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Below are sightings, and general commentary, from a recent trip to Midway Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
TRIP GOALS
The main goals were to survey the plants on Midway, as we had previously done in 1999 and 2008; look for native Hyposmocoma moths, which we've observed on Laysan, but have not been recorded from Midway; and get as much birding in as we could, since we happened to be living and working in one of the greatest concentrations of birds in the world.
AREA COVERED
During surveys we got to virtually every part of Sand, Eastern, and Spit Islands. We didn't go on beaches closed for Monk Seals and Green Sea Turtles, and there were some areas where Bonin Petrel burrow density was so high in pure sand substrates that we just scanned the area with binoculars.
TIME
We were on-island from March 24 - April 7, 2015. Birds were active all day and all night.
WEATHER
Mostly comfortable, Midway was transitioning from Winter to Summer. Lows were in the 50's, highs in the 70's. Winds shifted around quite a bit as numerous small fronts pushed through. The sky was milky and cloudy much of the time, though the sun occasionally popped out and the classic Midway lagoon blue could be observed below small puffy clouds drifting by. Rain was frequent, though usually moved through quickly.
NUMBERS
The numbers, which may at times be grossly inaccurate, include what we personally saw or heard and insights from on-island folks.
LAYSAN ALBATROSS
How does one explain what 1,000,000 albatrosses looks like? Imagine a goose-sized bird every square meter as far as the eye can see, and a sky abuzz with thousands more. The birds are sitting on nests, preening, dancing, looking for mischief, and otherwise going about their day. The sound is cacophonous, an indescribable chatter of shrills, claps, sighs, and myriad other sounds, going all day and all night. We have no idea how many Laysan Albatross we saw, but the winter nest count this year was 666,044, the highest on record, which results in over 1.5 million currently known to utilize Midway. During the time of our survey the chicks were still mostly all down and had just begun to wander from nests.
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS
The Black-foots are the bigger, blacker, much less abundant, and meaner looking, albatrosses on Midway. They generally prefer to nest near the coast. Despite the grouchy appearance, the dance of the Black-foots almost seems more precise and involved than that of the Laysan Albatross. Their chicks were on nests in full down. 10's of thousands on Midway. Count this past winter was 28,610 nesting pairs.
LAYSAN X BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS (HYBRID)
We didn't have much spare time for chasing down oddities while on Midway, but in the limited time we did have after finishing our plant survey, we tallied the birds we saw and noticed we hadn't seen any albatross hybrids. We asked folks who had seen them where they were observed, and after searching in vain to find hybrids in a half dozen locations (Cargo Pier, Sunset Seep, Midway House, Eastern Island,...), we finally persevered and despite the rain came across one at Rusty Bucket, on the NW corner of Sand Island. It was a good looking bird, and seemed to be associating most with the Laysan Albatrosses. Not surprisingly, all the locations folks reported hybrids from were at the intersections of Black-footed and Laysan nesting areas. At least a half dozen albatross hybrids on Midway. No idea if any were F2 hybrids.
SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS
Apparently none of the birds successfully nested this year and had all left Midway by the time we showed up. "They were just here last week". The only glimpses we got were of the social attraction decoys on the southeast tip of Eastern Island.
BONIN PETREL
When does a bird become too abundant? The population explosion of this petrel on Midway from 32,000 in 1995 to 1,000,000+ 20 years later, after removal of rats, is the single greatest species recovery we have ever witnessed. The night sky at Midway is currently swarming with a haze of these birds and their calls. It is wondrous, and at the same time a burden. Many aspects of life on Midway are now affected by these petrels, that burrow into anything that isn't concrete. Whereas we could easily walk through most areas back in 1999, today it is nearly impossible to walk off main trails and roads without encountering a minefield of burrows. Even the albatrosses are having a harder time nesting and walking around with the unstable ground the petrel digging creates. No one has yet been able to figure out how to accurately count a colony this massive of nocturnal, burrow-nesting birds, so we'll go with the official count from one of the island folks, "way too many". As a side note, the Bonin Petrel chicks are perhaps one of the cutest creatures on Earth, an innocent little puff ball of gray and white. So dig out those burrows that you fall in. Birds were on eggs and with young chicks during our survey. They were practically everywhere on Midway, but were most abundant on Sand Island. We only saw limited burrows on Eastern Island, perhaps because it is mostly hard-packed runway and was more affected by the 2011 Japan tsunami. We don't recall seeing any burrows on Spit Island, it is mostly hard coral rubble and is regularly washed over.
