals or the fact that the isolated individuals had not had a training period to learn about what others were like via their antennae.[47]
Individual American cockroaches appear to have consistently different "personalities" regarding how they seek shelter. In addition, group personality is not simply the sum of individual choices, but reflects conformity and collective decision-making.[48][49]
The gregarious German and American cockroaches have elaborate social structure, chemical signaling, and "social herd" characteristics. Lihoreau and his fellow researchers stated:[38]
The social biology of domiciliary cockroaches ... can be characterized by a common shelter, overlapping generations, non-closure of groups, equal reproductive potential of group members, an absence of task specialization, high levels of social dependence, central place foraging, social information transfer, kin recognition, and a meta-population structure.[38]
There is evidence that a few species of group-living roaches in the genera Melyroidea and Aclavoidea may exhibit a reproductive division of labor, which, if confirmed, would make these the only genuinely eusocial lineage known among roaches, in contrast to the subsocial members of the genus Cryptocercus.[50]
Sounds
Some species make a buzzing noise while other cockroaches make a chirping noise. Gromphadorhina species and Archiblatta hoeveni produce sound through the modified spiracles on the fourth abdominal segment. In the former species, several different hisses are produced, including disturbance sounds, produced by adults and larger nymphs; and aggressive, courtship and copulatory sounds produced by adult males.[51] Henschoutedenia epilamproides has a stridulatory organ between its thorax and abdomen, but the purpose of the sound produced is unclear.[52]
Several Australian species practice acoustic and vibration behaviour as an aspect of courtship. They have been observed producing hisses and whistles from air forced through the spiracles. Furthermore, in the presence of a potential mate, some cockroaches tap the substrate in a rhythmic, repetitive manner. Acoustic signals may be of greater prevalence amongst perching species, particularly those that live on low vegetation in Australia's tropics.[53]
Parthenogenesis
When female American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) are housed in groups, this close association promotes parthenogenic reproduction.[61] Oothecae, a type of egg mass, are produced asexually.[61] The parthenogenetic process by which eggs are produced in P. americana is automixis.[62] During automixis, meiosis occurs, but instead of giving rise to haploid gametes as ordinarily occurs, diploid gametes are produced (probably by terminal fusion) that can then develop into female cockroaches.
Hardiness
Cockroaches are among the hardiest insects. Some species are capable of remaining active for a month without food and are able to survive on limited resources, such as the glue from the back of postage stamps.[63] Some can go without air for 45 minutes. Japanese cockroach (Periplaneta japonica) nymphs, which hibernate in cold winters, have survived twelve hours at −5 to −8 °C (23 to 18 °F) in laboratory experiments.[64]
Experiments on decapitated specimens of several species of cockroach found a variety of behavioral functionality remained, including shock avoidance and escape behavior, although many insects other than cockroaches are also able to survive decapitation, and popular claims of the longevity of headless cockroaches do not appear to be based on published research.[65][66] The severed head is able to survive and wave its antennae for several hours, or longer when refrigerated and given nutrients.[66]
It is popularly suggested that cockroaches will "inherit the earth" if humanity destroys itself in a nuclear war. While cockroaches do, indeed, have a much higher radiation resistance than vertebrates, with a lethal dose perhaps six to 15 times that for humans, they are not exceptionally radiation-resistant compared to other insects, such as the fruit fly.[67]
The cockroach's ability to withstand radiation has been explained through the cell cycle. Cells are most vulnerable to the effects of radiation while they are dividing. A cockroach's cells divide only once each molting cycle (which is weekly, for the juvenile German cockroach[68]). Since not all cockroaches would be molting at the same time, many would be unaffected by an acute burst of radiation, although lingering and more[clarification needed] acute radiation would still be harmful.[60]
In research and education
Because of their ease of rearing and resilience, cockroaches have been used as insect models in the laboratory, particularly in the fields of neurobiology, reproductive physiology and social behavior.[37] The cockroach is a convenient insect to study as it is large and simple to raise in a laboratory environment. This makes it suitable both for research and for school and undergraduate biology studies. It can be used in experiments on topics such as learning, sexual pheromones, spatial orientation, aggression, activity rhythms and the biological clock, and behavioral ecology.[69] Research conducted in 2014 suggests that humans fear cockroaches the most, even more than mosquitoes, due to an evolutionary aversion.[70]
so with the German cockroach.[95]
