#urban arthropods

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Open Your Home to the Common House Centipede

A common sight in homes throughout Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Australia the common house centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) is a medium-sized species of centipede originally from the Mediterranean. In the wild, they prefer grasslands and deciduous forests where they can hide under rocks, logs, or leaf litter. These insects have also adapted well to urban development, and are frequently found in basements, bathrooms, and garages,  as well as gardens and compost piles.

Like other centipedes, the common house centipede has less than 100 legs; in fact, they only have 15 pairs, with the front pair used only for holding prey or fending off threats. All those legs let the common house centipede move up to 0.4 meters per second (1.3 ft/s) over a variety of surfaces, including walls and ceilings. The actual body of S. coleoptrata is only 25 to 35 mm (1.0 to 1.4 in) long, but the antennae are often as long as the body which can give this insect a much larger appearance. However, they can be hard to spot, especially in their natural environments; their tan and dark brown coloration allows them to blend in seamlessly to surrounding vegetation.

Though they pose little threat to humans, house centipedes are predatory. Their primary food source is other arthropods, including cockroaches, silverfish, bed bugs, ticks, ants, and insect larvae. S. coleoptrata is a nocturnal hunter, and uses its long antennae to track scents and tactile information. Their compound eyes, unusual for centipede species, can distinguish daylight and ultraviolet light but is generally used as a secondary sensory organ. When they do find prey, house centipedes inject a venom which can be lethal in smaller organisms, but is largely harmless to larger animals. This makes them important pest controllers. In the wild, house centipedes are the common prey of rodents, amphibians, birds, and other insects.

The mating season for S. coleoptrata begins in the spring, when males and females release pheromones that they can use to find each other. Once located, the male spins a silk pad in which he places his sperm for the female to collect. She then lays fertilized eggs in warm, moist soil in clutches of 60-150. These eggs incubate for about a month, and the young emerge with only four pairs of legs. Over the next three years, juvenile house centipedes molt 7 times, each time gaining new pairs of legs. After they grow their last pair of legs, immature house centipedes molt an additional 3 times, at which time they become sexually mature. If they can avoid predation, individuals can live up to 7 years in the wild.

Conservation status: The common house centipede has not been evaluated by the IUCN, as it is relatively common both in the wild and in urban areas. Although they have been introduced to areas outside their native range, no detrimental environmental effects have been associated with their spread.

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Photos

Joseph Berger

David Paul

Conrad Altman via iNaturalist

[prose2passion]

Urban spread goes hand in hand with wildlife habitat loss and fragmentation. This impacts all animals, down to the smallest. Scientists found that the level of urbanization impacts arthropod abundance, richness, and diversity, factors which likely alter the foraging behavior of bigger animals.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

hi my dearest

any fics that are based on a movie? or good alternative meeting ones?

Hi Lovely!

I've got a TONNE of Movie-inspired fics! What a grand excuse to post the next part of my Crossovers list! Hope you enjoy all of these!! I've also gone through my MFL list to pad out this list a bit more, hee hee.

If anyone has some more to add that isn't on one of my numerous movie / TV-related lists, please do!

And finally, I actually ALSO had WiPs on this list but I had to remove them because Tumblr has a link limit, so if you guys want me to post a separate 2.5 list with those on it, just let me know! I've about 20 MORE fics I could add here :P

MOVIE / BOOK / TV CROSSOVERS and FUSIONS Pt 2

See also:

Crossovers & Fusions Pt 1

Crossovers & Fusions Pt 1.5 (MFL)

Fairy Tales and Fantasy

TV, Movies, and Books AU (Fantasy Pt. 2)

Wonderful Life AU

Sherlock / Hannibal Crossovers

Science Fiction / Fantasy

Urban / Modern Fantasy

Disney-esque Fics

Moulin Rouge AU

TV Show AU

Sherlock x  Good Omens Crossovers (Updated Apr 2022)

Hogwarts / Wizarding World AU (MFLs) (Potterlock)

BOOKMARKS

In The End by whitchry9 (K+, 9,677 w., 17 Ch. || Memento Fusion || Amnesia, Growing Old, Hurt / Comfort, Friendship, Heavy Angst) – When a brain injury leaves Sherlock unable to make new memories, John wonders how Sherlock will cope, and what it will mean for The Work and their life. Because after all, how can you live if you can't feel time passing?

Domestic Matters by ohlooktheresabee (M, 29,404 w., 6 Ch. || Fantasy AU || First Meetings, Developing Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Domestic Fluff, BAMF Sherlock, BAMF John, Idiots in Love, Misunderstandings, Supernatural Elements, Implied / Referenced Child Abuse, Elf Sherlock, Human/Elf Politics, Emotional Abuse, Possessive Sherlock, Anxious Sherlock, Buddy Greg) – All flatmates need to work out domestic matters between them - who does the dishes, who takes out the rubbish, how often does the carpet need to be vacuumed - these are part and parcel of sharing a living space together. However, when you’re an elf and your flatmate is going to be a human you just met, this rather complicates things…Very loosely inspired by 'The Elves and The Shoemaker' by The Brothers Grimm.

Out There by DiscordantWords (T, 131,695 w., 10 Ch. || X-Files Fusion || Past Soldier John, Panic Attacks, POV Alternating Present Tense, Anxious John, Canon Adjacent, Deductions, Obsessive Sherlock,, Travelling, Sherlock’s Family, Jealous Sherlock, Mind Palace John, Awkward Flirting, Batting Cage, Kidnapped/Abducted John, Semi-Reverse Reichenbach, Worried/Anxious Sherlock, Hospital, Slow Burn, UST, Case Fic, Government Conspiracy, Aliens, UFOs, Mutants, Mutual Pining, First Kiss, Coma John, Forehead Touching, Hand Holding, Drinking/Bars, Past Jolto) – FBI Special Agent John Watson, medical doctor and army veteran, is assigned to assist eccentric genius Sherlock Holmes with paranormal investigations on the X-Files project.

