#this tree is invasive in the northeastern US

[los-plantalones]

kousa dogwood.

[aggiepython]

a piece i did for a class on native american history, inspired by Murder on the Red River by Marcie Rendon (more info under cut)

“She bounded down two concrete stairs and stepped out on to the green grass of the campus mall, surrounded on either side by thick stately oaks. She could tell each one had been strategically planted along the winding sidewalks between the red brick buildings. Even with groups of students sitting on the grass, leaning against their trunks, the trees seemed lonely. Nothing like the oaks along the river that grew where they wanted to grow and leaned in and touched each other with their middle branches, whose voices sang through their leaves like the hum of electric wires running alongside the country roads.” From Murder on the Red River

This piece is inspired by Murder on the Red River, a mystery novel by Marcie Rendon. It’s about Cash Blackbear, a young Ojibwe woman who investigates the murder of a Native man. Cash was taken from her mother and siblings as a young child and lived in a series of foster homes, most of which were abusive. About a third of Native American children were taken from their parents and placed in foster homes, even when they could have been placed with relatives instead of being separated from their community members and culture. Native American boarding schools, which also separated children from their families and culture, had mostly all been shut down by the 1970s (Katherine Beane), when Murder on the Red River takes place. But the removal of children to foster homes was just another way that the government tried to force Native Americans to assimilate into white culture. The Indian Child Welfare Act was passed in 1978. It set requirements to keep Native children with relatives when safe and possible, and to work with the tribe and family of children. This act has made progress, though Native children are still adopted or placed in foster care at a higher rate than non-Native children (NICWA). In my illustration, there are four trees, representing Cash, her mother, and her two siblings. In the image on the right, the trees are growing as they do in their natural forest habitat, winding together. In the image on the left, the trees have been planted on the neat lawn of the college campus, a place where white culture is dominant. The trees are apart from each other, separated as Cash’s family were torn apart. They were forced to assimilate as many Native Americans were. The trees are bur oaks, aka Quercus macrocarpa, a species native to North Dakota where the book takes place. Their range encompasses much of the U.S. and parts of Canada (Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center). The grass on the right image is Kentucky Bluegrass, aka Poa pratensis. It is invasive to North America. It was introduced in the 17th century from Europe, and is now found all over North America. It is commonly used for lawns and pasture, and can outcompete native prairie plants (North Dakota State Library). The Red River borders North Dakota and Minnesota. The Ojibwe have lived in Minnesota since before the 17th century, after migrating from Northeastern North America over hundreds of years (Minnesota Historical Society). The shape of the Red River traces through the image, weaving and intermingling through the branches of the trees, showing Cash’s deep connection with the land she is from.

Works Cited “About IWCA” National Indian Child Welfare Association, https://www.nicwa.org/about-icwa/ Beane, Katherine, American Indians in Minnesota, 12 March 2024, Nicholson Hall, Minneapolis, MN. Lecture. “Kentucky Bluegrass”, North Dakota State Library. https://www.library.nd.gov/statedocs/AgDept/Kentuckybluegrass20070703.pdf Rendon, Marcie. Murder on the Red River. Soho Crime, 2017. “The Ojibwe People”, Minnesota Historical Society, https://www.mnhs.org/fortsnelling/learn/native-americans/ojibwe-people “Quercus macrocarpa”, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=QUMA2

[rjzimmerman]

These ‘Trash Trees’ Are Actually a Banquet for Wildlife. (New York Times)

Excerpt from this New York Times Op-Ed from Margaret Renkl:

Hackberries are native to Alabama, where I grew up, but I was a child born of the piney woods, and I don’t recall ever noticing a single hackberry in my youth. The trees also grow in South Carolina, where I went to graduate school, but they didn’t register with me there, either. I was a newly transplanted Tennessean before I learned about “trash trees,” as people here call them.

The common hackberry is widespread from New England across to the Dakotas and down through the Midwest and Upper South. The Southern hackberry, a species also known as the sugarberry, blankets the Southeast down through Florida and west into Texas and northeastern Mexico. The two species overlap — and sometimes self-hybridize — in Tennessee. The Nashville naturalist Joanna Brichetto, author of the new book “This Is How a Robin Drinks: Essays on Urban Nature,” calls Nashville “the hackberry capital of the world.”

I don’t know if people call them trash trees in other places, but hackberries are widely disdained in the hackberry capital of the world. Their bark is a rough swath of warts. Their pocked, wrinkled, gall-infested leaves always look a little sick. In spring, their flowers drop to the ground and cover the sidewalks, and in fall their berrylike drupes do the same, without any gorgeous fall color to compensate for the mess.

One of the hackberries’ least desirable characteristics is not, strictly speaking, a feature of the trees themselves. Hackberries are targeted by the invasive Asian woolly hackberry aphid, which like all aphids excretes a sticky form of waste called honeydew. In wet summers, rain washes the honeydew away, but in dry years, the honeydew can accumulate and promote the growth of a soot-colored mold on whatever — car, sidewalk, patio furniture — happens to lie beneath the branches of a hackberry tree. “The mold is absolutely harmless,” Ms. Brichetto said when I asked her about it, “but people freak out.”

Unluckiest of all for a tree trying to survive the built human environment, hackberries have a growing habit that also freaks people out. Hackberries can grow giant horizontal branches that sprawl out across great expanses. Left unpruned, those heavy old limbs sometimes drop onto houses during storms.

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By now you’re thinking, “Yeah, that’s totally a trash tree.” I spent my first years here thinking the same thing.

But then, one fall, I started noticing something about those drupes and those gnarly, pitiful-looking leaves: They were feeding a vast array of my wild neighbors at a time when everybody desperately needs to eat. The locals need to fatten up for the cold winter ahead. The migrators need to fatten up for their long journey.

The hackberry is the host plant for dozens of lepidoptera species: 49 here in Middle Tennessee, according to Ms. Brichetto. Butterflies who use hackberries as a nursery include the tawny emperor, the question mark, the mourning cloak and, of course, the beautiful hackberry emperor. It’s impossible not to love a hackberry emperor butterfly. These gentle creatures will land on your skin to partake of the salt and other minerals in your sweat. The behavior is called puddling, and many butterfly species can be found puddling in the mud. Hackberry emperors will puddle right on your hand.

Combine all the juicy caterpillars dining on hackberry leaves and all the tiny, protein-packed bugs inhabiting the galls and all the fruit the hackberry itself produces, and it becomes clear that a hackberry tree is a banquet set with something for everybody. Including us.

[aisling-saoirse]

White Ash - Fraxinus pensylvanica

For this post I'm going to discuss the snags and reason I got back into ecology: The Ash Tree

Around the 1990s an insect from northeastern Asia was accidentally introduced to the Continental United States, by 2002 this insect was identified in Michigan after destroying several million acres of forest, this insect was the Emerald Ash Borer. The borer's larvae consume the living inner bark layer (leaving an interesting pattern), ultimately starving the tree of nutrients. The bark will often flake or peel off. By the year 2015, there were signs that the borer had spread to the east coast, its journey likely accelerated by the spread of firewood from infected logs, by 2019 nearly every mature Ash tree in Northern New Jersey was killed.