BULWER'S PETREL
Not observed. Visited the Ave Maria site we saw and heard them in 2008, when speakers would blare social attraction colony calls at night. Some of the equipment was still there, but it didn't appear to have been functional for a while. The nest boxes made out of washed up fishing floats were still there, but this time instead of Bulwer's Petrels, every one had a Bonin Petrel in it. It is possible the birds had not yet returned to breed for the season, but folks on island seemed to not know of any active Bulwer locations in recent years. Didn't see or hear any Tristram Storm-Petrels or Bryan's Shearwaters either.
WEDGE-TAILED SHEARWATER
This is the main seabird we see in the Main Hawaiian Islands, yet they are relatively rare on Midway. Not sure why Bonin Petrels have exploded in abundance yet wedgies have not, but such is the case. The colony behind the Midway Mall is still active and quite vocal at night. Saw birds utilizing many of the old bunkers and pill-boxes on both Sand and Eastern Islands. Not sure how many birds we heard, perhaps hundreds. Only saw a couple dozen. There are perhaps a few thousand wedgies on Midway. They appeared to just be starting the breeding season, with birds often sitting in pairs, with no eggs or chicks observed.
CHRISTMAS SHEARWATER
One observed along the northwest coast of Eastern Island, sitting in front of a naupaka thicket. As any good rare bird would do, it flushed just as we pulled up our camera to get a shot. Apparently numbering in the hundreds at Midway.
GREAT FRIGATEBIRD
A few hundred perhaps. Breeding season was just starting and the males had their gular sacs inflated and on display. It was funny to watch them fly with the deflated sacs flapping around, they seemed off balance, but the ladies must like it. A few dozen Frigates were observed near Frigate Point on Sand Island, where they roost in ironwood trees but do not nest. A couple more observed skimming the water at the Catchment Pond. The bulk of the frigates are on Eastern Island, where they roost and nest in naupaka and Tournefortia shrubs, mostly on the northeast corner of the island.
MASKED BOOBY
Two lone birds were observed on Eastern Island on woven nests made of vegetation on the ground. Both were on young chicks. One of the Masked Boobies had an orange-ish bill, reminiscent of Nazca Booby, but it could have just been the lighting.
BROWN BOOBY
One observed on a nest made of woven vegetation, especially Tribulus, near the base of a naupaka thicket on the northwest coast of Eastern Island. Two observed on buoy in main channel entrance to the Harbor, and two observed on abandoned pier pilings on West Beach, Sand Island.
RED-FOOTED BOOBY
Most abundant on Eastern Island, where hundreds were observed nesting in the naupaka, Tournefortia, and sea grape. Found along the coast, with the frigates, but also inland. A few dozen also nesting on Spit Island. A few more dozen on Sand Island, especially near Bulky Dump, probably just roosting. These birds build nests of vegetation in shrubs and small trees, often using native nohu (Tribulus), but many of the birds on Spit Island were also utilizing the rare native popolo (Solanum nelsonii) as nesting material.
RED-TAILED TROPICBIRD
If you're feeling at ease, this bird can change that in an instant. Raucous and often hidden, these birds love to lurch out at and scold anything that walks within its zone, including humans. On Midway they prefer to nest at the bases of trees or shrubs, most often naupaka and ironwood. Saw and heard perhaps hundreds, likely many more.
WHITE-TAILED TROPICBIRD
More common in the Main Hawaiian Islands. During our brief time to follow up on rarities, we got location information for one and were able to find its nest in the crotch of a large ironwood tree near the Midway Gym. Single bird in a very nice vegetation lined nest where a natural crevice exists in an ironwood tree. Didn't notice an egg or chick, but only got glances from a distance.
WHITE TERN
There aren't too many things cuter or more angelic than White Terns. Chronically nappy, and occasionally showing attitude group mob style, these birds remain abundant on Midway, especially on Sand Island, where they attempt to nest on almost anything they can, especially ironwood trees. We encountered thousands, many of which flew right up to us and flapped in our faces, to show us who is boss, and pose for pictures.
