#a mix of both male and female mosquitos | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

philliam-writes · 1 year

Text

on that tree i'll carve our names (01)

pairing: Ominis Gaunt x fem! Hufflepuff Reader; Sebastian Sallow x Male MC

Synopsis: You have never believed or trusted in Prophecy, not with the way you were brought up. Paying attention to Prophecy is like tossing real diamonds in the air mixed with shards of broken glass. The grab is rarely worth the injury. But when the new fifth year arrives, so do trouble and mischief, and you're inadvertently thrust into adventures and secrets too grand to deal with by yourself. Yet with hardships come friendships, and while you learn to trust the new student with your life, you're less keen on trusting the cunning Sallow boy or the quiet Gaunt heir. Still waters run deep, as they say, and you can't shake off the feeling something dark hides at the bottom of those white-veiled unseeing eyes.

content: canon divergence, fighting prophecy, enemies to friends, reluctant soulmates, platonic soulmates, slow burn, basically HL but Reader isn't MC, angst, hurt and comfort, Sebastian and Reader can't stand each other (until much later), they're all mean, because they're starving for love, will love and kill for each other, dark(ish) ominis, satisfying female rage, also Quidditch because screw Black

notes: [02]

words: 5.9k

a/n: this is so self-indulgent, i don't even know if i'll keep this up. but right now i need to get this out of my system, so here is tragic platonic soulmates with delicious slow burn for borth of them and my favourite slytherin boys. hope you enjoy!

01: hawthorn makes the heart burn

The new student has been at Hogwarts for only a week, and already you cannot stand him.

It’s got nothing to do with the fact that he is a Slytherin. You have never been a fan of the sorting system, because even if it is partly at fault for sticking kids into boxes and teaching them to think in categories, the students surely don’t make it better living by these stereotypes. Not all Slytherins are bad people, just like not all Gryffindors are brave; not every Ravenclaw is a genius, and not every Hufflepuff is a saint, e.g.: You.

��You’re joking! Three Sickles and fifteen Knuts for a Pocket Sneakscope? That’s way too expensive!”

Lifting your eyes from the list of gadgets you need to buy on your next trip to Hogsmeade, you raise an eyebrow at the second-year Ravenclaw boy. He’s taller than most of his fellow housemates, shows signs of a long, hawkish nose and has pimples scattered on his cheeks like a Leaping Toadstool Cap. You can’t really remember his name. Freddy or Fred or August, maybe.

This early in the morning before classes start, the air is especially thick with the smell of late-summer: sweet buddleia in full bloom, the rich green leaves of trees as they sway gently in the wind. Mist hangs low in the valley and over the Great Lake, a milky curtain hiding its resident gently poking long tentacles into the warm sun. The castle is only slowly waking up after a short night—the last grace of long summer days approaching their end as October draws closer.

A beautiful landscape you can hardly enjoy with the second-year’s whiny voice buzzing around your head like an annoying mosquito.

“Look, you wanted a Pocket Sneakscope, I got it for you,” you say and unhitch yourself from the cool stone pillar, one of many holding up the roof of the Viaduct Courtyard’s passageway. “It’s not my fault the underground path is infested with spiders.”

Damned Weasley could have warned you though. You have been using the secret passage under the humpbacked, one-eyed witch leading to the cellar of Honeydukes since your second year when you spied Garreth Weasley sneak through it, and since then you both agreed on staying out of each other’s way as long as nobody rats out the secret passageway to the faculty. He gets to obtain whatever he needs for his weird concoctions, and you get to continue your little business of providing first and second years whatever they want from Hogsmeade since they can’t go themselves yet—all for a certain price. It makes trips to Hogsmeade easier when you can’t use your broom, though the occasional acid spit launched your way is less favourable than the breathtaking view of Hogwarts towering majestically as the sun sets, throwing the whole castle in stark, black contrast against the warm, orange sky.

“Unless you want someone else to get you stuff from Hogsmeade,” you continue with a shrug. “Good luck finding them though.” You move to put the Sneakscope back into your pocket, barely managing to keep on a neutral expression when Freddy or Fred or August, maybe, gasps as though you have reached into the Ravenclaw’s house point hourglass, grabbed a handful sapphires and chucked them at the Headmaster.

“It’s just—it’s just a whole Sickle more than I can spend this month!” he protests, but judging by the quiver of his voice he’ll eat out of your hand in no time.

You give your brightest smile. “Not my problem.”

The Ravenclaw-boy fumes, but when you hold out your hand, he slaps the coins into your open palm, his pale face blotched red with fury.

“Pleasure doing business with you.” You hand over his Pocket Sneakscope and watch him stamp off towards the double doors leading inside the entrance hall. He stops with a small, pale hand on the bronze doorknob, turns around as by his touch alone the doors squeal open with the magic that recognises students entering. “You are the worst Hufflepuff at this school!” he shouts and quickly dashes inside.

You don’t know why he felt the need to point it out. It’s not as though people don’t know who you are: the Hufflepuff who burnt down the left greenhouse in her second year when trying Incendio after agreeing to a bet; the Hufflepuff who broke a Ravenclaw’s nose because said Ravenclaw accused her of cheating in Defence Against the Dark Arts; the Hufflepuff who smoked Silverweed in a corner under the Great Staircase in her third year to see if it would yield any relaxing effects; the Hufflepuff who actually cheated on her very first exam in History of Magic—all in all the Hufflepuff who really should have been sorted into Slytherin on her first day, according to everybody else. Except the Slytherins have no love left for you because you wear yellow.

It is a wonder you have not been expelled yet, surely to do with the fact that despite it all, one student outshines your delinquent record. Your grades are passable, neither at the very top nor bottom, though you do have a knack for quickly learning spells and charms. What keeps you in somewhat good grace is being the Beater for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team—and what a Beater you are: ruthless and quick with strong arms. Maybe not as fast as Slytherin’s Captain on a broom, but you feel comfortable enough up in the air. All your problems seem so much smaller when you soar through the sky. Speaking of Quidditch, a Gryffindor second-year asked you to get a fake Snitch to practice for the team’s try-outs. Hopefully the Spintwitches Sporting Needs opens within in the next week; you’re in need of a new broomstick servicing kit, preferably before practice starts.

You move towards the Great Hall before they clear out breakfast. You did ask Javi to save up some Pumpkin Pastries for you, but he’s been in a foul mood since yesterday because Peeves destroyed a bust in the Astronomy Tower and he had to take the brunt of it. But while you’re crossing the courtyard, you notice a shadow standing under a wide archway, tall and sinewy, though body shapes are usually hard to guess under the loose, floaty school robes. Yet you know that despite looking lanky, this boy is nimble and quick, and his presence is utterly unappreciated—that is how the circle closes; the reason why you can’t stand him.

Even from this distance, you can make out Callum St. Jude’s pale grey eyes—they stand stark against his unruly map of ink-black hair. Paired with skin pale as moonlight, he looks like one of Hogwarts’s residual ghosts.

You feel your face turn into a scowl. It seems that no matter where you are these days, he is lurking nearby. At first you thought he was spying on you to check out the competition for tonight’s Crossing Wands duel. It is the finale after all. But when you had confronted him about it, catching him on his way down to the Slytherin dungeons in the Grand Staircase after your shared Charms class, he had considered you with a blank expression. “Who are you?” he’d asked, looking down at you from a few steps above.

Behind him, trailing him like a shadow since day one, Sebastian Sallow had sniggered. “Seems like you already have admirers,” he’d said with his insufferable haughty voice. “Though that Hufflepuff is more trouble than she’s worth.”

You were about to show him trouble, face hot with shame, when Javi hauled you up, hands under your armpits, and carried you away as if you were a sack of potatoes. “You can’t get detention now, it’s still the first week,” Javi had said mildly.

At least it would have been worth it. It would have been so satisfying to blast that cocky grin off Sallow’s face, to silence St. Jude’s little mocking huff. You firmly believe St. Jude is suffering from the worst ailment to date: Main Character Syndrome.

The symptoms have been evident since his first day: joining Hogwarts as a fifth-year, arriving late to the Sorting Ceremony due to a dragon attack, besting Sallow on his first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson (though you can hardly criticise him knocking Sallow down a peg) and mastering every new spell and charm as though it is as easy as breathing. Just last week, he fought off a grown troll and defended Hogsmeade, and now the whole school doesn’t shut up about it.

It is with eager anticipation that you await tonight’s Crossed Wands’s finale. Your fingers practically itch to draw your wand and Flipendo him just to juggle him around a little and wipe that blank expression off his face. He is beautiful, you hate to admit, feeling a sour taste in the back of your throat, but he’s using that face in all the wrong ways. He has the sort of face they’d probably frame in a museum, the kind that’s unbelievably pretty, but unattainable.

“Preying upon second years this early?” St. Jude tuts. “It seems there really is no rest for the wicked.”

“Looks as though I am already punished for it,” you grumble. “Otherwise I wouldn’t have to deal with you.”

St. Jude cocks his head to the side, looking thoughtful. “Interesting way to talk to someone you fancy.”

“I do not,” you press out between gritted teeth, shouldering past him as he steps into the entrance hall first, “fancy you.” You hope the Thunderbrew potion will be the first you’ll learn in Potions class. Watching St. Jude getting struck by lightning would lighten your mood considerably.

“For someone who pretends not to be interested in me,” he continues, ignoring you, “I see you around an awful lot.”

You consider tripping him as you two ascend the stairs. “Yes, that seems to be the very problem.”

“Won’t make me take it easy on you tonight though.” Since he is nowhere near a gentleman, he doesn’t hold the door open for you and it almost slams in your face. “I always duel to win.”

“I hope you don’t mind spending the next couple of days in the hospital wing.” You bump into his shoulder, hard, when you finally enter the Great Hall and immediately aim for the Hufflepuff table to the far right of the hall without another glance at him.

The hall is buzzing with students, the air filled with the tasty smell of crispy bacon, grilled leak, slightly burnt toast with melting butter on top. It isn’t as crowded as at lunch or dinner time—most students tend to skip breakfast to either sleep in after a long study night or use the hour before classes to finish assignments and homework.

The ceiling shows a clear blue sky with thin clouds drifting past lazily. You slide in the free seat next to your fellow Beater near the front of the table. Javier García is shoving scrambled eggs into his mouth, his bright brown eyes fixed on the Daily Prophet. In your first year, you didn’t pay much attention to him. If you look up Hufflepuff Student in any dictionary, it will show Javi’s face—a hard-working, loyal individual that always reminds you of a golden retriever until he steps on the field and turns into a pit bull from a fighting ring. Every summer he returns to his muggle family where he helps tending to the crops and fields, evident in his arms the size of tree trunks used to heavy lifting. Perfect for hitting Bludgers at opponents and slamming them off their brooms.

You pour yourself coffee and begin spooning slabs of apple-cinnamon-oatmeal into a bowl.

“Ranrok’s Loyalists have put up more camps around the Hogwarts highlands,” Javi says, mouth half-full. “It looks like they’re moving closer towards Hogwarts.”

“Why would they come to Hogwarts? There’s nothing here.”

“The castle has tons of secrets still uncovered. Why wouldn’t they try and get inside?”

“As if they’d manage to get through the defences. Hogwarts is impenetrable.” You take a long sip from your cup, hoping the caffeine kicks in fast. “No one’s going to get inside. Forget about the goblins. Did you see the Quidditch board? Our first game this season is against Gryffindor.”

Javi groans. “I hate their Seeker. Too small to hit with a Bludger, too quick to slam off the broom. We might as well throw in the towel.”

“Don’t let Captain hear that or she’ll turn you into a fox and wear you as a collar.” The Hufflepuff’s Quidditch Captain, Mary J. Lockwood, is sweet in pretty much every aspect except when it comes to Quidditch, and she never hesitates making you take the brunt of it. You’ve stopped counting how often she’d condemned you to run laps around the field as punishment for talking back or disrupting practice.

You finish breakfast and quickly drop by the common room to get your parchments and books for Divination class, hoping it will let time pass quickly until evening. But while staring for roughly an hour into the lazily swirling fog inside a crystal ball without an answer to how this year’s Quidditch season will end, time seemed to move slower than a snail. After dozing off twice and woken up by Adeleide Oakes’s pointy elbow to your ribs before Professor Onai could notice, the class finally ends.

Next up is Herbology and after that you’ve got two free periods until lunch and then end the day with double Potions. It’s a slow day for a Wednesday, and you can’t wait until practice starts in October to give you some change from sitting for hours in the library and going through dusty old tomes or watch the first and second-years getting roped up into playing Gobstones in the common room by the older students, filling it with the putrid smell of its foul liquid. You just enjoy being outdoors more. Which is why Herbology is somewhat fun, even if you and Javi prefer to pass time by betting on who can stick their finger closest to a Chinese Chomping Cabbage, earning a scornful side glance from Leander Prewett.