I grew up in a yard with twelve 150 year old Ash trees, the yard was adjacent to a section of Ash dominant forest, I watched the slow decline of all these trees, for half a decade I hoped our trees would be lucky enough to survive but unfortunately they all died within a few summers. Although the White Ash trees I encountered were wild from a 20th century clear-cut, they were a fairly common street tree around the northeast, straight growing, lovely bark and unfortunately most of the nursery stock was derived from a similar gene pool. There was little genetic diversity and many suburban neighborhoods were wiped of Ash trees. Many Ash trees were infested and look like the section of log I saved from my yard now (image below)

Suburban yards aside I quickly began to notice entire sections of forest filled with standing deadwood (image below). Worse yet white ash wasn't the only ash species affected, the entire genus is at risk. American Ash species often occupy a unique niche in cultivating young organisms which grow in vernal pools, the leaves of american ash are low in tannin, meaning they're one of the few leaves which are a suitable food source for young frog tadpoles. The loss of the ash means damage to American frog populations. It also means insects which utilized ash as a host are also at risk.

Ash also has quite a lovely ethnobotanical history, black ash is famous amoung various tribes around the northeast for its use in basket weaving. Historically Lenape elders would use the juice from white ash leaves for reducing swelling. More modern settler usages revolve around using the elastic yet study wood for baseball bats, oars, hockey sticks, and tool handles. My friends father used to raid his boss's construction sites at night to harvest ash slated for removal and deliver it to a baseball bat manufacturer for a decent payout. Ash also has a lovely grain visible in the broken log in the second image

Ash forests now eerie snag filled openings which creak and occasionally fall on unsuspecting hikers. The thought of watching an entire forest ecosystem go really bothered me, ash swamps are unique, varied, there's something almost indescribable about growing up hearing early spring chirps from little tree frogs at night which are now silent. I left my job in architecture and started pursuing a degree related to landscape architecture and ecological planning (not that this is the answer). I started propagating ash trees where I could and planting them around. Unfortunately ash can't immediately return, invasive species often outcompete ash trees in their former forest, the added pressure ultimately reduces their ability to regenerate. The borer has spread so far there is little we can do to remove it, however there is a positive effect with biological control via the borers' specific parasitic wasp.

Is this the end of the ash? Hopefully not. I still find saplings throughout the woods, ash can be aggressive in the right conditions, can they survive into maturity is another question. Perhaps in another century, more will return, and ash will occupy our woods once more. Like the Chestnut work is being done to breed more resistant species.

[itsoctopuses]

Week 20 Observations

5.14.25

Barbary Fig

Opuntia ficus-indica

Observed on the side of the road near 8 Mile Rd on Galveston 5.11.25. It is a member of the prickly pear family and is native to Mexico but has become naturalized in Texas through cultivation. It is considered an invasive species in Texas. It’s sprawling growth and the fact that the pads have spines and glochids (barbed bristles) make it a good natural fence.

With optimal conditions it can live over 50 years. It is resilient, surviving in poor soil and drought conditions. It reaches maturity within 3-5 years and can reproduce asexually from rooting the pads. This makes it easy to cultivate.

Humans and livestock can eat the fruit, called tuna, and the pads. The fruit is rich in vitamins. The seeds can be dried and ground into a flour. The oil extracted is rich with essential fatty acids.

#barbaryfig #Opuntiaficusindica #citizenscience #pricklypear #cactus #nonnative #invasive #nature #outdoors #may #may14 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day134

5.15.25

American Bumblebee

Bombus pensylvanicus

Observed 5.12.25 at Moody Gardens in the pollinator garden. These are native to the area and throughout North America.

They are important pollinators, reinforcing ecological integrity of natural plants. They use buzz pollination by using their very fast wings (200 beats per second!) to vibrate the flower which then releases pollen. They also leave a scent on flowers they’ve already pollinated making them efficient!

They can be distinguished from other bees or look-a-like insects due to the fact that they crawl over the flowers where others do not.

The queen is the only one that makes it to winter to hibernate and start a new colony in the spring.

#americanbumblebee #bombuspensylvanicus #citizenscience #bumblebee #insect #native #nature #outdoors #picoftheday #project365 #day135

5.16.25

Four-spotted Pennant

Brachymesia gravida

Observed 5.11.25 at Lafitte’s Cove in Galveston. Native to the area and throughout the southeastern US.

Gets its name from resembling a pennant when it perches at the end of a branch. It is the only dragonfly/damselfly to have 4 white stigmas (also referred to as pterostimga).

Adult males have the 4 dark spots on the midwings. They are territorial with males on established perches and displaying their wings.

It is a skimmer dragonfly species found in areas with a low diversity of other dragonfly species. Usually found near lakes and open ponds. They can tolerate slightly brackish to alkaline (ph >7) water.

#fourspottedpennant #brachymesiagravida #citizenscience #native #dragonfly #insect #nature #outdoors #may #may16 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day136

5.17.25

Reticulated Giraffe

Giraffa reticulata

Observed at the zoo in February. Their native range is primarily in northern and northeastern Kenya. The right zoos gives this species a chance to survive and thrive through research, education and conservation. There are breeding programs designed to maintain genetic diversity and prevent inbreeding. This also gives the public a chance to learn about the threats that giraffes face such as climate change, habitat loss and poaching. They are on the endangered species list and there are as few as 11,000 mature reticulated giraffes left in the wild.

They are social creatures, moving in groups with females protecting the young. In the left picture, Lord Finnegan found a stick to play with and (maybe) mom came over to investigate it. Haha

They are the tallest land animals, growing up to 18ft. Their long necks and tongues enable them to reach food high in the trees.

Their spots camouflage them from predators and are as unique as fingerprints.

They have a strong, specialized heart to pump blood to the brain against gravity. It can weigh up to 25 pounds and measure 2 feet in length!

#reticulatedgiraffe #giraffareticulata #citizenscience #nonnative #giraffe #zoo #conservation #endangeredspecies #nature #outdoors #may #may17 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day137

5.18.25

Blue Jacket

Tradescantia ohiensis

Observed 5.18.25 at Galveston Island State Park. It is native to central and eastern North America, including Texas and is the most common tradescantia species.

It can form hybrids when growing alongside related species. There are about 9 species that can hybridize with this species.

They’re mostly found in roadside habitats, in fields, as well as along railroads.

The plant is edible. The flowers and stems can be consumed raw, while cooking the mucilaginous (has a gelatinous texture) leaves is best. The property of the leaves makes it similar to aloe Vera and can be used to soothe bug bites.

#bluejacket #tradescantiaohiensis #citizenscience #ohiospiderwort #native #wildflower #flora #nature #outdoors #may #may18 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day138

5.19.25

Spotted Beebalm

Monarda punctata

Observed at Galveston Island State Park 5.3.25. Native range includes eastern Canada, eastern US and northeastern Mexico. Though it spreads by seeds it is not considered highly invasive.

It is a great choice for gardens for reasons that include: attractive to pollinators, adds beauty, and can survive in drought periods in well-drained, dry or sandy soil.

Historically, Native Americans have used it for many ailments including: vomiting, nausea, colds and rheumatic pain. Modern herbalists use it for upper respiratory and digestive issues.

The leaves release an oregano smell when crushed which could be used as a culinary herb. The plant is also rich in thymol, an essential oil with antiseptic, anti fungal, and anti microbial properties, good for treating skin infections.