MARKED FOR LATER

Asteroidea by etothepii (T, 1,769 w., 1 Ch. || His Dark Materials Fusion || Daemon Sherlock) – In the pocket of his trousers, next to his phone, Mycroft carries the standard-issue steel capsule meant for protecting arthropod daemons. When people ask about it, he smiles and tells them she's not fond of the light, or of people other than himself. This is a lie.  [TRANSLATION: Русский] Part 1 of Asteroidea

Have we met before? by avalanching effect (G, 2,013 w., 1 Ch. || Sherlock and Co. Crossover || Crack / Humour, Holding Hands, Banter, POV John) – "Uhm, we got an anonymous tip about some suspicious activity that would be happening in Regent's park today, thank you anonymous tip giver. It said— actually I don't know what it said, it was sent directly to Sherlock and he won't let me read it."

Rider on the Storm by swabloo (G, 3,715 w., 1 Ch. || Alex Rider Crossover || BAMF John) – Sometimes he thinks about turning to Sherlock and saying, 'look, my name isn't actually John,' and telling him about how he's been living off adrenaline since he was fourteen.

The Unexpected Threat by J_Baillier (T, 4,283 w., 1 Ch. || Military AU / Pacific Rim Fusion || Established Relationship, Medical Conditions, Coronaviruses, Doctor John, Bratty Sherlock, Romance, Science Fiction, Futuristic Medicine, Ghost Drifting AKA Telepathy, Medical Hurt/Comfort, Sexual Healing) – The kaiju are not the only threat to the security and well-being of the staff of PPDC's Chard's Rift base. It's the year 2050, and a coronavirus epidemic sweeping the planet has reached The Azores. Part 4 of the At The Edge of Our Hope

lionheart by dreamweavernyx (G, 4,851 w., 1 Ch. || Harry Potter Crossover || Character Study, Friendship) – Some days, Molly finds her eyes straying to that drawer in her desk, the one holding a slim piece of wood and the memories of a life she's left behind.

Queer Eye: Johnlock Edition by fellshish (T, 5,799 w., 1 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Queer Eye Fusion || Post S4, Humour, Angst with Happy Ending, Reality TV, First Kiss, Love Confessions) – John is Not Gay, Sherlock is Married to his Work. It’s been years and years, and Molly is fed up with her clueless friends. She nominates John for the new season of Netflix’s ‘Queer Eye’, and asks the Fab Five to not only renew his closet, but drag the man out of it.

Friend by esama (G, 7,909 w., 1 Ch. || Harry Potter Crossover || Character Death, Kid Fic) – Sherlock finds the skull when he's five.

Every Atom of This Summer on My Tongue by  221b_careful_what_you_wish_for (M, 9,524 w., 5 Ch. || 1980’s / Call Me By Your Name Fusion || Summer Romance, Desire, Pining, Angst With Happy Ending, POV Sherlock, Sexual Experimentation, Masturbation, Emotional Sex, Sensuality, 1980s Italy) – While vacationing at his family’s villa on the Italian coast, 18-year-old Sherlock finds himself attracted to John Watson, an older American graduate student working on his first novel. They fall into a passionate affair, desperately wishing their languid afternoons and sultry summer nights would never end.(Inspired by the novel 'Call Me By Your Name.' You don't need to have read the book or seen the film to enjoy this.)

All Is Fine by Iwantthatcoat (T, 11,063 w., 7 Ch. || Zoolander Crossover || Agender / Nonbinary Sherlock, Occasional Transphobic Language) – Sherlock's on a case...undercover at an exclusive fashion show as a model. That's right... he's giving it his All. Pop stars are dying, and there's one common thread...a scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and it's our duty to unravel it, and isolate it, and...make a really nice garment out of it.

Takes Two To Tango by phqyd_roar (E, 12,956 w., 6 Ch. || Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Crossover || Sherlock/Iain & Johnlock || Post S4 Fix It, Jealous John, Whirlwind Romance, Fluff and Angst, Dirty Talk, Bottom Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Alternate Ending) – Just when Sherlock Holmes is beginning to think his relationship with John Watson will never recover from all its ups and downs, he meets Iain MacKelpie, freelance photographer back from Afghanistan, who looks exactly like John Watson.

Better Call Sherlock by Gregorovitch (M, 13,032 w., 4 Ch. || Better Call Saul Crossover || Established Relationship, Case Fic, Legal Drama, Implied Sex, Happy Ending) – Sherlock and John are assigned a case in Albuquerque, New Mexico this time. Shenanigans ensue, with lots of chicanery.

The Adventure of Downton Abbey by PlaidAdder (T, 13,427 w., 1 Ch. || ACD Canon / Downton Abby Crossover || Undercover for a Case, Case Fic) – Desperate to free her husband from prison, Anna Smith Bates tracks down Holmes in the country retreat he shares with Dr. Watson and persuades him to come out of retirement and investigate the death of Vera Bates. Holmes visits Downton Abbey under an assumed identity, with Watson in disguise as his valet. Working together again helps them cope with a recent trauma that severely tested their longstanding relationship--and also allows them to uncover a solution consistent with and yet so much more satisfying than the one used on the actual show.

Scream! by johnwatso (E, 15,250 w., 8 Ch. || Scream Crossover || Post S4, Horror / Slasher, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Case Fic, Minor Character Death, Copycat Killer, Three Garridebs Moment) – An unknown number starts calling Sherlock and asking questions about horror movies. John is pretty sure it's a serial killer.

The Sinking Of The Titanic: Sixty Years Later by flawedamythyst (T, 15,340 w., 1 Ch. || Historical Titanic Fusion || John POV, Deaths) – John Watson is interviewed for a documentary being made for the sixtieth anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. The story he tells is not the one the interviewer was expecting.