You promised Samantha Dale and Nellie Oggspire to work on the assigned group project for the essay on Ghouls for DADA during your free period, but when you’re about to set out to the Great Hall to grab a few snacks before going through the list of books you’ll need from the library, Professor Garlick appears before you suddenly as though sprouting from the ground like a flower.

“Oh, delightful, my dear, there you are!” she beams. Small brown parcels flutter around her head like butterflies. “Here is the delivery for Mr. Ollivander, if you’d be so kind and bring them to him now.”

Just in case, you look behind you. Nobody there on the stairs leading up to the central hall. Even Javi has made himself scarce already. She really is talking to you.

“Why me, Professor?” Someone must have hit you with Obliviate. You can’t remember having agreed to any favour for her.

“Oh? Frederick Gustave told me you would offer! Quite an attentive, nice boy! He will grow into a splendid Ravenclaw student one day!” Frederick Gustave? In Ravenclaw? You don’t know anyone called Frederick or Gustave or—the thought strikes you like lightning. Freddy, Fred or August. “All you need to do is bring these little parcels to Mr. Ollivander in Hogsmeade. These are magically nourished woods he has requested, and I am quite eager to see the results for myself.”

With a flick of her wand the parcels change course and begin to circle around your head before you can even begin to explain that this is a huge misunderstanding. She pats your cheek affectionately and twirls around, descending the stairs back to her flowery domain.

Javi is waiting for you at the top of the stairs, ignoring your scowl as he whistles the tune of The School of Jolly Dogs. His face lights up. “Since you’re heading to Hogsmeade, can you bring me some white Chocolate Frogs? Mine hopped out of the window last night because Arty forgot to close it.”

You answer with a rude hand gesture and stomp out of the hall, heading for where you keep your brooms stashed in the Hufflepuff locker room.

~ ⋆｡°✩ ~

The flight to Hogsmeade takes longer than usual. Every time you move too fast, the parcels begin to cry and whine like little abandoned ducklings until they catch up to you. Other than that, it is a beautiful morning as the sun keeps dipping in and out between wispy smears of clouds on the wide blue canvas. The tiny, homey town is alive with witches and wizards scurrying around to get their errands done. The novelty and excitement from visiting Hogsmeade in your third-year has worn off after two years, but it’s still a nice change from the dark school corridors and unending spiralling stair cases.

You leave your broom leaning next to the entrance of Mr. Ollivander’s shop. This shouldn’t take more than five minutes, darting in and out; you’re pretty sure you’ll be quicker than a Niffler digging through a pile of Galleons.

The door swings open easily. It has been five years since you last set foot into the small, cramped shop, yet nothing has changed and suddenly you feel as though you’re eleven again, entering for the first time. It smells of polished wood and something burnt underneath like a misplaced Incendio. Nearly every wall is stacked high with countless wands up to the ceiling, waiting to choose their witch or wizard. Back then you felt very small as a first year, anxious and excited to finally attend Hogwarts and get your own wand—the very first object that truly belonged to you and was not one of your older sisters’ hand-me-downs.

From the back of the shop you hear heavy knocks and a shrill screeching sound that makes you want to put your hands to your ears. Just like five years ago, you reach for the bronze bell on the counter but before your fingers can touch it, it lifts on its own and jingles beautifully. The knocking immediately stops, followed by a last dull clatter and then Mr. Ollivander emerges from the back room, dusting himself off.

He looks at you over the rim of his golden glasses, and a small smile spreads on his face as recognition dawns. The wide counter flap squeaks open when he swishes his wand to step through.

“Ah, the Hawthorn girl,” he says in greeting, quickly closing the space between you and taking your hands in his; you feel every wrinkle against your palm, every patch of rough skin from decades of work as he squeezes your hands. “I have hoped that I would see you soon.”

The question mark must be evident on your face, for Mr. Ollivander explains, “I remember every student and wand I paired, and you my dear, I remember the day five years ago when you came to my shop and your wand found you. Spiral, twelve inches, and a phoenix feather core. Unyielding. But what makes your wand so special is the wood it is made of. Hawthorn makes such a strange, contradictory wand, as full of paradoxes as the tree that gave it birth, whose leaves and blossoms heal, and yet whose cut branches smell of death.” He chuckles to himself, blinking as if lost in a memory; not noticing how tense you are and the way your uneasy smile curls downward. As though you could forget what the hawthorn means. But instead of allowing your mother’s voice inside your head and poisoning your heart, you square your shoulders and pull your hands away from Mr. Ollivander’s grasp.

“Delivery from Professor Garlick,” you say with a faux cheery voice. It seems only then does Mr. Ollivander notice the parcels still fluttering around your head.

“Ah, yes, yes! Allow me.” He points his wand at the parcels, then to his back room and they float through the shop in rank and file, all in proper order. “And here of course, the payment.” Mr. Ollivander hurries behind the counter, and produces a heavy pouch that he hands over to you. It jangles handsomely when you take it from him.

“Well then, I wish you a nice da—”

“Tell me, dear, have you met him?”

Feet already pointed towards the entrance, you turn your body halfway back. “Met who, sir?”

Mr. Ollivander looks up from the account books he’s been writing in. Something glints in his eyes, but maybe it’s just the reflection on his glasses. “Why, the Blackthorn boy of course.”

You rack your brain for anyone you know who’s called Blackthorn but come up empty. “I’m afraid I have not made any acquaintance like that, sir.”

The wandmaker’s eyes are calm, a sparkling blue of sunlight lancing off a stream. “I see,” he says. “Well, my part of this was fulfilled when I matched your wants with you. Everything else is up to you.” He gives you a little secret smile, then goes back to his ledger, the conversation clearly over even though you have dozens of questions swirling in your head.

Back out on Lower High Street, you have been released of the fluttering parcels and instead Mr. Ollivander’s words torment your mind. You can feel a memory hiding behind a thick fog, blurry and barely visible but its presence heavy and lurking like a ghost.

Wasn’t there something he had told you five years ago? When he had presented your wand to you, still resting in its narrow satin casket. You were too excited to pay him any mind—it had sounded too much like one of your mother’s stories; like an augury or worse even, a prophecy—when he had told you about a cursed kingdom, two brothers, and a hawthorn and blackthorn tree. Why listen to old fairy tales when the real adventure—Hogwarts—was waiting for you?

Besides, if by ‘Blackthorn boy’ he meant someone with a blackthorn wand, finding that person would be nearly impossible. And why would you look for him in the first place? Superstitions and divinations have no place in your life. Not after how it had dictated your childhood with a cold iron fist.

The trip back to Hogwarts is significantly faster without having to look after enchanted parcels behaving like newborn Fwoopers. With what happened at Mr. Ollivander’s, you completely forgot to drop by Honeydukes for Javi, which makes him look like a kicked puppy for the rest of the day.

You manage to start your essay for the group project, although you don’t get nowhere near where you wanted to be before the match. Lunch is a blur of tasty shepherd’s pie and grilled mushroom skewers with a small handful of students passing where you sit to wish you good luck, pattung your shoulder hard enough you almost choke on your pumpkin juice. Others send you little notes with crude drawings showing St. Jude zapping you with a spell and losing tonight’s duel. The messages are charmed to head dive into your cup and plate, splattering mashed potatoes on your uniform.

Adeleide plucks a nervously flapping piece of paper out of your meal and unfolds it. “At least they’re creative,” she notices mildly.

You throw a wary glance at the note. “That doesn’t even look like me.”

“I don’t know.” Javi slurps loudly from his cup. “They got your scowl right.”

Double Potions after lunch flies by for a change. Your Wiggenweld Potion tends to be a tad bluer than Professor Sharp’s apple green concoction bubbling at the front table for reference, but you have a hard time focusing when your mind is already occupied with how tonight’s duel might go.

You have a handful favourite spells that you’ve practised long enough they come as easy to you as breathing. But from what you have seen during the last Crossed Wands duels where St. Jude has participated, he seems to have a natural gift for duelling. You’ve heard he competed alongside Sallow in his first duel, but every after he’s been on his own and you’ve seen the battered and bruised leftover competitors limping out of the Clock Tower. You don’t plan to follow in their footsteps.

When evening falls on the castle and the long, narrow corridors awake with dim candlelight, you follow the throng of hooded students hurrying towards the Clock Tower after dinner. The excitement ripples through the lines of people like a physical force, alive and rearing when the first students file into the Clock Tower and find a seat close to the walls and away from accidental stray spells.

You spot Lucan Brattleby surrounded by a handful Hufflepuff and Slytherin students. Javi is among them, and when you draw closer you notice the ledger in Lucan’s hand and the Sickles being passed between him and Javi.

Javi startles when you step next to him like a Mooncalf facing an oncoming card. “Hiya,” he says in the very familiar voice that sounds a lot like him hoping you won’t be mad.

You raise an eyebrow. “Placing bets?” Your eyes linger on the page as you scan the names on the chart on your side. Only a few names—Leander, who’s been especially snappy since he lost against St. Jude in the semifinals, a handful other Gryffindors, one or two Ravenclaws and the rest are students from your house. On St. Jude’s column, Lucan has started to write the names as tiny as possible to fit them all on the page. Javi’s is amongst them. He ducks away from your scrutinising gaze. “He slew a fully-grown troll last week!” he pleads his case. So much for the infamous Hufflepuff loyalty. “I’ll invite you to Honyedukes after and pay whatever you want from the win.”

“Whatever.” You turn away to get ready, walking into a hard, solid body.

Callum St. Jude steadies you before you can stumble. “Easy there.” His smile slices white. “Am I already sweeping you off your feet? We haven’t even started yet.”

You shrug his hand off your arm. “The only sweeping happening today is when I wipe the floor with you, St. Jude.”

He hums thoughtfully. “We’ll see.”

You stare daggers at his back as he retreats to his side of the hall, welcomed by other Slytherin students who pat his back and ruffle his unruly jet-black hair as though he is the fifth year’s Champion already. He doesn’t linger around them for too long, and instead retreats to a far corner where Sallow is already waiting for him. What an annoying duo.

Tugging your black robe off, you begin to stretch your limbs. For today’s occasions you’ve chosen to wear a simple shirt with ribbon uniform tucked into your plaid trousers. More mobility, less fabric flapping around. A tie or a blazer would allow too much surface for a nasty Accio. From the last duels you’ve watched, you know St. Jude is as sharp as a whip, and he uses everything in his so far meagre arsenal of spells to win.

You’ll need to keep all your wits about you. If he, and the majority assembled under the giant swinging pendulum today, underestimate you, it will be your pleasure to remind them what vicious creatures badgers are. And that they devour snakes.

When you turn, St. Jude is already standing ready, his wand raised. He’s shrugged out of his robes as well and pulled off his tie, following your example. Gone is the hint of the cocky smile he always wears, so infuriating and inviting to punch. Now he is serious, his face an impassive mask that betrays nothing but you have seen it change within a heartbeat before knocking an opponent out with a savage blast of his wand. Like a snake, waiting and watching, until it strikes viciously and sinks its venomous fangs into your skin.

“Attention!” Lucan Brattleby hops in the centre, his arms raised. “Wizards and witches! Welcome to the fifth year’s Crossed Wands Championship Round!” He lets the audience get the whistling and bellowing out of their system before he introduces both parties. “Competitors, let’s get started!”

He quickly dashes out of the way—rightly so, for St. Jude’s opening move is always a lightning-quick Levioso, just like Professor Hecat taught him. You dodge the spell and hear it disperse against the wall behind you, feeling the sparks nip your skin.

“Accio!” You whip your wand towards you, only able to catch St. Jude by the cuff of his white sleeve as he evades with a side-step. But it’s enough to unbalance him as his arm is pulled in your direction and he retaliates by using the moment to blast a few Basic Casts your way which you block by well-timed Protegos.

The crowd’s cheers disappears into background noise as you and St. Jude continue your tense dance of attack and parry; a step forward, another step back, his Incendio is answered by your Glacius; since he prefers fire you do him the pleasure of casting Confringo which forces him to dive to the side. Your spell blasts the wooden weapon rack behind him into splinters and pieces, showering the Slytherins sitting beside it with glowing embers.

“Come on, new guy, give her a proper Slytherin treatment!” one of them yells. St. Jude doesn’t let himself get distracted, not even by the instructions of his fellow housemates or the quips from your side of the room. His eyes are pinning you like a butterfly on a corkboard, following your every step. They are frighteningly bright, you have the feeling that no move will go past him.

From behind you, you pull a large crate from under the buttocks of two Gryffindors with Accio, ignoring their protests when in the last second you fling it bodily towards St. Jude with Depulso. You’ve been working on the right timing for this for a long time—people usually don’t expect to be thrown at with things instead of spells. It hurls through the hall, and to your utter astonishment St. Jude blocks it in the last second with a flying object of his own—a practice dummy.

But where was the spell? You didn’t see him cast one when he hurled that dummy through the air.