SOOTY TERN
Large flocks of Sooties were starting to fill the sky, flying about, yipping, and just starting to set down on Eastern Island. Only saw a few thousand, later in the season there should be a lot more. Heard a few on Sand Island.
GRAY-BACKED TERN
On ground, paired up, and close to laying eggs. Most abundant on Spit and Eastern Islands. We saw perhaps dozens on Spit Island, mostly on coral rubble near the vegetation line, and a similar amount on Eastern Island, usually hunkered near vegetation on the runway.
LEAST/LITTLE TERN
Not observed. In 2008 we saw six in the Catchment Pond.
BLACK NODDY
Saw a few hundred, mostly on Sand Island in ironwood and naupaka. Frigate Point and West Beach seemed hot spots, as did the trees by the Clipper House. We watched one going back and forth from the ground to a tree, gathering material to build a nest.
BROWN NODDY
Only saw a few dozen, roosting on the naupaka at Frigate Point on Sand Island. They were hanging out with Black Noddies. Didn't see any in their regular breeding spot next to the runway when we did sand bur (Cenchrus) sweeps in that area, guess it is a little early in the year still.
WANDERING TATTLER
Observed a few lone birds on Sand Island, at the Catchment Pond foraging in shallow water and loafing on the shoreline, at Rusty bucket on the large rocks near the coast, and at the Cargo Pier foraging along the surf line.
PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER
Choke. High count of 1,300 on Mar. 31, in two large groups on the taxiway near the NAF Hangar on Sand Island. A few dozen regularly present at the Catchment Pond, as were lone birds in many of the lawn type areas on Sand Island.
RUDDY TURNSTONE
High count of 500 on Apr. 2, when four flocks of 100-150 birds were observed anxiously zigging and zagging around Eastern Island. It looked like they didn't know who was following who, and would circle around seemingly aimlessly until they somehow decided to settle down in a new spot for a while. A few dozen were also regularly present at the Catchment Pond on Sand Island.
BRISTLE-THIGHED CURLEW
Observed dozens on Sand Island, singly and in small groups. They were especially abundant near the Midway Mall, Cargo Pier, and West Beach. They would occasionally circle us, especially if we mimicked its whistle call. Checked our images for Whimbrels, but they all had cinnamon coloration and bristly thighs. Didn't see any with bands.
CATTLE EGRET
Saw 40 in the naupaka/Tournefortia shrubs on the northeast corner of Eastern Island. Also observed one in the Water Catchment Pond on Sand Island. They were much more flighty than the seabirds. FWS is working to reduce their numbers.
COMMON MYNA
Speaking of flighty, even on Midway the Mynas are conspicuously flighty, especially compared to the bulk of the seabirds on Midway that have virtually no fear of man. High count was a dozen at the smoldering dump, with about as many at the Water Catchment Pond. Many pairs foraging in the lawns of Sand Island. The large Ficus tree they used to communally roost in had been removed since our last visit, not sure where they are currently roosting at night.
COMMON/ISLAND CANARY
Conspicuous in many parts of Sand Island, saw perhaps a few hundred total, no more than a couple dozen at once. There was a banded canary that would regularly stand and sing on the railing at the Clipper House. The song is melodious, contrasting sharply with the seabird sounds. Came across a canary nest about a meter off the ground in a grass clump. The nest was constructed of wiry plant roots woven into a cup, that was lined with downy feathers, in which three small eggs were laid. Many flowers and plants are damaged on Midway by the canaries, we watched the flowers of a coral tree (Erythrina) trying in vain to emerge as the canaries chomped down on them, similar to what the Laysan Finches do on Laysan.
LAYSAN DUCK
A few hundred, the numbers wavering in relation to botulism outbreaks. Locally common near wetlands and in lawns, on Sand and Eastern Islands. When we were on Midway back in 2008, the ducks had recently been translocated from Laysan and many new duck seeps had been dug for them. Most of these seeps turned out to create botulism conditions, and have since been filled in. Botulism still occurs in the remaining wetlands, taking up considerable resources to look for dead and dying birds and rehab sick ones. The ducks were just pairing up in preparation for the breeding season.
NORTHERN PINTAIL
Male and female at the Catchment Pond and Enlisted Housing Seep by Radar Hill. Usually in the deeper water, often sticking pointy tails in the air while foraging head down in the water. Lone females also observed at West Beach on Sand Island and Sunset Seep on Eastern Island.