A study conducted by scientists at Purdue University concluded that the most common cockroaches in the US, Australia and Europe were able to develop a "cross resistance" to multiple types of pesticide. This contradicted previous understanding that the animals can develop resistance against one pesticide at a time.[96] The scientists suggested that cockroaches will no longer be easily controlled using a diverse spectrum of chemical pesticides and that a mix of other means, such as traps and better sanitation, will need to be employed.[96]
Researchers from Heriot-Watt University demonstrated that a power laser can, with high effectiveness, neutralise cockroaches in a home, and suggest it might be an alternative to pesticides.[97]
As food
See also: Entomophagy
Although considered disgusting in Western culture, cockroaches are eaten in many places around the world.[98][99] Whereas household pest cockroaches may carry bacteria and viruses, cockroaches bred under laboratory conditions can be used to prepare nutritious food.[100] In Thailand and Mexico, the heads and legs are removed, and the remainder may be boiled, sautéed, grilled, dried or diced.[98] Frying makes the insect crispy with soft innards that taste like cottage cheese.[101][102] Recipes from Taiwan also call for its use in omelets.[103][104] It can be a feeder insect for pet reptiles.[104]
Medicinal use
See also: Cockroach farming
Cockroaches are raised in large quantities in China for the production of traditional medicine and cosmetics.[105] There are about 100 cockroach farms in the country. Running a farm involves relatively low starting and operating costs due to how hardy and easy to process the insects are. Chinese and South Korean researchers are investigating cockroaches for treating baldness, AIDS, cancer, and as a dietary supplement.[106][107]
Conservation
See also: Depopulation of cockroaches in post-Soviet states
While a small minority of cockroaches are associated with human habitats and viewed as repugnant by many people, a few species are of conservation concern. The Lord Howe Island wood-feeding cockroach (Panesthia lata) is listed as endangered by the New South Wales Scientific Committee, but the cockroach may be extinct on Lord Howe Island itself. The introduction of rats, the spread of Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) and fires are possible reasons for their scarcity.[108] Two species are currently listed as endangered and critically endangered by the IUCN Red List, Delosia ornata and Nocticola gerlachi.[109][110] Both cockroaches have a restricted distribution and are threatened by habitat loss and rising sea levels. Only 600 Delosia ornata adults and 300 nymphs are known to exist, and these are threatened by a hotel development. No action has been taken to save the two cockroach species, but protecting their natural habitats may prevent their extinction. In the former Soviet Union, cockroach populations have been declining at an alarming rate; this may be exaggerated, or the phenomenon may be temporary or cyclic.[111] One species of roach, Simandoa conserfariam, is considered extinct in the wild.[112]
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sinosauropteryx--prima · 1 year ago
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Life in the Early Triassic
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(first row: Sclerosaurus, Lystrosaurus; second row: Hupehsuchus, Triadobatrachus, Cartorhynchus; thrid row: Rebellatrix, Atopodentatus; fourth row: Aphaneramma, Erythrosuchus)
Lystrosaurus - Julio Lacerda
Erythrosuchus - Mark Witton
Rebellatrix - Michael Skrepnick
Aphaneramma - Gabriel Ugueto
Cartorhynchus, Hupehsuchus, Atopodentatus - Nobu Tamura
Triadobatrachus - Alexey Malitskiy
Sclerosaurus - Wikimedia
We‘ve reached the Triassic period and with it the Mesozoic Era, the Age of Reptiles! Right now (about 250 million years ago), the reptiles are not dominating yet - in fact no one really was doing too well, as the Early Triassic was mostly a recovery period with low diversity after the most devastating mass extinction of all time, The Great Dying, at the end of the Permian.
The one exception to this is Lystrosaurus. The pig-sized herbivores somehow made it through the mass extinction mostly unscathed and in a now barren world they re-diversified, took up empty niches and became the most common vertebrate in many areas. It is not entirely clear why they survived. Maybe it was hibernation or burrowing that gave them some kind of protection from the worst parts of The Great Dying, maybe they were just lucky. Whatever it was, these prehistoric cockroaches marked one of the last big hurrahs of the synapsids (our own linage), before they went into hiding and lived their lifes as rodent size critters in the shadows of the reptiles for the following 200 million years or so.
The synapsids were the stars of the Permian, but only three groups of them made it into the Triassic: The carnivorous therocephalians and the herbivorous dicynodonts like Lystrosaurus with bulky bodies, mostly toothless beaks and tusk-like canines. They both went extinct during the Triassic. A third group, the cynodonts, survived much longer and will eventually include all modern mammals, from the tiniest bats to the biggest whales. But right now all of that is just some distant future.
