#technicolorama

[onenicebugperday]

Have you ever done a post about distinguishing brown recluses from wolf spiders? That's kinda my last major barrier of spider fear bc I have definitely killed wolf spiders on accident confusing them for actually dangerous ones. :'(

It's actually super easy to distinguish the two when you know what to look for!

I'll focus on your location that you shared via IM in terms of wolf species you may encounter, but the following info is true of all wolves within the brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa) range anyway.

Before I get into that, though, for anyone who may want to know how to ID a brown recluse, make sure you're even in their range. Their range is relatively small:

(map source)

If you're outside of this range, it's very VERY unlikely that any spider you encounter is a brown recluse. There are some other Loxosceles species found in the southwest US and into California, though, and they look similar. As far as I understand, there isn't really enough data on the effects of their venom to say whether or not their bites are medically significant like the brown recluse’s may be, but if anyone's seen any research on that, feel free to tell me how wrong I am.

Anyway, here are a male (top) and female brown recluse:

Photos by eattaway92 and wildcarrot

And for size reference:

Photo by catenatus

So! Some things to note. First, there aren’t really any markings on their body except for the famous dark violin shape on the cephalothorax and sometimes a slightly darkened stripe on the front of the abdomen which is super visible in this photo:

Photo by ryandove

Second, the legs are long and spindly and don’t look hairy unless you’re very close up. The way they hold their legs is often almost crab-spider-like. Third, the eyes! This is, I think, the most obvious way to distinguish them from wolves. Brown recluses have only six eyes, grouped in pairs, so it looks like three black dots if you’re viewing it from a distance. Here’s a close-up:

Photo by salticidude

Wolves will not have the violin shape. Almost all species of wolf you’d encounter will also have other markings on their body, especially dark stripes on the cephalothorax. Some may have an abdominal stripe similar to the recluse, but it’s usually much less subtle.

Here are two of the most common wolves in the southern US, Rabidosa rabida and Tigrosa annexa:

Photos by sambiology and cavemander17

You can see the body and legs are far more robust, more densely haired, and the markings are pretty wildly different than the recluse which is fairly plain. There’s no wolf spider I know of that looks even remotely like a recluse as far as markings go.

The big thing though!! Are the eyes. Wolves have eight eyes, but two are comically large cartoon eyes that face forward. Even on the very tiny ones, you can still see their big eyes. Prepare yourself it’s very cute

Photos by annikaml and feistyone

If I’m ever not weeping about wolf eyes, just assume I am dead. Anyway, beyond all that, size in particular is not a very good indicator when trying to differentiate, because wolves have a huge range from the size of your fingernail to practically the size of a tarantula. Let’s admire this one just for fun

Precious :) Carolina wolf photo by afroherpkeeper

Recluses are a lot more consistently sized as adults, about the size of a quarter.

I would also like to add that while recluse venom can potentially be harmful, most bites do not require medical attention and heal just fine on their own, especially for healthy adults. Serious reactions happen in something like less than 1% of bites.

Also, they’re called recluses for a reason. They’re nocturnal, non-aggressive, and tend to avoid people. Most bites happen because they got caught in bedding or clothing and accidentally pressed against someone’s skin, so they bit as a defensive reaction so they could escape the big scary predator about to smoosh them. If you capture them in a cup (wear gloves if you’re afraid!) and put them outside away from your house, it’s very unlikely you’ll see them again. No need to kill them!

Wolves, of course, are capable of biting, but their bites are not medically significant.

Hope this was helpful!

[the-ghost-king]

Fuck discourse here have some solidarity

Hell yeah!! This is the good content! We love the solidarity of the joy of viewing a nice chest!

[radio-charlie]

Wait now I'm curious, how did you pick the name Charlie? I picked charlie bc I was obsessed with charlie Chaplin as a kid bc my stepfather was a nazi and I just wanted to be that kinda manlet that's sweet and funny and takes no shit.

hahah jesus christ u really dropped a bomb w that second sentence. that’s a great reason to pick the name though, charlie chaplin did his moustache like that to make fun of hitler right? mine was just because it’s the english name that sounds the most like my birth name (jia li, pronounced kinda like djia-lee/chia lee). when i was younger i very much admired whats known here as western culture and so i was eager to adopt a white english name haha. over the years i ended up making a home out of the name and it just started to feel right

[doctorguilty]

Roaches... so cute 😭 I had no idea omg

They are very adorable and wholesome! I love how big hissers get because they're so holdable and petable

[makingqueerhistory]

I've also passed your website along to some of my Vietnamese friends if they know anyone who is comfortable submitting some work :)

Thank you so much! We would love to have some more writers, and we would love to have some articles about/from Vietnam!

[eroticcannibal]

Deadtree is suggesting that the fanartist ask a lawyer if their art is okay. And that the lawyer will agree with her that it's not allowed. Imagine. Just imagine her sitting down with a lawyer and trying to convince them that drawing the band in a fanart pose warrants legal action. Hahahahaha god I would pay good money to see that

no there is no way that’s too much even for deadtree

[vaspider]

What if they made their own darn esty and sold the exclusionist flag if they want it so bad? You dont get to go into like, a halal grocery and demand pork. Go somewhere that isn't morally opposed to giving you what you want maybe? Demanding people break their boundaries for you is real fuckin gross!