Sanctuary by a_different_equation (E, 15,437 w., 7 Ch. || Medieval AU / Canterbury Tales Fusion || Blacksmith Sherlock, Guard John, Secret Relationship, Dom Sherlock, Sub John, Porn With Plot, Rimming, Blow Jobs, Anal, BAMF Female Characters) – England, 1230: John Watson is an ex-soldier who works as the head of the guards in his hometown. Sherlock Holmes, the local blacksmith, is his secret.

Over Cloud and Under Cloud by khorazir (T, 16,477 w., 3 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Cabin Pressure Crossover || Post-TRF, Angst, Humour, Pre-Slash, Pining) – After his Fall, Sherlock travels the world to destroy what remains of James Moriarty's criminal empire. When things don't go according to plan and he finds himself in desperate need of a discreet means of travel, cue MJN Air... Part 1 of the Over/Under series

The Hopes and Fears of all the Years by Joaquinbumblebee24 (T, 16,567 w., 11 Ch. || House MD Crossover || UAP Divergence, Illness, Medical Inaccuracies, Alternating POVs, POV House, POV John, Medical Professionals, Developing Relationship, Flashbacks, Sports References, Neurology/Neuroscience) – 27 years ago, House became the father of Sherlock Holmes. 27 years later, every father's worst nightmare came true when Sherlock's roommate, John Watson, called in the middle of the night to inform House that his son was ill.

It's About Time, Don't You Think by WaywardSpark (M, 17,113 w., 4 Ch. || About Time Fusion || Time Traveller John, Romantic Comedy, Magical Realism, Bars and Pubs, Pining John, Background Case) – If you were to ask Sherlock Holmes where he and John Watson met for the first time, he would confidently be able to tell you Lab room 2, St Bart's Hospital, London, 29th of January 2010 at 11:47 in the morning. For John Watson, it's an entirely different story.

In Arduis Fidelis by Raliena (T, 18,628 w., 10 Ch. || GI Joe Crossover || Captivity, Surgery, BAMF John, John “Three Continents” Watson, POV John Watson, Prisoner of War, Cobra - Freeform, soldier John, John-centric, Doctor John Watson, John is a Very Good Doctor, Violence) – Once upon a time John was a Soldier and a Doctor. And he was known John or Doc or Doctor. But things change. And he *earned* his right to the name “Three Continents Watson”. Part 1 of the Three Continents Watson series

Hinder-Them Holmes by breathesomeday (T, 19,485 w., 1 Ch. || Wreck-It Ralph Fusion / Gaming AU || Angst, Fluff) – “My name is Sherlock Holmes and I’m a bad guy.”

Until the End of my Days by chervilspotatoes (M, 20,272 w., 20 Ch. || Merlin Crossover / Medieval Magical AU || Sorcerer Sherlock, Prince John, Pining Sherlock, Developing Relationship, Teenlock, Servant Sherlock, BAMF Sherlock, BAMF John, Heroic Sherlock, Misunderstandings, Alternating POV, Protective Greg, Love Confessions, Soul Bond / Mates, Happy Ending) – Sherlock learns to embrace his destiny as Prince John's protector, but soon realizes he is in love with the unavailable prince. However, this knowledge does not stop him from staying by John's side as John becomes king and faces unforeseen circumstances.

If I had a boat I would sail to you by Sunnyrea (E, 20,576 w., 1 Ch. || Titanic Fusion) – John is completely different and special from anyone Sherlock would normally come in contact with - no talk of money and hidden family secrets, no surface, superfluous conversations and blatant lies. John was the most honest person in less than five minutes Sherlock has ever met. He wants to know everything else there is to know about John Watson.

I wake up and I wake up and you're still dead by thisprettywren (M, 24,226 w., 1 Ch. || Memento Fusion AU || Amnesia, Timelines, Case Fic) – Sherlock isn't the only one who's lost.

Lost At Sea by orphan_account (T, 24,445 w., 11 Ch. || Titanic Crossover || Johnlock and Adlock) – John Watson boards Titanic looking for a new life, free from all those terrible things he's seen and done. Sherlock Holmes boards Titanic reluctant, bound to a woman he does not want. Two souls, bathing in the stars forever, lost at sea.

hurry home by augustbird (E, 25,606 w., 1 Ch. || Skyfall / Bond Fusion || Sherlock as Q, John as 007) – When John is recruited into the MI6 to track down a security leak, he didn’t expect it to get this out of hand. At least he has Sherlock Holmes. Skyfall fusion. Sequel to us against.

The Man in the Crimson Cloak by Aelaer (T, 25,968 w., 6 Ch. || Dr. Strange Crossover || Post-S1 / Post Avengers Endgame, No Johnlock, Action / Adventure, POV Sherlock, Dimension Travel, BAMF Strange, BAMF Sherlock, Bratty Sherlock) – Sherlock’s terribly ordinary and outright dull day turns into something well beyond his wildest dreams when a most interesting stranger enters his flat. Part 3 of the Adventures Throughout the Multiverse series

A Visit To The Doctor by flawedamythyst (T, 28,318 w., 1 Ch. || ACD/BBC Crossover || Time Travel, Hollywood Physics) – When Watson gets ill, Holmes goes to extraordinary lengths to get him well again.

The Unsinkable Ship by drjohnhwatson (NR, 36,758 w., 5 Ch. || ACD Canon Holmes Titanic Fusion || Retirement, Established Relationship, Historical References) – Holmes and Watson board Titanic for her maiden voyage.

Keeping It Loki by AtlinMerrick (E, 39,016 w., 11 Ch. || MCU Crossover || Loki/Sherlock and Johnlock, Oral Sex, Banter, Storytelling, Dream Sex, Wet Dream, Anal, Sexy Talk, Domestics) – Look, it was a dream god damn it. It was just a sexy, toe-curling, kinky, cock-hardening, *wet* dream. Yet it didn't matter how many times John told Sherlock that, Sherlock got all red-faced and stalked out of the sitting room, and then stalked back with his mouth open but stalked off again without actually saying anything. Yes, well John Watson knew precisely what to do about that.

