#new world silkmoth

[onenicebugperday]

New world silkmoth, Epia muscosa, Bombycidae

Photo 1 by easleybirding, 2 by jmtobin6975, 3 by carlosemunoz, 4 by antoine_guiguet_, 5-6 by heimatlos, 7 by dieterschulten, and 8 by losttinamou

[yandere-daydreams]

If you DO go into moth hybrid stuff, a fun fact: domesticated silkmoths are unable to fly because they've been specifically bred to be easy to contain and care for to collect the silk they produce

Oh noooOoooo mr Moth/Butterfly Gojo/Geto, don't be mean and make fun of me and my stupid fat moth BBL and my teeny tiny wings that don't let me fly like both of you.... why do you keep making comments about how i can't run away, you're so mean :'(

Or if you're into little pathetic men and feel like dabbling with lil short creeps, female moths are usually larger than males. Some gross mf coming up to you, "oh wow you're so big and strong for a lady 🥺❤️ what are you gonna do to me tee hee" like nothing fool leave me alone

tw - non/con, manipulation, degradation, egg mention.

i will touch on the sexual dimorphism later maybe (trans moth!geto?), but right now my brain is just,,, butterfly!gojo and moth!geto stumbling onto a helpless silkmoth hybrid who's accidentally wandered away from their lepidopterarium and is out in the wild alone for the first time, unable to fly and already on the verge of tears. you're too naive and too sheltered to know how dangerous the world really is, but don't worry - they'll take you back to their shared den, give you plenty of nectar to drink, and if they're feeling nice, only bully you a little before taking turns pumping eggs into their cute new mate. gojo's as mean as he is pretty, making fun of your useless, stubby wings and empty head as he forces his stupidly big cock into you, while geto (as a fellow moth) is a touch nicer, letting you cling to his fur as he fucks you twice as roughly as gojo did. if you still have the energy to ask when you'll be able to go back to the terrarium when they're done, maybe they'll even be polite enough not laugh as they tell you that you won't be leaving them anytime soon <3

[bugkeeping]

Lebeau's Silk Moth, Rothschildia lebeau

A dream species of mine! I am so happy I got to see them in person. Rothschildia silkmoths are so neat and they can get HUGE! They are the New World counterpart to Attacus Atlas moths, which live in Asia.

[sqarletsworldlesswandering]

Also silly question but...

You got any little trivia on Willow? She seems pretty sweet from the few tidbits I got on her.

*Reaches into the Lore Sack and rifles through the loose trivia.*

*Dumps a pile of shiny trivia bits onto the table with a clatter.*

Let's see what we've got: Willow Edition

Willow was originally an assassin intended to take out The General. The order came from Lightning Nightmare (side reminder that she's an Ophan).

That was... somewhat against her wishes - she despised The General as much as the next Lightfolk, but she didn't really wanna mess with that can of worms, and in her opinion The General was a bit above her paygrade.

[Fun fact, The General got veeeery lucky that Lightning Nightmare was preoccupied with a couple bigger problems (i.e. a Daemonae and a Phoenix) at a Seraph's behest (which is not to be ignored). Otherwise she'd have gone after The General herself.]

Anyways, Willow wasn't actually underqualified, all things considered. Willowisps tend to err on the side of caution though.

In fact, she did well enough that they hit transcendece to begin with - she held her own and then some. At the time, even The General herself would admit that, albeit begrudgingly. She can acknowledge a good warrior when she sees one.

Willow herself is quite sweet, you're right about that.

She's pretty quiet most of the time, but once she knows you, she can get pretty animated and chattery.

Ask her about something she's interested in and she can talk for hours. She usually doesn't, and she's always watching whether you're listening, want to say something, are losing interest, etc., but if you enable her she can give entire speeches and presentations on something.

However, she does not take kindly to being rudely interrupted (genuine questions or polite interruptions are fine), and will stare you dead in the eyes and say "I'm not finished." Depending on the context exactly what she says changes, but it's usually some variation on playful or blunt. Not usually passive aggressive, though. She doesn't really do passive aggressive.

She's actually a bit of a debater, in the right situation. If she disagrees she will say so respectfully and carry on a polite but well defended argument.

On the whole she's in the department of "seems like a pushover, is NOT in fact a pushover." She's about as much of a pushover as a brick wall, but she's a very polite brick wall.

As for some of the aforementioned things she's interested in:

Crystals, gems, and all things Rocks™. Given the opportunity she'd be a geologist.

And an archaeologist too, really. She's absolutely fascinating by anything buried and preserved, especially architectural ruins. In New Eden, she gets a dream come true and goes into researching the Old World, and - eventually - the Lost World (i.e. the time of the Old One).

Depending on just how I wrangle the worldbuilding, there might even be periods before the Lost World that come into play.

Willow is also quite good at charm-work, something that Willowisps have a keen eye for but few actually develop. In particular she's sensitive enough to ambient and channeled magic to do some incredible stuff with it. (This also conveniently helps her with her archeology - those ruins are absolutely dripping with magic.)

She's got a pet Weaver as well, and eventually acquires some Lucerni Fuzzspinners (think Silkmoth but for a more velvety material).

Her pet Weaver spins silk for her to use, which she incorporates into charms and other items, many of which she sells at markets or from the shed next to her home (shared with Athena and Aziel).

One of her first charms she ever perfected was the dream catcher, which takes some skill in the threadwork department. She now makes some fairly elaborate ones, and can sometimes get feathers from Edda, who gets them from Angel. Willow still thinks she's not very good with the feathers, but she's learning.

She's also quite good at their equivalent to Rong Hua (a chinese velvet craft more or less.) Accessories made this way using Weaver silk and Fuzzspinner velvet can be readily imbued with protective charms, and are receptive to magic in general (case in point - animating magic, which allows it to move and shift on a cycle).