GREEN-WINGED TEAL
3 males and 4 females regularly at Catchment Pond on Sand Island. Mostly hanging out in water, foraging and preening. The males appeared to be one each of the Eurasian subspecies, the American subspecies, and an intergrade / hybrid between the two subspecies.
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
Lone bird, resting on the coral rubble near the shore on the eastern tip of Spit Island on Apr. 2. Got good enough images for the first confirmable record of the species on Midway Atoll.
DUNLIN
One hanging out with the koleas and ruddies in the shallow water at the Catchment Pond on Apr. 6.
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
One lone Dowitcher foraging in the shallow water in Brackish/Dump Pond on Mar. 31. Word on the island was that it was a long-billed.
MONK SEALS
Saw lots of seals along the coasts of all the islands. Apparently the population is around 35-40.
GREEN SEA TURTLES
A dozen or so taking turns basking on Turtle Beach. Lone individuals observed around the Piers and Harbor. Midway population estimated at around 75.
SPINNER DOLPHINS
Only had one encounter with the dolphins this trip, they briefly checked us out as we were drifting in the main channel trying to restart an engine. 200 or so at Midway.
MICE
Apparently still present on Sand Island, but not on Eastern or Spit Islands. Didn't see any this time, though folks were mentioning they were still around.
HYPOSMOCOMA MOTHS
Looked in the same sort of habitats we found these cryptic native moths on Laysan and elsewhere, but didn't find any.
DIAMONDBACK MOTHS
At night were hundreds of little moths on the windows of the Barracks. Looking closely it became apparent they were practically all Diamondback Moths (Plutella xylostella). A bit more sleuthing and we realized they were eating the numerous Brassicaceous plants on Midway, such as sweet alyssum (Lobularia) and mustard (Brassica), that were riddled with moth damage.
EMERALD BEETLES
The large emerald green Scarabid beetles (Protaetia pryeri) had not yet emerged for the year, though we did uncover some giant larvae in the soil while looking for Hyposmocoma moths, and old iridescent green carapaces were occasionally observed.
ANTS
A number of ant species were observed, the most dominant ant currently on Midway appears to be the Big-headed Ant (Pheidole megacephala), though for some reason they never achieved the massive densities as they did on nearby Kure Atoll, where they were apparently recently eradicated.
PAU
In summary, Midway is still an incredible place. We hope this has given you an enjoyable glimpse into the current status of life on the Gooney Isle.
Good Birding...
More sights and sounds from Midway.
Substrate: Aesculus hippocastanum.
Eesti punase nimestiku liik, ohustatud (EN).
Rakvere, Lääne-Virumaa.
Editor's note: great story we posted today about how a NASA light technology, originally developed for plant growth experiments in space, is being used to reduce the side effects of various medical treatments, including those for cancer, wounds, etc. You can read more about the technology here: www.nasa.gov/topics/nasalife/features/heals.html. I love success stories like this!
Mitzi Macke, RN, a nurse in the Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Unit at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, demonstrates use of a WARP 75 device. The device uses High Emissivity Aluminiferous Luminescent Substrate, or HEALS, which is a type of LED technology that provides intense light energy. The innovation of the NASA HEALS technology provides the equivalent light energy of 12 suns from each of the 288 LED chips -- each the size of a grain of salt. The WARP 75 device is one of many devices using HEALS technology, developed in collaboration with NASA. The WARP 75 device was used for light therapy treatment on cancer patients during a two-year clinical trial funded by NASA's Innovative Partnerships Program at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. The NASA program works with industry and medical partners to spinoff space technology and adapt it for new, innovative medical applications. The clinical trial found that 670 nanometers of light technology, used for plant growth experiments on the International Space Station, improved the painful side effects of chemotherapy and radiation in cancer patients undergoing bone marrow or stem cell transplants. The trial included 20 cancer patients from Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, and 60 cancer patients from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital and the Children's Hospital of Alabama, also in Birmingham.
Image credit: NASA/MSFC/David Higginbotham
View more images:
www.nasa.gov/topics/nasalife/features/heals_photos.html
Watch a video of HEALS in action:
www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=...