#spottedbeebalm #monardapunctata #citizenscience #native #flora #wildflowers #nature #outdoors #may #may19 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day139

5.20.25

Gray Catbird

Dumetella carolinensis

Observed 5.11.25 at Lafitte’s Cove on Galveston. Native to the area, especially during migration season (April-May) but can be seen year round.

One of their more distinctive calls sounds like a kitten mewing and it is usually used for courting or defending territory. They are in the Mimidae family along with other birds that use mimicry like the mockingbird. When they get to singing a performance can last 10 minutes with songs from other bird species, tree frogs and even mechanical noises. They can also make two sounds at the same time by using each side of their vocal organ (syrinx) independently.

Brown headed cowbirds will try to parasitize their nest by putting their eggs in with the catbird’s eggs. Female catbirds are thought to study their first egg laid and will puncture and toss out any eggs that don’t resemble that first one.

#graycatbird #Dumetellacarolinensis #citizenscience #native #bird #nature #outdoors #may #may20 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day140

[swldx]

Voice of America 0410 2 Feb 2025

9775Khz 0358 2 FEB 2025 - VOICE OF AMERICA (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA) in ENGLISH from MOPENG HILL. SINPO = 55334. English, "VoA One" in progress, music DJ'd by female announcer. @0400z "Worldwide News Update" anchored by Alexis Strope. § U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday that places 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10% tariffs on goods from China starting Tuesday, the White House said. "Both Canada and Mexico have allowed an unprecedented invasion of illegal fentanyl that is killing American citizens, and also illegal immigrants into our country," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during her briefing Friday. While Canadian goods will face a 25% tariff, Trump said he would tariff Canadian crude oil imports at 10%. Mexico’s energy imports are included in its 25% tariffs. For Canada alone, Trump canceled the "de minimis" tariff exemption for shipments worth less than $800. § Recovery teams returned to the frigid Potomac River on Friday in search of several victims and more clues behind the deadliest U.S. air crash in over 20 years. The midair collision between an American Airlines plane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter killed all 67 people aboard both aircraft on Wednesday night near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. In a press conference Friday afternoon, D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said 41 bodies had been recovered from the Potomac River as of Thursday night. § U.S. warplanes took aim at the Islamic State affiliate in Somalia, hitting what officials described as high-ranking operatives in the terror group's mountainous stronghold. U.S. President Donald Trump announced the precision strike Saturday on social media, describing the main target as a "Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led." "These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies," Trump said. "The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians." § A brewing crisis in Africa as Rwanda-backed rebels who captured eastern Congo's largest city said they want to take their fight to the far-off capital, Kinshasa. Congo’s president has called for a massive military mobilization to resist the rebellion, and his defense minister rejected calls for talks. § An attack on an open market in the Sudanese city of Omdurman by a paramilitary group fighting the country's military killed 54 people and wounded many more, health authorities said Saturday. The attack by the Rapid Support Forces on the Sabrein Market also wounded at least 158 others, the Health Ministry said in a statement. It was the latest in a series of deadly attacks in the escalated civil war that has wrecked the northeastern African country. § Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires and in cities across the country to protest President Javier Milei’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, during which he slammed ‘wokeism,’ feminism and other progressive ideals. Protesters were clad in rainbow-colored flags and bore banners that read “rights are not negotiable.” Dubbed the “Federal March of Anti-Fascist and Anti-Racist Pride,” the LGBTQ+ community called the protest after the speech on Jan. 23 to combat “the economic violence, political persecution and sexual repression of Javier Milei’s government.” @0404z "Issues in the News" begins presented by male and female announcers. 100' (30m) of Kev-Flex wire feeding "Magic Wand" antenna hanging in backyard tree w/MFJ-1020C active antenna (used as a preamplifier/preselector), JRC NRD-535D. 100kW, beamAz 350°, bearing 84°. Received at Plymouth, MN, United States, 14087KM from transmitter at Mopeng Hill. Local time: 2159.

[asgardian--angels]

Hi there, pollinator ecologist here! I figured I'd just give my two cents. Firstly, thank you for noticing the underappreciated pollinators! We need to get better PR for flies and wasps especially. Butterflies are not particularly effective pollinators, so I can't comment on the state of research on them, but bees are very well-studied* primarily because they have demonstrated importance to agriculture - specifically honeybees and bumblebees, and a handful of solitary bees. The vast bulk of research focuses on those few species, with 'wild bee' research only taking off in the past 10-15 years. At least within the scientific community though, other pollinators are just as well-loved!

*they're actually not nearly as well-studied as people might think. The vast majority of bee species, even here in the US, if you google them you will get practically nothing. As a scientist who is constantly scouring for identification material, I can't even find photographs of many of our native bees.

Hover flies (Syrphidae) are super charismatic and I wish more people noticed them. Some of them eat aphids as larvae - not all of them - but yes, they are biocontrol on farms (if they're not sprayed) and they do contribute a fair amount to crop pollination as adults. A good proportion of others live in wetlands eating decaying plant matter or in the rot holes of trees eating sap, rotting wood, detritus, etc. Some even live in ant colonies. There are fewer specific actions regular people can do to promote hover flies apart from not destroying wetlands or dead trees on their properties, and not spraying pesticides.

You raise an excellent point about many popular pollinator plants not supporting a lot of other insects! Things like mountain mint aren't very common in the wild where they occur, thus they have fewer caterpillar relationships. Many 'native' pollinator plants are not actually native to the area they're planted (e.g., purple coneflower in the northeastern US), which also means they will be eaten by very few insects. While these plants are fine to have, ideally people should be planting keystone species, which are the native plants in a given region that support the greatest diversity of species, primarily caterpillars - which go on to be the sole or nearly sole food source for almost all songbird chicks.

I can't possibly list them all here, nor could I be geographically inclusive to everyone seeing this post. But there are a LOT of keystone plants that overlap with being excellent plants for bees (particularly specialist bees), syrphids, wasps, etc - to name a few in North America, willows (Salix), blueberries (Vaccinium), asters (Symphyotrichum, Eurybia), and goldenrods (Solidago). Other very important ones include cherries (Prunus), dogwoods (Cornus), red maples (Acer rubrum), and viburnums (Viburnum). We have a lot of resources out there to help people find the keystone plants for their region. Most of this foundational research has been done by Dr. Doug Tallamy and his team. The best sources are his book Bringing Nature Home and his team's academic papers, but there's also a growing directory on his website too. There are others compiling this information, like National Wildlife Federation, Audubon, etc.

If you want to maximize the insect production of your yard space, fill it with keystone plants, which includes a lot of trees and shrubs. This being said, I recommend exercising caution with simply using leaf holes to quantify insect usage; a number of creatures create similar holes, like slugs, and a lot of leaf damage comes from invasive Japanese beetles. With some experience it is possible to tell apart leaf feeding patterns between groups of insects. Additionally many caterpillars and other insect larvae leave very little trace they are there because they are quite small, and may be leaf-rollers, leaf miners, gall-makers, etc that do not feed in an obvious way. We do have published research and many good books that have detailed recommendations by experts for what plants will help pollinators of all kinds the most. If you like wasps, please check out Heather Holm's website and books. For syrphids, there's a great guide for the northeastern US with pretty much everything we know about each species. And if you want to support birds specifically, here's yet another book.

Hope this helps!

