#Zuzu's bug ventures

[zuzsenpai]

Zuzu's bug ventures - Really cute spider edition

Taking breaks to wander around outside on my WFH days. Between bouts of ridiculous wind, I’ve been able to find some pals

IDs under the cut

Zebra spider (Salticus scenicus). It’s got some really good looking markings and colors

A second zebra spider! I love the subtle differences

Black-palped jumping spider (Pseudeuophrys erratica). Little friend blending into its environment

A second black-palped jumping spider. Please look at its fuzzy little face 🥺

Common candy-striped spider (Enoplognatha ovata). I’m a little iffy on this ID. I spent a while searching through orbweaver photos until I found something that looked really close. This spider was pretty small, but it did have a really nice little web

Bold jumper (Phidippus audax). Without a doubt the cutest spider I’ve ever photographed. I swear it tilted its head in confusion when I moved the camera around

Northern paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus). Man I’m surprised my nerves held up enough to get close to this guy. Intimidating as hell

Boreal willowfly (Taeniopteryx nivalis). Genuinely never seen or heard of this before, but it’s interesting looking!

Field ant (Formica pallidefulva). I posted some photos of this ant yesterday but it was delightful to see it flailing around inside a dandelion

Harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis). After I took this pic, it actually flew over to me and landed on my phone!!!!!!! I couldn’t take a pic obviously but it was very cute. Invasive species, but cute

Satellite fly (Leucophora obtusa). I didn’t notice until later that it has a white face. Little creepy not gonna lie

Buzzer midge (Chironomus plumosus). Been seeing a lot of these!

Something from the Andrena genus. I keep mixing these up a lot when I try to ID them, so I’m just gonna… not try to ID them

And last but not least, a clover mite (Bryobia praetiosa.) I used to be freaked out by these as a kid because they would crawl into picnic food

[alicethemasked]

Alice’s adventures on Cheshire farm. entry 3

hi, it’s been a bit, I stopped hype focusing on Stardew for a bit, but then I saw that a new yandere mod had come out so I decided to continue again, forgot how fun it was.

as always MDI cuz this deals with yandere concepts and while it’s safe for now things are getting well spicy

Spring 8 - year 1

Monday time! A lot has happened since my last entry which is astounding, but I’ve officially lived here for a week! So first thing first, I think I have some character profiles to go through, though really they’re less profiles and me judging them after a week.

Let's start with… Harvey… he hasn’t stopped, it’s unsettling, he talks about our so called passed life all the time, I have decided to just let my sickness fade at the farm because I can not deal with him, the other towns folk have taken notice and agreed to help me avoid him as much as possible, especially Elliot. Speaking of he is an interesting fellow, I often catch him near my farm. I ask him why and he says he’s just enjoying the view. Given that the area around my farm is beautiful I just assume he’s taking a morning walk when he does. 

Ok, now I just feel like a gossip, but to be fair those two are a bit weird. I’ve been trying to make friends, the depressed man is called Shane and he seems prickly, I talked to him once and he just assumed that it was a prank! What has this man gone through to think that, he is also at the saloon drinking every night which worries me… but maybe he just needs a good friend!

Unrelated but there is a notice board that I well… noticed (I’m hilarious I know) and what is asked for on there is usually easy for me to find, so I’ve been helping around and getting small money here and there which is fun because that means I’m not fucking starving. 

Also! First harvest! I never thought Parsnips could taste so good but I guess hard work makes your food taste better, I had some Fish with Parsnips and wild leeks the other day and it is shockingly good. This week has taught me that taking a break from the horrid capitalist dystopia that is Zuzu city was a good idea. I even got to take care of most of the rocks on my farm, still need to deal with weeds and trees but I figured that taking care of the rocks was a good first step, one thing at a time. Also want to save the weeds for if I get animals at some point, might see if Robin can make a silo or something. 