A Lost Heart - An Empty Home by Raliena (T, 41,183 w., 21 Ch. || GI Joe Fusion || TEH / Post-TFP, Mystery, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Three Continents Watson, Violence, BAMF John, Soldier John, Sherlock-centric) – Nearly three years have passed since Sherlock jumped, and now he comes home to finish what he started. He wants to finish with John by his side. But that may not be as simple as he first thought. Part 3 of Three Continents Watson

The Baker Street House by qalets (T, 42,046 w., 13 Ch. || Lake House Fusion || Mollstrade, Alternate Timelines, Time Travel, Epistolary, Case Fic, Slow Burn, Pining, Mutual Pining, Emotional Constipation, London) – At the end of his tenancy in a flat in Baker Street Dr John Watson starts a tentative correspondence with the previous tenant: a Mr Sherlock Holmes. But Sherlock only just moved in. Together, while two years apart, they begin to fall for each other through letters, while life, and cases, continue around them.

Here We Go Again by disfictional (E, 46,687 w., 10 Ch. || Mama Mia-Inspired Fusion || Post-S4, Older Rosie, Alternating POV, Reunion, Retirement, Case Fic, Mutual Pining, Coming Out, Parentlock, Weddings, Fluff and Angst) – Ransacking some old trunks, Rosie Watson finds her father's old journal filled with remnants of a blog he used to keep about his association with Sherlock Holmes. In an attempt to meet the man who had a profound impact on her early years, Rosie invites the long-estranged detective to her wedding under false pretences.

Whirlwind by DiscordantWords (M, 50,640 w., 10 Ch. || WiP || Twister Fusion || Bad Weather, Storm Chasing, Post Break Up, Reunions, Non-Linear Narrative, Mutual Pining, Angst with Happy Ending) – New job, new truck, new fiancée... John Watson, former storm chaser, has settled into a comfortable new life. There's only one problem: John's already married. And the the divorce papers he's been sending to his former partner, Sherlock Holmes, keep going missing. So with his fiancée Mary by his side, John reluctantly makes a trip to see him in the hopes of finalizing their divorce once and for all. But John arrives in the midst of a very active storm season, and Sherlock very clearly hasn’t let go of the past. Against his better judgement, John finds himself talked into riding along after one last storm.

The Lost Duke by SelfSameLine (M, 51,395 w., 13 Ch. || Anastasia Fusion || Romance, Kidlock, Royalty, Slow Build, Friends to Lovers) – "We’re looking for him.” John pointed up the stairs to the portrait hanging proudly against the wall. It was blackened and torn in places, but two faces, one of a pretty woman and one of a dark haired boy remained unmarred, staring blankly out into the night.The boy’s eyebrows knitted together. “A royal?” Lestrade huffed. “The lost duke, yes. Haven’t you heard of him?”

If He Be Worthy by AndyHood (T, 58,110 w, 18 Ch. || Avengers / MCU Crossover || Friendship, Adventure) – In the aftermath of the alien invasion of London, Coulson's team is set out to retrieve a man, a man that had picked up Thor's hammer. John Watson hadn't meant to get mixed up in the alien invasion only intending to repay a favor. He had only been surveying the damage done by the aliens when he had tripped on a hammer, he didn't know the significance of being able to pick it up.

Il Traviato by kedgeree (E, 68,809 w., 18 Ch. || Pretty Woman Fusion || Romance, Prostitution, Case Fic, False Identity, First Kiss/Time) – A down-on-his-luck ex-soldier meets a wealthy businessman in need of a short-term companion. [TRANSLATION: 中文-普通话國語]

Real Time by Callie4180 (T, 74,935 w., 25 Ch. || 24 Fusion || Creepy Moriarty, Violence, BAMF Mrs Hudson, Suggestions of Torture, Biochemist Sherlock, Bodyguard John) – The world is under the threat of a biological weapon, and a brilliant biochemist needs protection. His own life is a mess, and he doesn't know who he can trust. He's going to have to be at his best every moment if he's going to survive. This is going to be the longest day of John Watson's life.

So Grant Us All a Change of Heart by ArwaMachine (E, 83,276 w., 5 Ch. || Christmas Carol Fusion || T6T Compliant, Pining, Angst with Happy Ending, Smut, Temporary Character Death, Drug Use / Reference, Suicide) – It’s Christmastime at Baker Street, but things are far from festive. Mary is dead, John and Sherlock’s friendship is all but ruined, and Sherlock has become a right dick about everything. More convinced than ever that sentiment is objectively useless, Sherlock needs a little paranormal intervention to see the error of his ways or else run the risk of losing all that is important to him.

I Am a Camera by mom2boys (T, 89,929 w., 36 Ch. || Enola Holmes Crossover || Developing Relationship, WW2 / Spanish Civil War, Weimar Germany, Period-Typical Homophobia, Nazi Germany, Fascism, Promiscuity, Espionage, BAMF John, Closeted John, Angst With Happy Ending) – So begins John H. Watson's Great Work. It is the story of two men who meet just before the tide of war and fascism sweeps across Europe and the world. Circumstances will separate them, but the arc of history is long and bends towards love.

The Hollow Ones by antietamfalls (M, 100,244 w., 23 Ch. || Walking Dead Fusion || Zombie Apocalypse, Angst, Slow Build, Emotional Constipation, Protective John, Hurt/Comfort) – The dead walk. Mangled corpses of the deceased rise and mindlessly feast upon the flesh of the living. John wakes up, alone and confused, into the remnants of a city gone mad. He will search for answers. He will find Sherlock at any cost. And he will learn that the living are far more dangerous than the dead. 