I am being driven to madness by the fact that bees and butterflies aren't better studied than other pollinators because they are more important to the ecosystem, they are just better studied because...people like them more?

Seriously

My plants are attracting HUGE amounts of flies, ants, wasps, and moths, and when I identify them and look them up there is no information! Especially flies, wow. They're so diverse, there's SO many different kinds. I'm getting a ton of bee-mimic flies and hover flies.

Wikipedia says hover fly larvae eat aphids while the adults are pollinators. That means they are beneficial in two ways at once! But most of the Wikipedia pages for species are only one sentence, if they exist at all. Likewise here's the wiki page for the most common bee mimic fly where I am. It's one sentence!

If you only pay attention to butterflies and bees, and plant the plants that are the best for butterflies and bees, you would maybe neglect keystone plants that support the largest amount of other insects. And these insects are like, a massive proportion of the bugs in a healthy ecosystem. And birds and mammals need bugs for food! A lot of birds are mostly insectivorous, and anyways, an unbalanced diet of all bird seed can't be healthy even for the omnivorous birds. They need to eat a variety of foods!

Not to mention that larvae are necessary for feeding baby birds!

The back yard is overflowing with birds. There are red-bellied woodpeckers, a gray catbird, a barn swallow, tree swallows, wrens, sparrows, house finches, goldfinches, bluebirds, bluejays, grackles, orioles, cardinals, doves, and a bunch of others I'm forgetting about, and they are constantly singing and making a commotion, and it's louder now than the ugly man-made sounds that are always barging in through the quiet.

[yellingintothedarkness]

The Ten plagues on the world stage 🩸 🐸 🐜 🐅 🐄 🤕 ❄️ 🌄 ☠️

Blood https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13005971/River-turns-blood-red-council-investigate-cause.html (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13005971/River-turns-blood-red-council-investigate-cause.html) https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-globally/mystery-pollutant-turns-russias-iskitimka-river-beetroot-red-9080128/ (https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-globally/mystery-pollutant-turns-russias-iskitimka-river-beetroot-red-9080128/)

https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/japan/okinawa-port-japan-red-beer-factory-b2365713.html (https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/japan/okinawa-port-japan-red-beer-factory-b2365713.html)

Frogs

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/why-are-frogs-invading-this-central-florida-neighborhood (https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/why-are-frogs-invading-this-central-florida-neighborhood)

Cannibal Cuban tree frogs invade Georgia: Why it 'could be a problem' (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/01/04/cannibal-cuban-tree-frog-georgia-florida-problem/72104962007/)

Map shows where cannibal frogs that will eat anything have invaded US | US News | Metro News (https://metro.co.uk/2024/01/06/canibal-tree-frogs-map-invade-us-20073460/) Lice

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9124160/ (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9124160/) Wild animals

https://outdoors.com/carnivore-attacks-rise-heres-why/ https://outdoors.com/carnivore-attacks-rise-heres-why/#:~:text=Bears%2C%20big%20cats%2C%20and%20wild,the%20planet%E2%80%94or%20more%20carnivores.

https://theweek.com/climate-change/1020221/how-climate-change-could-lead-to-more-animal-attacks (https://theweek.com/climate-change/1020221/how-climate-change-could-lead-to-more-animal-attacks) Death of cattle

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/heat-humidity-kill-hundreds-us-cattle-during-worlds-hottest-month-2023-08-07/ (https://www.reuters.com/world/us/heat-humidity-kill-hundreds-us-cattle-during-worlds-hottest-month-2023-08-07/)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/03/06/texas-fires-panhandle-smokehouse-creek-kills-cattle/72850764007/ https://ca.news.yahoo.com/ghastly-sight-thousands-cattle-killed-102735620.html

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-26/cattle-die-in-live-export-to-indonesia/103633064 https://amp.abc.net.au/article/103633064

https://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/1995/sd.shtml(https://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/1995/sd.shtml)Locusts

https://encountertoday.com/blog/2023/04/17/shocking-locust-invasion-in-mecca-a-biblical-sign-of-the-end-times/ (https://encountertoday.com/blog/2023/04/17/shocking-locust-invasion-in-mecca-a-biblical-sign-of-the-end-times/)

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/cicadas-2024-emergence-periodical-brood-2024-map-cicada-rcna134152 (https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/cicadas-2024-emergence-periodical-brood-2024-map-cicada-rcna134152)

https://locust-hub-hqfao.hub.arcgis.com/ Boils (https://locust-hub-hqfao.hub.arcgis.com/)

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/mpox-outbreak-kamituga-democratic-republic-of-congo-africa/ (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/mpox-outbreak-kamituga-democratic-republic-of-congo-africa/) https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/worrying-new-strain-monkeypox-spreading-29009282 https://uk.news.yahoo.com/worrying-strain-monkeypox-spreading-pandemic-053234408.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAK8BI2f22PcgA-bPJuuTH7x3q3Pkhqxx-ZHs-Ow-iMXkoslY9nBDgAR5xlElWWsqojG2BoLlUlRwVfGh8JvNjmuatxvibG9-vPDQm1H4Z3EEorWuepo3H06yoJay_8l9bFmC3WL36Ab-P6tVAJ4BHzwKxaEa4Pr8XWIwanbERw-U

Hail (and fire)

https://bestlifeonline.com/widespread-blackouts-predicted-for-2024/ (https://bestlifeonline.com/widespread-blackouts-predicted-for-2024/)

Why Blackouts, Power Outages Are Becoming More Common (https://www.businessinsider.com/blackouts-power-outages-more-common-climate-change-electric-grid-infrastructure-2023-3)

Death of the Firstborn

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2802602(https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2802602)https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-mortality-for-young-americans-is-increasing-at-an-alarming-rate

[tylahsdigitalfieldguide]

Tree of Heaven Ailanthus altissima

This is Tree of Heaven Aka Ailanthus altissima. This tree was photographed at a spontaneous plant community near Northeastern University. This tree has grown completely through the fence provided for it and continues to thrive

Basic Facts

This tree prefers full sun to partial shade and is somewhat shade intolerant. It can tolerate a large range of soil types which is probably why we see this tree thriving in a community like this. The cold hardiness zone of this tree is zone 6 to 8

Design

It is not recommended to use this tree intentionally in landscape design because of it's invasive properties.

Wildlife Benefits and Considerations

This tree has wildlife value such as a habitat for spotted lantern flies. However, these lantern flies are extremely invasive and destroy ecosystems. This tree secretes toxins into the soil, making it a horrible tree for any species around it

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/environment/article/tree-of-heaven-invasive-species-could-fungus-save-the-day#:~:text=The%20notorious%20plant%20wipes%20out,11%20sacred%20and%20iconic%20trees.)

https://extension.okstate.edu/programs/plant-id/plant-profiles/tree-of-heaven/

[landscapedesignfirm]

Emerald Ash Borer: A Threat to Pennsylvania’s Ash Trees

In this third installment of our series on invasive species of insects, we will discuss the emerald ash borer (EAB). This invasive woodboring beetle has wreaked havoc on ash tree populations in Pennsylvania and other states in the United States and other regions in North America. As a homeowner, you should understand the impact of this invasive pest. Below, we discuss the characteristics, life cycle, and damage caused by emerald ash borer in Pennsylvania as well as some prevention and treatment methods.

