The Flamingo

Flamingos are long-legged wading birds that are usually covered in bright pink feathers. With a name that derives from the Spanish or Portuguese word meaning “flame-colored,” the birds are known for their vibrant appearance. Though it is their most-famous quality, the pink of the flamingo’s feathers is not a hereditary trait. The birds are in fact born a dull gray. So, if it’s not a part of their DNA, why do these birds take on shades of pink and red?

For flamingos, the phrase “You are what you eat” holds more truth than it might for humans. The bright pink color of flamingos comes from beta carotene, a red-orange pigment that’s found in high numbers within the algae, larvae, and brine shrimp that flamingos eat in their wetland environment. In the digestive system, enzymes break down carotenoids into pigments that are absorbed by fats in the liver and deposited, for flamingos, in the feathers and skin. To actually color the physical attributes, carotenoids must be ingested in very large amounts. Because the flamingo diet is nearly exclusively carotenoid-filled delicacies, the birds have no problem coloring themselves. A human, on the other hand, would need to eat quite a lot of carrots (a food heavy in carotenoids, which also gives the substance its name) to turn a shade of orange.

There are four different species of flamingos, all of which are native to South America. However, these different species and even smaller populations of flamingos live in separate areas of the continent. Because of this, flamingo colors differ on the basis of their location and the food available. Some flamingos are darker or brighter shades of pink; some contain tints of orange and red; and others are pure white.

(Nikon D500, 80-400/5.6, 1/800 @ f/8, ISO 1400)

(Edited to Taste)

The spiders main primary function is to quickly immobilize and subdue its prey and start the digesting process. The venom can contain many different substances which can include amino acids, proteolytic enzymes and neurotoxic polypeptides. This adult female has not quite finished her meal here. Once a spider has caught its prey and will want to eat its food the first step is to literally vomit a digestive fluid all over the food and then to chew the item with the jaws (chelicerae), then on to suck up the fluid back into the mouth together with the liquified meat. Some spiders can produce at least six different kinds of silk and if spiders were scaled to the same size as us it is said that the Web would be strong enough to catch a helicopter. It has also been claimed that a cable of silk as thick as a thumb woven from spider silk would be able to bear the weight of a jumbo jet.

Coprinellus micaceus is an edible species, and cooking inactivates the enzymes that cause autodigestion or deliquescence—a process that can begin as soon as one hour after collection.[ It is considered ideal for omelettes, and as a flavor for sauces.

Nepenthes, also called tropical pitcher plant or monkey cup,

The pitcher plant is a type of plant that eats insects, also called a carnivorous plant. They are rare and unique. Typical plants consume nutrients from the soil, but carnivorous plants are found in nutrient-poor soil. They get their nutrition from insects they "catch," after converting them into a form they can digest or absorb.

The pitcher plant is a carnivorous type of plant that includes several species. It attracts insects to it using the scents of nectar and already-captured dead insects, and once inside, insects cannot escape and drown in a pool of water at the bottom. Instead of getting nutrients from the soil, the pitcher plant uses enzymes to digest the insects for its nutrition. It is located along the east coast of North America, in bogs and other wet locations with acidic soil.

Carnivorous plants have a variety of methods to get prey: pitfall traps (like the pitcher plant), snap traps (like venus flytraps) and flypaper traps (like sundews) are just a few. In North America there are 10 known species in the genus Sarracenia, the pitcher plants. Sarracenia purpurea is probably the most common.

According to the International Carnivorous Plant Society, pitcher plants of the genus Sarracenia are located in the eastern United States, from the southeast and along the coastline up through British Columbia.

Pitcher plants are mostly found in bogs, often in the wettest sections. Although they don't require acidic soil, they are well-adapted to nutrient-poor and acidic dirt. They live in areas that are prone to fires, and can survive fire under some circumstances.

Pitcher plants resemble their name: they look like pitchers. Inside the elongated structure is a pool of water. Decaying insects that have been trapped inside, along with nectar from the "lid," attract flies, beetles, butterflies and other insects to the plant. The plant's flowers are the color of raw meat, which further serves to attract flies.