She would like to learn crystal imbuing and channeling, but as of yet hasn't tackled it. Finding a teacher is a little tricky these days....

Since Aziel already does carving and rock sculpting, she frequently commissions him for amulets, small totems, and statuettes so she can imbue them with different charms. (This, I should note, is different from the aforementioned crystal charming, which is significantly more powerful, but also very finicky and particular.)

Willow keeps trying to help The General find a hobby of some kind so she has something else to do with herself besides knitting/crocheting 30 bazillion plushies, and also to help keep her mind occupied. The PTSD dreams and flashbacks are… a very real thing, and early on get set off far too easily, partly because of Willow's presence. It frustrates Athena to no end because she likes Willow, but some part of her brain can't help but trigger panic mode when she sees her. Willow, thankfully, has the patience of a saint and a good memory, so she learns quickly how to minimize triggering. (Also, most of the current population has some flavor of PTSD - therapy is a good job to be in at the moment.)

Willow has a theory that she may be able to get Athena into weaving and textile work, and/or sewing (spoiler alert, she succeeds. The General did not expect to enjoy it as much as she does).

Willow is the one who suggests Aven take up submarine spelunking, and he discovers a passion for it.

Which is really cool for Willow, because now she has access to two people who can go underwater (The General also often goes underwater to explore - she's a very good swimmer and enjoys the water. If she thinks she's alone, she'll 100% swim and vibe with the wildlife. Aven has caught her drifting with a Squid before (forgot their official name and can't look it up rn.)

Willow is working on a modified scrying charm of sorts - something she can attach to Athena or Aven so she can watch when they go underwater. The trick is working out something that doesn't give her a wonky view. And also that doesn't have a time limit. And that doesn't require straight up stealing their eyesight while she's using it.

She has discovered that Aziel can actually sorta see what's up using their transcendent connection, but that doesn't help her very much. She can only sense what's going on generally, not see.

Aziel suggested that as a "master project" of sorts, she undertake to come up with a charm or spell that allows Light folk to go underwater. Ever modest, Willow denied being qualified to do so, and she's not... too fond of the idea of actually going near water.

However, the prospect not-so-secretly intrigued her, and she began work on it.

Then, in one of the digs she was part of, over in the Amber Desert? They found a motherload of a library cache.

That in itself had her beyond ecstatic - but within that was a set of documents containing the Old World research on that same project. Needless to say, that launched her own progress forward by miles.

After a long while, and at Spectral's recommendation, Willow eventually finds herself an Inkpot and Libellit pair to integrate into the research team as her more personal helpers, since she's the head of the team. (Spectral is also part of team, but her work is more general.) This pair is named Murex and Mural respectively. They are often referred to as "The MurMurs."

[crystal-verse]

A snippet of beckoned by sunlight and freedom (obscured by visions and mystery), the planned fic that'll span ARR as experienced by Mehka and K'pheli.

A'mehka'ahma was not familiar with ships or the salty sea. Both things were rare in Gelmorra -- as would be expected, considering Gelmorra was an underground city. There were rivers that ran through the tunnels and hollowed-out caves, and a few small pools that were large enough to swim in, but no proper lakes, and certainly no sea.

Standing on the deck of that great ship, as it sailed through the ocean waters, she couldn't say that she disliked it. A'mehka'ahma had shed her old identity upon rising aboveground, leaving those caves to follow that call from the gods (that wanderlust in her blood, that need to see what was out there) -- she wore her new name, Mehka Awandah, like a tightly-fitting shirt or bracelet, and hoped that she could keep Gelmorra hidden. As was always the hope -- as was always the danger. As far as she knew, Limsa Lominsa had little knowledge of Gelmorra, not nearly as much a risk as going to Gridania would have been (and Mehka did worry for her cousin, Sae'pheli'ehva), but one should always be safe rather than sorry.

Mehka (and that was her name now, here -- she had to think of herself as Mehka) was lucky that her clothes, while a bit odd, didn't draw more than a passing eye. Mehka Awandah was a Miqo'te from the middle of the Twelveswood, seeking glory and adventure by leaving her clan and traveling to Limsa Lominsa. She was experienced moderately in the lance, as her clan had used for hunting, and in daggers, which were used for smaller prey or skinning hunts. She had taken up the axe in hopes it would serve her in coming times. She had little coin, basic knowledge of Eorzea's geography and politics, and wanted to see what the world was like.

A'mehka'ahma would keep hidden any mention of Gelmorra -- of its silkmoths the size of an antelope, raised and bred for silk and meat; of its large caverns with stone reaching high above, buildings and small shrines and little walls made from stone mined from the cavern around them, quicklime and basalt and dolomite; of the aether-filled light-crystals, glowing enough for the people to see. Of the way her people crept aboveground, through the stone passageways and through the darkness, to see the stars on hallowed days and to see the sun on others, or those reckless enough to go aboveground just to feel the breeze. Of the way the plants all glow that soft blue-purple, bioluminescence grown into them. Of the way Gelmorra, its Duskwights who had lived amidst the underground dusk and quiet rivers and threat of Gridania's elementals, thrived in its secrecy, lived despite everything, taught their people the history and common knowledge of aboveground, the culture of the different city-states of Eorzea and of Gyr Albania and of Ilsabard, that should they go aboveground they would have covers made, an aboveground identity with enough knowledge that they would not be found out.

It is why A'mehka'ahma and Mehka Awandah are one and the same, really. The same person, just a different past worn -- names worn like a cloak or a pretty outfit, to keep one's past told to only those who were trusted. Knowing of Eorzea and Gyr Albania and Ilsabard.