What Is the Emerald Ash Borer?

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is a small, metallic green species of beetle native to northeastern Asia that has become invasive to North America. The beetle was first discovered in the United States in 2002 in Michigan and has since spread to 30 states, including Pennsylvania. EAB attacks and kills ash trees in North America by feeding on their inner bark, disrupting the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients.

Emerald Ash Borer Appearance

Adult EAB are distinguished by their bright metallic green color and are approximately 1/3 of an inch (8.5 mm) long and about 1/16 of an inch (1.6 mm) wide. Females are also slightly larger than males. The elytra (hard shells that serve as protective cases for wings) are typically a darker green but can also have copper hues. Another distinguishing feature of the adult emerald ash borer species is its bright red upper abdomen that can be seen when the wings and elytra spread.

Larvae are white to cream-colored with 10 abdominal segments. The last segment has a pair of brown, pincer-like appendages. Larvae typically reach a length of 1 to 1¼ inches.

Emerald Ash Borer Life Cycle

The emerald ash borer has a 1-year life cycle. Adult beetles emerge through D-shaped exit holes in a tree around late May and early June—adult activity peaks between mid-June and early July. After appearing, the adult beetles feed on ash foliage for several days and then begin to mate. Females lay approximately 60-90 eggs in their lifespan, which hatch in 7 to 10 days. After hatching, the larvae tunnel through the bark into the ash tree’s phloem (plant tissue). Larvae feed on phloem for several weeks, creating S-shaped paths in the tree under the bark. As larvae grow, these galleries become progressively wider. Prepupal larvae overwinter in shallow chambers within the bark. Pupation begins in late April or early May and lasts 1 to 2 weeks when this species’ life cycle starts again.

Signs and Symptoms

If you have ash trees on your property, knowing the signs and symptoms of EAB infestation is crucial to keeping them safe and preventing damage. These signs include the following:

Thinning canopy and dieback of branches

D-shaped exit holes in the ash tree bark

S-shaped galleries under the bark

Increased woodpecker activity (as woodpeckers feed on larvae)

Damage from Emerald Ash Borer

As mentioned above, EAB larvae feed on the nutrient-rich inner phloem, cambium, and outer xylem beneath the bark, creating S-shaped galleries packed with sawdust-like frass. As the infestation of this invasive species progresses, the symptoms mentioned above become more apparent. Trees will die after 3 to 4 years of heavy infestation, making EAB control tactics crucial to preserving ash tree populations.

Preventing Emerald Ash Borer Infestation

Prevention is the best way to avoid damage, and there are several steps you can take to protect your ash trees from EAB:

Do not move firewood: Moving firewood can inadvertently transport EAB to new locations. Some states, including Pennsylvania, have restrictions on moving firewood because of invasive insect species. Always buy firewood locally and burn on-site.

Use insecticides: Preventive insecticides containing certain ingredients and agents can be applied to healthy ash trees to protect them from EAB. Consult a certified arborist for advice on the appropriate insecticides and application methods.

Plant diverse tree species: Planting a variety of tree species can help reduce the impact of EAB on your property and promote a healthier ecosystem.

Damage from Emerald Ash Borer

As mentioned above, EAB larvae feed on the nutrient-rich inner phloem, cambium, and outer xylem beneath the bark, creating S-shaped galleries packed with sawdust-like frass. As the infestation of this invasive species progresses, the symptoms mentioned above become more apparent. Trees will die after 3 to 4 years of heavy infestation, making EAB control tactics crucial to preserving ash tree populations.

Treating EAB Infestation

If your ash trees are already infested with EAB, Burkholder PHC offers various treatment options, including:

Insecticide: Treatments can be applied to infested trees to kill EAB larvae and prevent further damage. Some application options include soil drenches, soil injections, or stem injections.

Tree Removal: In some cases, infested trees may need to be removed to prevent the spread of EAB to nearby healthy trees.

Replacement Planting: After removing infested trees, consider planting a diverse selection of tree species to help restore the ecosystem.

Contact Burkholder PHC for Emerald Ash Borer Treatment in Your Landscape

If you suspect or are concerned about emerald ash borer impacting your property, contact Burkholder PHC for expert advice and treatment options. We provide a free evaluation by our highly experienced, qualified plant health care experts and certified arborists to help remove and control invasive species and the adverse effects these pests cause. Contact Burkholder PHC today for a free consultation or more emerald ash borer information.

Blog is originally published at: https://www.burkholderphc.com/emerald-ash-borer-a-threat-to-pennsylvanias-ash-trees/

It is republished with the permission from the author.

[oceanlandworld]

ailanthus altissima (sometimes called "tree of heaven") is a tree infamous for being highly invasive in north america and extremely difficult to kill; they have very extensive root systems and when damaged put out shoots (called suckers, they look like saplings but share the roots of the larger tree)

it's very common where i live in the northeastern US to see huge clumps of ailanthus that have grown denser over time from failed attempts to kill them. trying to pull up or chop down the suckers causes them to grow back more aggressively. they also release chemicals from their roots into the surrounding soil which inhibit the growth of other plants

the best way to remove them is to make small cuts into the trunk that strong herbicide can be sprayed into - this is done in late summer or early autumn, so the herbicide is pulled into and through the root system. there's tons of stories of people chopping them to stumps or burning them and then growing back

(i can add sources i am just on my phone rn)

Alright Tumblr weirdos and autistics, assemble! I have need of you!

I need to write a short seminar about some kind of plant, and I have net zero inspiration, so I'm outsourcing it. Tell me the FREAKIEST, most We-Sure-This-Isn't-an-Alien? plant you know of, (or why a relatively common plant should belong in this category), sources very much appreciated, and if it makes me go 'The Fuck Is This Shit?' that will be the theme of my seminar.

An unfortunate caveat: This is for my Applied Botany class, so the subject plant is supposed to be Angiospermae (aka, has flowers), but the prof is chill enough that I can swing it as long as it can be classified as Embryophyta (aka, land plants).

Other than that, anything goes. Help me make this man tell horror stories about me in retirement!

[kiskivmiske]

It is kinda sad that there are dragons in WoF , but no dragon-related species, if you know what I mean. Dragons are the only creatures in their clade. They have a completely different body plan from all known creatures, and there were new creatures introduced in the series, like dragon flame cacti or dragonbite viper, but no mention of six-limbed lizards or anything that could be dragon's ancestor. I mean, they could originate from another planet, or their own species were wiped out by invasive Earth species, but still. I probably should make one speculative evolution tree for dragons when I finish requests, but here is what I think.

Coelacanth's or its relative's descendant walks out on land just like tiktaalik did. It keeps all of its 8 limbs, but 4 of them are more fit for swimming, while the rest is used to walk on land.

Time passes, legs become stronger, the fish grows claws to get a better grip on the surface. Fins also progressively become stronger, propelling the body underwater, while claws and teeth are used to snatch prey.

