Saturday, June 26, 2010

Weirdest and Freakiest Insects in Your Yard, Garden, Orchard and Pond | Scienceray

Weirdest and Freakiest Insects in Your Yard, Garden, Orchard and Pond | Scienceray

As mentioned in my article entitled “Incredibly Awesome-Looking Garden and Most Sought Collection and Pet Insects” there are more than one million species of insects. They represent more than 90% of all the living organisms in the planet. In relation to that, they also have the greatest number of weird and freak-looking species.

Narycius opalus


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This beautiful but somewhat bizarre-looking beetle is scientifically called Narycius opalus. It is a beetle that can be found in South Asia. The male has a prominent projection on the head, making it of interest to collectors. This structure is probably the result of sexual selection.

Cottony Cushion Scale (Icerya purchasi)


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The first freak on the list is the Cottony Cushion Scale, an insect that feeds on several species of woody plants.  Its favorite plants are Citrus and Pittosporum. It was originally identified in New Zealand consuming Kangaroo Acacia. It is now found worldwide where citrus crops are grown.

Cave Beetle (Leptodirus hochenwartii)


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Like the Narycius opalus, the odd-looking Leptodirus hochenwartii or L. hohenwarti has no common name yet. Since it is identified as a cave beetle then it should be named Cave Beetle. It is well adapted to the life underground and unable to survive outside. Its most striking feature is the domed elytrae which cover the abdomen completely and give it a round appearance. This unusual beetle is found in Slovenia.

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Monday, June 7, 2010

The World’s Most Intelligent and Brightly Colored Pet Birds

This list of birds are not only among the most intelligent birds but also they are some of the most beautiful and colorful birds.
Content Source: Bukisa - The World’s Most Intelligent and Brightly Colored Pet Birds

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

The Rainbow Mushrooms: ROYGVIB

The colors of the rainbow include red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Here’s a variety of colorful mushrooms you may have not seen yet before. When you put them altogether they can be compared to a beautiful ‘rainbow’.
The colors of the rainbow include red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Here’s a variety of colorful mushrooms you may have not seen yet before. When you put them altogether they can be compared to a beautiful ‘rainbow’.

Righteous Red Waxy Cap (Hygrocybe coccinea)




Red is the color of love. The edible Righteous Red Waxy Cap is also called Scarlet Hood and Scarlet Waxcap. It is a colorful mushroom found across the Northern Hemisphere from China and Japan to Europe and North America. The small bright red mushroom is a familiar sight in unimproved grasslands in Europe in late summer and autumn, and woodlands in North America in winter.


See more colorful and beautiful mushrooms HERE

The Twenty Most Toxic Caterpillars

Here are the 20 most poisonous or venomous caterpillars.

Some caterpillars are poisonous to humans and to predators. These caterpillars get their toxicity from the plants they eat. Generally, the brightly colored are poisonous; their color is a reminder to predators about their toxicity.

Wattle Cup Caterpillar (Calcarifera ordinata)



It is certainly a beauty to admire but be careful because it does have a sting that is painful. This cute little fellow likes roses, acacias and palms. As it turns to maturity it will transform into a brown/cream moth. The sting has been described as “worse than 3 wasp stings”.


See more toxic caterpillars HERE