Tank size: 60x45x40
Lighting: 150W HQI
Substrate: Elos TerraZero, Elos TerraUno, Elos BottomMineral, Elos TerraBlack
Fertilizer: Elos Fase 1, Elos Fase 2, Elos K40
Filtration: 1250l/h external filter
Decoration : Talawa wood and rock
Plants:
Sagitaria subulata
Cryptocoryne parva
Eleocharis parvula
Echinodorus tenellus
Eleocharis acicularis
Ranunculus inundatus
Anubias nana petite
Ludwigia sp.
Fissidens fontanus
Riccardia chamedryfolia
Christmas moss
Flame moss
Shrimps:
Amano
Crystal Red
Red Cherry
Sakura
Fish:
Crossocheilus reticulatus
Otocinclus affinis
Sundadanio axelrodi
Snail:
Neritina natalensis sp. Zebra
One of the many fascinating projects I was involved in, as London Underground's Design & Heritage Manager, was conservation and restoration of many of the historic structures that the Tube owns and still operates. Out of over 275 stations over 80 are statutorially Listed, including this one, many more are Locally Listed and nearly all have some Heritage Features as assessed by London Underground itself.
Many stations still have faience facades of a type of construction that the Central London Railway (1900) and the Underground Electric Railways of London (1905/6 and later) utilised. The Metropolitan Railway also used faience on many of its early 20th Century reconstructions.
The basic construction methodology is sound - the use of load bearing steel framework and a cloak of effectively mass produced faience blocks - in this case made in Leeds by the Burmantofts Works of the Leeds Fireclay Company. However, some defects can occur if the facade is not waterproof, when moisture meets the steelwork, corrodes and spalls, or if the fireskin of the faience blocks themselves is damaged (such as through hole drilling or physical damage). The latter tends to invite frost freeze and thaw, further destroying the material.
At South Kensington the issues were compounded by the removal, several decades earlier, of any internal wall finishes when the ticket hall and lift landings. along with the lify shaft, were stripped out for use as a passive ventilation shaft. Some earlier spot repairs, using 'plastic' fillers over wire mesh and coloured resin fillers had also started to fail badly - these tend to be prone to UV failure. All in all the structure and facade was a mess - and first we had to gain Listed Building Consent to undertake intrusive surveys and condition surveys to see what was actually going on.
To cut a long story short we realised we needed to physically reconstruct almost 85 - 90% of the facade, such was the deterioration of the sub-strate and the facade. We had undertaken similar work on other stations and so were able to call on expert manufacturers (Darwen Faience & Terracotta) and construction contractors. The manufacturing of new blocks is not simple as you have to allow for shrinkage in firing, colour matching older and now illegal glazes along with firing temperature variations in colour. To ensure a lack of uniformity - as you don't actually want a 'blank' colour the manufacturer has to also consider glaze weight. The setting out has to be precise - no 'cutting' like tiles, and the new blocks were correctly back-filled with inert packing and tied structurally back to new substrate. All in all - a helluva job and I'm still pleased as punch with it. It was and to some building conservators still is contentious as traditonal restoration aims to reatin as much original material as possible. However on highly used buildings such as these I am of the view that when such structures are life-expired options such as careful recreation, with a full understanding of the materials, architectural detail, integrity and context are weighed against retention (some 15% of the original is still here) then this is a valid approach.
Substrate: Quercus robur.
Eesti punase nimestiku liik, äärmiselt ohustatud (CR). LK I.
Lääne-Virumaa.
Came across a LOAD of these growing on substrate, various stages, and sizes. Can't trace them in any of the fungi books. Any ideas?
Substrate: Quercus robur.
Saksa sõjaväekalmistu. / German Military Cemetary.
Rakvere, Lääne-Virumaa.
We don't know exactly what happened. We hibernate them yearly in a large tote full of substrate in a cold room at Mat's lab. We are careful about allowing their metabolisms to slow with the seasons and we wait for them to bury themselves in their outside enclosure before we transfer them. Mat even checks on them midwinter. (He was ok at last inspection.) It's impossible to know how old he was, I owned him for over 25 years, and unfortunately there are still tortoises in the pet trade that are wild caught. (That was especially true of larger retailers then.)
He was a tough and curious little pain in the butt who fathered all of our babies. He was the first to greet anyone who walked to their yard and even though I always feared him biting my toes, he never did. Sweetpea is the man of the herd now and though that actually makes for a better group (sometimes males can be aggressive towards each other), I'm heartbroken.