Soon, fins become more complex, develop anatomy similar to front limbs, with a shoulder and an elbow joint. The ancestor starts to spend more time, going further and further into the continent, climbing trees and rocks. This dragon's ancestor, let's call it a Swampglider, looks like a deformed hybrid between a MudWing, a HiveWing and a newt: brown or greenish in color, with four short limbs and four fins. It hunts in swamps and rivers, coming to lay eggs on land, in warm mud or in piles of decomposing leaves. Eventually, its hunting territories grow bigger, as the creature starts to use claws to climb trees. It discovers that fins allow to glide from one tree to another. It gains a new method of defense: venom glands under their teeth rebuild themselves to spray venom towards the attacker. Its legs become longer allowing it to run without dragging belly on sharp rocks. It now has a built closer to modern day dragons, although it's the size of a large house cat, but steadily growing in size from generation to generation.

Now, as it rules water, land, and air, Swampglider goes even further, leaving the swamp behind. The West of Pyrrhia is still a lush jungle, connected on the other side with Pantala, Ice Kingdom does not exist yet, but it will soon change.

As Swampglider's habitat becomes more diverse, it starts to split into different species. All species but one, start to lose one pair of wings, while the other pair becomes more flexible and strong. East of Pyrrhia, all the way to mountains, is inhabited by woodland dragons, not much different from original Swampgliders. They are also brown or green, sometimes with hints of blue, yellow or red. The ones who live near the ocean are mostly blue-ish or brown, rainforest dragons are mostly green, while dragons of the southern shores have more distinct yellow and orange hues to blend with autumn foliage. In all of those species, scales host photosynthetic bacteria. Ocean dwelling dragons and swamp dragons still have their gills, while the others lost them. The wings became stronger, the dragons now achieved powered flight.

Dragons of the mountains have slimmer build and bigger wings. Their venom spit has changed its chemistry to ignite upon release.

An ice age is coming, and ocean on the north starts to freeze, spreading on the Tail islands and the head of the continent. And, on the North of the mountains, a new species rises: these dragons have copper in their blood instead of iron, and their venom spit has a very effective coolant in it. Mountain dragons move towards the center and the Southern Ocean, as it is not as cold as the other one. Other species also move, pushing southern woodland tribe to spread all the way across the shore of the supercontinent. Swamp dragons, being forced to move to the northeastern volcanic islands, acquired a new defence mechanism: immunity to fire. That allowed them to live on those islands, which are too dangerous for the others because of their volcanic activity. They don't need sensitive gills anymore, as they do more harm than good. They don't use photosynthesis anymore and are becoming stronger and more effective hunters, always sticking in packs, they increase their kill rate. To hide from the cold, they spend free time and sleep in heated spring pools. Crossbreeding with mountain dragons gave them fire breathing ability, too, but it's not as strong as in other species.

In the western jungle, bug dragons emerge from those who retained all four wings for hovering flight, rather than gliding. They have more diverse methods of venom attacks. Some of them have poisonous glands under their claws and on the tip of the tail. To make the process of hatching easier, bug dragons have a much shorter egg phase, dragonets hatch undeveloped, with rudimentary wings. Some give birth to embryo like dragonets like earth kangaroos (keeping the egg phase. The egg hatches inside the dragon. It's called ovoviviparity) into warm piles of rotting plant matter. Dragonets actively eat for several months getting fatter, and then hide into a small burrow, coat themselves with air-drying slimy coat and hibernate. After the winter, they emerge fully developed. That way small dragonets have a bigger chance of survival during winter months, when there is not enough food and significantly more rivalry, to wake up when the food is in abundance

Meanwhile, woodland dragons have developed an unique ability to sence brain signals of other creatures. After a period of time, they had split into three subspecies: mountain dragons hybrids, who can breathe fire and read minds, forest dragons who use psychic abilities to trick others into thinking they are invisible by affecting photographic memory centers, and woodland dragons who can only read chemical signals from plants and translate them into coherent data about the plant to avoid eating diseased and inedible fruits. Their microbiota, in return, alto transmits signals for the plant. The first species had lost its photosynthetic bacteria and become fully nocturnal.

Sea dragons are forced to move from shallow waters deeper down from cold icy surface to heated derpwater vents rich with life, their photosynthetic bacteria changes to bioluminescent algae.

And then the continent started to crack. Eastern islands drifted to the North, western half of the continent separated and started to drift further away. Volcaolnoes erupted one after another, and methane filled the air. The ice age is gone and a global warming takes place. Ice cap is melting. Water currents change. Now, lush jungle on the west dries up, becoming a desert. At this point we can call dragons by their names, even though they aren't all pureblood.

MudWings and IceWings move back to the continent, pushing SkyWings and RainWings further to the South, while they, in their own turn, chase away NightWings and LeafWings, who, unable to defend themselves from venom spit, had to flee into the forming desert. NightWings, due to being nocturnal, aren't affected much by the change of temperature and are fine with desert climate. Their kidneys can still handle high salinity, so, instead of searching for oasis, they remain in a small wooded peninsula, closer to the ocean. LeafWings, having much more competition, are unable to fight back and forced to stay on separating Pantala. BeetleWings separate, one half stays in Pantala's grasslands, the other stays in Pyrrhian desert.

After separation, grasslands become more humid and new rainforests emerge, food becomes abundant, and BeetleWings and LeafWings don't have to fight for supplies anymore.

Overtime, Pyrrhian BeetleWings lose their larval stage and one pair of wings, and, by breeding with SkyWings, become separate tribe, SandWings. Their hearts developed four separate chambers instead of three, which prevents blood from mixing and loosing heat. This mechanism helps them keep their bodies warm in the night, when the temperature drops.

The other part of BettleWings has retained their "larval" stage, and it has become increasingly longer. Due to lesser competition, they can allow themselves to be flightless for longer. The dragonet grows at a normal pace now, instead of turning into a fat potato worm thing, it's metabolism isn't much different from a normal dragonet, but they don't pupate and get wings until sexual maturity.

IceWing s have lost their natural habitat and have to move to Pyrrhia, suffering from heat in the northern desert and nearby islamds, their number dropped to several thousands. Because of inbreeding, many dragons with deformities were born, one of them could bend laws of physics itself to his own will. This ability will later be known as "animus". Unusual IceWing, later named The Great Ice Dragon, being born with an unique magic ability, has sacrificed himself to preserve the cold on the head of the continent. Although IceWings have come through a bottleneck (drastic decrease in their number), they have survived.

The separated volcano that hosted ancient Mudwings, slowly drifted to the North. There was a significant population of MudWings that couldn't fly away due to pollution and hid in burrows. Over the generations, they lost their wings due to no competition and turned into Ashmanes. Taking the same steps as BeetleWings, they went to ovoviviparity and then later became truly placental dragons.

[sparklecryptid]

unbound

A/N: you know that thing about mishmashing my aus together into somesort of coherent worldbuilding ive been talking about all night? have this.

also on ao3

-

In the beginning, no one gives Galahd any thought. Those who live on the Mainland don’t tend to think about Galahd or those living on it beyond trade agreements, tourism, and the occasional grumblings that come from the Clans of the islands whenever a monarch does something they don’t like. Beyond that there is little reason to think of the islands that linger just off of Insomnia’s northeastern coast. The islands are just there.

Unassuming and existing quietly enough that even the monarchs of Lucis forgot that there is a reason that the treaty binding Galahd to Lucis maintains that in times of hardship Lucis - Insomnia more specifically - must open her doors to those from Galahd. Whether they flee war or famine or something else it doesn’t matter. 

Lucis must always keep her doors open to those from Galahd regardless of why they come seeking refuge and only the monarch of the kingdom is permitted to demand why.