I’ve noticed something a bit uncomfortable, a few of my hoodies have gone missing which I’m not happy with, especially given how Harvey has been acting… but I can hope for now that I just misplaced them somewhere…

Speaking of making me uncomfortable, the shy girl uhm… Penny seems to be more pushy about spending time with me, waxing poetic about the unity of the small town life. I was expecting her to be a lot more shy after our first meeting, but it seems that she’s not a fan of respecting my personal space…

Also? Monsters exist? Like I heard about the dwarves and shadow people war and all that, but you don’t really see them in Zuzu, but the mines opened up and I decided to try my hand I mean I’ve been taking care of the stones on my farm after all, got a few gemstones and some ore, but I’m not going to lie, fighting the slimes and giant bugs in the mines was both exciting and terrifying, I guess I will be venturing more in the future.

Signing out ~ Alice

[dancingkirby]

Azula Week Day 1: Childhood

@azulaweek

WARNING: Vague references to physical and sexual abuse.  

We had a happy childhood, once, Zuko liked to say when they were all grown up. In some ways, this was true. For how troubled Azula’s relationship with her mother was and continued to be, she had to admit that Ursa had at least tried in this regard. Having grown up as a commoner herself, Ursa had always wanted to make sure that Zuko and Azula got to experience the same activities that non-royal children did. So she’d take them on picnic lunches in the gardens, or on hikes around the lake, or even to do things such as stomping in mud puddles or collecting bugs when she could get away with it. And often, Azula would find some pleasure in this. However, the instant Azula started teasing Zuzu, or getting the tiniest bit rough with him during play, or so much as daring to breathe in the direction of Ursa’s flowers, her mother would scold her. That took out a lot of the fun.

Sometimes, Ozai joined them. It was obvious that he didn’t particularly want to be there; he was always on-edge and would snap at the slightest provocation. Ursa’s smile would be strained, even as she proclaimed how wonderful it was that the whole family was together. Nevertheless, Azula had liked these times the best because Ozai never yelled at her. Father loved her, she thought, so much so that he only ever disciplined her in private, rather than humiliating her in front of other people like he did Zuzu.

Azula thought that their yearly vacations to Ember Island were the closest they’d ever gotten to being a truly happy family. Father had spent a lot of time there as a baby, Azula had found out later, since it had been one of the few locations where he didn’t constantly scream. Even in his adulthood, he’d been much more relaxed there. Ursa hardly ever ventured into the ocean at their private beach, saying that the water was too cold for her liking, but Ozai was an avid swimmer. When Zuko and Azula were very young, he’d even let them ride on his back sometimes. As they got more confident in the water, one favorite game had involved Zuko and Azula paddling around in the shallows, while Ozai pretended to be a huge sea monster and grabbed them out of the water one at a time.

“What’s this??” he would say. “I can’t eat you! You’re all bones!” He would then throw whichever sibling it was back into the ocean, amidst much laughter and the other child pleading at him to “do me next!”

There were also long walks in the sand looking for pretty seashells; nights spent roasting komodo rhino sausages on a bonfire; evenings where they watched the sun set from their balcony while eating the regional specialty: ice cream. But even here, in this paradise, things were not perfect. Every few days, Ozai would disappear for hours at a time, and Ursa’s face would get that pinched look again. When they thought the kids were sleeping, they’d fight about these absences, doors closed and voices low in the hopes that Zuko and Azula wouldn’t hear.

Azula heard anyway. She also knew just where Ozai disappeared to for all that time: a little beach house, not much more than a shack and well apart from any other buildings, that he’d purchased secretly. This was the place where he blew off steam, so to speak…whether it was through some private firebending practice or, more often, “entertaining” various ladies. Although Ursa had certainly suspected that this is what he was getting up to, Azula didn’t think her mother had ever been aware of that particular locale.

But Azula had been very much aware. She’d been there, after all.

[bellatrixobsessed1]

Wan High Weeping (Part 11)

Azula’s concern was somehow more aggravating than her mockery. He hated her pity and he hated her. If she couldn’t play nice before her accident, why should he accept her kindness after? He told himself that she just wanted some support, that she would use him until she lost some weight and gained some friends. But deep down he knew that he was wrong, he has learned how to sort out her lies and truths decently well. He could see genuine concern as she continued to scold him for using drugs and warn him to go to school. He didn’t like to acknowledge her concern because doing so would mean recognizing just how deep he was in.