(There are a great many Garleans living in Gelmorra, just as there are a great many Miqo'te and Elezen. Some of these Garleans are born Duskwights, proudly claiming that word that Gridania had painted on those who'd chosen to stay underground all those centuries ago. Some of these Garleans are imperial defectors, looking for somewhere safe, and taken down to Gelmorra by the Duskwights. Some of the Elezen, too, and the Miqo'te -- most of the aboveground Duskwights aren't aware of Gelmorra, so 'tis up to the belowground Duskwights to find them, to offer them that home again, where the Wildwoods will not blame them for simply being born to a legacy of loyalty.)

Regardless of all this -- her name is Mehka. Mehka Awandah. Adventurer seeking glory and adventure in Limsa Lominsa. She stands on the deck of that ship, as it leaves its harbor in Thanalan, and turns her face up to the sky -- lets the sea breeze surround her, blow her hair in one direction and then the other, lets the waves rock her from side to side.

"Not used to the sea breeze, eh?" Comments one of the other people on this ship -- a Roegadyn, with a blue tint to his skin and long lavender hair. The book strapped by his hip suggests she's a woman of magic. "Yer a Keeper of the Moon, I see."

"How could you tell?" Mehka asks, words entirely sincere. She knows that she does not particularly look like a Seeker of the Sun or a Keeper of the Moon -- by her height she is Gelmorran, as tall as any Elezen or Garlean (taller, even, than some of her female Elezen friends), Her pupils are rounded as opposed to the slit pupils of her mother, but she's got the shorter fangs more common to Seekers of the sun, rather than the longer fangs one would expect from a Keeper of the Moon. (And, as well -- she's not been smiling that wide from the sea breeze, has she?)

The Roegadyn woman just chortles, and slaps Mehka's back. "Ye've confirmed it jus' now, lass!"

Ah. Or that.

"I hope ye don' think I'm bein' rude." The woman continues. "I know plenty'a Keepers who'd tan my hide for callin' 'em a Seeker just based off their looks. But ye seemed a new adventurer, and I made a lucky guess about ye not bein' the type to take offense if I guessed wrong." She stretches one arm, then motions for Mehka to follow her. "It's gettin' late. We'd best be goin' below deck to rest."

The woman's got a good point -- it is getting quite dark, now that Mehka bothers to pay attention to the light of the sky. Nowhere near as dark as would be troublesome for her -- she is Gelmorran born and raised, after all, and all Gelmorran-born are used to low light levels -- but dark enough that one might want to think about sleeping. "My thanks," she tells the woman, and gives a small smile. "I'm Mehka Awandah. Might I have your name?"

The woman grins back at her. "Solkwyda Aerbremwyn, Limsa Lominsa born and raised!" She pulls the book from her hip, and after a brief second with a flare of aether a creature appears -- small, thin, and foxlike, colored blue save for the red crystal on its head, with a three-forked tail. "An' this 'ere's my Carbuncle!"

Carbuncle, now named, sneezes, and jumps on top of the also newly-named Solkwyda's shoulders.

Mehka smiles in what she hopes is a polite manner. "'Tis good to meet you, then." The conversation cuts off from there -- Mehka and Solkwyda parting ways as they descend belowdeck. Mehka stops by the galley for a quick bite of dinner, and then heads to the sleeping quarters aboard the ship. Her own room is small, but decently furnished -- a bed, a dresser bolted to the floor for one to store their things in -- and Mehka lays down with a sigh, glad to be off her feet even if the rocking of the ship is a bit unsettling now that she's on her back, surrounded by wood and steel.

She rolls over, and closes her eyes. Tomorrow she'll arrive at Limsa Lominsa -- and then her life as an adventurer will begin, and she can finally work towards the explanation for that strange calling she'd felt those few months ago.

[octahedral-chaos]

Last night, I had a dream that there was this new Wings of Fire book that is an encyclopedia/ nature guide thingy about all the dragon tribes AND animal species in the world it takes place in. There were also some extra lore about the scavengers/ humans and it mentions that some can use magic?????

Also there were more dragon species than the known 10 and the ones I saw had pretty cool designs. There was a brown, red, white and black one that seemed to be inspired by a silkmoth, and they look awesome.

I should mention that I didn't see any of the Canon dragon tribes, possibly because I didn't get to pages about them since the dream got cut short by another dream.

[areyouafraid]

ocean ask

i can't find the original poster for the life of me but i found this in my bookmarks somewhere and wanted to do it

pearl: if you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? i'm not sure! i'm in this weird headspace where i kinda want to travel but i don't know where to. i've never actually gone outside of new england at all. it can be really expensive and honestly depending on what you're doing it can be exhausting. like i couldn't imagine going to see like the eiffel tower and waiting in traffic forever and planning everything and then you get there and it's crowded and you're waiting forever... it just sounds not fun. but i do want to see the world i just don't know what that means to me yet

sails: describe your perfect partner. IDK. someone i can relate to

lighthouse: how much makeup do you wear? i never wear makeup. when i do i feel like i just look weird

shells: would you prefer to be a vampire or a werewolf? i was a vampire kid but i think being a vampire probably imposes more restrictions on your lifestyle. do you turn into a werewolf whenever the full moon is out or just whenever you look at it? i think i could handle being a werewolf and still like live normally

mermaid: most embarrassing moment? i will not answer this

turquoise: weirdest dream you’ve ever had? one time i was in an abandoned stable or pig farm and a little horned black goat told me in a high pitched voice that "it's so much fun playing with [me]". one time i read someone's fiction website and got transported to a demonic version of my street. one time i was a member of a cult that spoke entirely in french and latin and took part in a ritual sword-fight-to-the-death with the daughter of the leader. one time i was a child being escorted through a suburb by a man in a cloak and there were dead, mutilated dogs on the roofs and lawns and he was telling me not to look at the dogs. one time i picked up a teddy bear on the side of the road and was teleported to an endless garage inhabited by a demon. one time i worked in a deli with cell from dragon ball. one time i was trying to have sex with a robot but his arms were made of like pop tubes or slinkies and it was super weird