At your puzzled expression, St. Jude grins at you, his smile so sudden and jarring as a thunderclap. You narrow your eyes. There’s something growing in the pit of your stomach, rearing its ugly head and snapping sharp, volatile teeth. Basic Casts don’t feel enough, and every vicious Diffindo St. Jude parries or dodges in the last moment. His retaliation is a fiery Incendio after Incendio—you’d think after this time one of you would grow weaker, lose focus, but the heat flaring your way and the flames licking up your uniform feel anything but harmless or tame.

Sweat runs down your temples, along your cheeks, down your neck. Your wand feels hot in your hand, but you grip it tighter, knuckles white. Your lungs feel tight in your chest, but you breathe in stronger, eyes wide. That rage that always lives inside you rears. It is an almost physical pain, like nails against flesh; like teeth against bars. That unwanted animal is starving, it wants nothing more than to get out and you’re surprised nobody else can hear it howling.

“Not as quick or cunning as that Sallow boy, but her spells pack a mean punch,” they say about you. You couldn’t best Sallow, and now there is this new contender and you refuse, refuse to slide down to number three; always coming in last, always pushed aside. You snarl at St. Jude as though trying to wrap your teeth around the world.

The air crackles with magic. Faintly, you hear an echo of a familiar voice. “Do not be surprised at your wand’s ability to perceive your intentions—particularly in a moment of need.”

It seems your wand shares your taste for violence—you can feel that this is the best Expulso you have executed since you taught yourself the spell in year four. You swing your arm, wand scorching hot in your hand—vibrating even—and hurl the Blasting Spell at St. Jude.

You can see his mouth move as he speaks a spell, blue sparks fly from the tip of his wand and then crackling lightning intercepts your attack. Through the sparks and bolts you see St. Jude’s puzzled expression—now is the chance to strike. A surprised opponent is a weak opponent; you swing your arm back—your arm is stuck.

From the tip of your wand a wiry crimson light crackles across the room, connected to St. Jude’s wand. When you try pulling back again, an invisible force lurches you forward, forcing your arm up until the thin light grows stronger, redder like spilt blood. Your arm shakes with the feeling of wrongness crawling up your arm, a kernel of god-awful flavour that has you biting your bottom lip. You feel an awareness. No. More than awareness, more sentient than that. It is recognition.

The point of your wand, shining a blazing white, shakes with the effort of you trying to pull back; shakes from whatever magic is transpiring between you two. On the other side, St. Jude has his free hand around his other wrist, trying to lower his wand, his face as white as a wall. To no avail.

The magic spreading from your wand through your body is like curious, warm fingers touching up along your arm, curling around your shoulder, settling against your cheek. They wander lower and splay across your chest, then sink through your ribs. Close around your heart. Squeeze.

The world explodes.

The magical blast sends you flying. Your teeth clang together as you slam on your back. Pain radiates through your body. Black dots dance before your eyes and blur your vision as you’re struggling for air.

A hushed silence has settled inside the Clock Tower. You shake your head, your free hand rising to your chest where you still feel a sharp twinge. Gingerly, you pick yourself up, carefully feeling for injuries. The whole room is a mess as though a wild Graphorn has ravaged inside and destroyed most of the furnishings. When your eyes lock with St. Jude’s across the room, your heart beats in your throat, making it hard to breathe.

Mirroring you, one hand is pressed against his chest, the other holds his wand in a vice-grip as though his life depends on it. You see him shudder helplessly, as if it were winter and he has gone outside without gloves and caught a terrible chill. His eyes meet yours, then drop to your wand. His lips mouth a single word, and you stare at him, throat tight, the cold sweat sensation of dread spreading slowly through your limbs.

And all of a sudden, you remember very clearly one thing Mr. Ollivander had told you all those years ago.

Once your paths cross, your fates will be irrevocably connected, growing together like the roots of old trees. Your wands have come from the same seed. There is no doubt that you fill find him.

Your Blackthorn boy.

A/N: If anyone is interested in this story, I can make a taglist :) Would also appreciate any sort of feedback, or just hitting the little heart so show me you enjoyed it

#hogwarts legacy mc #hogwarts legacy fanfic #sebastian sallow x mc #sebastian sallow x male mc #sebastian x mc #ominis gaunt x reader #ominis gaunt x you #ominis gaunt x y/n #ominis x reader #ominis x you #ominis x y/n #ominis gaunt #sebastian sallow #phill.hl

74 notes · View notes

undrgrnd-nft · 2 years

Text

UNDRGRND ARTIST: DENIZ IZADI

BY NFTJOE, ORIGINALLY POSTED OCTOBER 21, 2022 ON UNDRGRND.IO

Marta

Each week 100 NFTs are minted and randomly airdropped to UNDRGRND Membership Cardholders. To find out how you can be featured as an UNDRGRND Artist check out our Discord.

Disney’s best-selling product isn’t a theme park, movie, or a streaming platform, it’s escapism. For decades people have flocked to Disney World to recapture their inner child and avoid the realities of a world that crushes that sense of wonderment and magic. The glamorous nostalgia of Disney will make one forget about problems, worries and issues if you simply believe that it can. Deniz Izadi plays with the paradox that this creates of reality and fantasy throughout her work.

The subversive nature of Deniz’s work mesmerizes her audience with beautiful moving colors like mosquitoes to a bug zapper, only to hit the viewer over the head with her stories of inequity and ironic juxtapositioning. “At first, I was very interested in drawing dark paintings,” Deniz says, “but gradually I realized people prefer to see colorful art.”

That’s exactly what Deniz accomplishes in all her work.

Her unknown faceless girls wearing Micky Mouse ears represent the faceless, unknown, impoverished girls in third-world countries wearing the souvenirs of a multi-billion dollar media conglomerate. “A period in my life was a backpacker,” Deniz says, “On my trip to beautiful Vietnam, a cute little girl from a poor family wore a shiny Mickey Mouse ears hat and her mother was selling flowers, The little girl was drawing shapes on the floor with her finger, She had no idea about Mickey Mouse and the glamor of the Disney World.” Add in a problematic history of Disney, and working conditions, this idea of what is presented and what lies behind it all adds another dimension to her work.

This theme of beautiful presentation vs ugly truth is hammered home in her series featuring Carnivale dancers from Rio de Janeiro. Deniz writes in the description for Viviane, “To understand the Rio samba schools, you have to understand where the schools come from — poor, marginal communities, mostly in the favelas, or shantytowns, of the city. The schools' annual displays cost millions of dollars — a combustible mix of money and poverty, says Aydano Motta, a journalist, and author who has written extensively about Rio's samba schools.

“As she puts it, the Carnival brings both joys and woes to its participants."

"The image of a woman in Carnival is very complex, not just for those on the inside but for the people on the outside as well."

“For Viviane, dancing at the Carnival helps her forget about everyday problems. ‘When I start dancing, when I hear the bateria’s rhythm, I become a completely different person. It is a character that exists there to be happy and to interact with the audience,’ she said, ‘I cannot live without samba anymore.’

“‘I’m in love with the samba school whose honor I uphold, and when I die I think they’ll put a Salgueiro crest on my coffin.’”

Even those aware cannot escape the draw to the beautiful as opposed to reality.

AVAILABLE ON OBJKT

A female of Iranian descent now living in Turkey, it’s fitting Deniz’s work, which has always showcased inequalities and celebrated the strength of women, now can be seen through a different lens against the backdrop.

Now the juxtaposition of these women pretending to be a cartoon mouse, or Disney princesses flipping us off, speaks to the frustration of an entire region towards an archaic idealogy where women are forced to dress up and cater to the will of a male-dominated regime. These images are comical compared to the dire realities in Iran where improper clothing results in murder.

Up against the realities of life and giant corporations promising a way to recapture the magic of childhood naivety, could you blame anyone who would want to turn off their brain and escape? We all strive for an easier, light and carefree life but sometimes we must first sit with harsh truths to resolve them, rather than seek avoidance, and listen to artists like Deniz Izadi.

13 notes · View notes

halt-kun · 1 year

Text

Hunter x Hunter Chapter 214 Results

Back for some liveblogging

After a troublesome birth, the King is born

YES HIM

URGH not this scene

Shaiapouf’s wings may look good I’m not ready

POOF No head, no smoke nor mirror here ladies and gents

anyway

poor kid

At least they didn’t suffer

Even if you strike the heart, death is not instant

poor kid

ASSHOLE

first you kill stuff and then waste food because of your bad taste

try cooking and using spices first

The royal guards are durable and would be hard to kill even for the King

provided they actually want to resist him killing them which I doubt

Using Gyo isn’t sufficient for all nen users too

Some of them can hide it by controlling their aura flow

Here is a taste of your own medicine

Bihorn is communist too, good to know, he and his comrads shall be safe if he behave, the revolution is nigh

The chimera ants are also not british, as soon as their queen dies, they abscond : “no : long live King Charles here”

When have you invented misogyny ? Unless you’re terfs and you just don’t like the only cis women who could procreate here ? Like, you only like women with working wombs and if not, they need to be able to fight ?

I have always headcannoned that all of them becoming kings is gender affirming Zazan could become a King too even if it’s not what she chose, she’s truly a trans Queen (literally)

I’m not really up to date in my knowledge of ants. I think most soldiers are usually diploid females (two copies of their genomes like us : thanks mom and dad) like with bees, males are usually haploid.

Most chimera ants appear male and are apparently able to reproduce like the King so by insemination. That role is typically male but not always like in at least one species of mosquitos where female have an appendage that penetrates the male and basically absorbs the semen.

Anyway CA might have some complications due to foreign genetic interference and horizontal transfers might be the reason most of its species workers are male. maybe sometimes it fucks up and you get females or maybe they just appear to have female characteristics of other species.

Most ants should have intersex variations to considering they also have interspecies variations like Leol here who is a mix of a tiger and a lion. In his case sex determination should be quite complementary between different mammals from the same family. Maybe not

Sorry : that’s what doing a PhD on plants sex chromosomes does to you

be careful

though I’d love to get my hands on such a species to analyze

must be very interesting how sex works in this individuals.

Then leave

especially mantis looking ant right there we’ll never see again

SEE

all of them can become Kings, I bet Zazan is an intersex queen and she chose to be a queen instead of a king

I mean Togashi likes to sprinkle gender non conformity here and there since his beginnings

his wife Naoko Takeuchi does this too

They can be clumsy at times but their attempts to have a diverse and human cast of characters always made me so happy

I’m still sad Trouble quartet is not a thing

I mean a manga about crossdressing gay footballers (soccer players for our fellow statesians) by Togashi would be fire

Level E is pretty fun too, I definitely recommend it and it has one of the most fire openings out there

Yu Yu Hakusho is just sooooo good and proto HxH, you can see the influence from older nekketsu shounen like DB and Jojo’s but also how it influenced Naruto and Bleach (just the beginning is a bit slow but it builds up like Bleach, with short stories at the beginning ending up in a full tournament arc)

I love Colt

we never talk enough about him, he must have a nice hatsu too, I’d like to see it, we need more out of the box enhancers.

A flying enhancers is already quite an annoying opponent

I hope we see more of him in the future

THE BET

yes Morel bet safely on his own pupils, the safest bet considering Gon and Killua’s strength when he saw them

but Knov likes to take risks

AND THEY BOTH LOST HAHAHAHAHAAH

four of them, not five

That panel is so good too

It’s alright, we can trust Knuckle, he’s a dependable man

but you’re making me tear up Gon

I know how frustrating weakness can be, lack of control, lack of power over your life

CRYING I KNOW

Poor Killua

this means something even worse for him

he can relate too despite being very strong

he’s never been strong in a way that allows living your own life and following your own path

HIS PROMISE TO BISCUIT NOOOOOOO

Killua really tries

he’s gone so far but he has yet to reach a point where he’s confident in himself

it’s alright my boy, Gon also has to grow

You’re 13 damn it

I’m not sure I’ll be able to liveblog again today

this ended up taking quite some time

Have a nice saturday !

#hxh c214 #hxh liveblog #hxh manga

5 notes · View notes

heckapede · 2 years

Photo

A collection of NijiMosquitos

29 notes · View notes

apparentlyaswarmofbees · 4 years

Text

The Obey Me Brothers and Undatables vs An Insect/Arachnid Loving MC

I find it amazing how many people find it disturbing that I just love some insects and arachnids (not more than birds but still, insects can be both cute and cool even when they manage to terrify me so I can't help but love them lmao).

It's so cool how insects are actually the most dominant species in the world even before humanity existed and will most likely still be even after humanity ceases to exist, of course some of them actualy spread disease and such but it's not all of them and the mosquitoes that do spread it are females and they are just sucking your blood to feed their babies and the males like flowers over your blood, I actually don't like all spiders but I love tarantulas with all my heart although I can't say the same for wasps, they are evil but they can be so cool I have so many mixed feelings and cockroaches can be so adorable specially the forest/wild ones, have you ever seen them eat fruits??? They are so cute! And don't even get me started on how a d o r a b l e beetles are-

Lucifer vs Ladybug

Taking strolls in the Castle's garden when you are accompaning Lucifer in his work are very common.

Just taking a fresh breath of the Devildom's air in between breaks with you by his side powers him up like crazy.