Metamorphosis by KtwoNtwo (T, 101,597 w., 29 w., || James Bond / Skyfall Fusion / Werewolf AU || Post-Skyfall, Werewolf Bond, Werewolf Q, Case Fic, Slow Build, Q is a Holmes) – “Other duties as assigned” takes on a whole new meaning when James Bond returns from a mission and finds himself juggling his 00 status, preternatural politics and having to act as pack leader to a newly created werewolf. Part 1 of The Government Pack

Keep the Car Running by earlgreytea68 (M, 125,124 w., 31 Ch. || Inception Fusion  || Tags to Be Added) – If Mycroft Holmes lived in a world where people could steal information from the subconsciouses of others, tell me he wouldn't be all over that when he had Moriarty in custody. Part 1 of KtCR

The Dragon's Spell Series by ImpossibleElement (M, 280,698 w. across 4 works || Descendants Fusion || Alternating POV, Heroes & Villains, Humour, Romance, Mystery, Drama, Slow Burn, Teenlock, Dragons, Dubious Sherlock) – In a world where magic is obsolete and the villains have been trapped inside an island without it; one young man will have a chance to change everything for himself and everyone else. For better or for worse. Definitely for worse.

Wild About Harry Series by PlaidAdder (T, 397,189  w. across 9 works || Doctor Who Crossover || Harry/Clara and Johnlock, Post-TRF, Canon Compliant, Dancing, Case Fics, Morning After, Teamwork, Drug Use, , Christmas, Alcoholism, Fix It Fics, Alternating POVs, Established Relationships) – This started as a post-Reichenbach fic and turned into a series in which Harry Watson is a repeating character. John and Sherlock get together in the first story ("Empty Houses") and thereafter it's either developing relationship or established relationship. Most of this is case fic and long, but there are a few shorter ones.

[todaysbug]

October 12th, 2023

German Yellowjacket (Vespula germanica)

Class: Insecta

Distribution: Found in sections of every continent except Antarctica; native to Europe, Northern Africa and temperate Asia, and introduced to North and South America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Invasive outside of its native range.

Habitat: Primarily ground-nesting in Europe and Oceania, but also nests in voids in buildings in North America. Common in urban and suburban areas, as well as forests.

Diet: Polyphagous scavengers and opportunistic predators; feed on carrion, live arthropods (including spiders), fruit, honeydew, processed human food and garbage.

Description: The German yellowjacket is a destructive, invasive insect outside of its native range, known for outcompeting native wildlife in the search for food. Due to their varied diet, they are able to compete with native biota in the areas it invades, quickly accumulating large population densities in these areas. Nests are built from chewed plant fibres mixed with saliva, and are often confounded with those of the paper wasp, Polistes dominula.

These insects are known to show cognitive plasticity, taking current and past experiences into account when making decisions. They are capable of relocating previous food sources, as well as remove associations with feeders after the removal of a reward. This implies that German yellowjackets have the capacity to learn and remember, as well as recognize landmarks and people. This intelligence is probably one of the many reasons this species is so successful at invading new areas.

(First picture by me, second by Richard Bartz)

[jamesvin-varsity]

i left zookeeping for architecture because i became interested in how the built environment beyond the zoo could better serve local wildlife. how could we design our architecture, infrastructure and public spaces to work with natural environmental processes and build positive multispecies partnerships? how does the design of the building change when you consider the sparrow as your client? the coyote? the soil micro-arthropod?

this is obviously no new concept. cultures past and present have been living successfully with nature for millennia, but modernity has smothered much of the real human symbiosis within local ecosystems in favor of limitless growth and profit and oppression. take "sustainability", which in architecture often (though not always) results in renderings of luxury condominiums with Capitalism-Approved-Green photoshopped onto every balcony.

in my architecture studios i communicate through image. drawing. i try to separate myself from this lazy greenwashing aesthetic, researching local species assemblages to get my planting schemes somewhat accurate, considering hydrology on the site, considering local communities and how Something Green could drive up real-estate and force people out.

i try to, but at the end of the day my project is still an image and i’m still photoshopping plants onto a building. most architects aren’t really making buildings. they’re making drawings of buildings.

don't get me wrong, the image is a powerful thing. design is a powerful thing. ultimately though, i see myself doing the research that supports the decisions of the designer and not working as the designer directly.

being back at school has helped me rediscover my passion for science, and more specifically, physics. last year i took a hydrodynamics class and remembered why i studied it in the first place. because i like math and mechanics, and it's with these tools that i want to answer questions about design, conservation and multispecies community resilience.

the connection may not be obvious at first, but now, somehow, my work unites these three passions of mine -- a combination of environmental fluid mechanics, wildlife zoology, and design. broadly, i'm exploring how to incorporate marshes and other coastal vegetation into the design of physically, ecologically, and socially resilient urban waterfronts. the marshes can physically attenuate wave energy, preventing erosion and wave-driven flooding. they also provide important habitat for local wildlife like birds, crabs, and larval fish. social resilience is perhaps a more diffuse subject, but by grounding these nature-based coastal management solutions in community stewardship, we can start to rebuild relationships with our non-human neighbors. how? not sure yet, but i have some ideas.

yesterday i was accepted into a masters program in the department of civil and environmental engineering to research some of these questions (specifically regarding wave-structure-vegetation interaction). i'm not leaving the architecture department, but instead continuing in both programs as a dual degree student.

i don't identify myself as an architect, but I do as a designer. and as a scientist and educator. these titles are arbitrary (every problem is interdisciplinary when you get down to it), but they help me connect the person i am now to the person i was then.

physics-major-in-a-us-naval-officer-program turned zookeeper turned architecture-student turned science-and-engineering-student-studying-the-codesign-of-climate-adaptation-with/by/for-coastal-ecologies? my transition happened in there somewhere lol i'm also 5 years on T this week.

things will keep changing naturally, but really enjoying the ride so far :)

[ultraviolet-anglerfish]

Introduction Post!!! Wowie!!!