waves: favourite season and why? i used to hate the cold season but after how bad these last few summers have been i've made amends with it. i love winter now

breakers: would you ever consider getting married? i always thought the concept was weird. i mean i would if my partner wanted to but it just seemed like... it's just so much to go through and it doesn't really change what you are to each other. in my head, you don't love a "girlfriend" less than a "wife". they're the same thing. i guess there's like a financial benefit to getting married or something, but it's just. you know weddings are so out there and they're this whole... thing, and then if things ever don't work out or go south between the two of you, divorce is this whole process that can take fucking forever and i feel like the process of getting divorced can take a breakup that would otherwise be fairly amicable and just make them hate each other by the time it's through. i just dont really. get it

seafoam: describe your ideal summer vacation. probably to fucking antarctica or greenland if i'm going to be completely honest. summer is a terrible time to do big things

rain: if it were possible, what exotic animal would you keep as a pet? i wanted a giant african millipede at one point. i also wanted silkmoths and yellow mealworm beetles. if i had to go for something really ostentatious i'd say me and an octopus probably have a lot in common

sunlight: least favourite song? i don't know i don't really listen to music i don't like

marine: would you ever consider plastic surgery? i have considered it before. body troubles can make you consider a lot of things you wouldn't usually. but normally i would say no. still sometimes you have days where you think... i need lipo, i need my boobs cut off, i need leg extensions, i need this i need that etc

sea glass: what do you consider to be your best physical feature? maybe my eyes or my nose. idk

storm: do you like piercings and tattoos? Why or why not? i liek both

boardwalk: who is your favourite fictional couple? i dont kneeeowwwwww. idk... shin and noi, c-3po and r2-d2... honestly those are the first two that came up when i thought "fictional pairings that i like". im not really into shipping

coral: if you had to describe your personality as a food, what would you be and why? i wrote the answer for tidal b4 this one. ummm... probably something like salt or chili for the same reason. they can be good notes when they're subdued, but when they're prominent they can be overwhelming

nymph: old-fashioned or modern decor? i can't decide. they kinda feed into each other

seawater: scariest movie you’ve ever watched? not sure

siren: in a fantasy setting, would you be a warrior, rogue or mage? i obviously can't be a warrior... so either rogue or mage. being a mage would be cool i think

tempest: your favourite Pokemon? ummm... sawk gliscor flygon gyarados mightyena breloom emboar electivire hypno mr mime mewtwo granbull and others

tropic: what is your least favourite thing about your appearance? never ask me this

aquamarine: describe your dream date. i don't know! i don't think about this a lot. what defines a date? what gives it value? i'd say that any time you spend with someone you love has intrinsic value, it doesn't have to be an occasion

brine: gold or silver? hmm... im inclined to say gold but i can't imagine a gold wallet chain so that's a bit of a deal breaker

tidal: what is a colour that best describes your personality? my personality? ummmm i've been told that i have a "mature" or "organized" air, and i do try to remain calm and rational when faced with a challenge, but i know personally that i tend to be very obsessive and i panic when things don't go according to plan. my own desire to live in the moment and not care is undermined by that 1. i tend to fixate on the potential risks and outcomes of something INSTEAD of whether it would make me happy and 2. i do care about what people think of me / how people perceive me / how something will impact the future. maybe green or red. deep or faded tones can give a sophisticated and professional impression, but bright tones can be bold and produce a wild and jarring image

azure: what is something that you do that makes you happy? i liek video games and listening to music

fog: describe where you think you’ll be in five years. hopefully alive and well

coastline: what is your favourite flower? hydrangea perhaps. or the utilitarian dandelion. or lilacs!

shallows: what is your typical Starbucks order? IDK

voyage: what are your favourite names? like for people? or for animals? nicknames or given names? i don't know man

shipwreck: do you have an OC? If so, describe them. i have many. but eek im embarrassed

cerulean: do you believe in true love? idk. define it

shoreline: if you could become fluent in another language, which would you pick and why? i did french in middle and high school and fell out with it. in 2022 i learned some russian but also just stopped making time for it. since i already know the cyrillic alphabet i've considered ukrainian. my grandparents were ukrainian so i feel kinda like i have a ... responsibility? i don't know. i also feel like i should at least try to reach fluency in french because ... i spent that money on the dictionary and i spent the time in the classes and i should at least finish the job

tsunami: describe a dream outfit of yours. ONE THAT LOOKS GOOD ON ME

riptide: are you introverted or extroverted? Are you happy with this? i suppose i would be an "introvert" bc gatherings and stuff tend to make me feel drained after a while. it's certainly... a source of inconvenience, but i don't necessarily think it doesn't work for me because i generally don't maintain large circles

hurricane: describe a strange habit of yours. i make a lot of html files. just like... simple lists and bookmarks and stuff like that. like for example i don't have an account on etsy or anything like that so my "wishlist" is just an html file with links to things from online stores i'm interested in. it makes sense to me but saying it aloud it definitely sounds weird lol. i'm a little worried that i might die and someone will get access to my computer and think "wow. what the fuck was wrong with her"

[losyanya]

i got tagged by @mochacoffee to share 10 niche interests of mine - thank you!

 A hard ask, since Good Omens seemed to wipe my brain of all unrelated thoughts 😆 And even apart from that, my interests mostly revolve around animals, which is a vast topic and hardly a niche thing. But i teased out several specific topics to start out the list..  

1. Urban wildlife. I came to USA from Russia, where one was hard-pressed to find a squirrel around the town. Birds, feral dogs and cats - sure, but all other animals were either at the zoo, at a farm, or deep in the forest. Upon arrival in DC, I remember being glued to the car window on the 3 hour drive to the new home because i saw DEER in suburbia. So, yeah.. the regional differences, the adaptations to co-habitation with humans, the dependence on normal human activity (recently highlighted by COVID) - all that is fascinating.