The Clans have never used that clause in the treaty until now. Regis isn’t sure who the man they’ve sent him is; the aventurine bead with a daggerquill etched into it tells Regis that the man is from Clan Khara - a Clan that Regis himself knows far too little about even compared to the sparse information he has on the other Clans - and the man smiles as he introduces himself but does not bow.

Regis holds up his hand to prevent his Council from making the lack of proper respect shown to Regis more of a an issue than it ought to be at the moment.

“Elder Demeter,” Regis begins, “May I ask why you’ve requested we take your people in?”

“You won’t be taking the entire population of Galahd.” Demeter’s smile had turned a bit softer after he had seen Regis control the Council that sits around him, “But a good portion of our people would rather remain - Lucian than live under Imperial rule.”

Regis’s brow furrows. He hasn’t received any reports of an invasion being plotted but he doesn’t spend much time thinking of Galahd regardless. It is possible that the Galahdians have intelligence that Regis’ people don’t.

“You have reason to believe you will be invaded and that you will fall,” Regis says, “May I inquire as to why you believe such things and why you would not ask for troops instead?”

Demeter’s smile brightens as if he was expecting Regis to ask and is terribly glad Regis did.

“You may inquire such things,” he agrees and shows too many teeth for Regis’ liking, “Trees bend and break and their corpses sprout new life. Flowers wither and rot and bloom again come spring. The cycle of seasons is something we know very well on Galahd, and we all do our best to prepare for winter.”

“You’re not going to tell me.”

“And have you snatch away some of our best?” Demeter’s smile is polite but a warning lingers behind it. “I think not.”

“You believe that it would not matter if you fought, that you would lose either way. Your intelligence agents must be very good indeed.”

“We have no standing military, sire, and there is little that your men would be able to do.” Demeter’s smile vanishes. “As I said before, I will not have you take away what is ours.”

“I would not take them,” Regis says and does not say that by right the people of Galahd already belong to him, he is their king.

“You say that with such certainty, but my family knows how easily Kings and Emperor’s fall to temptation. It is better to hide your wealth from a dragon lest they take it all, is it not?”

Regis bites back a laugh. The audacity from this man is certainly refreshing. It has been ages since someone other than his closest allies has dared to imply that Regis might be fallible as the rest of humanity.

“I see,” he says, “It is indeed wise to hide your treasures from a dragon’s even should they offer protection. Perhaps a new agreement should be made.”

Regis is not one to waste talent when he sees it and Demeter seems to know what type of man Regis is already.

“There will be time for that,” Demeter agrees, “After you keep the promise your ancestors made.”

“And I will keep it,” Regis promises, “Tell me what you need.”

-

Clan Lazarus has never been idle, though their curse has waned since they’ve first set foot on Galahd they’ve never stopped preparing for what might come.

There are branches of time where Galahd stands. Where she endures and her people remain on her shores and forests despite the Empire’s best efforts. There are branches of time where Galahd falls like an oak to an axe. Where she burns and those that survive do so under Imperial occupation and the desire to send outlanders from their shores lingers in their minds like fog.

There are times where she does neither. Where she simply exists and life goes on. Those branches of the tree are rare and Boreas has never been one prone to flights of fancy. This branch of time is thick, stronger than the others around it and will bear fruit ripe enough that they will linger in legend and history long after Boreas herself is dead.

Contingencies are made. Plans thought through again and again and it’s when every member of Clan Lazarus that has the Sight agrees on the best course of action that Boreas gathers the other heads of Galahd’s Clans and tells them that they should prepare.

“But we will be back?” Neptune of Clan Ulric asks, his face more serious than Boreas can ever remember seeing it in this lifetime.

“The future bends and breaks and mends itself into paths we walks and burdens we bear,” Boreas answers and bites at the tip of her frostbitten thumb, “We might not be back. Others will.”

Neptune relaxes. The taut line of his shoulders going soft as he exhales softly.

“I don’t need to see Galahd again after this,” Neptune says and Boreas does not tell him that he won’t. Neptune has made up his mind already, he will die in his homeland to give others more time. “But I am glad others will live to see her shores again.”

“Your nephew will,” Boreas answers, “Your niece as well.”

“And my sister?”

Boreas is silent. Her blue gaze piercing through Neptune as she looks at him.

He gives her a wry grin.

“She is your sister,” Boreas says, “You know the answer already.”

-

Nyx wants to fight. It’s understandable why Nyx wants to fight. Nyx wants to fight because Galahd is his home, because despite plenty of time to prepare and leave Nyx doesn’t want to give up the life he has. His bar-tending job with Libertus is going well, on Mondays he gets to go and help out with whatever needs to be done around town, Nyx has freedom here on the islands.

He is free to phase through Crowe when she tries to sneak up on him and nobody bats an eye when he and Selena decide that the best way to solve and argument is to see how long they can let themselves fall before instinct kicks in and they warp out of it.

There is a freedom in knowing that everyone knows Nyx’s family is a little bit magic and expects them to behave as if they could rend the world to cinders. There is a freedom in knowing that despite that nothing is expected of him. He does not need to rule because of his power and he has desire to.

He has less desire to go to Insomnia and leave those who will be fighting, those who will be staying. 

“I should stay,” Nyx tells his uncle who looks at him with tired eyes, “I can-”

“You can’t change what is already in motion,” Neptune says and ruffles Nyx’s hair despite the fact that Nyx has been an adult for three years now, “There is nothing to do but go with the tides.”

“You sound like a Bellum.”

“I have been hanging out with Poseidon quite a bit,” Neptune agrees.

“He’s staying too isn’t he?”

“He is. Most of us Elders are. Our replacements have already been doing most of the heavy lifting while we prepare.”

“For war.”

“It’s not a war,” Neptune disagrees, “A war implies two opposing armies. We have none.”

“A massacre then. I could-”

“Save a few lives? Of course you could. But I can do the same and I rather it be me who stays than you. You will see these shores again someday, that much was promised.”

“You shouldn’t believe everything a Lazarus says.”

“I only believe the truth,” Neptune smiles, “You know your mother is staying too.”

“I tried to talk her out of it this morning.” Nyx huffs.

“She’s already made up her mind, just as I have made up mine. You have to take care of your sister. She’s the voice of reason out of the two of you.”

Nyx is silent after that. He wants to stay. He wants to stay. He wants to argue that Selena is just as restless and reckless as he is because she is. Nyx wants to argue that Selena can take care of herself.

He doesn’t. Nyx can’t. He is her brother. Nyx has to take Selena somewhere safe and make sure she stays safe. It’s what brothers do.

“Fine,” Nyx says and he and his uncle ignore the break in his voice as he says it.

-

“I am not supposed to be here,” Luche tells the hulking man he dragged out of an Imperial prison as they sit across from each other in restaurant at Hammerhead, “I am supposed to be on a boat to Insomnia.”

Titus blinks at Luche. He has spoken much since Luche had dragged him out of an Imperial base while cursing his weight and the various security measures Luche had to use his Sight to navigate around. Titus is tired. He has bags under his eyes the size of some of the fish Luche has seen Sonitus pull out of the sea and he’s pale enough that Luche wonders whether or not he’s been cursed by Shiva too.

“Why are you here then?” Titus’ voice is rough, hoarse from disuse and his words drag together like stone against stone.