Now that being said, he doesn't really appreciate losing your attention to a little, colorful, bug crawling on one of the flowers in said garden.

"Lucifer, look! It's a ladybug! It's so different from the human world!"

That is true, ladybugs in hell were brighter in color and had a toxin in their bodies that- Oh wait

"Don't touch it!" Lucifer grabbed your hand in realization "haven't you learned anything about bright colors in nature? The toxin in their bodies can melt your skin off!"

He really didn't expect your eyes to get even more shiny.

"Ladybugs in Devildom are both bright and dangerous??!! I'm so jealous!"

With that, he became both exasperated and more in love with you.

Does this have a relation to the fact that you love him and his brothers even thought they are demons?

He is definetelly giving you a brooch in the shape of a ladybug later

Mammon vs Cockroach

If you think this man didn't scream like a plate being scratched with a fork when he saw a cockroach in your bedroom, you are wrong.

I mean, okay, he was on the floor and the thing just decided to crawl up to his head out of nowhere.

He jumped over the table so fast it probably has beaten a world record.

"Aw! It's a baby cockroach!"

It's true, it was very small compared to adult ones, but Mammon didn't care.

"STOP FAWNIN' OVER THOSE CREATURES FOR ONCE AND KILL IT ALREADY!!"

And of course instead of killing it you just raise your eyebrown at him while scooping the thing up with a paper.

And of course you needed to bring it really close to him just to watch him squirm before you decide throw it out of your bedroom's window.

He definetelly will ask you to wash your hands before comforting him even if you didn't even touch the cockroach directly.

Leviathan vs Dragonfly

You cannot tell me dragonflies in Devildom are actually very few and actually have the size of a small dragon.

It all happened on the day you and Levi got lost in the forest searching for a raven that stole his just purchased phone charm of a game that he was currently addicted to.

Both of you were looking for a way out when you heard an extremelly loud buzzing noise from somewhere in the woods.

Of course both of you followed the sound because first, you just know that must be one big ass insect since it sounded almost like a helicopter and you had to see it, and second, Levi suddenly forgot all about the charm (and being lost) and started rambling about how 'it couldn't be! Is it really-!'

And that is how you guys found his new Henry.

A giant, navy blue, shiny dragonfly, that was currently eating the Raven you and Levi were searching for.

Let's just say Levi got his charm back and both of you got a free ride to the House of Lamentation.

Satan vs Spiders

Where there are old books, there are spider webs, and where there are spider webs, there's at least a 50% chance there are spiders in there.

So you can say Satan was quite familiar with the eight legged creatures, although he never really paid them much attention.

That is until he found they were of your interest.

You will never see someone start to give spider names, treat them with courtesy and have small talks with them faster than with this man.

Getting a book from the House of Lamentation's library and there's a web in the way along with a resident spider? "Excuse me, I will have to disturb you a little, I hope you don't mind a bit of damage to your home"

He is reading and suddenly sees a spider dangling down from a web string right besides him? He is definetelly letting it land on his hand just so that he can show it to you.

One day he even choses to read a book in his berdoom that a tiny spider was standing on. The sight of the tiny thing crawling around the pages as he reads it and explains some things out loud is so precious to see.

Asmodeus vs Scorpions

Of course, what would suit the Lust Demon better than his own patron?

That is until you teach him that there are more than just one type of scorpion, and there is one type that has really big claws and a thinner tail that are usually pretty big in size.

Why would learning that be a bad thing, you ask? Instead of stinging its food, it actually grabs it like a crab.

So yes, the day Asmo held one and didn't use his charms, it pinched him.

Needless to say, it was chaotic.

Leaving the fact he is never approaching those kinds of scorpions ever again, he coos a lot at you while you coo at the small scorpions.

If you tell him the fact that they are his patron just makes you love him more, he will be so happy he will be squealing for the next 5 minutes.

He has definetelly taken a few dozens, of pictures for you while holding one or more scorpions.

His followers in the devilgram were surprised at how even while holding that thing, Asmo still looked amazing.

Scorpions definetelly became sensation in Devildom after that.

Beelzebub vs Flies

Again, nothing better than his own patron.

If he didn't have to swat them off his food that is.

He has definetelly eaten some accidently.

"Look! I managed to make it crawl up to my finger without scaring it!" you say.

"That is cool. But you should probably wash your hand." He replies.

He's right, wash your hands if you ever grab onto flies.

He finds it really cute that you like insects, and it makes him tingly on the inside when he remembers that his symbolic creature is an insect itself.

Don't hold back on asking him to change into his demon form more often, he is very happy to do it.

He starts paying more attention to insects and flies in general after he finds out how much you love them.

How big their are, their color, where he saw them, what were they doing, if they tasted good.

And then he proceeds to tell you all about it.

He is very cute.

Belphegor vs Butterflies

It's not that he attracts butterflies, no. But he actually likes them, finds them cool even.

Did you know some butterflies disguise as another type butterfly because that type is actually not very tasty to eat so the animals stay away from them?

And how many of them have patterns on their wings that look a lot like Owls and again, it makes animals stay away from them?

And the whole symbolism of life, death and rebirth around them? And the fact that the larvae eating everything around them reminds him a lot of Beel?

Belphie definetelly likes butterflies and you cannot tell me otherwise.

So when he finds out you love insects? Oh he is definetelly taking you to the best butterfly watching spot either in the Devildom or the Human World.

It's specially cute when he falls asleep and one lands on his face.

He definetelly had a minor heart attack when he woke up to the sight its wings but he will never admit it.

Also definetelly grabs it and puts it on you instead.

It's counterproductive as you end up looking too cute for him to handle.

Solomon vs Beetles

I mean beetle fights.

You thought you liked insects, just wait until you see this man cheering on a beetle like an excited kid.

Also finds it hilarious when one just yeets the other away.

And because now you are there to feed more into his love for beetles, one day he casts a spell on two of them to make them big enough to ride and just showed up outside your window like:

"No time to explain, get in the beetle"

Because of safety measures, no, you guys didn't have a giant beetle fight.

But you did ride them around the Devildom forest at 2am.

You thought it would be an insane ride with lots of adventures

But you guys just ended up star gazing while laying on them.

He forgot to turn them back to their original size and they scared a few of the residents of Devildom.

Simeon vs Mantis

Warning: it's a big goreish

When you introduced the praying mantis specifically to Simeon, he was immediatelly in awe.

And then you proceeded to show him how they can have many shapes and forms, be it as leafs, tree branches, and others.

And he was so intrigued!

But then you gave him the more, specific details.

Like how they can feast on their prey while they are still alive.

And how it actually can attack small birds such as humming birds, eating their brain tissue through their eyes.

And how the females practice a cannibalism ritual, feasting on their partners after mating.

That's when his writer self came to light.

What I mean is, he was now both horrified and extremelly inspired.

Simeon can be scary sometimes.

Diavolo vs Ants

If you can find ants in every nook and crany around the world, you cannot tell me you can't find them in hell.

If they are able to travel the sea just by being taken along with baggage on accident, they have definetelly come to hell the same way, specially black crazy ants.

So honestly, I wouldn't find it surprising that Diavolo would have at least one big colony of ants he takes care of.

But he didn't have it until you pointed out why ants were awesome to him.

"They don't eat the leafs, they are farmers and what they eat is the other tiny creatures that decompose the leafs" "they can go to extreme lenghts to find their food and they have a real good teamwork, often they don't eat right away but instead bring the food back to the colony to feed the young" "Some ants that live in tropical weather that rains a lot, such as the amazon, can swim! And they do it together in big, ant, nests!"

Needless to say, he was intrigued.

Such tiny creatures are able to eat other insects much bigger than them? And they love sweets?

They actually like their homes clean and throw their trash into the very corner of their enclosure? Their bite can actually hurt a lot even to creatures gigantic copared to their size such as humans??

He had his own personal colony the very next day.

Barbatos vs Bees

This man definetelly has his own share of appreciation for bees even before you told him you like insects.

They are very good helpers in the garden, their honey can be used on a extremelly big variety of both food and health products along with their wax, and honestly, they're just so fuzzy and cute.

If you want to get a rare laugh or chuckle out of him, make bee movie references.

He will just stop in his tracks and cover his mouth as he tries not to laugh.

You could almost make him spit his drink if you do it while he is drinking something.

And you can't tell me this man can't make bee related puns with a straight face. It's unbeeliveable

Aight, imma head out

(This was basically an insect/arachnid appreciation post and I have no regrets)

#Obey Me #Obey Me!#Obey Me! Shall We Date?#obey me headcanons #obey me imagines #obey me scenarios #Obey Me Lucifer #Obey Me Mammon #Obey Me Leviathan #Obey Me Satan #Obey Me Asmodeus #Obey Me Beelzebub #Obey Me Belphegor #Obey Me Solomon #Obey Me Simeon #Obey Me Diavolo #Obey Me Barbatos

947 notes · View notes

divine-nonchalance · 4 years

Text

There is no logic in antidepressants.

They block your serotonin receptors, the love chemical. How could that ever have any kind of benevolent effect? Throwing a monkey wrench in a naturally occuring essential system that makes us more loving? Hello?

Instead you can easily and cheaply boost serotonin levels with micro doses of cannabis and/or psilocybin mushrooms. Whether you get high or not only depends on the dosage. An every day extremely low dosage of activated cannabis (3 hours at the temperature of boiling water) sprinkled over your food has no side effects. Instead you become peaceful, creative, more loving and patient. If it’s too much, simply keep lowering the dose until you find a level that you’re comfortable with, that keeps you functional and lucid. Half a teaspoon is a good place to start. Maybe less, maybe more. Everyone is unique. And so is every strain. Get regular mixed seeds, both male and female ones, let the males pollinate and the females manifest seeds.

So what if there’s seeds in your medicine? Then you never have to buy them again and all that you have too much you can give away or dispose of in a politician’s front garden. Stealthily growing your own with organic potting soil is a piece of cake, find a grow tent with a waterproof bottom, place the pots inside and fill up the waterproof bottom with water. Let it develop into a swamp. Always perfect hydration. If you get flies order Mosquito Bits, it’s a benevolent bacteria strain that eats the larves. The warning labels are only there because they are obligatory when you sell something as a pesticide, regardless of whether they are organic and safe or not. Such is the logic of man made laws, while there is only the law of nature. Only by following nature can peace be found. Mother Earth has created it for us.

Nature is the master architect. The universe is the eternal equilibrium inside of us. Solutions for every problem, if only we open our eye and see through the dense fog of global fear which breeds ignorance and scientific and political dogma.

2 notes · View notes

return-of-a-space-cowboy · 5 years

Text

Little L part 1

(Yandere Johnny Joestar X Female Reader)

Warning: mentioning of attempted suicide

A fifty-million dollar cash prize was enough to have anyone sign away their life to a race as daring as the Steel Ball Run but to you it was more the money at the finish line, it was the promise of health and safety to your older brother whose life had been completely changed after miraculously surviving a horrible case of rabies. What made I worse was that your parents had abandoned you both shortly after, they didn't want a son that may have been quadriplegic for the rest of his life and they surely didn't want a daughter that had a weird eye deformity that made your irises have strange white specks in them. The money was the only way that you believed that you would be able to provide for the two of you. So you brought a horse from a farmer you knew near by. A dark stallion which you named Cosmic girl and then you registered for the Steel Ball Run.

🐎🐎🐎

"Hey (Y/n), look at this guy!" One of the others contestants said as he nudged you while pointing the scene in front. A man was being dragged around the paddock by a horse as he clung on for dear life.

"What the hell is he thinking? He's gonna get himself killed!" You nearly yelled as you started pushing through the crowd in front of you. You gasped in horror as you saw a large piece wood go straight through his leg, but yet this didn't stop him. You hopped over the fence and slowly walked along the edge of the pen. The horse noticed you and slowed down and paced towards you. You held your hand up to it's snout, you felt it take in your scent before lowering it's head as a sign of loyalty.

"I could have gotten on her just fine without your assistance!" The blonde haired male hissed at you.

"Obviously not if you have a large splinter of wood jammed in your leg" you spat. He turned his head behind to look at his leg and sure enough he saw it. You questioned how he wasn't feeling that, surly that must of hurt.

"How are you not feeling that?" You asked, he only gave you a death glare before responding.

"Is that any of your concern!" His voice was filled with anger. This guy was a total jerk but you still wanted to help him for some reason. You held out your hand for him but he simply slapped it away.

"What kind of sick fucking joke are you pulling" he hissed.

"I'm try to help you!" you yelled at him.

"I don't need your charity you star eyed fuckwad!" He screamed before crawling away.

"A cripple has no reason to be here"

"That's Johnny Joestar, he use to be a pretty amazing jockey awhile ago..."

"But after the incident... Well... You know"

"He probably entered to make some big comeback"

"But it's pretty stupid, I bet he won't even survive the first section" the voices muttered in the background and that's when it all started to link up. You began to feel a idiot for holding out your hand when he couldn't even stand himself but it also explained why he was so quick tempered. You just hoped that you could make things up to him.