2. Animal shelter management. Some animal shelters get a bad rep, and some of it is deserved. Others are wonderful places both for pets that come through and for pet adoptive families. What makes a pet shelter “successful”. Why have I had people argue with much conviction that a no-kill shelter is unsustainable, when I had the experience of working at one for years and can vouch for the no-kill policy. It’s a very practical and serious topic, but one very close to my heart.

3. History of domestication. When did dogs first team up with humans, how did little lions manipulate us into feeding and worshiping them, how did we come up with domesticating silkmoths and why did nobody come to ride zebras. I don’t think I need to sell this topic any further. 

4. Modern cultural differences in pet ownership. This is, again, inspired by my foreign heritage.. people in different parts of the world have such strikingly different ideas of what is normal and appropriate as far as pets go - it’s mind-blowing. 

5. Mythological/fantastical anatomy. This is easier to illustrate than explain. Example: how are Sleipnir’s legs positioned/attached? It is like this, in “four rows”?  (Source)

or “two rows”? (Source)

(And yes, I had this interest before I tried to figure out with the fact that GO-typical wing arrangement requires double the humeri/radii/ulnae, and what do these attach to exactly?)

6 & 7. Psychology (and experience) of addiction and eating disorders. One of these has deeply personal relevance; the origin of fascination with the other is less apparent, but the two topics have certain similarities/overlap. This is not something I generally discuss, but it’s fair to say that I’ve consumed a large number of available free documentaries, autobiographies and a fair amount of research studies.

8. r/fifthworldproblems. It’s a very confusing subreddit at first glance, summarized in an ELI5 post as “problems people experience in a hypothetical fifth world that takes place beyond our universe” and “surreal problems in a nightmare HP Lovecraft universe”. I read it regularly and delight in it as a particularly rich creative writing place, which thrives on taking language, norms, logic and turning them on their head. 

9. Anton Chekhov. My favorite classical Russian author since childhood, who captivated me with his mastery of short story. I do believe I have, over time, read the vast majority of his short stories (over 500?) - all that I’ve been able to get my hands on, really. The frequent focus on regular people and everyday problems was uncommon for his time; apart from the brilliant writing itself, it has given me a much better window into that historical period in Russia, than textbooks, and I’ve only extended my love of short story and slice of life since. 

10. History of medicine. This is also a vast topic, some of which is rather boring, so maybe... interesting trivia in history of medicine? innovative strategic thinking of early epidemiology... quackery medical devices... what they used to put in children’s medicine in the 19th century...

This was also long, but I learn from the best (as in, the predecessor of this post in tag tree) 😉

I never know who to tag, but I’ll try @krakensdottir, @deservingporcupine, @sirblackboardmonitor, @whispsofwind, @thyra279​ and obviously - no pressure! And, of course, anyone can participate on their own accord, and I’d love to be tagged if you do - this is a great question, something that is lovely to know about people! 

[fireember345]

Project Devilman Prompt

I once tried to create a fanfic of this, but my previous computer fried, and I lost the story

This is a Devilman Crybaby prompt

Do not own Devilman Crybaby

Anyone can use it

 Akira x Ryou

Miki x Miki

Koda x Junichi

After Akira’s death, Ryou finally realized from his despair the way to create his world and keep his lover, not to kill all the humans at once, but weed them out slowly and precisely

The world is reborn but in a new way as Psycho Jenny set out her master’s new plan

Junichi survived but was impregnated by Koda in his devil form

To hide it, Koda claimed that they were attacked by an assailant at the party, wounds bad enough to cause Junichi to be unable to compete

Akira weeps because Koda is upset of his friend being hurt

When Akira became a devilman and killed all the demons, Satan through his identity Ryou offers Amon his prize for sacrificing his freedom, himself

Ryo becomes pregnant with their children until they find out later

Ryo believes that the same thing happened to Junichi as he studies Devilmen behavior around their mates

Devilmen are territorial and protective, shielding their mates in their sleep, acting aggressive to anyone they do not sign off on, bringing food and the bodies of their enemies to their lovers, etc...

Akira’s parents are turned into Devilmen when the other passengers became demons and attacked them, Kaori Fudo became a Butterfly Devilman while Reijiro Fudo became the Turtle Devilman, Jinmen after the demon failed to possess him

Reijiro and Kaori killed the demons as Reijiro took their heads for his shell

They heard of a plot to kill their son and set off to save him

They witness Akira in his Devilman form being over run as one of the demons were about to deliver the killing blow

Reijiro took the demon’s head while his wife used the pollen of her wings to paralyze the demons and drained their fluid

Ryou, realizing who they were, advised they help bring their injured son back to his home as he explained everything that is happening

The Fudo’s decided to work in the project as the medical professionals as Akira wondered if there are others like them

Ryou kidnaps Junichi, causing Koda to try to attack him but caused a brawl between him and Akira

Ryou explained that Junichi needed his baby examined by professionals that know, and displaying sympathy that he could since he was pregnant too

Juinichi becomes good friends with Akira but the relationship between Akira and Koda got off on a bumpy start

Taro becomes a Silkworm Devilman early and was made the youngest member to work with Ryou as the Fudos help him

Taro later metamorphized into a Silkmoth Devilman with greater powers and control and the desire for only fluid like blood and sugar, no more meat

Miko later joined as she wanted to protect Miki

Ryou realized that a demon plans to attack the humans at the Olympics to instill fear and bring more demons into the world but told no one

Ryou plans to show hope that the Devilman bring by defending the humans and killing the demons

During the Olympics, Juinichi goes into labor as the Fudos acted quickly and flew him to safety to deliver, which he has a Devilman baby girl with her father’s horn