Howdy there! My name is Violet and I run this lil blog on this lil website. I'm just a shy lil trans lady, but I'll happily accept dms if you wanna talk. I'll also post art on here sometimes. I happen to be working on a little comic series Called House of the Rising sun that's about yokai and stuff.

I really like

-Bugs and arthropods

-Marine biology

-Yokai and Japanese urban legends

And some media I like is

-Courage the cowardly dog

-Pokemon

-Yo-kai watch

-Gegege no Kitaro

-Godzilla

[o-craven-canto]

Did four rounds of zoology practicals with the students of two courses, for a total of eight hours. Described the same plastic model of a Paramecium a dozen times, got to tell a couple times the urban legends of camel spiders eating people in their sleep (it's not true), went on a tangent about the comparative efficiency of mammal vs. dinosaur lungs, bisected a flatworm, made students poke preserved sponges, told the story of the lover shrimps that spend their whole adult life inside the same glass-sponge, was asked by a girl whether we were going to dissects other animals like last week's squids, drew a diagram of arthropod phylogeny, and found an anteater skull in a cabinet.

It was plenty of fun!

[dsktpgeneration]

Did You Know?

Solifugae is an order of animals in the class Arachnida known variously as camel spiders, wind scorpions, sun spiders, or solifuges. The order includes more than 1,000 described species in about 147 genera. Despite the common names, they are neither true scorpions (order Scorpiones), nor true spiders (order Araneae). Most species of Solifugae live in dry climates and feed opportunistically on ground-dwelling arthropods and other small animals. The largest species grow to a length of 12–15 cm (5–6 in), including legs. A number of urban legends exaggerate the size and speed of the Solifugae, and their potential danger to humans, which is negligible.

[x-i-l-verify]

「 Dream SMP Daemon AU 」

  ⚝ PURPLED + XENAVI (TANZANIAN BLUE RINGLEG CENTIPEDE) ⚝

Tanzanian blue ringleg centipedes are an adaptable, widespread species of arthropod, having spread from their native Australia and Africa to Europe, the Americas, Asia, and several islands. They can thrive just about anywhere in any habitat, including urban ones. 

They will also feed on any available prey their size or smaller that they can catch, from other arthropods, invertebrates, amphibians, mammals, birds, and fish. Their venom is extremely potent and fast-acting, and they use their entire bodies to subdue their prey, coiling around them and using both their legs and forcipules to tear them apart. They are also not ambush predators, preferring to persistently outrun and overpower their prey. 

These centipedes are aggressive, active, defensive, always on the lookout for danger by sensing any nearby vibrations from their highly sensitive antennae, ready to strike at a moment’s notice if they feel threatened. In addition, they are solitary animals, and tend to avoid other centipedes, thriving the most when kept at low population densities. They are nomadic and non-territorial, but if they do meet conspecifics, they are liable to attack and kill them. 

Despite this, Tanzanian blue ringleg females make attentive and devoted parents; in fact, they are one of the only non-social arthropods to show dedicated parental care of their offspring. Females clean their eggs obsessively, which coats them in moisture and fungicides, and ferociously guard them and the newly hatched centipedes until they’re around 5cm in size and able to fend for themselves. While she is caring for her offspring, the female will refuse to feed, and this period of time can sometimes last for months.

Purpled is independent, straightforward, and combative, while Vi represents his dedicated, shrewd, cautious side.

~

NAME MEANING ”Xenavi”  is an amalgam of the Greek “xeno," meaning stranger or alien, and “violet," a shade of purple and a type of flower. The violet flower can symbolize honesty, protection, dreams, healing, remembrance, determination, and setting goals. A Haudenosaunee legend states that the violet is a child born of both sky and earth, and it is therefore considered to be a symbol of harmony, balance, and opportunity. 

~

SOURCES https://daemonpage.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=24017

[uncharismatic-fauna]

A Night Out with the Eastern Firefly

The eastern firefly, or North American firefly (Photinus pyralis), is a popular sight throughout the United States and southern Canada east of the Rocky Mountains. They are commonly associated with the beginning of summer, as they spend the winter hibernating underground and emerge only when the weather begins to warm. They are commonly seen in deciduous forests, grasslands, gardens, and backyards.

Contrary to their name, the eastern firefly is actually a type of beetle with well-developed wings. Adults are quite small, only 10-14 mm (0.39-0.55 in) long. They have a yellow and red head and a dark brown body with a narrow yellow stripe marking the outline of the wing casings. The main difference between the two sexes is the length of their wings; males have longer wings and are capable of flight, while females have shorter, less functional wings. Both sexes have a special organ on the end of their abdomens that produce light; however, the female's light tends to be weaker. The North American firefly produces its light by combining oxygen with a chemical called luciferin; the resulting chemical reaction gives off a glow which is amplified by special reflective cells in the firefly's abdomen.

Like all fireflies, P. pyralis uses its light producing ability to attract a mate. Males flash only while flying, in bursts about 6 seconds apart. Once a female signals her interest-- also by flashing-- the male lands near her and offers her a package called a spermatophore made of sperm, protein, and nutrients. If the female accepts, she inseminates herself and buries the rest of the package with her clutch of about 500 eggs. These eggs, which glow slightly during development, hatch about 4 weeks after being laid, and the larvae feed on the remains of the nutrient-rich spermatophore. The larvae can take one or two years to develop, and spend most of their time underground or near sources of fresh water like lakes and streams. Once the larva pupates and develops into an adult firefly, they only live in this stage for about a month before dying.