Right now, at the beginning of the Triassic, a lot of other groups hurry to fill empty spaces. Several groups of reptiles decided that, after their ancestors once spent a lot of time and effort to evolve a terrestrial lifestyle, they want to return to the oceans. This included early cousins of the ichthyosaurs (those dolphin-shaped marine reptiles that lived alongside the dinosaurs) like Cartorhynchus and very basal sauropterygians. The most famous member of that group are the Loch-Ness-Monster-looking plesiosaurs, but one early member was the strange Atopodentatus. They possibly used their weird mouths to eat algae, making them one of the earliest herbivorous marine reptiles.
On land, the most interesting development might be the rise of the archosaurs and their close relatives. Over the span of the Mesozoic, the age of reptiles, they became the dominate group of life including many fan-favorites: The giant dinosaurs, the flying pterosaurs, the birds we have today and the wide variety of crocs, both past and present. At the beginning of the Triassic, they are just starting out, but 5 m long predators like the big-headed Erythrosuchus (although they are technically not quite archosaurs), already give a glimpse into their future.
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humblegrub · 1 year ago
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Trick or bugs! 8D (hello fellow bug lover!)
trick or bugs to you too!!! GIANT BURROWING COCKROACH BE UPON YE !!!
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(Folks were able to trick or treat in my inbox on October 31st, 2023 in order to receive one of my favorite bugs!)
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uncannyforest · 4 days ago
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the commercial building west of San Felasco State Park, December 15, 2024
There is a building west of San Felasco State Park, and the Medium Armadillo has been monitoring it every day for the last month.  A wise owl told him that memories are manufactured there, and the Medium Armadillo thinks that sounds suspicious.  What is someone trying to hide that they are manufacturing memories?  The Medium Armadillo wants to do something about it.  Maybe he’ll break in someday.
His father, the Giant Armadillo, thinks that the building looks like the work of humans, and it is better to stay away from humans.  Every day they have to put up with bicyclists, and every full moon; and in the dead of winter they appear in droves as some sort of mid-hibernation ritual.  It was a step forward when the harvest man left.
The Medium Armadillo thinks his father could stand to have some curiosity.  Armadillos are not known for their intelligence, the way the great horned owl is, or the coyote, or the red-shouldered hawk, or the twin-flagged jumping spider, or the golden silk spider, or the double-crested cormorant, or the white ibis, or the Eastern indigo snake, or the green anole, or the American green tree frog, or the white-tailed deer, or the Eastern grey squirrel, or the alligator, or of course the anhinga.   But maybe with some curiosity the Medium Armadillo could change that.  What secrets could he learn by exploring the building?  And they're probably doing something evil, and he could stop them.  Perhaps by ramming into their equipment with his hard skin.  Or eating all the termites that work for the humans.
And he’d no longer be living in the shadow of his father anymore if he took control of the memory factory.
But tonight the Medium Armadillo is not spying on the building.  He is having a good rest in his warm burrow after a pleasant meal of ants with friends.
There’s little activity in the commercial building right now.  The crickets are hibernating and the lone star ticks are in diapause, and Florida woods cockroaches are staying warm in the dwellings of man, which is a cockroach's best friend.  It’s a full moon, which means that the Friends of San Felasco Community Support Organization is holding their night ride in five days, and the werepanthers are roaming the banks of the Santa Fe River to the north.  The hay bales abandoned by the harvest man are singing their sad song.  The one-eyed algae monster is eating holes in the ground, preparing his next sinkhole.  The creeks are gossiping and the legend of a dead 16th century explorer is waiting to be revived by a vulnerable youth.
Spring is coming and soon the days will be longer again.
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emperornero · 2 years ago
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everytime i close my eyes i wish i turn into a human-sized giant burrowing cockroach
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spiderappreciation · 9 months ago
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Found this little spider hiding in one of the leaves I was feeding my Giant burrowing cockroaches. unsure exactly what it is but some kind of Simaethula sp I believe :)
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straightlightyagami · 2 years ago
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ok no how 2 get over the fear of cockroaches and lizards in specific. i will chek out cool facts about in hopes i get over my fear but perhaps you have coolf acts? or perhaps any bugs you like/dislike?
lizards? but those aren't insects in any way. most lizards' bite is not dangerous (as in not venomous but there still might be germs obviously. eg salmonella. lizards cannot get rabies though) and they're not likely to bite you unless you provoke them. the big ones have teeth and large claws so it's best to leave them alone if you don't know how to handle them. the ones that are venomous are Mexican beaded lizards and Gila monsters. Large monitor lizards can be dangerous (and some of them are also venomous), but generally if you stay away from them they will not attack. if you live somewhere with only small lizards tho they're not dangerous
I knew someone who knew a lot about different bugs and they were particularly obsessed with roaches (and bees also) but unfortunately I don't know as much. I got most of these from wikipedia. um sorry if these cool facts make it worse..