After the attack, Ryou introduces the Devilman as saviors as human as he showed recordings of the Devilman as humans with demon bodies, the ultimate exterminators of demons and hope for humanity

Able to tell the difference by blood, yellow for demon, red for human, orange for Devilman

Earning the approval of the leaders of the world, Devilman were ordered for duty to Ryou and his task force as they would defend against the demons and earn great benefits

Ryou later has two daughters, a normal human daughter Lan and a Devilman daughter, Jun, years later have a Devilman son Hikaru

Children Devilman were sent to DAYCARE, Devilman Adolescent Yearning Care And Reeducation Entirely, a place to teach Devilmen children how to control their abilities and forms, Taro being the leader of the bunch due to experience and strength

[rjzimmerman]

Review of the book, "Butterflies,” from Sierra Club. Excerpt, and some photos from the book:

Zoologist Ronald Orenstein and photographer Thomas Marent’s new book, Butterflies, explores the lives of these ephemeral insects while showcasing their beauty. The book details the life stages of moths and butterflies from caterpillar to mating adult, with sections to highlight species in each major family. While admiring the diversity of forms and colors in the photographs, you can learn about the remarkable adaptations of camouflage and mimicry, feeding, migration, and social structure that have allowed lepidopterans to thrive since the Jurassic.

Even after centuries of study, these insects continue to intrigue humans, whether it be biologists who research their critical role in ecosystems, or Air Force engineers hoping to model their flight patterns. Butterflies gives us an in-depth overview of why we should give the bugs a closer look, and why conserving them in the face of threats like pesticides and climate change is essential.

Spanish Moon Moths are a protected species of silkmoth found in the mountainous pine forests of Spain, France, and Switzerland. Their distinctive elongated wing ends, called tails, aid survival by throwing off the echolocation signals of the brown bats that hunt them.

These tiger moths, found in Tanzania, roost on foliage in large gatherings. When a threat is perceived, they fly away en masse to confuse a potential predator.

Butterflies and moths alighting on flowers in search of nectar is a common sight, but many species feed on fruit instead. Hewitson's Pink Forester uses its proboscis—essentially a straw-like tongue—to slurp juices from a fallen fig in the Republic of the Congo. Butterflies such as Foresters have a keen sense of smell, while their nectar-drinking cousins rely more on sight.

[dfroza]

A touch of childlike wonder

@Interior

It's National Moth Week!

This week is a great time to appreciate the beauty of some of the world's most diverse organisms, like this Glover's silkmoth found in the Western United States.

Photo by Daniel Leifheit

7.24.22 • 12:00pm • Twitter

the Atlas moth has no mouth to speak, just as these thoughts that communicate in silence with yours

have you seen?

that i am trying to think with you by writing out a map from the instrumental womb… all in the hope of a reply by being read, to reach out and connect willingly as a friend.

(A starting line)

hoping that you would be free to speak of this as well from your body where you are, just as i do from mine where i am (even though you cannot yet hear)

but to see your face One day is the direction of these words

this is my “hello”

i hope One of these pages will reach through

and truly, have you come to find that this life is so temporal, the physical body, yet a spiritual body is promised to those who “believe…” in Light (in the True illumination of the Son)?

[metamorphosis]

every day asking the same question mark (?)

how many days will you wait to open up?

•

This type of moth does not have a mouth which means it cannot eat. It lives off energy stored as a caterpillar which is why the Atlas Moth only has a life span of 5 to 7 days. When it is a young caterpillar however it eats a lot of privet leaves, citrus trees, cinnamon trees, and mango trees.

each day is a ticking time bomb, quietly exploding into the next…

all will pass away in time to reveal the new heavens and a new earth

“Home”

And for now we have these changing seasons made by earth’s Creator that point to rebirth.

[US National Weather Service Detroit / Pontiac Michigan]

This is a friendly reminder that we're now past our climatological warmest part of the year and normal temperatures have begun their downward trend. It's all downhill from here and soon the snowflakes will be flying again. 🙂

7.25.22 • Facebook

Climate may shift and change the environment just as many things in life change over time, and a change of heart & mind is what Love seeks most of all

(A renewing)

people fear many things in this world but there is no fear in Love

and so the main thing that pollutes the world is sinful behavior and grace seeks to cleanse it

[mscoyditch]

In ‘Extinct and Endangered,’ Photographer Levon Biss Magnifies the Potential Loss of Insects Around the Globe

June 28, 2022

ThisIsColossal.com

Grace Ebert

All images © Levon Biss, courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, shared with permission

Madeira Brimstone

Despite existing on separate continents thousands of miles apart, the Madeira brimstone and giant Patagonian bumblebee are experiencing similar hardships. The former, which inhabits the islands it inherits its name from, is dealing with an invasive species decimating the trees its caterpillars require pre-metamorphosis, while the latter has been struggling to survive in its native Chile after farmers introduced domesticated European bees to aid in crop pollination. Both species are in danger and are part of an ongoing exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History conveying what’s at stake if their species are lost entirely.

Extinct and Endangered is comprised of massive, macro shots by Levon Biss, a British photographer who’s amassed a stunningly diverse collection of images with a variety of natural subject matter from dried seeds to iridescent insects. Biss often collaborates with institutions like the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and the Oxford Museum of Natural History, gaining access to their archives and selecting specimens. He then takes about 10,000 individual images using various lenses that are then stitched together to create extraordinarily detailed shots of beetles, moths, and butterflies.

Raspa Silkmoth

From the American Museum of Natural History’s collection of more than 20 million, Biss chose just 40 creatures, some of which have already vanished. “To know an insect will never exist on this planet again, primarily because of human influence, is upsetting and emotional. And it’s humbling,” he told The New York Times. “As an artist, it’s the thing that drives me on to make that picture as good as it can be.”