Considering the number of people who have felt perfectly comfortable telling me that my boundaries about literally anything don’t matter and I should do what they want and not what’s right for me and my family about so many topics, I shouldn’t be surprised, yet here we are. 

[followthebluebell]

I adore Skitten with my whole soul ♡♡♡

thank you!

so far Skitten hasn’t met anyone she dislikes, so I can say with a lot of certainty that she loves you too.

[mercurialmalcontent]

kurloz38 replied to your post “Does anyone know of a way to add some sort of minor texture-y thing to...”

My Mom is blind, and she uses small stick-on bits of Velcro. You can get them at most fabric shops and you can put either the fuzzy part or the hook parts to make different textures. She went blind late in life and never learned braille, just relies mostly on memory!

That’s clever! It’s probably a bit too much for keys I’m going to be hitting frequently, though.

technicolorama replied to your post “Does anyone know of a way to add some sort of minor texture-y thing to...”

fine glitter nail polish maybe. or braille keyboard stickers, then you can multitask and learn braille :)

That is a cool idea but a little overkill, haha. I only need to have three or four keys marked for gaming purposes. 

lysikan replied to your post “Does anyone know of a way to add some sort of minor texture-y thing to...”

plastic modelling cement and little bits of plastic cut from other broken plastic things

I didn’t even occur to me plastic modelling cement is a thing, but... of course it is. I think that’d work - probably in just little dabs by itself, since my fingers are pretty sensitive and too big a nub would just hurt.

Thanks folks :)

[mostlycatsmostly]

Kitten sandwich! Calliope on the left, Persephone in the middle, Penelope on the right.

(submitted by @technicolorama)

[truecrimeinvestigation]

@technicolorama i mean we came here to learn and to teach, not for edgy teens.

ya’ll are an embarrassment.

[doctorguilty]

cancel THIS

[radiosaturday]

Thank you @dionysus-complex for giving me an excuse to talk about myself!

RULES: Bold the statements that apply to you, italicize your aspirations, and tag nine people! (the parentheses are my additions) AIR: I have small hands • I love the night sky • I watch small animals and birds when I pass them by • I drink herbal tea • I wake to see dawn • The smell of dust is comforting • I’m valued for being wise • I prefer books to music • I meditate • I find joy in learning new truths from the world around me FIRE: I don’t have straight hair • I like to wear ripped jeans and overalls • I play an organized sport • I love dogs • I am not afraid of adventure • I love to talk to strangers • I always try new foods • I enjoy road trips • Summer is my favourite season • My radio is always playing WATER: I wear bracelets on my wrists • I love the bustle of the city • I have more than one set of piercings • I read poetry • I love the sound of a thunderstorm • I want to travel the world • I sleep past midnight most days • I love dimly lit diners and fluorescent signs • I rewatch kids’ shows out of nostalgia • I see emotions in colors not words EARTH: I wear glasses • I enjoy doing the laundry (I don’t mind it if it’s not in a public laundry room!) • I am a vegetarian or vegan • I have an excellent sense of time • My humor is very cheerful • I am a valued advisor to my friends • I believe in true love • I love the chill of mountain air • I’m always listening to music • I am highly trusted by the people in my life AETHER: I go without makeup in my daily life • I make my own artwork • I keep on track of my tasks and time • I always know true north • I see beauty in everything • I can always smell flowers • I smile at everyone I pass by • I always fear history repeating itself • I have recovered from a mental disorder • I can love unconditionally

Tagging @amber-fluids @threeraccoonsinatrenchcoat @patternsinnoise @meloyhaberman @cinnamon-lady24 @technicolorama @a-bbydeer @ Kaye I tried to tag you but it wouldn’t let me?

[cat-boy-tits]

tagged by: @flowercrownsylveon

ONE / name / alias: Soof, or S

TWO / birthday: February 27th

THREE / zodiac sign: Pieces 

FOUR / height: 5′ 5″ (or 5′ 4.75″ if we’re being accurate)

FIVE / hobbies: D&D, listening to audiobooks, torturing succulents, crafts. I used to have a lot but then chronic pain and depression ate my life. 

SIX / favorite color: some kind of blue probably?

SEVEN / favorite books: one of the Discworld books. It’s very hard to choose. 

EIGHT / last song I listened to: something by Lizzo I think

NINE / last film I watched: WHISPER OF THE HEART!!!! I cried...I cried so much

TEN / inspiration for muse: I like the theory of inspiration I learned from one of the more useful professors at art school: your inspiration is like a hopper. You have to fill the hopper with all kinds of stuff and eventually interesting ideas will fall out. So what inspires me is....everything! I put all kinds of stuff in my hopper and I get all kinds of very cool ideas that I then absolutely do not develop. 

ELEVEN / dream job: book shop

TWELVE / meaning behind url: I like Star Trek and I’m not straight 

I tag:

@glompcat

@bekkaa

@technicolorama

[vaspider]

thank you for standing up to all this harassment!!! it's inspiring as fuck. your shoes are beautifully made and really affordable. you're helping people represent themselves better on a budget which you don't have to do, yet you do.

Thanks.