Both larva and adult eastern fireflies are predators, feeding on other insects like worms, snails, and other fireflies. However, larva spend almost all their time hunting for food, while adults spend the majority of their time seeking out a mate. To avoid predation, P. pyralis can emit foul-smelling odors and excretion of sticky substances; they also emit a chemical called lucibufagin that repells spiders. However, other species of fireflies will actually mimic the light patterns of the eastern firefly in order to predate upon them.

Conservation status: The North American firefly is currently considered Least Concern by the IUCN. However, they are threatened by light pollution, pesticides, and habitat loss.

Photos

Judy Gallagher

Katja Shultz

Sydney Penner via iNaturalist

[spidermilkshake]

Ancardia's Greatest Monstrosities--The Lutin

Classification: Monstrosity (arthropod)

Habitat: Spotted invading homes, farms, and storage buildings throughout Ancardia’s urban zones. It is unknown exactly what its natural living conditions are.

            This bizarre and often visually disturbing monstrous animal species was thought to be originally created by a mage and artificer duo’s horribly mismanaged silk moth breeding experiment—though it may have indeed been a much more pesky species of moth they ended up altering with their technology and magic due to the lutin’s tremendously destructive habits. Lutins are a tough, wingless insectoid creature with anywhere between two and eight uncomfortably human-like legs. Resembling a dog-sized moth, the lutin is fast and ravenous, and well-equipped to survive in urban environments all over the world. It gains its reputation as a nuisance animal by its diet of any and all natural fiber—and it is not beyond a lutin to enter open windows and climb up washbasin drains in order to raid the interior of houses and other buildings for their wool, cotton, and linen wares. Lutin have also been known to sneak into bedrooms and stables in order to eat the hair off of the occupants’ heads in the night, which has led to a particularly nasty reputation for these beasts.

            Lutins are, for better or worse, a worldwide phenomenon since at least the 5th Age. If kept out of homes and warehouses, they mostly scavenge along gutters, streetsides, and rooftops for discarded bits of paper, twine, and rotten fabric and generally are clean, inoffensive, and do not harbor many, if any, parasites or pathogens. They are usually an average of 20 pounds and stand about .25 meters high at the shoulders, and live an average of 5 or 6 years if not culled by pest hunters and farmers or taken by various predators. While their mutant morphology puts off most humanoids from hunting them (even Dark Elves, who ordinarily consider insect meat to be quite standard), large jackals and coyotes in urban borders as well as several large birds of prey are unbothered and help control the burgeoning populations. In the Underground, various large spider species, Dire Solifuges, and large centipedes are all known to predate on lutins, often on purpose in the case of domesticated Silky Crown Centipedes or Drakotsadr.

            Lutins lay egg masses in sheltered areas in the middle of spring season (or in the winter, if Underground) which hatch within a few weeks into fully-formed, tiny versions of the adults though usually with more legs than their eventual adult form. Throughout the two-month period of growing, most lutins will leave one or more legs as they grow from a mouse-like size to adulthood. Once fully-grown, lutins must be at least a year of age in order to begin breeding themselves, though over half of young lutins do not live quite that long as they tend to cause obvious outbreaks which are strictly retaliated against.

------

This was one of my favorite creatures to write and work into the world--particularly since I simply drew this mothy, leggy thing... and found an old French folk creature that roughly matched its pesty activities. I think it's a bit cute! Though the human-like legs maybe take some getting used to. XD

[thegrandimago]

Taken 2022 12th September, this was a common wasp (Vespula vulgaris), or vanlig geting, male that was rescued from the public bus. In Sweden, they occur wherever there are forest environments, but will also live in urban areas. Males, like this one, are unable to sting since they lack an ovipositor, which is why I can hold it without concern. The males can be seen from late August to a small bit of October, searching for a the newly hatched queens that come out during this period to mate then die. #animal #animals #djur #wildlife #insect #insects #naturliv #natur #fauna #arthropod #arthropods #insekt #insekter #invertebrate #invertebrates #yellowjacket #yellowjackets #wasp #wasps #långtungebin #insectagram #animalia #arthropoda #insecta #hymenoptera #vespidae #vespula #vespulavulgaris #commonwasp #vanliggeting (at Flogsta) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnsdeJ-qL3g/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[godiscommitingtaxfraud]

Urban Legend in Limbo brought one my favorite concepts and that is the Urban Legends themselves, i like the idea of characters just picking a random “made-up story” just because

But because of the short range of characters that would work on the story, i like to think what urban legend other characters would impersonate (kind of a long post)

1rst: Wriggle as Mothman

Wriggle is by far one of my favorite characters in the series, mainly because of the firefly being able to control other arthropods, but also because i like arthropods in general, i understand that Wriggle doesn’t really have any connections to the cryptid apart from being arthropods, but still, i think it would be cool to have her impersonating one of the most popular insect cryptids

2nd: Kosuzu and the Necronomicon

Yeah i know it would be really difficult, considering she already did that once and it didn’t go well, still (i’m gonna be using that word a lot probably) she probably would be the most interested in impersonating this legend (although i don’t know if the Necronomicon can really be considered an urban legend… or a legend for that mather)

3rd: Urumi and La Llorona

This is mainly because La Llorona is one of my favorite urban legends and saying Junko would get me killed, i know also that Urumi debuted like, 3 games after Urban Legend or Common Flowers but still… also, both share the “drowning” theme, although the legend's is by far more tragic and Urumi's is more of a nature reason

4th: Seiran (and/or Ringo) and The Roswell Incident

Again, i don’t know if it falls under the urban legend catalogue, but having Seiran (and/or Ringo again) impersonate an incident that closely resembles her own arrival to earth (excluding the Crashing part) seems kind of fitting… idk

And so, i used to have more in the mind some time ago but i can’t currently remember…

Some others that, really are just even more sense-less ones are:

Rumia and the Black-eyed Children

Takane and the Rake

Kaguya and the Area 51

Yamame and the Spider Bite

Medicine and Annabelle

And Etc

[todaysbug]

December 19th, 2023

Masked Hunter (Reduvius personatus)

Distribution: Native to the majority of Europe, but introduced to North America; found throughout most of the USA and southern Canada, but most common in the east and northwest. Occasionally reported in eastern Australia.