 She fixed him with one final offer, “come with me, Zuzu.” He knew that if he didn’t take it, he would be on his own and left at Ozai’s mercy. He ought to go, but his heroin was calling pretty loudly. It was a conundrum in itself because Ozai was practically guarding his door. He couldn’t get to his room without passing his father first.

 He had to stay home and find a way to get to it. So he bursted out a quick and harsh, “take care of yourself!” It was just so much easier to pretend that she was just using him. That way he wouldn’t have to worry about being a good brother to her. Wouldn’t have to worry about building another relationship for the heroin to ruin. He abruptly got to his feet and slammed his chair against the table. Azula didn’t flinch.

Thanks to Ozai, she was used to that kind of thing.

Sparing her a final look, it occurred to him that she shouldn’t be used to it.

 He stormed up the stairs, momentarily forgetting that he needed to be sneaky. Mercifully he could hear his father on the phone—a conference call, probably—prattling on and on about smart business partnerships and marketing strategies. Occasional he would hear a boast about how they were crushing BeiFong Electronics.

 His father seemed rather invested in that call, which meant that he had a chance. He took a deep breath and headed back in the direction he had left.

Azula was already gone.

He wanted to be angry, but he had made it pretty clear that he had no intention of going with her.

 So he ventured back upstairs once more. Ozai was still deep into the call. This time the heroin could wait just a little longer. He was growing twitchy and agitated, he was short of breath and his mouth was so dry. He ought to get a drink, but he hadn’t the time to spare. He just had to power though this. As soon as he got to a safer place, he could shoot up all he wanted. Hell, he might even take an extra dose.

He heard his phone buzz and paid it no mind. He grabbed his backpack, emptied it of its textbooks and notebooks and began stuffing in clothes and electronics. He took his heroin first and put it in the backpack. His iPod was next, he slipped that into one of the side pockets and a charger with it. That reminded him to stick his phone in his pocket. But those were already stuffed with cash so he hid it away in a less noticeable pocket. The clothes went haphazardly into the main opening. He found the heroin and concealed it between layers of clothing. He tore a few pillows and the warmest looking blanket from his bed. He thought of taking a few books for entertainment’s sake, but he no longer had the attention span for reading. He did snatch up his journal—though untouched for months—and slipped it in with the clothes. Amid the disorganization of his room, he found a lighter and a half used packet of cigarettes and arranged those into the remaining side pocket. From his closet he withdrew a spare pair of shoes. And then he wandered down the hall and stole some of his father’s travel sized soaps and shampoos as well as a razor or two. He hastily shoved those in with the rest of the mess. He could sense that he was running out of time and it brought a film of sweat to his head.

 He heard his father muttering an, “our next conference will be at the same time, on the same day, next week.”

 “Fuck.” He hissed to himself. He charged down the hall without a second thought and didn’t stop running until the estate was no longer in sight.

 .oOo.

 He had walked for hours, morning had bled into afternoon and then from there, into the early stages of sunset.  What else was there to do? He’d never done something like this before, it felt both wrong and liberating all at once. He knew, in some sense where he needed to go. It was the only place to go, if he really put some thought into it. A place where doors and windows were barred at night and graffiti covered nearly every nook and crevice of the place. Buildings in worse condition showed signs of robbery and violence; windows that ranged from cracked to broken, the worst of them had a bullet hole or two.

 He kept his eyes peeled for the insignia of the White Lotus. Back in the day, perhaps the 60’s and early 70’s the group was composed of a, more or less, innocent group of people. They were folks who condoned the use of LSD and other hallucinogenics for the sake of creativity and inspiration. His uncle had been a part of that movement until it corrupted itself into a decently famed drug cartel.

 He heard a bottle break and an angry howl.

He drew his hood over his head and kept his gaze low, the less he saw the better. It was best not to make eye contact with the types who lived around these parts. He stuffed his hands into the pocket of his hoodie and made his way past taking the care not to be too fast nor too slow.

 He heard another shout from behind and the sound of knuckles on cheekbone. He couldn’t help but hasten his pace. He would find the White Lotus and get his ass back to a safer part of town and then decide what to do next. Ideally, that was what he would do. More plausibly, he was going to steal away and finish off the last of his old stash.