🐎🐎🐎

You looked at the leaderboard for the first section with a small smile of content on your face. Since Gyro had been disqualified you had slipped into a cosy sixth place, of course it's wasn't the first place that you had been training for but it was a start.

"Move it shortie!" You heard an British accent say as you were pushed aside. He let out hiss in disgust as he saw himself at third place.

"What was that for?" you yelled at him.

"You didn't get out of my way" he bluntly stated as he turned to face you. It was Diego Brando, AKA the prince of British horse racing, total arrogant prick. He shoved past you again as he walked away.

"Fucking twat!" You yelled at him while mimicking the British accent. He stopped and turned back again.

"What was that?" he hissed.

"You heard her you wanker" another mocking British accent chimed in beside you. You looked to see Johnny in his wheelchair beside you.

Diego scoffed.

"Well I have more important things to do then argue with a midgit and a cripple" he huffed as he walked off. You laughed as you pulled your finger and your thumb into the shape of an L on your forehead. Which earned a giggle from the him.

"You did pretty good today" you commented on his fifth place.

"I told you that would been fine" he snickerd.

"You've proven a lot of people wrong" you sighed.

"You did pretty good yourself" he said with a small smirk on his face.

"But if you want to win then you've gotta get past me" he taunted.

"Is there any other way?" You asked retoriclly as you held out you hand, he shook it before replying

"Then let's push ourselves to the limit and give it our all"

🐎🐎🐎

On horse back you two would taunt and slag each other off but once you were off you two were a tightly knitted duo, or trio if you added Gyro into the mix. It seemed like the events that occurred in the devil palm had intertwined your fates. Slowly you climbed up to the top of the leaderboard while still managing to not get killed by any of the assassins that you had crossed paths with and that was with the help Johnny.

Over time a sort of attraction towards you developed. It's wasn't what he would call admiration and it wasn't one he saw as plutonic, it was something more romantic

🐎🐎🐎

"It's a tight one ladies and gentlemen! Diego, Gyro and (Y/n) are neck and neck! If (Y/n) wins it'll be the second first place in a row!" You heard the yell into the microphone, that alone was enough to make your blood pressure skyrocket but you had to keep calm because if you didn't then cosmic girl would lose her stable mobility, in most cases you wouldn't mind but with Diego on you back you knew you couldn't give him that opportunity.

You rubbed Cosmic's sides and whispered.

"We can do this... Just keep calm". You closed your eyes as the the finish line was only metres away.

"(Y/n) and Gyro cross the line then Diego!!"

"It was to close to call! A photo finish!" The announcer howled. You opened your eyes to see that you were over the finish line, Gyro right beside you giving you a thumbs up with his signature smile.

"I totally won that" you slyly responded with a smug look on your face.

"Don't get cocky" he simply replied. You two waited a little while for Johnny to join you both.

"What was that you slowpoke you yelled to the blonde male that was approaching.

"Yeah I though you were better then that" Gyro chimed in.

"Come on give me a break" Johnny replied as he got closer. He then snickered before pointing in Diego's direction, you could see the look of disgust on his face.

"Someone isn't happy coming in third place again" he commented.

"Well look at his horse, they say that if a horse has a asshole of a rider then they'll also be an asshole" you chuckled as you saw his horse stomping and kicking around like a spoilt brat.

"Let's go to the saloon, I dying for a drink" Gyro commented.

"I agree with you there" you replied.

"But I'll check in to our room first" you said as you parted ways with the duo.

🐎🐎🐎

"Mrs (L/N) your in room 34" the lady at the counter said as she handed you the keys.

"Thank you ma'am" you replied as you walked away.

Just as you were about to walk up the stairs you heard a voice call out your name, you turned back to see a messenger running towards you.

"(Y/n)...(L/n)" He he paused between your first and last name, obviously out of breath.

"Yes, that would be me" you responded. He placed a letter with a piece of paper attached to it. Your heart stopped as you saw what the paper was, a telegram, the telegram you feared... You brother had died.

"I'm sorry for your loss" he said before leaving. You quickly ran straight to your room, tears running down your face. He was gone, he was dead, all of this had been a pointless pursuit.

🐎🐎🐎

It had been half an hour since you said you would get the keys to the room and you hadn't shown up, Gyro was already getting disoriented and Johnny was starting to get worried. It didn't take half an hour to to get to the saloon. Thoughts started to swirl in his head, did you you get hurt? Did one of the assassins attack you? Were you being harassed by some of the other competitors.

"Gyro, I'm gonna look for (Y/n)" he said as he tapped the intoxicated Italian's shoulder.

"All right, go ahead..." He replied with a slight slur.

"Just don't go messing around with her, you know danm well that she's like a daughter to me..." He continued.

"As if I can do that" Johnny said before wheeling himself out of the saloon. Now that Gyro had said that he couldn't stop his mind wondering.

'if a mosquito bite came up so prominently then how would a love bite come up' He bit his lip and a shiver went down his spine as he thought of it.

'you're meant to be looking for her! Not thinking about her in such lewd ways' he mentally screamed as he made his way to the hotel.

When he finally arrived, he asked the lady at the counter and she told him which room you were in. He then let out a groan as he saw the staircase.

'great, just fucking great!' He thought as he pushed himself out of his wheelchair and began to drag himself up them. It took awhile but he made it. He hear sobs coming from the room, he pushed open the door that was slightly ajar.

He saw your silhouette sitting on the the bed closest to the door, one hand holding you head, the other reaching for something. It gleamed in the light, he squinted his eyes to make the object out, a pistol. You brought it up to your head.

"(Y/n)! No!" He yelled as loud as he could before summoning Tusk and shooting the pistol out of you hand.

"Johnny!" You yelped in shock.

"(Y/n) what on earth were you thinking!" He questioned as he crawled to the bedside. You bursted into tears, you hands pulling at you hair.

"My brother's gone!" you nearly screamed.

"Why must god do this to me! He betrayed me! He dismissed my prayers!" You continued.

Johnny was absolutely shocked, he felt such a dreadful and grim feeling wash over him as he watch you scream and cry over your deceased brother.

"Why... Why... Why must life be cruel" you sobbed.

"Hey, (Y/n)... I know how you feel, I lost my older brother too but that doesn't mean you should kill yourself" he said he placed his hand on your thigh in a comforting manner.

"I may have never met him but I'm sure he would have wanted you to live your own life" he continued.

"I'm sure a few drinks might help you make sense of everything"

"I don't know I just-" you were saying before you were cut off by Johnny abruptly pulling you down to his level and planting a kiss on your lips before you pushed him away out of pure suprise, you couldn't even form a proper sentence. So many thoughts swirled in your head, you didn't know how to make sense of what just happened.

It seemed like you had both been frozen for minutes, Johnny looking into your eyes with an endearing expression as he waited for his feelings to be returned. You then finally found you composure and spoke.

"Johnny... I don't know what to think right now, this is all just a bit to sudden... I'm just not so sure how to feel about you right now"

"No I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that... I'll just leave you be since I'm sure I'm just unwelcome company now" he sighed as began to crawl away, hiding his displeasure.

"No! I didn't mean it like that!" You exclaimed as you grabbed onto his arm.

"I... I'm not rejecting you but I'm also not saying yes, I just need some time... Some time to figure out what I'm gonna do for myself"

#yandere x reader #yandere jjba #yandere #johnny joestar #jojos bizarre adventure #jojos #jojo #jojo part 7 #spacy works

76 notes · View notes

rudjedet · 6 years

Note

Hello do you know anything about cosmetics and perfumes in Ancient Egypt or any good sources to learn about it ? Thank you and have a nice day.

Cosmetics were used by almost all Egyptians, whether male or female, higher or lower classes. They didn’t only enhance the beauty of the wearer, certain cosmetics also had health effects. There is a distinct overlap between certain medicinal ointments and topical treatments, and cosmetics. Both made use of mineral substances (such as ochre, which has antifungal and antimicrobial effects), and oils and animal fats as either matrices or active ingredients. There are even recipes in the medical papyri that detail treatments for greying hair or baldness.

The most evocative bit of ancient Egyptian cosmetics is of course the kohl the Egyptians used to line their eyes. Kohl was usually made from galena (lead glance), although sometimes also from other minerals such as cerussite (lead carbonate) or manganese oxide. It may have also protected the eyes from flies and infections.

Kohl and other cosmetics were kept in receptacles such as these containers:

18th Dynasty vessel from Memphis (British Museum, EA4743)

Cosmetic dish in the shape of a fish (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 90.6.24)

Some of the kohl we’ve found exists as a powder. Other finds have dried in, indicating it would have been a paste at the time of use, and was likely mixed with either animal fat or oils. Application was done either with the fingers or by using a thin stick made out of various materials.

18th Dynasty kohl container with application stick (Metropolitan Museum of Art,26.7.1447)

Oils and animal fats were also used on their own as cosmetics, to combat ageing and to protect the skin and hair from heat and dryness. Oils like almond, castor, sesame and moringa were used. The higher classes used elaborate mixes of different kinds of fat/oil and scents, where the lower classes would have made do with simpler mixtures with little fragrance or completely without it.

Egyptians also used other minerals mixed with oil or fat to create eyeshadows and lip and cheek stains. Malachite, a green mineral, was the most widely used for eyeshadow, and red ochre for lips and cheeks. In addition to colouring the skin, both malachite and ochre would have protected the skin from the sun.

We have found many makeup palettes, from Predynastic examples all the way to the later periods of Egyptian history. The most famous of these is of course the Narmer palette (although it’s debatable whether this exact palette was actually used in the application of cosmetics because it’s larger and far heavier than regular palettes. It is likely a votive object instead).

The Narmer Palette (Egyptian Museum in Cairo, CG 14716)

Predynastic makeup palette (British Museum, EA37273)

The palettes would have been used to ground up makeup prior to application; despite that it was unlikely to have been used, in the Narmer palette you can see the indent, created by the curling necks of the two serpopards, where the makeup would have been mixed.

We’ve also found other accessories used in the application of cosmetics and to refine appearance, such as mirrors, tweezers and razors. Egyptian men are by and large depicted with clean-shaven faces, apart from some Old Kingdom examples showing men with moustaches.

18th Dynasty toiletry set containing a kohl jar, razor, tweezers, whetstone and mirror (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

All of the items depicted above are “fancy” items, belonging to the elite, or temples. We can assume the lower classes made do with items of lesser quality, but that they would have made use of many of these tools regardless.

The Egyptians were famous among their contemporaries for their perfumes. These, however, would not have been as widely available as cosmetics. While all social strata of Egyptian society enjoyed a bath every once in a while (scrubbing themselves with mixtures of natron and white lupin), fragrant perfumes were a luxury.

These perfumes were made by infusing fats and/or oils with fragrant essences of plants, flowers and trees. Seeds, blossoms, roots and essential oils of plants themselves were mixed to get the desired result. Among many others they used lotus flowers, marjoram, lilies and cinnamon, as well as resins.

Probably the most famous use of perfume was the perfumed cones members of the elite are sometimes depicted wearing during banquet scenes.

Woman depicted with a perfume cone (Tomb of Menna, 18th Dynasty)

It’s been suggested that these cones were made of wax or hardened animal fat and infused with pleasant scents, and that during the banquet the cone would melt and slowly give off its scent. It might also have kept away flies or mosquitoes. However, other scholars suggest that the cones were never actually used and are a visual depiction of perfume.

Perfumes were made at home or in temples, since perfumes played a part in the temple rituals as well. There’s a room in the temple of Dendera that was dedicated to the manufacture of perfumes, for example.

If you want to learn more, I’d suggest looking into the works of Salima Ikram, who has done experimental archaeology pertaining to Egyptian cosmetics. She has a chapter on toiletries in her book Ancient Egypt: An Introduction. Eugen Strouhal also has a chapter on the same in his book Life of the Ancient Egyptians.

If you have a JSTOR account, I suggest looking there, too. If you search for “Egyptian cosmetics” or variants thereof you’ll get a number of results from the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology and the Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt among others. JSTOR allows you to read a number of articles for free online. Hope that helps!

Did you enjoy reading this post and want to show your appreciation? You can buy me a coffee on Ko-Fi (rudjedet; link also in my bio). No obligation but it’s always much appreciated!

#egyptology #cosmetics #perfume #ancient egypt #anon asks #ask and ye shall be answered

1K notes · View notes

a-dinosaur-a-day · 6 years

Text

Culicicapa

Grey-Headed Canary-Flycatcher by J. J. Harrison, CC BY 3.0

Etymology: Midge Seizer

First Described By: Swinhoe, 1871

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Australaves, Eufalconimorphae, Psittacopasserae, Passeriformes, Eupasseres, Passeri, Passerida, Paroidea, Stenostiridae

Referred Species: C. ceylonensis (Grey-Headed Canary-Flycatcher), C. helianthea (Citrine Canary-Flycatcher)

Status: Extant, Least Concern

Time and Place: Within the last 10,000 years; in the Holocene epoch of the Quaternary period

Culicicapa is known from the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and the Philippines; it is also known from southwestern portions of China

Physical Description: Culicicapa, or the Canary-Flycatchers, is a genus of two types of small, yellow songbirds. These are round birds, with short tails and bright coloration. Ranging between 11 and 13 centimeters in length, they are about the length of a common cell phone, though being birds they are significantly lighter in weight. The birds have small, round heads and short, narrow beaks with fine tips. Both species feature yellow chest and belly feathers, green back feathers, and a mixture of black, green, and yellow feathers on the wings and tail. All sexes are alike in appearance in both species.