“I saw your aunt,” Luche says and does not specify how he had seen Titus’ aunt, “She was devastated when she heard you were MIA.”

“My aunts are dead.” Titus’ shoulders are heavy with defeat and it makes Luche want to hit him. 

“Is that what they told you?” Luche raises an eyebrow and spies a spark of hope light itself in Titus’ eyes. “Can’t say for the other side of your family but the aunt you have in Clan Furia is very much alive. She’s going to beat you black and blue for not keeping in contact though.”

Titus makes a sound that might be considered a chuckle if one was seriously ill and in danger of death.

Luche counts it a victory.

-

The people of Lucis don't pay attention to the residents of Galahd until they have to.

Galahd falls. It's people scatter. They plant roots in new places, build communities where there were none before. Their home is considered Imperial territory, the rage in their breast at having to leave does not falter but it changes.

"We're going back eventually," Cor hears a Galahdian say to someone else.

"I wouldn't get my hopes up," the other replies in a heavy Insominan accent.

Cor turns just in time to see the feral grin that graces the Galahdians face.

"It's not hope," the Galahdian says as if discussing the weather, "It's fact."

[gayaniherath]

Trip to Mannar- Sri Lanka

In recent year, I went to trio to Mannar-Sri Lanka with some of my relatives. It was an one day trip. We enjoyed a lot and had amazing experiences.

With a history of over 400 years, the Madhu Church is one that has seen strife and conflict of the most brutal kind. With the arrival of Portuguese missionaries from India, Roman Catholicism started taking root in the island. Albeit the persecution that followed, the Catholic Church continued to grow. During the Dutch invasion of the island, devotees met in the area of Madhu and installed this beautiful shrine with the treasured statue of Our Lady of Good Health.

The first governor, Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford was the son of British Prime Minister, Frederick North (2nd Earl of Guilford). The house was planned by the governor himself, the building was later known as 'The Doric' due to the architectural design of the columns which was similar to the Ancient Greek Doric order style. It was built at the beginning of the nineteenth century (between 1801-1804) to revive and supervise the pearl fisheries. Other than being used as the residence for the governor, it was later used by "other governors, government agents, and other officials, including superintendents of pearl fishery.

Robert Knox, English sea captain and famous British prisoner of the Kandyan King Rajasinghe II, and his companion escaped after nineteen years of captivity and reached the Arippu Fort in 1679.

Baobab Tree (Adansonia), an indigenous tree in Africa is a landmark in Pallimunai in*Mannar located on the northeastern tip of Mannar Island about 1.5 kilometers away from Mannar town. A popular tourist attraction in the town, Baobab Tree in Mannar is about 700 – 800 years old (according to a study conducted in 2003).

Mannar is one of the four districts of Sri Lanka’s Northern province. Mannar Island is connected to the northern mainland through a causeway. A mere five kilometres from its main town, Keeri Beach is known to locals for its sunny location and excellent swimming spots

Back in time ferries used to transport passengers from Talaimannar to Dhanushkodi on the southeastern Indian coast as part of the railway service that connected Ceylon and India, and back again. Today, this service has ceased to operate, a casualty of the keenly watched, deeply fraught, and highly militarized maritime boundary between India and Sri Lanka. 

In July 1932, during British colonial rule, plans were drawn up to build a causeway (the Mahadeva Causeway) across the shallow waters of the Jaffna lagoon, linking Sangupiddy, near Poonakari, with Karaitivu, near Navatkuly. The plans weren't implemented fully due to protests from local fishermen and salt producers. The partially built causeway was nevertheless used by locals until the civil war prevented them doing so.

[typhlonectes]

The importance of landscaping and gardening with native plants for wild birds

In the northeastern United States, where I farm and write, our native oak trees support 534 species of moths and butterflies. Hundreds more rely on Black Cherry, willow, birch, and poplar trees. Of our flowers, Asclepias (milkweed) supports the charismatic Monarch butterfly; Monarda, Lobelia, and Phlox are beloved by many species of bee. Native plants anchor broadly functional, biologically diverse, and sensual landscapes.

If you love birds, learn to recognize and use native plants. This starts at home. For centuries, gardeners favored exotic ornamentals. But as the biological wealth of the North American landscape buckles under the pressure of invasive plants (and their accompanying insects and pathogens), it is more important than ever to grow a local landscape. Homeowners across the United States raise 40 million acres of lawn. Imagine that grass transformed into bird-friendly ecosystems, instead.

“Take into account the habitat you live in, and make a garden utilizing plants found in that area,” says Louise Zemaitis, an artist and naturalist living in Cape May, NJ. In 2000, she and her husband Michael O'Brien, both expert birders and guides for Victor Emanuel Nature Tours, planted their half-acre yard as a meadow and additionally installed five neatly organized beds of butterfly- and hummingbird-friendly plants. To date, their “yard list” includes an astonishing 282 bird species...

[shewhoworshipscarlin]

Ruben Rivers

Ruben Rivers was a United States Army staff sergeant who served as a tank company platoon leader during World War II. Rivers was born in 1921 to Willie and Lillian Rivers in Tecumseh, Oklahoma. He grew up nearby Hotulka, Oklahoma where he and his eleven brothers and sisters worked on the family farm. In 1930, the family moved to Earlsboro, Oklahoma. After graduating from high school in Earlsboro, Rivers worked on the railroad for a while. When the United States entered World War II, Rivers and his two brothers joined the armed forces in 1942. Rivers was assigned to the 761st Tank Battalion at Camp Hood in Texas. The Battalion was nicknamed the Black Panthers and they were attached to General George Patton’s U.S. Third Army.

After the D-Day Invasion, the 761st was sent to France. During the fall of 1944, General Patton selected the 761st to be part of the Saar Campaign in the Allied drive to the Siegfried Line near the border of Germany and France. On November 8, 1944, the battalion joined with the 104th Infantry and 26th Infantry Division in an attack on German positions near Vic-Sur-Sellie in Northeastern France. As they were entering the town, a roadblock improvised by the Germans using a falling tree and several land mines, stopped the progress of the tank battalion and infantry. The Germans then trained their fire on the tanks and the infantrymen stranded in the roadside ditches.

Rivers, who was positioned in Able Company’s lead tank, dismounted from his tank and in the face of enemy small arms fire, attached a cable to the roadblocking tree and moved it off the road which permitted the combat team to proceed. His actions prevented a serious delay in the overall offensive which included the capture of the town of Vic-Sur-Sellie. For this action, Rivers was awarded the 761st’s first Silver Star.

On November 16, 1944, Rivers and Able Company led another assault. The main target was German positions around Guebling in Northeastern France. As Rivers’ lead tank entered the town, it struck a mine that disabled the vehicle and injured him. Despite his seriously deteriorating medical condition, Rivers on November 19, continued to lead his tank company as they now advanced toward German positions near the town of Bougaitroff. There the Germans fired on Rivers’ tank, killing him and the other crew members instantly.

Rivers posthumously earned the Medal of Honor. It was scheduled to be given on November 20, 1944 but was not received until 50 years later due to what was subsequently revealed as racial discriminatory delays by the U.S. Army bureaucracy. On January 13, 1997, President William “Bill” Clinton presented the Medal of Honor Rivers to his surviving sister, Grace Woodfolk.

https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/ruben-rivers-1921-1944/