 He was nearing the center of the slum. If he had heard Chan right, the White Lotus was very close. Apparently, they were fantastic for roofies and ecstasy. He hoped that they weren’t lacking as far as tar went. He observed the graffiti around a broken and dry fountain that teemed with mold and creepy ivy. Amid it, he spotted the insignia. He wandered down the sidewalk closest to it until he noticed a second insignia sprayed on the wall of an alley.

He strayed from the sidewalk.

 His eyes were feeling heavy and his movements, sluggish. It was a wonder he had even made it this far. He thought that it was the product of adrenaline alone. Now that he was out of Ozai’s reach, the kick was wearing away faster than his highs. The drowsiness was settling in. Or maybe his spike in energy and then the drop was just another side effect of his addiction. Just another thing to toss in with his waves of disorientation and his dry mouth.

 His dry mouth…

 He dug around in his backpack, noting with dread that in his hustle to flee Ozai he hadn’t packed himself any food or water.

He wanted to scream. Maybe to cry even. But more than ever he needed his heroin.

 He came to a door and he pounded on it. He was rash, he wasn’t thinking. He pulled out his wallet and practically shoved a fat wad of cash into the palm of the man at the door. “Hard stuff. I need the hard stuff.”

 “Not from around here are ya, kid?”

 “I’m not a kid!” He snapped.

 “Ya sure ain’t an adult either.”

 “I need the hard stuff. I have money, give me…”

 The man beckoned him inside. His brain begged him not to enter, but he did. He had to. The place was a complete shithole. Dirty dishes stacked on tables and discarded on the floor amid cigarette butts and empty bottles. Bullet shells littered other parts of the floor, the size of the bugs that scuttled about. He couldn’t identify the types of stains on the walls and carpets.

That was only the entry room, the kitchen was even more horrific and the bedroom, that was expectedly occupied. The woman was topless, still clad in high heels and fishnets. She was as disheveled as he felt within. He didn’t know how she could sleep with discarded lingerie and boxers everywhere. It smelled foul, like drugs and booze and sweat.

 “Stop starein’.” The man grumbled gruffly and roughly dragged him away from that and to another scene. One that was more dizzying than the one before it. A woman sat fully, but scantly, dressed in a bathtub. Her stare was fierce as she exhaled a puff of smoke. There was another person in the room, she was getting more ink done. She looked at least a little tipsy, her lip curved up. “Haven’t seen you in class lately, Zuko.”

 He looked at the time, noting that school had let out an hour ago. He shuddered and rushed passed on his own accord.  He wondered just how often she came to this place, it didn’t look like she frequented it. At last, Zuko is hustled into a room at the far end. The man counts the cash Zuko had handed him and tossed him a roll of needles. “I paid for more than…”

 “Ya get what I give ya.”

 “I paid for…”

 The man’s hand went for his pocket.

 “I paid for this much.” Zuko conceded. He hid his new goods under the folds and in the pockets of clothes in his backpack.

 The man flashed him a shark’s grin and directed him towards the door. “Pleasure doing business.”

 Just like that it dawned on him that he hadn’t the street smarts he needed to survive. It was becoming more and more obvious as he continued meandering about the place. He tried to find himself an isolated space to pump his poison, but the better of them have already been occupied.

 As inconspicuous as he was trying to make himself, he could see people staring. Could hear them chattering amid themselves. And, with a sense of dread, he realized that he was overdressed for a place like this. 

 Overdressed and surrounded.

He kicked himself again for being fool enough to forget to bring a knife.

 His stomach took the first blow. An unexpected deliverance that stole his breath as a second assailant snatched his backpack. He scrambled to his feet with an angry yowl and shoved the thief. A mistake, the thief’s companion had a bat and it collided with his shin. He toppled again, watching the first boy pick out his iPod. He pocked it as the other brought the bat down again. That time it met his ribcage and he feared that he would find a new thing to bond with Azula over.

 Quickly, the thief patted the easily spotted pockets of his pants. Unsatisfied, the boy picked up Zuko’s sleeping supply.