Spanning up to eight feet, the photos are immense in scale and focused on each specimen’s striking forms, whether the undulating wings of the 17-year cicada or the intimidating tusk-like appendages of the lesser wasp moth. Biss hopes that Extinct and Endangered, which is on view through September 4, will raise awareness about the rapid decline in insect populations around the world. “I want people to be in awe of their beauty but to also be damn sad about why they’re being put in front of them,” he says.

Prints of the collection are available on Biss’s site, and you can explore an extensive archive of his works on Instagram.

Nine Spotted Lady Beetle

Giant Patagonia Bumblebee

Sabretooth Longhorn Beetle

17 year Cicada

Blue Calamintha Bee

Lesser Wasp Moth

[theredmoth]

I need a new logo... A few inked sketches of different types of moths. The top was based off a Cecropia moth The bottom right is a Cinnabar moth And the bottom left is a Attacus Atlas moth, the world's largest moth. #art #ink #logo #comics #moths #moths #attacusatlas #atlasmoth #cinnabarmoth #cecropia #cecropiamoth #silkmoth #hawkmoth #bug #insect #butterfly #wings #theredmoth #redmothcomics #design #color #red

[weeswageningen]

Wednesday, October 25th at 4pm in Impulse (building 115)

From sex chromosomes to sex determination in Lepidoptera

Prof. RNDr. František Marec

Head of the Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics & Director of the Institute of Entomology,

Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences

Moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera) have sex chromosome systems with female heterogamety (WZ/ZZ or derived variants). However, the actual mechanism of sex determination is largely unknown. Only recently the primary sex-determining factor was discovered in the silkworm (Bombyx mori). In this model species, the W chromosome encodes the Fem piRNA, which promotes femaleness by downregulation of the expression of a Z-linked gene, Masculinizer (Masc), promoting male development in the absence of the W chromosome. However, little is known about the role of W chromosome in other Lepidoptera.

The W chromosome is a novelty in Lepidoptera, as it is absent in the sister order Trichoptera (caddisflies) and in primitive moths such as Micropterigidae. Based on the W chromosome occurrence in lower Lepidoptera and deep conservation of the Z chromosome, we have revised the hypothesis of the origin of the W chromosome. Furthermore, our recent findings in wild silkmoths (Samia cynthia) questioned the conserved role of the W chromosome in determining female sex. Hybrids of wild silkmoths from crosses between geographical subspecies with different sex chromosome constitutions produced offspring, in which the W chromosome was inherited by both genders without any effects on their fitness. Little is also known about sequence composition of lepidopteran W chromosomes because they have mostly been excluded from whole genome sequencing projects due to the high amount of repetitive sequences.

We have developed a straightforward strategy to facilitate sequence analysis of W chromosomes. In the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), we prepared DNA samples of the W chromosome by laser microdissection for next-generation sequencing. The obtained W-sequence reads were used for read mapping on a PacBio female genome assembly to identify large W-contigs. The W-read-mapping produced a high quality PacBio W-chromosome assembly of 9.6 Mb, mainly composed of repetitive DNA sequences, but also of genes of viral and eukaryotic origin, most notably tandemly arranged truncated Masc copies. Interestingly, we have recently identified several genes of the silkworm sex-determining pathway in the Mediterranean flour moth (Ephestia kuehniella) and also found multiple truncated Masc copies located on the W chromosome. In addition, a short sequence with high homology to Masc was identified in a high copy number on the flour moth W chromosome indicating a potential EkFem piRNA. The function of the Masc copies and the potential EkFem piRNA is currently being tested experimentally.

 Workshop

Strategies for tracking the origin of W chromosome in Lepidoptera

The workshop for those interested is organized from 13:30 to 15:00 in room C0211, Orion building. The workshop gives attendees the possibility to meet the speaker of the seminar and have a discussion based on a recent publication. The workshops are a good possibility to get acquainted with hot topics in science and to learn to discuss these topics with leading scientists in the field. Registration for the master class is required and there is a maximum of 15 attendants. MSc/HBO students can get credit for the workshops (1 ECTS per two attended workshops). If you are interested in joining the workshop, contact kim.ferguson@wur.nl.

 Background paper for workshop:

Dalikova et al. (2017) New insights into the evolution of the W chromosome in Lepidoptera. Journal of Heredity. Published in advance: 18 July 2017. DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esx063

>> Once you sign up, you will be contacted with some additional material

  WEES background

WEES is an initiative of PhD students and postdocs at Wageningen University to organize a continuing series of stimulating seminars on contemporary topics in evolution and ecology. We aim to bring together different groups at Wageningen University using a variety of systems, but with a common interest in evolutionary and ecological questions. For this series we invite researchers from all over the world who have leading roles in their field. After the talk there will be drinks for an informal discussion. WEES is funded by graduate schools PE&RC, WIMEK, EPS, VLAG, and WIAS.

For more information please visit: www.weeswageningen.nl, Like us on Facebook, or join the Facebook Group for more participation

[robotslenderman]

#I'm also gonna test out a hypothesis when they emerge#to see if I've figured out how to prevent diapause#I might've found out by accident over Christmas???#which is weird#because the silk industry finds diapause a HUGE PAIN#and it'd be goddamn hilarious if one disabled uni student found out how to skip it lmfao#the silkie lady down in Victoria is testing it out for me too#so I'll hear back in a month or so whether or not it worked!

See, a thing happened in December where I had a second generation in a row hatch prematurely. 

Under a cut because super long. Also contains the deaths of thousands of tiny caterpillars. :( 

So last year some of Spot’s nieces and nephews hatched super early instead of going into diapause. That was the huge batch I had last year that partially got eaten by mice (:<), but it totally baffled the silkie lady when I told her about it. Only a hundred and fifty or so hatched (out of well over a thousand eggs in the second generation), but it was still totally WTF.