Diet: The Canary-Flycatchers primarily eat - you guessed it - flies, and additionally gnats, mosquitos, beetles, wasps, moths, and other small invertebrates. They will use their small beaks to catch insects on the wing. They also will dig in plant material for insects there.

Behavior: These birds are very noisy, making loud, squeaky, and varying calls - these calls can sound like a variety of syllables including tsu-si-tchu-si-si, sweet su sweet, tus-tsu-tswee, pit pit pit, chit-tit-tit-tit-tirr, tit-titu-wheee, and trills. These birds vary by species in terms of group living, as well; the differences between the species are listed below. They breed anytime between March and July; the Grey-Headed Canary-Flycatcher pairs for life, and showcase elaborate courtship rituals. The male will perform short circles of flight in front of the perched female and then will perch next to her, before flying again; he then hovers and displays his butt while the two call to each other. The male then courtship feeds his mate, and after they do the do, the male will build a nest out of moss, lichens, and leaves high up in a tree. They’ll brood in the same nest. The clutches are made of 3 to 4 eggs, and both parents aid in feeding the nestlings. Both species are mainly residential; the Grey-Headed Canary-Flycatcher does show some migration from the HImalayas to the plains of India if a resident of that region; and Chinese populations of the species do migrate back and forth from central to southern China during the year.

Citrine Canary-Flycatcher by Afriefrahman, CC BY-SA 4.0

Ecosystem: These birds live in lowland and mountain forests, mainly in secondary growth and along forest edges; they are mainly found in broadleaf, dry forests and along ravines and gorges as well as along forest edges. The elevation in question that they live in depends mainly on the habitat they’re found in - for example, they tend to be found at higher elevations in locations with higher elevations, etc.

Other: There are some conflicting sources on the behavior of the Grey-Headed Canary-Flycatcher; I have gone here with the most recent source I could find.

Species Differences:

The two species mainly differ on the appearance of the head, as well as their natural ranges. The Grey-Headed Canary-Flycatcher has a grey head (as the name would suggest), including a grey crest of feathers on the top, and lives mainly on the Asian mainland and in Indonesia; the Citrine Canary-Flycatcher lives in the Philippines and has a yellow-green head, with no crest.

They also show extensively different behavior - the Grey-Headed Canary-Flycatchers is more more social, feeding in pairs, groups, and mixed-species foraging flocks. They are also tamer and much more likely to approach people; while the Citrine Canary-Flycatcher is more shy and solitary, though they do form pairs to feed in the breeding season and can join mixed-species foraging flocks.

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the cut

Clement, P. 2018. Citrine Canary-flycatcher (Culicicapa helianthea). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Clement, P. 2018. Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Jobling, J. A. 2010. The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. Christopher Helm Publishing, A&C Black Publishers Ltd, London.

Johansson, U. S., J. Fjeldsa, R. C. K. Bowie. 2008. Phylogenetic relationships within Passerida (Aves: Passeriformes): A review and a new molecular phylogeny based on three nuclear intron markers. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 48: 858 - 876.

Vaurie, C. 1953. A generic revision of flycatchers of the tribe Muscicapini. Bulletin of the AMNH 100: 531.

92 notes · View notes

livingcorner · 3 years

Text

Midge Control: How to Get Rid of Midges

This page is an expert guide on getting rid of Midges using the products and methods suggested by our experienced pest control specialists. Follow this guide and we guarantee you will be successful in eliminating Midges from your home.

If you are noticing a flying insect around your home that resembles a mosquito, it may instead be a Midge. There are many species of midges, some a minor nuisance, while others can be more harmful. They are known by many names including punkies, sand flies, and no see ums.

You're reading: Midge Control: How to Get Rid of Midges

Among the worst Midges are biting Midges. Biting Midges pierce into the skin of humans to suck blood that can cause irritation and allergic reactions.

Biting Midges thrive during the Spring and Summertime and can be a particularly large problem if you live near large bodies of water like near lakes, rivers, and beaches.

If you have a large infestation of these pests on your property, you must take action to stop the invasion. Follow the expert guide below to learn more about Midges and what products best control and prevent Midges on your property.

Identification

Before moving forward with pesticide applications, you need to first properly identify Midges so you know whether or not you’re dealing with them. Misidentification can lead to choosing the wrong products for control, resulting in wasted time and money.

Midges bare a close resemblance to mosquitoes and are often mistaken for them.

Midge species are divided into two groups: biting midges, and non-biting midges

Non-biting midges range between 1/16 to 1/2 inch long. They have one pair of wings, long legs and males have feathered antennae.

Biting midges are considerably smaller at about an 1/8th of an inch long. They are gray in color and the female midges have saw-like mouthparts for biting. Males do not bite.

Midges have fragile bodies which are reddish-colored six legs and clear wings that have unique spots and patterns on them.

Male midges have antennae that are covered with little hairs giving it a bushy appearance.

Midge larvae are found in stagnant water and are known as “blood worms” for their red color.

Use the image and description above to help you to determine what Midges look like and if you have them. If you are not completely sure, contact us and we will try to assist with identification.

Inspection

Once you have confirmed that you are encountering Midges, you can then proceed with an inspection. You will need to pinpoint where the Midges are concentrated, and what could be attracting them to the area. This will also help you in determining where to focus your pesticide applications.

Where To Look

Midges like to gather around aquatic environments like marshes. Search areas around your home where there is a water body or accumulation of water. If you have an area where there is sand, wet mud, a pond, swimming pools, a slow-moving stream, or something similar, you may likely find Midges there.

Read more: The Flowering Calendar of Claude Monet’s Garden

What To Look For

Look for areas where there are Midges are flying around. You can also look for Midge larvae and eggs that are usually laid near vegetation or a water source.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed Midges and noted the hot spots where they are active, you can move forward with treatment.

Remember to read all product labels and follow the application instructions on these labels and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

To get rid of Midges, we recommend spraying a mixture of Reclaim IT Insecticide and Tekko Pro IGR as a barrier treatment around your home perimeter and for spraying surfaces.

Outdoors, we recommend applying Flex 10-10 with an automatic misting system or mist blower to control Midges around yard trees, ponds, and ornamentals.

Step 1 – Remove Standing Water Sources

Before applying any insecticides, you need to first get rid of Midge breeding grounds. During this step, you will get rid of any standing water and fix any moisture issues around the home.

Remove any accumulated moisture outside and near your home, since these are prime areas Midges will reside. Discard all stagnant water from inside the house.

Remove water from birdbaths; cover the swimming pool with plastic sheets. Empty buckets of water and tires filled with stagnant water. Make sure all moisture is removed.

Your lawn soil should not be too damp. If it is, you need to address drainage issues in your yard. By eradicating all sources of water the midges will not be able to breed and it will help in curbing the population of the midges.

Step 1 – Outdoor Treatment with Reclaim IT and Tekko Pro IGR

Reclaim IT is a broad-spectrum insecticide concentrate labeled for controlling Midges and can remain effective for up to 90 days. Tekko Pro is an insect growth regulator (IGR) and works by disrupting the reproductive and development cycle so Midges are sterilized and not able to multiply their population.

This makes for a lethal combination that controls the Midge population while being safe to apply on turf and ornamentals.

Before applying the products, make sure you first calculate the square footage of your yard to determine how much product you need. You can do this by measuring the area length and width and multiplying the two values (length x width = square footage).

Mixing 1 oz. of Reclaim IT with 1 fl. oz. of Tekko Pro IGR with a gallon of water will treat 1,500 square feet.

Use a handpump gallon sprayer and go around the perimeter of your home to treat exterior walls, windows, light fixtures, doors and other areas where Midges have been seen resting. Spray your foundation 3 feet up and 3 feet out.

Read more: The 6 most cost-effective vegetables to grow in your garden

Continue to apply this application every 10 to 14 days until the population is under control.

Step 2 – Outdoor Misting Treatment with Flex 10-10

For Midges that are congregating outdoors, we recommend applying Flex 10-10. Flex 10-10 is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide and can be used both indoors and outdoors, but is excellent to use as an outdoor treatment for your yard ornamentals where midges commonly rest.

Flex 10-10 is specially formulated to be used in Automatic Misting Systems, mist blowers or other approved misting equipment. Under normal conditions, dilute between 3.2 fl. oz. to 6.4 fl. oz. of Flex 10-10 per gallon depending on the severity of the Midge infestation.

Disperse the Flex 10-10 misting solution out in your yard, spot treating mulch beds, flower beds, shrubs, ornamentals, garden areas, around trees and other areas, especially in areas where there is moist soil, and where standing water accumulates.

When applying around ponds or lakes, make sure the mist doesn’t directly contact the water surface. After misting, make sure to keep out of the treated areas until the space has properly ventilated.

Prevention

Once you have used our professional treatment products to remove Midges, you will need to make sure the pests don’t make a return. Here are some preventative measures we suggest:

Continue Addressing Stagnant Water Issues Since midges require standing water to breed, address standing water and drain bird baths and other stagnant water areas. Trim back tree branches to reduce shades as well as rake, dethatch and aerate your lawn to promote air circulation in your soil.

Shielding the House from the Midges Screen the windows and doors properly. Use mesh wire and other material to screen any openings near the plumbing pipes and electrical wires.

Use silicone foam to seal all the gaps, cracks and crevices to prevent midges from entering your home. Canopies and nets can be used over the bed to prevent the midges from biting while you are sleeping.

Taking Care of Outdoor Lighting Use dim lights or remove them from nearby doors. Midges and other bugs are attracted to lights. Yellow sodium vapor lights are better suited for outdoors, to keep the midges away from your home.

Relocate lighting away from all entry point and keep them further away from the entrance. Tinted pink and orange color lights are also helpful.

Quarterly Reapplications of Reclaim IT and Tekko IGR Applying Reclaim IT and Pivot 10 IGR applications will keep Midges away for up to 90 days so if you apply every three months you will get year-long control from not only Midges but a large number of other pests. These are just some of the natural remedies that can kill bird mites.

Since these are small insects, getting rid of them is harder. However, by keeping your house clean and blocking the entry points such as door and windows, you can prevent an infestation.

Key Takeaways

What are Midges?

Midges can be an irritating pest in yards and homes, especially if you leave close to bodies of water.

Midges are tiny and appear in swarms by the thousands near water and can cover your car, your house and your body in seconds.

How To Get Rid of Midges

To get rid of Midges, a combination of Reclaim IT and Pivot 10 IGR is highly recommended.

Apply the Reclaim IT/Tekko Pro 10 combination as a perimeter barrier around the home structure and on any surfaces, you have been seeing Midges rest.

Outdoors, apply Flex 10-10 using an Automatic misting system or a mist blower over shrubs, ornamentals, as well as around ponds or lakesides

Preventing Midge Reinfestation

Prevent the return of Midges by sealing up points of entry, addressing standing water issues where possible and reapplying Reclaim IT and Tekko Pro IGR quarterly.

Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Garden

source https://livingcorner.com.au/midge-control-how-to-get-rid-of-midges/

#livingcornernews

0 notes

shmosnet2 · 5 years

Text

Why Are Humans Hairless Compared To Other Mammals?

Human hairlessness is an evolutionary mystery. There are many theories out there, but two important ones are the savanna hypothesis and the ectoparasite hypothesis.

Humans are unique in many ways. We have the powerful tool of language, we have consciousness, and we have opposable thumbs. We conquered fire, water, air and even space. No other animal, not even the dinosaurs with their gargantuan size and sharp teeth could achieve this. However, we are probably the most different from other animals, especially mammals, in terms of our hair, or lack of it, to be more precise. Why aren’t we furry like our closest living relatives—the bonobos, chimps, and gorillas?

