#May2021

[jonnysinsectcatalogue]

Firebug - Pyrrhocoris apterus

Valentine's Day may have been last week, but there's still one more mating pair of insects that I'd like to highlight while romance is still fresh in our minds. Their red color would have certainly been a good fit for the aforementioned holiday, but then it would be too easy. In any case, I've typically found this common specie of Red Bug in one of two scenarios: either as an individual insect running across the wilderness, like some of the images shown here; or as a member of an aggregation featuring dozens or hundreds of crimson-colored Bugs. For the latter, all nymph stages of this insect's life cycle can be observed alongside the adult forms as they aggregate along a tree, plant or secure man-made structure. While a part of an aggregation, these insects share a living area and food source and will stay close together to maintain warmth and protection from insectivorous threats (i.e. too many insects to track one or one insect may be eaten over another). However, while looking closer at several prior recorded and photographed Bug hordes, I noticed that there were no mating pairs of these Bugs to be found. Thusly, we come to the pair found among grass and wood chips. It seems that rather than mate as a part of the aggregation, the adult Bugs will strike out on their own to find mates, but is that the whole story?

Naturally, there might be a few individuals within such an aggregation who would form mating pairs as the purpose of these pheromone-signaled aggregations is to bring Bugs together for mutual benefit. Among these large insect groups, bringing them together can be a simple and effective way to find a mate if they are willing to wait for a few molts. Many individuals within Firebug aggregations (particularly the ones that I've seen) are nymphs, and thusly lack the appendages needed to mate. Moreover, while there are many insects and pheromones within an aggregation, perhaps there are too many? One of the crucial parts of an insect's life is to pass on its genes, but with so many males and females to choose from, who's to say that the efforts of one male won't be supplanted by another? As such, it may be in the best interest of the male Firebug's genes to bring a female away from the aggregation. Thusly the male Firebug practices mate guarding and remains attached to the female for hours to days of mating!

However, Common Firebug females are usually only receptive after feeding (eggs and mothers need nutrients) and they actually benefit from having multiple partners so that many of their eggs become fertilized. So perhaps a female Firebug benefits more from the aggregation? It sounds like it, but consider one particular long term decision: there is competition for nearby nesting sites, and amassing all the Firebug eggs in on area can prove disastrous should they be destroyed. Moving away from the aggregation may be beneficial in terms of dispersal and discovery of better sites. This is particularly crucial since this insect typically has reduced wings (but sometimes doesn't), and relies on running and scent detection to find new areas for food and egg placement. Although different in their approaches and needs, male and female Firebug adults at least want the same thing at the end of the day, and their cooperation together ensures a successful batch of new Firebugs will emerge after overwintering. Finally, even if laid far apart, it's never a lonely life as a hatched Firebug nymph; soon the pheromones are detected and the aggregations of these deep-red insect starts again!

The solo Firebug pictures were taken on March 22 and May 6, 2021 and the mating pair pictures were taken on May 13, 2021; both with a Google Pixel 4.

[svt-weverse]

210505 WOOZI Weverse Post

🍚: Was it pretty u or was it wooahae

⤷🍒: It is pretty u looking at the clothes

🔗: https://weverse.io/seventeen/artist/2-144453

[juliasphotoarchives]

27.5.21

[lolgen792]

Sweet days in my life at UVA

[stochastique-blog]

Weird

Hello May! #may #createyou86 #plan #plans #planner #planners #plannersunite #plannersgetsocial #plannersgonnaplan #tn #travelersnotebook #organization #organizationcommunity #pretty #floral #plannergirl #planneraddict #plannercommunity #planningcommunity #planning #new #Filofax #filo #filonerd #filoaddict #filofaxaddict #washi #washitape #personal #may2021 https://www.instagram.com/p/COVkZrsJmsb/?igshid=kltxyrrbz08z

[doronjosama]

The late Dito (cranky), May 2021. #catscatscats #fritobandito #dito #tabbycat #standardissuecat #rescuecats #adoptdontshop #may2021 #catmomlife #catsofinstagram #catstagram #latergram

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[babblingstacey]

Sweet Beginnings Tag

This tag is all about looking at your past. All you need to do is to find one of the first screenshots you ever took (preferably also published), and post it beside the recent one! And tell everybody when you took that first picture! Oh, and don’t forget to tag your posts! #sweet beginnings tag

Tagged by @simbico! Thanks friend!

This wasn't published on tumblr, but I did a build for the Craft Yarn Council in my early days of playing Sims4.

From August 2020, after Nifty Knitting came out. Basically, it's an idealized self sim and my coworkers in our dream office. It was a lot of fun! I hadn't really taken screenshots before then, and didn't start posting to tumblr until May2021 - even those were just selfies by my Sims for awhile.

And a more recent one, not published yet but taken last night.

This is Gerdie as a vampire hanging out with the Grim Reaper. I still don't think I take the best screenshots but I have fun doing it anyway.