See, when silkies lay their eggs, the eggs go into diapause -- that means they hibernate. You “winter” them by putting them in the fridge. American silkies need a few weeks, but Australian silkies need about 3 months, so I’ve heard. Then you bring them out.

After that amount of time in cold temperatures, this tricks the eggs into thinking it’s spring and they hatch. Otherwise, they could be dormant for up to a year, sometimes longer. They need to think winter’s passed.

There are different strains of silkworms -- univoltine (one generation per year), bivoltine (two), multivoltine (three or more). Univoltines enter diapause once per generation. Bivoltines will have one generation skip diapause, so that only every other generation goes into hibernation. American silkies tend to be bi- or multi-voltine (which may be why they need less time in the fridge), but Australian silkworms are univoltine.

The silk industry finds this a massive pain. They need silk. So what they do is they treat the eggs with acid to get them to skip diapause, so that the cycle can go on and they can keep making money.

But then something weird happened to me over Christmas.

Firstly, I got super low spoons over Christmas, so I really struggled to keep up with my silkies. They emerged from their cocoons about a fortnight to a week before Christmas, and I managed to harvest the first wave of eggs, then put in a fresh sheet of baking paper.

I didn’t have the spoons to harvest any eggs that came after that. Since adult moths don’t eat -- they fuck themselves to death and/or die of old age in a week or so -- I put the lid on the box resolving to clean up the tiny little bodies and harvest the eggs when I got better.

About a week after New Year’s, I opened the box again.

There were thousands of tiny caterpillar bodies. At some point over Christmas, the second generation in a row to skip diapause hatched and died, because I hadn’t thought that I’d wind up with yet another generation skipping diapause and so never checked on them.

But it gets weirder:

It was only the eggs left with the parents that skipped diapause. The eggs that had been laid first had been taken away, but never fridged (they’re still sitting on my dining table) had not hatched. It was the newer eggs that hatched, the ones with the adult moths.

And I remembered -- when I kept Spot separate from the others as a moth, I’d had her sitting on her siblings’ eggs at one point. Some of those eggs I’d harvested immediately after laying, when they were still white-yellow, instead of after they darkened.

So I have a tentative hypothesis that silkworms will skip diapause and hatch if there are living adults still with the eggs by the time they hatch.

I theorise this because:

Third generation in a row hatched in a country that has only univoltine eggs what the fuck???

When moths emerge, the moths that mate the most die the soonest. So a high population of moths means there’d be less food for the young (since this generation would’ve eaten them all) means that the moths would die before the young finish developing in the eggs.

But moths that aren’t constantly mating will live a really, really long time. Females are supposed to live three days to a week -- I let Spot mate once, then kept her on my desk where she lived for three weeks before she died.

Therefore (despite silkworms being domesticated for thousands of years), in the wild, if the population of silkmoths was low enough -- that’d mean there’d be more food left for the young (since less moths = less worms in the last generation eating all the mulberry leaves). So the young would sense their mother is still alive (maybe the eggs pick up on the pheromones the female moth makes to attract a mate), and then hatch in a few weeks. Spot took three weeks to die -- that’s how long it takes silkworm eggs to hatch if they skip diapause.

I thought that if it were possible to skip diapause without involving acid or anything, the multi-million dollar silk industry would have found it by now. Except... they might not have. Why would they put aside a female moth and give her the opportunity to live long enough to see the next generation hatch? They wouldn’t have -- they mate the moths then burn them when they’re done.

The only other major area where silkworms are raised are in the shoeboxes of schoolkids, where there’d be enough moths that they’d all die before the next generation could hatch.

So how often, really, would anyone have had an opportunity to find this out by accident if it turns out my hypothesis is correct?

Like, maybe the occasional silkworm rearer would’ve stumbled upon this by accident, but not anyone in one of the two major areas of silkworm raising. And I’m sure somebody would’ve stumbled upon this before -- but not someone in the industry or someone who supplies eggs to schoolkids, where the moths would either die or be separated from the eggs before they could hatch.

I could be totally wrong. Like I said, silkworm industry -- multi million dollars and thousands of years old. I just can’t believe that if this is true, I would be the one to find it out when it’s got so much history already.

(Or heck, maybe the Chinese already know but haven’t told anyone outside of the country -- the only reason the western world knows silkworms exist is because someone smuggled out silkworm eggs and mulberry shoots a few centuries ago. Up until then, the Western world had no idea where the Chinese got their silk from, or anything about silkworm rearing -- because [correct me if I’m wrong] sharing that information was considered treason. Since the Chinese control like 90% of the silkworm industry, I wouldn’t be surprised if they simply kept their mouths shut even after the secret got out and it’s only the Western silk industry that’s going to all this trouble to get around diapause.)

But like. I could be totally wrong. But it’s just too weird that I’d have two generations skip diapause in a row when my supplier, who’s reared silkworms for years and years, has never heard of it happening in our country before.

And it’s doubly weird that none of the eggs I took away from their parents hatched, but a good portion (a third to half) of the eggs that were left behind hatched. It’s totally plausible that the first bunch of eggs that hatched still had adults alive, but by the time the unhatched eggs matured, the adult moths had all died and so they went into diapause instead.

My supplier’s got some moths right now, so she told me she’d test it out and keep a moth aside with the eggs to see what happens. 

Since Spot’s children are hatching now, I’ll do the same when they mature. I’ll put aside a few female moths, leave them unmated, and put in some eggs with them as soon as the eggs are laid (when they’re still white/yellow). I’ll also put aside some male moths with some eggs and see what happens there -- female moths are fatter, so I think that female moths that don’t mate will live longer than unmated males. If egg hatching is triggered by the presence of adults, I think it’d be more likely to be the eggs left with females. 

And we’ll see what happens!

But damn, if it’s not the presence of adult moths I don’t have a clue what the fuck it is.