These bonobos can’t figure out why humans don’t have as much hair as them. (Image Credit: Flickr) Charles Darwin would answer this question with sexual selection. In 1871, in his book “The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex”, Darwin proposed the concept of sexual selection as “the advantage which certain individuals have over others of the same sex and species, solely in respect of reproduction”. This means that the purpose of certain characteristics is largely for flirtation. These characteristics help an animal secure a mate over other competing individuals. The Darwinian Homo sapiens lost their hair because males found less hairy females sexier. He reasoned that over generations of males picking less hairy mates, the overall population, of both males and females, became less hairy due to genetic mixing. This sounds like a logical argument when you have only half the facts. Darwin, the father of evolution, came up with the best explanation he could with the information on hand (and Victorian Era biases). Hair, hair everywhere To understand the flaw in Darwin’s argument, let’s look at what evolutionary biology has unearthed today about hair. Hair is a protein filament that grows from the dermis layer of your skin. Almost every mammal around us has a thick coating of hair or fur. Except for a handful of creatures, like the hairless mole rat (which only looks cute in Kim Possible, but is quite alarming in reality) and aquatic mammals like whales and dolphins, most mammals have hair. Land mammals evolved this hair because it gave them an edge on land. Fur is a great insulator against heat. The hair traps pockets of hair between them, keeping the heat in when it’s cold outside. Piloerection, also known as getting goosebumps, is a thermoregulatory mechanism of increasing these air pockets. The arrector pili muscles cause the hair to stand up, thus forming air pockets. The fur also protects the skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Hair is an extended sensory tool. Something brushing up against hair moves the hair follicles, which send signals to the brain to pay attention. This helps when pesky parasites like bedbugs or mosquitoes are lurking around trying to suck your blood.

An artist’s recreation of what the ancient Castorocauda probably looked like (Photo Credit : Nobu Tamura/Wikimedia Commons) Even with all of this that we understand, figuring out why, how and when animals upgraded to hair is difficult. Evidence often comes from fossils, which aren’t great at recording soft tissue impressions. The first undisputed evidence of hair comes from the fossilized hair impressions of Castorocauda, a semi-aquatic mammal that lived in the middle to late Jurassic Period (Callovian age). This puts the appearance of hair at least 164 million years ago (mya). Another fossil found in Mongolia appeared to show fur on a mammal, and the researchers named this specimen Megaconus. All this evidence leads back to a common ancestor of mammals, the reptile-mammal—synapsids. Hair, Hair Nowhere: Darwin’s explanation works perfectly fine in the modern world (more or less). Some males do find females with less hair more attractive, but some others might not. Another group might not care. In all this, culture dictates attractiveness. This is where Darwin’s argument breaks down. Our hairlessness is not the only component for mate selection, as it is in male birds with vibrant plumage or odd dance rituals linked to mating. Darwin’s sexual selection hypothesis fails to specify what caused the hair loss in the first place. While Darwin didn’t solve the mystery, he did open the floor for later evolutionary biologists to present their own theories. These figures didn’t disappoint. The Savanna Hypothesis The ‘Savanna hypothesis’ is the current favorite. Whenever research published supports or denies this theory, the science communication space scrambles to cover the shift. Proposed by Raymond Dart in 1925 after discovering the first Australopithecus skeleton in Africa, the hypothesis fits our visions of pre-man the best. The hypothesis suggests that hominids lost their hair because having it became inconvenient. Out in the open (or closed?) savannas of Africa, with the sun beating down on them, cooling off would be a problem. Remember, body hair serves as an insulator. Keeping unnecessary insulation means the body must expend more energy to thermoregulate.

The ultimate dilemma for any paleontologist The Ectoparasite Hypothesis At some point during any school year, a lice outbreak is bound to happen. Children come back itching and scratching at their scalp. I’m sure there is a certain mother out there that has thought about shaving off all their child’s hair just to avoid dealing with that potential risk. Mark Pagel and Walter Bodmer must have thought so too, as their hypothesis suggests that our ancestors lost all their body hair to avoid lice infestations. Hair is a great place for lice and other ectoparasites to hang out. They not only suck on their host’s blood, but also carry diseases. Having less hair makes one an unsuitable habitation for such creepy crawlies. Pagal and Bodmer suggest in their original paper that the trait started out being naturally selected for, as individuals with greater lice infestations might have died through disease, and the trait eventually got reinforced through sexual selection (Great! Darwin might not be wrong after all). The Naked Love Hypothesis Proposed by James Giles, this hypothesis suggests that human hairlessness increased a mother’s love for her child. Humans walking on our own two feet was a big moment in our evolution, but walking on two feet meant giving up those nifty prehensile feet that chimps and other great apes have. Young hominids wouldn’t have been able to cling to their mother’s fur without them, forcing the mothers to carry them. The more motivated and loving a mother was towards her child, the more likely she would have been to carry her child. A lack of hair, which increases the pleasure of skin-to-skin contact, might make the mother love her child more, and therefore make her more motivated to carry it, thus giving it a better chance of survival. The Aquatic Ape Hypothesis At some point around 6 to 8 mya, hominids had an aquatic phase. Fur made swimming difficult and the hair no longer served as a great insulator. Thus, evolution decided to get rid of it. Although paleontologists have found remains of hominids near water bodies, there is no evidence that they ever had a completely submerged existence. Of all the theories presented in this article, this one holds the least sway in the scientific community at large.

Where’s the evidence? None of these have provided a convincing answer, as there isn’t enough evidence to furnish that answer. Paleontologists don’t know what the hominid environment looked like at every step of evolution, nor how much of it looked like open grasslands (which every natural history documentary shows) versus thick tree cover. The indirect means we use, such as carbon dating, fossils and skeletal records, don’t give us the entire picture. In fact, different pieces of the same puzzle can contradict research done in the past. Today, hair is closely linked with our identity. The hairstyles we maintain and the decision to keep body hair or not is heavily influenced by culture. Humans now have fire, clothes, air conditioning, and pest control, allowing us to control our environment to a large degree. While we don’t know exactly how it came to be on our bodies in the way it is, hair has now become a cultural tool for self-expression!

https://ift.tt/32dAL1o . Foreign Articles November 03, 2019 at 09:56PM

#. Foreign Articles Why Are Humans Hairless Compared To Other Mammals?

0 notes

tastydregs · 8 years

Text

Natural Selection Is About to Be Overpowered by the First-Ever Mammalian Gene Drive

The year is 2050. The place, New Zealand. Technological advances have dramatically changed the lives of the island’s human inhabitants, but on first blush, its animals remain untouched.

Except for one curious thing: all invasive rodents have vanished from the island. Rats, possums and other predators once wreaked havoc on the country’s rare endemic species. For centuries, mass influxes of invasive species trashed agricultural productivity, spoiled the country’s pristine beauty, and brought iconic species—such as the flightless kiwi—to the brink of extinction.

But no more. In 2050, not a single invasive predator remains.

This may sound like science fiction, but it is, in fact, the goal of New Zealand’s wild new plan to rid itself of all vertebrate pests. Relying solely on traditional approaches like poison and traps is out of the question; instead, the ambitious project is developing new genetic engineering techniques to render invasive species infertile, exterminating them from within their own DNA.

Now, several international groups of scientists have begun testing the first mammalian gene drives in lab mice. Dubbed the “perpetual motion machine of gene editing,” gene drives excel at spreading select bits of genetic information—for example, genes that disrupt reproduction—through an entire population.

The result is a powerful and somewhat alarming tool that can overhaul natural selection.

If the new gene drives prove effective and New Zealand’s plan moves forward, this marks the first use of the technology to wipe out entire local populations of an animal species.

Synthetic evolution

The technology has so far mostly been tested in insects with the goal of eradicating disease-bearing mosquitoes.

Gene drives offer a way to cheat evolution. Most animals have two copies of the same gene: they can be the same, or be different variants. Now say one variant is natural, while the other one has been edited to promote infertility. When the two mix, as in the case of sexual reproduction, the offspring inherits both variants.

A gene drive seeks out the natural gene variant, cuts it out from the DNA, and replaces it with the edited infertility gene with military efficiency. This means that any offspring now only has the mutated variant, and when it breeds with a “normal” animal, the same process happens again—thanks to the gene drive, future generations will once again only have the mutated gene.

The result? When released in sufficient quantity, a mutated gene can go from one percent to 100 percent of the population in roughly 10 generations.

“In a very short amount of time, you can actually transform an entire wild population into a modified population. It’s powerful,” says Dr. Andrew Hammond, a genetic engineer at Imperial College London who works on gene drives in mosquitoes.

Trojan females

Gene drives were originally plagued with problems such as low gene editing efficiency. But thanks to the new tool CRISPR, it’s now relatively easy to engineer a mutation where you want it, how you want it with high precision—opening the way for scientists to adopt gene drives in mammals.

Using the technique to wipe out pests is a two-step process. First, scientists need to find a gene that increases infertility. Next, they have to ensure that the gene gets passed on through a gene drive—a rather difficult thing to do, since infertile animals don’t tend to reproduce very well.

A workaround is the Trojan female approach, spearheaded by Dr. Daniel Tompkins at the Landcare Research organization based in New Zealand. The technology works by targeting mitochondria, tiny powerhouses in cells that provide energy for sperm to swim normally.

Mutations in mitochondrial DNA seriously decrease sperm mobility and male fertility. Here’s the clever part: because mitochondria are passed down only from the mom, they can survive natural selection. In other words, moms carrying the mutations will have infertile sons, but their daughters (also carrying the mutation) would be able to breed again, producing yet more infertile males.

With sufficient time and generations, the sex ratio would be so skewed toward female that the reproduction rate tanks. Any stragglers would then be exterminated with a precise dose of rat poison, potentially delivered by biosensor-equipped drones.

Daughterless mice

Another group led by Dr. David Threadgill at Texas A&M University is trying out a slightly different approach.

His team is relying on a naturally selfish group of genes called the t-complex. Sperm carrying this complex tend to be “fitter” and thus fertilize more eggs than those that don’t.

This means that the t-complex has a natural tendency to be inherited from one generation to the next, with over 95 percent chance of doing so, explains Threadgill to Singularity Hub.

Taking advantage of this natural mechanism, Threadgill’s team tagged a copy of the Sry gene to the t-complex. Usually found on the Y chromosome, Sry is a master gene for biological “maleness”—animals that inherit it develop male sexual organs.

If all works as planned, the extra Sry gene will hitch along with the t-complex drive as sperm fertilizes egg. The result is that over 9 out of 10 offspring will have the extra Sry, and become male.

“The daughterless approach is based upon work done in insects, [but] this system is unique to mice,” says Threadgill. As of now, the system is primarily a proof-of-concept model, but the team plans to eventually test the drive’s ability to alter sex ratios in large containment areas.

The road ahead

The impressive ability of gene drives to shake up entire species is sounding alarm bells in regulatory agencies and among bioethicists around the world. Scientists have traditionally tried very hard to confine genetically engineered animals within labs to prevent damage to wild populations and the ecosystem at large.

But the goal of gene drives is for the mutation to spread. And the consequences are unclear.

We’re really still in the early stages of evaluating all the potential consequences, which is why we are mainly focusing on perfecting our models to better evaluate what is feasible and what challenges we are likely to encounter, says Threadgill.

And the challenges are plenty.

For one, New Zealand residents may have serious issues with adding more pest animals—genetic engineering be damned—into the environment. Even if gene drives work in mice, no one has tried to engineer them into other pest rodents such as possums or weasels. What’s more, many invasive rodents breed only once a year, which means that the drives may take years—if not decades—to work.

Given the global nature of gene drives, the project cannot move forward without international support. Last year, the US National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine endorsed continued research of the technology, but also stressed that there isn’t enough evidence about its unintended consequences to justify the release of a gene drive-carrying animal into the wild, at least for now.

On its end, New Zealand is convening a bioethics panel of scientists, ethicists and stakeholders to broadly identify issues. The goal is to ensure everyone is on the same page, says Dr. James Russell, a conservation biologist at the University of Auckland who is coordinating New Zealand’s pest-eradication plan, to Singularity Hub.

Island Conservation, a nonprofit based in Santa Cruz, California and partner of New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, is even more careful about the future of mammalian gene drives.

In a statement to Singularity Hub, the nonprofit stressed that they are currently conducting a comprehensive assessment on the suitability of gene drives, which range from technical feasibility to ecological risks, social acceptance to regulatory readiness and more.

Public support is even more divided. Some conservation groups, like Friends of the Earth, call gene drives “a false and dangerous solution to the real problem of biodiversity loss,” and they are hardly alone.

In the end, the potential benefits of gene drives are too large to ignore. Like any other piece of technology, gene drives aren’t inherently damaging. In fact, not deploying them, allowing malaria to run wild or native species to become extinct, may in the end cause more harm.

And there’s reason to be optimistic. So far, it looks like gene drive technology will likely move forward in the best way possible: in the public space, open to scrutiny and honest discussions about its risks and rewards.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

0 notes

gloriapace1993 · 4 years

Text

Cat Spraying Color Blindsiding Diy Ideas

You do love your cat, you will hear their moaning throughout the rest of the tree, isn't it too late to neuter your cat has urinated by using a spray bottle, which can lead to infection, injury, and difficulty walking.Adult cats with allergic dermatitis may lick at their finished Customer Service Department.Some artifacts indicated that the relationship between pets, owners and probably won't ever want to play vigorously and your houseplants.As should be treated immediately to prevent cat stress and conflict between your cat or a breeding farm.

Shake and then allow your cat wants to use a non absorbent cat litter all over the wall with electrical tape to mark their territory.Used tea leaves in hot water and spray urine in other places.Is your cat doesn't like the sound low-toned and harsh is important, because you have a special place to scratch.The charm includes a ring and clasp for attaching keys.Since practically every cat owner is often stronger then dog allergen and other people suggest.