Habitat: Prefers dry areas with spots to hide, such as prairies, deserts and forest clearings, as well as urban and suburban settings. Often found in homes infested with bed bugs.

Diet: Adults and larvae are both carnivorous predators, feeding on small arthropods such as bed bugs, woodlice, lacewings, earwigs and termites.

Description: The masked hunter's common name stems from the behaviour and appearance of its nymph. While adults pretty much resemble a typical assassin bug, nymphs are covered in many small, sticky hairs, which allows small particles like lint, dirt and dust to stick to its body. This is referred to as a "dust coat", and constitutes the first layer of their camouflage. The second layer is composed of bigger particles like moss and dead insect carcasses, called the "backpack". This camouflage allows the nymph to blend in with its environment as well as with its prey.

Nymphs and adults alike use a beak-like mouthpart, called a rostra, to stab their prey to death. While they aren't particularly harmful to humans, they can deliver a very painful bite when handled, with the capacity to pierce human skin. They are not known to carry any diseases and, while painful, their bites are non-fatal.

Images by Aleksandrs Balodis (adult) and Ian Alexander (nymph).

[juleteon]

Reference sheet of my fursona, Eon! They're a strange cryptid, resembling features both of a feline and an arthropod, that no one truly was able to confirm or document a clear evidence of appearance. A bit more about their design below 

They’re an alter/avatar that I often use in online spaces & artworks to represent myself!

Their design is inspired by Fossa, Jaguarundi, Bay Cats and arboreal felines! 

They’re not a shapeshifter, but more of a uncertain case of an urban legend, therefore different depictions of their design are possible as long as they answer to the general description of “witnesses” >:}

Eon has alternative designs featured in the reference sheet, while the main/default one is the one in the center.

Creating their design helped me to come to a better understanding of my relationship with my own body at the time. 

The affinity with feline critters relating to my own’s introvert, sulking-but-watching personality and arthropod features - a play of having a relatively slim and small body that is often assumed to be fragile or weak, yet carrying a very underestimated strength and agility, as well as the process of metamorphosis and re-growth! My love towards birds of all kinds, and falcons in particular also comes across in the design choices, in the markings and/or optional feathered wings.

Additional artworks:

[idigitizellp21]

Mosquito Menace: Exploring The Impact Of Climate Change On Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Diving into the intricate nexus of climate change, disease dynamics, and the global battle against mosquito-borne illnesses, our blog sheds light on groundbreaking research. From the alarming projections of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to the intricate interplay of environmental factors in Brazil, we explore the evolving landscape of mosquito-related diseases.

This Blog Shall Help You Navigate The Global Mosaic Of Mosquito-Borne Threats

Research teams across the world have studied data on how reducing global warming could save millions of people from mosquito-borne diseases.

One recent study, led by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), predicted that more than eight billion people could be at risk of malaria and dengue by 2080. The research found that global temperature rises could lengthen annual transmission seasons by more than a month for malaria and four months for dengue over the next 50 years. These were based on projections of population growth of roughly 4.5 billion over the same period, and a rise in temperature of 3.7C by 2100.

A Nature Reviews paper further reports how increased global connectivity presents unique risk factors for infectious disease spread, allowing pathogens (a microorganism that can cause disease) to travel further and faster than ever before.

However, researchers in Brazil reported other environmental and socioeconomic factors, such as housing development and population growth complicate predictions of climate change on future disease distribution patterns. Their research, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, looked at the association between rainfall patterns and dengue risk, with a notable difference in rural and urban areas. The authors wrote: “The effects of hydrometeorological events on dengue transmission depend on the local social and ecological conditions that determine the types of larval habitat available in the environment, and household water supply and storage practices.

Researchers have also examined how climate change has affected the disease-carrying capacity of mosquitoes. A review paper in The Lancet assessed the influence of temperature and rainfall, overlaying it with human population density data to estimate the reproductive number. Their findings show that the R0 for all arboviral (infections caused by a group of viruses spread by infected arthropods such as mosquitoes and ticks) diseases tracked has increased since 1950–54. The number of infections transmitted by Aedes aegypti was 13% higher and for those spread by Aedes albopictus 7%.

There is a need to use all the tools in the box to combat the growing threat of mosquito-borne diseases. This means governments and communities mobilising to control mosquito populations, strengthening disease surveillance and outbreak response, good clinical management, and rapidly scaling up the delivery of effective interventions like Wolbachia and new dengue vaccines when available.

The urgent need for effective and sustainable strategies to control mosquito-borne disease is reflected in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) launch of a Global Arbovirus Initiative on 31 March 2022. The initiative will focus resources on risk monitoring, pandemic prevention, preparedness, detection and response.

Dr. Mike Ryan, head of the WHO Emergency Programme, said: “There is an urgent need to re-evaluate the tools at hand and how these can be used across diseases to ensure an efficient response, evidence-based practice, equipped and trained personnel and engagement of communities.”

Many of the methods used to combat mosquito-borne diseases — including both conventional approaches like insecticide spraying and novel techniques such as the release of sterile male mosquitoes — focus on the suppression of mosquito populations, and need to be reapplied regularly to keep mosquito numbers in check. Wolbachia, unlike other measures, is safe for people, mosquitoes, and the environment.

Ultima Search: Pioneering a Mosquito-Free Future with Proactive Pest Control Solutions

It is hence essential to not only get rid of these harmful pests at home but also a dire need to eradicate them forever. Ultima Search, a professional pest control management service and product provider is on a mission to reduce this mosquito menace. Here are some lesser-known general mosquito facts for your better understanding.