Rest well, little Ivan. 💔
Full Journal here on UKAPS.org - ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15952
Tank specs
Tank: ADA Cube Garden Mini M - 36x22x26cm / 5mm optiwhite glass
Hardscape: ADA Yamaya Rock, ADA Hornwood
Co2: Pressurised via Do!Aqua Music Glass - Mini 10D, Music Counter and ADA grey parts set
Lighting: ADA Mini-M - Solar 27W light
Filtration: Fluval 205 external to
Outlet - Do!Aqua Violet Glass mini MP-1 10D
Inlet - Do!Aqua Violet Glass mini MV-1 13D
Heating: None yet as its in a centrally heated room. I may add an inline heater in the winter
Substrate: ADA Power Sand Special topped with ADA Africana Powder - Penac P & W and tourmaline for good measure
Ferts per day: ADA Step 1 and Brighty K
Critters: Red Cherry Shrimp, fish undecided yet
plants to include - Ferns, tennelus, hairgrass, fissidens, mosses, Bolbitus and a carpet of Glosso
Pics of 10 small mosaic wall-hangings, each approximately 4 x 5". Pics aren't really a good representation of each piece, because each one has elements that extend beyond the substrate (and are not pictured). Each features tempered glass, handmade polymer clay tiles, and other tessera).
Weber extended his Bruno Weber Park (a sculpture garden) in Spreitenbach and Dietikon, where among other things, his house with a 25m high tower is situated. The park extends over a surface of 20'000 m². The sculpture park is the synthesis of the artist's life work, and is visited annually by thousands of people. From 1991 to 2003 Weber was responsible for the sculptural decorations on the Uetliberg mountain, including the street lamps leading to the top of Zürich plateau (Uto Kulm) and park benches, that still exist. Weber co-operated with Zürich architect Justus Dahinden, making sculptures for buildings in Dahinden, Vienna and Zürich.The lack of adequate methods to investigate brain energy metabolism with the required spatio-temporal resolution in the intact organism has hampered significant advances in the field. Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) sensors specific for energy substrates, such as glucose, lactate and pyruvate have been developed and successfully used in cultured cells and in brain slices. A major advantage of these FRET sensors is that they do not interfere with the intrinsic metabolite concentrations and pathways. In addition to unsurpassed spatial resolution, FRET microscopy can also detect fast metabolic dynamics. Furthermore, these sensors have great potential for in vivo studies in combination with two-photon microscopy.
In ancient Egypt, the serpent Apep (Apophis) was known as the evil god who lived in the underworld, and was the most wicked enemy Apepof Ra. Apep was personified with the darkness of the darkest hour of the night, against which the God of light Ra must not only battle, but fight successfully before he could rise in the east in the morning.Ra was worshipped as a savior, and Apep worshipped against as the destroyer. Ra was the bringer of light and order, and upholder of Ma'at. Apep was the bringer of darkness, and Lord of Chaos. Apep was often depicted as a giant snake/serpent, and was sometimes called the Serpent from the Nile and Evil Lizard. Some accounts even said that his body stretched 16 yards in length and had a head made of flint.The Egyptians believed that Apep lived in the waters (blood) of the Egyptian underworld (earth), Duat, and would rouse from his slumber every night to attack Ra's boat as it made its way through the underworld. The Duat is the realm of the gods and supernatural beings. It is the region through which the god of light Ra travels from west to east during the night as he battles the demon worm Apep.Serpents, snakes and dragons through all ancient cultures were myths explained in allegorical fashion, and exoteric explanations to personify the human battle with forces of darkness that we know of today simply as worms and human parasites.This ancient fight between the forces of light and darkness and serpents (dragons) and men, is what I like to call the eternal alchemical battle for dominion of your soul while incarnated in the flesh. As I have often stated many times before, there is a war for your soul that is being fought on a daily basis, and those of you who are not aware of this age-old fact have most likely lost the battle to the demon worm of darkness and chaos, Apep before they have even began to fight.It is at night, that the forces of darkness which infest humans today, and that are known by names such as pinworms and threadworms, are most active. The adult worms live in the colons (large intestines) of humans, and the female worms migrate to the lower bowel out of the person's anus to lay their eggs. What the ancient cultures such as the Egyptians had depicted in the demon serpent Apep, was the eternal battle with these parasites that use the human body to survive and reproduce.Just look at these worms above and don't they now resemble some type of evil monster or demon like Apep?