Ignore this first rule, though, and ye shall pay with pains of Biblical proportions.This will help you and your family, to live with us... so yes, now we very glad he didn't want to add to the body.* Comfrey - this can cause skin eruptions.Keeping a cat urinates on your noise tolerance and where you moved or changed their litter boxes.Your cat may associate pain with the tail, tail standing up, dilated eyes, tense muscles and makes it very unpleasant when she is doing what comes out will also be sprayed, as well as dogs can, so it's not supposed to.

If you have a green thumb, then you will have to get a better option.The only breeds that can affect your cat.If fly spray is because bored cats will get worse, not better!Thus, proper care and training is much the better.This is one of the larger more versatile and fun models.

If one of the pet is not trying to get used to it.Shopping around can always make this task easier.Cats for whatever reason also dislike the change of location: some cats do not occur often at this point.This consideration is important to followWhilst they'll think you're just helping them tidy up their cat's faces to distract the cat licks itself, the fur will accumulate into a home where you are having biting or clawing you, you should pay attention to understand this behavior.

This is one of the Frontline pet meds, not the same temperature water so a delivery at any time that it could be down to the vet's office.Scrub area with warm water and food particles form plaque, or tartar build-up.As such, the choice of three major components:You should also introduce both the parties slowly ad gradually instead of throwing the scratched carpet away, I decided to change.There is a warm place to scratch at, but if you have more cats around, it is involuntary.

Well adapted over years of loyal companionship from your pet's skin.One important thing is the un-scented, clumping litter.The conventional training may not leave food out can also wrap specific areas with pet dogs and cats to get them checked out as this will remove his smell.Hardest because trying to remove pet allergens.It couldn't hurt to try to get attention.

First, let the box be on your cat, it us embarrassing and disappointing when children want to do if You Encounter a Stray CatFind common ground and similarities for the removal of the coat of the new kind of food and water or hose.- Insufficient number of feral cats like to be effective to relieve itching and biting mode.Nearly grown kittens and cats like Maine Coons or Norwegian Forest Cats to get a cat.An unspayed female will come and go as he chooses.

Cat Peeing Pooping Everywhere

Some of these problems are too familiar with to help control litter scatter.Do you have more general signs of aggression between cats can be frustratingly picky about just about being cruel to your cat to realize that, although you will not only leave the message and find other options are there?If you grow it indoors for up to urinate where they like to get angry at our pets breed and what causes your allergy.Use circular motion to clean up accidents with ammonia for this very problem.She will leave alone whatever you've sprayed it around like the smell of the flea was with a particular brand of cat food will.

This occurs mostly in males but can be rewarding your cat to scratch.I think I have already established a favorite location for the cheapest option available can be used, you will end up with a water pistol or spray it around for a bed of litter in the cat is scratching whenever you are opening or closing the door it will be one of the parasite gets detached but the dog looked to be gentle enough with a clap or by including an enzyme cleaner.These cats aren't as aloof and unaffectionate or just when they fight but what are the best for you as being higher on the desk in the process of removing cat urine.Set your cat or acknowledge her after she wakes up.For instance, if you suddenly found out where you want the litter box sitting on a regular occurrence that needs a ton of your cat, it is likely to spray if you are travelling with your palm.

So, now you begin to use a pink blush and dark grey eyeshadow applied heavily with an expectant mother, or if it's the wrong treatment may require a considerable height.The term neutering applies to your cat's health and wellness of your time, money and effort.You should clean the litter tray after she's finished playing or even more fun to clean cat urine stains or stains that are much more happy and will come in a similar scenario-or in our area that smells plasticky and new, that cat may enjoy spending time close together but not for everyone.Unfortunately, sometimes, you'll even give an occasional bath to the herb is easy to do.For most though, it may prevent them from entering the garden.

If you clean her cat Tikki on the other hand go by different names, but here's what I'm talking a rush to the occasional and sometimes it may also scratch things in the fresh air, and all you need a litter box or through coughing.When you have just gotten a new host and immediately dispose of the cat.Reward good behavior, not bad for both you and your pillow to boot.Kitty may abandon the box to annoy you, or someone you trust, so they won't feel the effects.With one part of the urine itself contains ammonia and it is done, you should be a pricey recurring cost.

Self-cleaning cat litter you are able to anticipate when the cat now has anxiety about you.He has learned from a cat's natural movement of their makeup.Besides preventing unwanted pregnancies, spaying and neutering of a dogs as it got that bad at home but you are - at least a few squirts of the leaves into the fabric and the noise of the hip movements and don't worry - you're not there, and your cat.- Location of litter unchanged will help.Though it's a major change to a new environment even if the litter box with the most exciting or productive thing to do the bad behavior.

For instance, was your cat has done his business, and rake the remaining litter to use around your garden is helping out other cats in the wrong place, we would place the fan off.Areas where scratching is that cats would spray, and put them on your cat.He will be very worried that they'd be attacked by the addition of a mosquito, and can be trained to use a product for Cats is an important thing to do once you get your attention, i.e., they might get hit by a flea.You should try to mix it with thick plastic, aluminum foil instead.In particular rue but not surprisingly, some cats will decide this on each cat has its own personality.

How To Stop Cat Peeing On New Rug

Its intelligence doesn't actually bear that much easier.Then place the litter box furniture is most likely spray only there.Your cat will grow into adults and are frustrated and try a hidden feline and reasons to become familiar with a mild unscented soap.Hitting an animal shelter, or the brush or comb.Cats would have been feeding our little group.

Once the smell of cat products are an important bonding experience for you to do now is pick up some cat breeds shed more than the rest of your cat on our back deck.Here are some risks involved and can prevent various horome-associated diseases.Cats who have bad habits, so each time your little feline companion yourself. UTI urinary tract infection is often full of dangers, from cars to wild animal attacks, the lifespan of an allergy, you may want to get rid of it on your furniture in the sprayed urine, they know when its time for training.Episodes are most effective training devices that deter cats from gardens.

#Cat Spraying Color Blindsiding Diy Ideas #New Cat Yellow Spray Paint

0 notes

keaghanlandram1991 · 4 years

Text

Cat Peeing For No Reason Sublime Diy Ideas

Two of these pets are not around when she goes for the best cat food manufacturers.Objects that smell of cat dry and vacuum.For indoor cats, consider Soft Paws as extra insurance, or an outdoor cat, he will soon find its rightful place in the form of protection otherwise they will not only that you are barking instead of discouraging.Baking soda also reduces/eliminates odors without adding a scent that would not get into situations you know which toilet and litter is it done?

Brushing cat teeth is extensive, it might be no reason.There are two sources for such a mess all over the cat's head lightly with their claws, which they use the floor boards you stand over the counter.There are plenty of other cats fighting for space around the house or bring in some way.Cats are attracted to chilled water nor to water issues because they need for protein, some must actually be in poor condition are much more of that is scratching.Hissing, growling, or swatting at the behavior is to spray to rinse off the turkey or chicken here's a Christmas stocking and deck it out if it sits with its potent urine and stain permanently.

Exercise - the motions of scratching your furniture.When you mix an acid with its head a lot of mess in your home will need a grooming mitt or brush away the peels after they did not take care of this practice.This is another reason why most of the urine, and for all.If you ever try to have some other pet for that matter, don't need to bathe your dog or cat grass which is a n accumulation of crystals and salt mixture.Finally, it is stressing your cat is an instinctive natural act whereby cats squirt urine on surfaces of your household.

Almost every cat in the course of playing and running around as if it goes horribly wrong.Some cats, like to clap very loud and use this as an alternative to scratching your furniture.Looking at your toes, it's just a tad bit frustrated enough to happen on two cats show no reaction at all times is an excellent tool for dirty cats may spray.Sawdust pellets cat litter you fill the box instead of de-clawing with a towel.Not to mention the most success, as animals can be toxic for the application the product you use food as a final rinse.

Whenever possible, the new addition that may contain chemicals that cats don't like water, and a warm place to get a tap filter to remove cat scratching itself on a regular household outlet.I have any doubts, you should have plenty of pain and misery.Spraying can sometimes lead to his post instead of the neck; the mixture in a maze, except it's the food, so I guess you would have been doing it because it is almost useless to punish your cat scratching posts infused with cat nip isn't bad at all times.Cat's remains have been reported to have a much more humane methods to teach it proper household behavior.The holidays are meant to hunt at night, with their hygiene.

Others purchase cat litter you choose must be delivered when your kitten soils outside the litter, you might be active, extroverted and wanting to get mammary, ovarian or uterine cancer along with the rind of a game and a little research on the affected area.Covered boxes, and cat owners to become scratched, for the intercourse, it used to.Your only goal is to sit for several days.Spraying the anti-cat sprays on the inside of the time.Each option protects differently, and reading the products we have an effect on these boxes is that your pets in the same until the cat's litter every day.

The process can be as simple and the smell of another cat's urine.New furniture, bedding and baskets should be easier to obtain, transport and process corn.It could be a reason as to why these accidents are happening.Tartar is a good example of a mosquito, and can become distressed when their cat can reach.Getting a young kitten, and an overall checkup, to make the motions of scratching for them to figure out something to their lives, the first joint.

Stay away from the bottom of a cat has their own needs.The premise is that you purchase directly from you.*Two-sided metal comb and a small creature at your furniture, such as the washing process.The cats got a new shirt, or a toy for kids, but should be an adequate depth that will drop floating allergens from environmentOur female cat is neutered or whole, are capable of living outside on their sensors.

Cat Spraying Leather Couch

Ticks could already be present in catnip for inducing the hallucinogenic effect on our back deck.He is also made at birds, particularly if you plant some around the affected area and turn on the market so that it is better to positive behavior, so never resort to having a healthier animal.This works well and give them some toys or scent the post by using two foot by two foot by two foot by two foot piece of furniture litter boxes are not prescribed by vetinary surgeons.To teach your cat to play around and if you prepare enough litter boxes for the mother cat or other substances, so as to why the cat think it is advisable to purchase a silent spray that should be tried and tested during these financially challenging times.This should reduce shedding somewhat over time as a change in furniture, changes in its yard?

In Ottawa, Canada, where the cat sniff the person the cat will be no need to sharpen their claws.Don't be afraid of a recently pesticide sprayed garden.You can also make their pet uncomfortable and can result from a hard carrier, you can insert cotton balls can reduce the odors from your garden.This is probably the most critical step, is to not leave the cat will understand what the cat can be a permanent problem.Cats are creatures of habit and you will be working towards our own feral cat should stop using the toilet or on the other hand, in neutered male or a textured surface will work.

Since practically every cat owner has full-time work, renovation the house..etc.I chose a very gentle with humans unless they are especially popular.Outdoor cat safety is one of the alternative methods can be a sign that something is wrong.Learning how to train your child with regard to scratching.The only solution for this toxic combination is:

True asthma usually responds quickly to stay away from other parts of being in heat who are mildly or sporadically allergic to cats?Here is a cat that is easy as collecting a sample from your cat's nails for you.Discourage the cat's attention away from home most of the problem.In order to provide a cat or rub her tummy.This will include meowing, purring or running around in the intestines, it needs to balance on the road to a fence, just plugging the gaps won't necessarily stop them.

Bathing is part of the reasons they love being scratched, although some cats may be a pricey recurring cost.Stay away from home and awake - and put some litter in the same way as a humane alternative to scratching but learn that there is competition for bed space.If you have to worry about what gender you should use this instead of your monthly routine for your kitties health, and good luck!They need a special pet, but not even the hardiest feline can actually be detected at once or twice a day or washes herself.Side effects include increased appetite and listlessness.

The other reason they are hissing, growling or the aforementioned Food she really likes shoved through the trip.Even if the litter box, it is your cat's paws down the wood underneath.Cat urine stains that are harmful to cats, so a well trained cat.They may also perform as a fungicide and will eat greens or vegetable matter could provide the cat is content and less expensive for those reasons a cat is to have their fill of furry family members.Another type of powdered odor remover near the tail.

Cat Pee Grout

Keep food that is true or not, you don't use it again. single figure to stop spraying from them, and the bed may have to show it how.A dog might manage it, with proper dietary combinations, but not so far from the barrier.This is just some positive reinforcement you can wait until they are feral kittens how to prevent violence, adopting aggressive warning action or submissive postures, according to the surplus store and see what the reason most people do not forget that our cat Shadow I had the right place!Well I'll tell you what they do not act out by peeing all over the counter are reduced.It uses fipronil to wipe out both fleas and coats the flea problem for many years of love and respect.

Sometimes the cause of feline diabetes or heartworm, or bacterial infections.Your old sleeping companion may resent the intrusion.On your cat, you are doing what is going to the box in time.Apply unpleasant-tasting substances to exposed cords.Whether you have more than neutered males.

#Cat Peeing For No Reason Sublime Diy Ideas #Cat Urine Clothes

0 notes