Thanks for the tag, it was fun to go back! I honestly have had limited time on tumblr lately but if you are reading this and haven't taken part, I tag you!

[stochastique-blog]

True

#letyourlightshine #389 #dropoff71 #refill #bluemoonjunction #may2021 #facebook #StarKapRockz #youtube🎬📽️ #starkap #tumblr #pinterest #thekindnessrocksproject #paintedrocksofinstagram #paintedrocks #paintingrocks (at Blue Moon Junction) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdoYTC8Ove4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jonnysinsectcatalogue]

Eastern Carpenter Bee - Xylocopa virginica

Having recently uploaded a video of this robust specie to the blog's YouTube channel, I thought it fair to revisit the specie here with a showcase of new images. In today's photographs, we observe both male and female individuals among flowering plants across April-August! From these pictures, can you tell the male Bees apart from the females without checking another post? I think you can: all you have to do is look at the face of the Bee that you've found. Male Carpenter Bees will have a patch on their face and larger eyes compared to the female. If you can remember that and positively identify your Bee, the male can be handled safely as he will lack a stinger. As well, since a male Carpenter Bee can be territorial, you can relax if one sees you and/or attempts to charge you while buzzing fiercely as his threat is an empty one. For female Carpenter Bees, exercise care and be gentle, but preferably leave handling them to professionals as they can sting multiple times (their stinger is smooth). Although this Bee specie can use its mandibles to chew up wood and bore circular cavities in wood, this specie is not expected to bite in defense, but please don't poke their faces.

Instead, enjoy a view of their mandibles in action within these pictures as we see what the females and males are getting up to. Not to go out of order, but for 2021, the males were the first individuals I was able to find and photograph. While Carpenter Bees may not form colonies, the females still need to mate, and this is where the males (drones, technically) come in. It seems that the males perish soon after mating, but there's still time to enjoy all the bounty that spring has to offer. The females meanwhile seem to get to enjoy more of the summer months, which means a greater amount of flowers to enjoy. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that all flowers are built just for them (the specie as a whole). Although the male Bees were able to find sweet magnolia blossoms to drink from and pollinate, the female Bees here engaged in nectar robbing and sipped from the base of the flower. This isn't a male/female thing as males will nectar rob too. Rather, small and narrow flowers aren't the best fit for this rotund Hymenopteran. Open-faced flowers, large blossoms and shallow-based flowers are more suitable as they not only feed the Bee, but also allow the Bee to pollinate the flower with its visit.

Pictures of the female Bee were taken on June 10, July 21, August 3 and 21, 2021. Pictures of the male Bee were taken on April 10 and May 1, 2021. All images were taken with a Google Pixel 4.

[svt-weverse]

210526 WOOZI Weverse Post

🍚: Memories are deeply rooted in every corner of time As if painted in several pictures and leaving a lingering scent Within that Smiling even in sadness At times laughter also becomes tears By any chance will anxiety creep in In the final moment ultimately welcoming us with smiles If you lean on the name of love and be ambitious it will be scattered One layer by layer in the heart And when I recited it again Just like when it was The way we embrace together warmly again Isn't this the relationship of happiness Writing a letter to the drizzling sky At the end of the time we were far from each other With a wish to see a rainbow And That which always is in my heart The words 'Always missing you' Since then Becoming a wave with a rush of longing Even as one side of my heart feels numb Still Let's not cry Let's hold tightly in our hands the relationship string The day we meet again Let's treasure that moment of tears Leaving love in the days which have passed Just like a book without removing the bookmark in an old bookcase Today will probably be in our memories for a lifetime Because I was with all of you who are more beautiful than jewels I was happy and am happy After I will be happy it is I am happy and the next Even in the endless distant future I will always trying to love you In the long time within our memories let's plant gratitude and fall asleep Although it is a night which we can't see the stars In my heart I am ending this brightly shining day Members whom I love And carats I wooahae a lot a lot❤️

(replies from bottom to top)

⤷🐈‍⬛️: 👍

⤷⚔️: Woah! Are you a poet!!?

🔗: https://weverse.io/seventeen/artist/0-134652

[screwave]

las nevadas family photo

[juliasphotoarchives]

[greymoggy]

Freyja Mudthroat

[altadoodler-2020-2023]

mmmmmmmibd donalz

alternatively: and then they ate lunch and everything was ok

[insertsomthinawesome]

Noctis is a good friend. :’) This little scene is so good.

asdfasdf Almost forgot to mention this is also an old pic from 2020 xD

-NO SHIPPING INCLUDED-

___________________________

Square Enix is the owner of Final Fantasy XV

Please do not REPOST, EDIT, or USE this art without Permission.

___________________________

[doronjosama]

Dito, May 2021. #catscatscats #bandito #dito #fritobandito #ripdito #tabbycat #standardissuecat #rescuecats #adoptdontshop #may2021 #catmomlife #catsofinstagram #catstagram #latergram

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