These worms can also become almost demon like in their manners if the human host starts to lose the battle with them. A lost fight, that I believe then allows the worm to control the mind (blood and brain) of their victims. This process can be compared to a pack of wild animals that converge on their prey by gang stalking, and then attacking their victims with a full on assault that almost always ends in death for the unfortunate victim. This same thing happens with worms, but on a smaller scale, with smaller teeth and a slower death than we see happen with wild pack animals.
Is there truly a war for your soul, Lord or your Ba with the ancient serpent (worm) Apep?
This I believe is confirmed by the ancient Egyptians who were well-known as some of the most ancient alchemists, with Apep who was sometimes known as the "Eater of Souls" in which the dead needed protection, so they were often buried with magic spells that could destroy him. In the Book of the Dead, it describes how Ra defeated the chaos demon serpent called Apep in which 7 spells of 39 can be explained as such.
In the book "The Gods of the Egyptians," or "Studies in Egyptian Mythology, Volume 1" by Sir Ernest Alfred Wallis Budge, he details these chapters; In the 34th Chapter the deceased says:
"Get thee back, "Fiend, before the darts of his beams. Ra hath overthrown "thy words, the gods have turned thy face backwards, the Lynx hath torn open thy breast, the"Scorpion goddess, cast feters upon thee, and "Maat hath sent forth thy destruction. Those who are in the "ways have overthrown thee; fall down and depart, O Apep, "thou Enemy of Ra." A little further on the deceased says: "I "have brought fetters to thee, O Ra, and Apep hath fallen because "thou hast drawn them tight. The gods of the South, and of the "North, of the West and of the East have fastened chains upon "him, and they have fastened him with fetters; the god.
From the "Books of Overthrowing Apep," it provides information how to destroy this demon worm, which was said to be recited daily in the temple of Amen-Ra at Thebes. The first Book was divided into Chapters, which were entitled:
1. Chapter of spitting upon Apep.
2. Chapter of defiling Apep with the left foot.
3. Chapter of taking a lance to smite Apep.
4. Chapter of fettering Apep.
5. Chapter of taking a knife to smite Apep.
6. Chapter of putting fire upon Apep.
The following Books describe with great detail the destruction which was to fall upon Apep. First he is to be speared, then gashed with knives, and every bone of his body having been separated by red-hot knives, and his head, and legs, and tail, etc., having been cut off, his remains were to be scorched, and singed, and roasted, and finally shrivelled up and consumed by fire. The same fate was to come upon Apep's confederates, and everything which formed parts of him and of them, i.e., their shadows, souls, doubles, and spirits (1)
In Egyptian Magic, by Sir Ernest Alfred Wallis Budge, he had written that book called "The Book of Overthrowing Apep," which contained two versions of the history of the Creation, and a list of the evil names of Apep, and a hymn to Ea. One chapter is dedicated to putting the "fire upon Apep," where it is written, " Fire be upon thee, "Apep, thou enemy of Ea! The Eye of Horus prevails "over the accursed soul and shade of Apep, and the Chapter of Coming Forth by Day, p. 89: '' flame of the Eye of Horus shall gnaw into that enemy "of Ea; and the flame of the Eye of Horus shall consume all the enemies of the Mighty God, life! "strength! health! both in death and in life. When "Apep is given to the flame," says the rubric, " thou "shalt say these words of power:—Taste thou death, "O Apep, get thee back, retreat, O enemy of Ea, fall "down, be repulsed, get back and retreat! I have "driven thee back, and I have cut thee in pieces."
"Ea triumphs over Apep. "Ea triumphs over Apep. "Ea triumphs over Apep. "Ea triumphs over Apep.Apep tree of life
Taste thou death, Apep.
Taste thou death, Apep.
Taste thou death, Apep.
Taste thou death, Apep."
These last sentences were said four times, that is to say, once for each of the gods of the cardinal points. The text continues, "Back, Fiend, an end to thee! "Therefore have I driven flame at thee, and therefore "have I made thee to be destroyed, and therefore have "I adjudged thee to evil. An end, an end to thee! "Taste thou death! An end to thee! Thou shalt never "rise again."