there are about 4600 known species of cockroach worldwide, about 30 of which are found in human habitats. to some degree it makes sense to be scared of them if they're in your house because they can spread diseases or cause allergies.
the heaviest cockroach is the giant burrowing cockroach, which can reach up to 8 cm in length and weigh 35 grams. it doesn't have wings and is the only cockroach that has has permanent burrows underground where it can live up to 1 m deep.
some cockroaches can live up to a month without food.
cockroaches have a higher tolerance for radiation than humans (cells are most sensitive to radiation while dividng and their cells divide only during molting), but fruit flies are actually more resistant to radiation.
a cockroach named Nadezhda was the first terrestrial animal to produce offspring conceived in space.
I like bees as I've said. also rhinoceros beetles are cool (they might look a bit scary because of being so large but they cannot bite or sting. or maybe them being large makes them less scary because you can see them as an "animal" rather than an "insect" even tho insects are animals obv. I'm not sure what criteria people use to determine scariness. they have cool shapes I think).
my least favorite bugs are mosquitos bc malaria and also kissing bugs they're terrifying.. the insects that look the creepiest to me are caterpillars though, weirdly (although there are cool-looking ones). they look like that to scare off predators and it works on me
@dressedsalad do you have any cool facts? you know a lot more about this stuff than me lol
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verdan-the-druid · 1 year ago
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I don't care if she's a giant burrowing cockroach, if you misgender her on purpose again I will fucking kill you.
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spineconsumer · 1 year ago
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Hello my lovely little tapeworms, today's bug fact is going to be on the..........
Giant burrowing cockroach!!!
These Australian lovelies, as the name suggest, burrow! They can dig up to 1m deep and are actually considered very important to the ecosystem. They eat dead dried leaves like eucalyptus. They live mostly in their burrow only really surfacing when it rains and so in the dry seasons, mostly stay underground. As is the way with many solitary creatures, these guys are aggressive, both in males and females. They're also fairly common pets :)
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spinderella-umbrella · 2 years ago
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What if Peter’s animagus was something other than a rat?
Sub Prompt: Disappointment at a Food Truck
They had completed their transfiguration ritual, and Peter was a cockroach.It had been the most disappointing thing of his life, he’d thought at the time. No use to anyone, and in constant danger of being murdered because the world deemed him as “gross.” How was he supposed to be a part of Remus’ pack as a cockroach? James was a stag, and Sirius was a dog, and they could run and play with Remus. But Peter? He would only get left behind. No one wants to play with a bug. It was James that helped him see the positives of his animagus form. Cockroaches are incredibly adaptable and scrappy; they are survivors, above all else. They can also get into almost any space through the smallest of cracks, they're fast, and they can easily go unnoticed because they’re so small. Plus, they can fly if they want to, which is pretty cool. Peter has learned many secrets, and found so many hidden rooms everywhere he goes he has developed a reputation for it. So when he falls in love with a burrito, there’s only one thing to do. It’s the worlds best burrito, he thinks. But going to the Food Truck for said burrito everytime he has a hankering is just not sustainable. Just once he would like to have a meal without extending the effort to apparate over such a long distance. It makes him tired, and then he has to apparate back and he’s hungry again from the effort he exerted- but he can still taste the burrito, so that’s obviously what he wants. He tried take away. It got lost in the apparition two out of five times. It was nothing but disappointment. So he’s made a decision. He’s going to infiltrate the food truck. He’s going to observe exactly how they make their beef, and what sauces they use, and from where they get their produce. He’s going to make a burrito station in his own home, that perfectly emulates this food truck, or he’ll die trying.And he might die, to be honest, because he’s a cockroach and food places use pest control. Though, he was no ordinary pest. All was going well, he thought. He’d been in the truck since open, had observed every action in prep from start to end. Thank Merlin for pensieves, he could retain and study this day through a human brain as much as he wanted. But for now, he was hungry. The chef steps out for a minute, and Peter is down and on a deconstructed burrito, all beautiful and layed out as if it were just for him.Too soon, the door opens- the chef has returned. Peter burrows under a mound of burrito fillings, hoping to be free’d when the coast is clear. Instead, he is rolled tight into the burrito he made a home in. What a lovely way to die, he thinks. Surrounded by the food I love most.It was a very disappointing Food Truck experience for someone else, though, as Peter saw the light and scuttled out of the warm burrito, running for his life as a giant boot chases him down and tries to stomp him out. Just when he thinks he’s home free, bits of burrito explode around him, beef, rice, beans flying at him from behind. He stumbles, hit by a piece of corn, but he gets back up and he keeps on going.It would all be worth it when he was able to recreate the world's best burrito.