 He winced as the boy shook out his pillow, finding one of his syringes. Zuko decided to make a scene over that and over his clothes, for it he was earned a blow to the forehead. Still, it was the only smart thing he had done himself. The boy smirked and stole one more shirt, the cigarettes, and the single syringe. Thinking that he had found the best of the loot, he tossed the backpack back at Zuko.

It nailed him on the head.

 It nailed him on the head, but at least he had the rest of his stash and the goods he had just acquired.

 .oOo.

 Zuko shivered to himself feeling wholly alone. The night was growing cold and he still hadn’t a place to sleep nor a pillow to sleep on. He felt lost. He ought to go home but he knew that Ozai would be waiting. Waiting to worsen the wounds he’d achieved on his own.

 A good distance away from the shady parts of town, he found himself an underpass and slumped to the dirty ground. He only had the light of a flickering streetlamp.

He couldn’t help but wonder what his sister was doing. It was probably dinner time. He genuinely hoped that Ozai wasn’t taking his hasty departure out on her. He couldn’t see Ozai doing something like that; no, as always, Azula was probably costing at least moderately comfortably by as he suffered terribly.

 He thought of Mai.

No doubt she was doing better now that he was gone.

Gone, hunched over, and poising his needle.

 His bloodied head left him all the more relieved when the needle bit his arm. Soon the throbbing would be gone. Soon, the lashes Ozai left on his back would sting. Soon the bruises would pound. Soon he was feeling the first tingles of his rush coming on.  

 He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.  It was almost dead and he had nowhere to charge it and nothing to charge it with. He looked at the caller ID, and his eyes brimmed with tears. He answered the call.

 “Zuko, where are you?”

  Through the rush he was weeping. He was so scared, but now he had a way out.

[zuzsenpai]

Met an isopod today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zuzsenpai]

Bugs bugs bugs I love my bugs

[zuzsenpai]

Fave friend of the day, a redheaded inchworm (Macaria bisignata). I guess for all the larvae named after the moths or butterflies they become, there’s bound to be one of these. It’s very pretty in the sunlight

[zuzsenpai]

I am quickly becoming aware that showing super zoomed in photos of jumping spiders to my coworkers never has the outcome I hope for

[zuzsenpai]

Flashback Monday because Mondays need fun things (bug pics I never posted)

False potato beetle (Leptinotarsa juncta) I found in August 2019. Sunflower seed looking dude

[zuzsenpai]

Lost in the sauce

(Formica pallidefulva)

[zuzsenpai]

I’ll post more bugs later, but this was the two-spotted bumble bee I saw today 🥰

[zuzsenpai]

Zuzu's Bug-ventures: First Day of Spring Edition!

It's chilly and windy and overcast, so I wasn't expecting to see anything today. But I was pleasantly surprised!

A midge of some kind?

Asiatic jumping spider (Attulus fasciger). Always cute

Garden centipede (Lithobius forficatus). This one wasn't outside, so I don't know if I can categorize it as a true "first day of spring" find

I have no idea who this is, since I couldn't get close enough. But it looked like a little fairy when I spotted it

[zuzsenpai]

@killerchickadee I am thoroughly considering your suggestion to get some isopods. It sounds like the perfect thing to bring joy and give me something to do in the new year.

So friends, hopefully I'll have some updates on that in the near future!

[zuzsenpai]

Covid test was negative this morning, but I’m gonna have to take another one tomorrow evening to be sure. Been sleeping all day and it’s not making me feel even the slightest bit better.

I really don’t want to have Covid, because I have a SHIT ton of work to do this week, including a rather high priority project. Uurrghhh

In happier news, I saw a weevil yesterday. Snoots n boots!!!

[zuzsenpai]

My mom just sent me this 🤣. The music was apparently unintentional

[zuzsenpai]

Took a whole ass 1.5 mile walk down streets with tons of trees, and didn’t see a single bug until I got home and happened to spot this little guy on my porch chair. I have absolutely no idea what this spider is. It was really tiny— barely half an inch. But google keeps telling me it’s either Australian or way bigger than it was 🤷‍♀️

Anyway, let Zuzu’s Bug Ventures Season 2 begin!