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shailendr · 4 months ago
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The Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-Eating Tarantula: A Giant of the Rainforest
Introduction:
Deep in the tropical rainforests of Brazil lives one of the largest and most awe-inspiring spiders in the world—the Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-Eating Tarantula (Lasiodora parahybana). While its name might evoke fear, this fascinating creature is much more than just a predator. With its striking appearance and impressive size, the Brazilian Salmon Pink Tarantula is a marvel of nature and an important part of its ecosystem.
What Is the Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-Eating Tarantula?
Native to the forests of northeastern Brazil, this tarantula is among the largest species in the world, often growing to a leg span of up to 10 inches (25 cm) or more. Its name comes from the salmon-pink hairs that cover its body and legs, giving it a distinctive appearance. Despite the intimidating name, these tarantulas rarely prey on birds. Instead, they typically feed on a diet of insects, small rodents, and other invertebrates.
Size and Appearance
The Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-Eating Tarantula’s size is one of its most impressive features. Adult females can weigh up to 100 grams, making them one of the heaviest tarantulas in the world. Their dark brown to black bodies, adorned with soft salmon-pink hairs, give them a striking contrast. Like all tarantulas, they have eight legs, a set of sharp fangs, and two primary body segments—the cephalothorax and abdomen.
Habitat and Behavior
These tarantulas are terrestrial creatures, meaning they live primarily on the ground. In the wild, they are typically found in the rainforests of Brazil, where they dig burrows to hide from predators and ambush their prey. They are nocturnal hunters, which means they are most active at night, stalking their prey with patience before delivering a quick, venomous bite.
The Brazilian Salmon Pink Tarantula may seem fearsome, but they are not aggressive unless provoked. When threatened, they will use their back legs to kick urticating hairs from their abdomen, which can cause irritation to the skin and eyes of potential predators. If this defense fails, they may bite, but their venom is relatively mild for humans, causing only localized pain and swelling in most cases.
Diet: Do They Really Eat Birds?
While they are called "bird-eating" tarantulas, this name is a bit of an exaggeration. In reality, these tarantulas rarely, if ever, hunt birds. Their diet mainly consists of insects, such as crickets, cockroaches, and beetles. They are also known to eat small mammals, such as mice, as well as amphibians, other invertebrates, and sometimes even small reptiles. The "bird-eating" name comes from early explorers who reportedly witnessed a large tarantula eating a small bird, but such instances are extremely rare.
Life Cycle and Growth
Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-Eating Tarantulas have a relatively long lifespan, especially females, who can live up to 15 years or more in captivity. Males, on the other hand, typically live only 4-5 years. After mating, the female will lay hundreds of eggs, which she guards fiercely until they hatch. Once hatched, the spiderlings are small, but they grow rapidly, molting their exoskeleton multiple times as they develop into adults.
Molting is a critical process in a tarantula’s life, as it allows them to grow larger and replace any damaged limbs. During this vulnerable period, the tarantula will retreat to its burrow to molt in safety, emerging later with a fresh, larger exoskeleton.
Role in the Ecosystem
Despite their fearsome reputation, Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-Eating Tarantulas play an important role in their ecosystem. As predators, they help control the population of insects and small animals, keeping the balance of the rainforest in check. Their burrows also provide homes for other creatures, and they themselves serve as prey for larger animals like birds, snakes, and mammals.
Brazilian Salmon Pink Tarantulas in Captivity
Due to their size, hardiness, and relatively calm nature, these tarantulas are popular pets among exotic animal enthusiasts. They are easy to care for, requiring a large enclosure with plenty of space to roam, along with a substrate that allows them to burrow. They are also known for their impressive feeding response, making them a favorite for hobbyists to observe.
However, because of their size and defensive behaviors, they are not recommended for beginner tarantula keepers. Handling should be avoided, as their urticating hairs and sharp fangs can cause discomfort, and they are often stressed when handled.
Conservation and Threats
While not currently endangered, habitat loss due to deforestation in Brazil poses a potential threat to the Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-Eating Tarantula. As the rainforest continues to shrink, it is essential to preserve these creatures and their habitats to maintain the biodiversity of the region.
Conclusion
The Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-Eating Tarantula is a remarkable and misunderstood creature. With its large size, unique appearance, and vital role in its ecosystem, this tarantula deserves recognition not just for its predatory abilities but also for its contribution to the health of the rainforest. Whether in the wild or captivity, these tarantulas remain one of the most fascinating species in the world of arachnids.
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