Once inside, many insects find it difficult to exit the structure, so they eventually drown in the liquid. The interior walls are waxy and slippery, and there are hairs toward the top that aid in keeping prey trapped. The plant's enzymes digest the meal and the plant is then able to absorb the nutrients.

While pitcher plants are popular houseplants, it is not a good idea to harvest them from the wild because some species have become extinct this way. Instead, obtain them through a nursery. They are best-suited to bog gardens and indoor terrariums, and they require sunlight and mildly acidic soil.

Some insects and animals live harmoniously with pitcher plants. Some predators, like spiders, use the lid to hide under, and some insect larvae, like mosquitoes, live inside the pitcher plant itself. Ants that die inside the plant are used for their decaying scent to attract other prey. Sometimes small frogs will hide in pitcher plants, eating flies that are attracted to the plant.

Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961. Pepsi was first invented in 1893 as "Brad's Drink" by Caleb Bradham, who sold the drink at his drugstore in New Bern, North Carolina.

It was renamed Pepsi-Cola in 1898, "Pepsi" because it was advertised to relieve dyspepsia (indigestion) and "Cola" referring to the cola flavor. Some have also suggested that "Pepsi" may have been a reference to the drink aiding digestion like the digestive enzyme pepsin,[ but pepsin itself was never used as an ingredient to Pepsi-Cola.

This spider is usually found low down in vegetation in a funnel web often in brambles, gorse and heather, In late summer the female will construct a chamber within the web which is made up of a complex maze of silken tubes that will contain her egg sac and will often be seen guarding the entrance. The spiders main primary function is to quickly immobilize and subdue its prey and start the digesting process. The venom can contain many different substances which can include amino acids, proteolytic enzymes and neurotoxic polypeptides. Once a spider has caught its prey and will want to eat its food the first step is to literally vomit a digestive fluid all over the food and then to chew the item with the jaws (chelicerae), then on to suck up the fluid back into the mouth together with the liquified meat. Some spiders can produce at least six different kinds of silk and if spiders were scaled to the same size as us it is said that the Web would be strong enough to catch a helicopter. It has also been claimed that a cable of silk as thick as a thumb woven from spider silk would be able to bear the weight of a jumbo jet. Unfortunately most of us have been brought up in life from young children to fear a spider and most will feel sorry for the bee straight away but how many feel sorry for the bee in a beak of a stunning looking Bee-Eater Bird or the Stickleback fish repeatably being hit on a branch before being swallowed down whole by a stunning blue King Fisher or even a earth worm that snaps in half when being pulled out of the ground by our friendly Robbin in our gardens. The answer is not many as all three do not have eight legs and look like a spider, its a funny old world that we live in.

Its scientific name is from the Greek δρόσος: "drosos" = "dew, dewdrops". Its English name is sundew, from Latin ros solis, meaning "dew of the sun". Both names describe the sweet-smelling, sticky (goo) that comes down the ends of on each flower . This mucilage rolls down the plant, attracting sugar-loving insects day and night. The mucilage has enzymes which digests them so that the plants can get the nitrogen it needs from it. Like all plants, the sundew makes its own food, and just uses insects for nitrogen and other nutrients.

Many thanks for your visit, comments, invites and favs..it is always appreciated.

Happy Friday

The Venus Flytrap (dionaea muscipulae) attracts his prey (flies, insects) using sweet nectar. Touch a trigger hair twice, or two hairs in quick succession, and an electric charge closes the trap, its interlocking teeth forming a cage. The insect's continued struggles will cause the trap to seal, at which point digestive enzymes will dissolve the victim's soft tissues. The trap reabsorbs this nutritious soup, and - after about a week - reopens.

The red dog bin in my local park came in very handy for this one. The spider's main primary function is to quickly immobilize and subdue its prey and start the digesting process. The venom can contain many different substances which can include amino acids, proteolytic enzymes and neurotoxic polypeptides. This adult female has not quite finished her meal here. Once a spider has caught its prey and will want to eat its food the first step is to literally vomit a digestive fluid all over the food and then to chew the item with the jaws (chelicerae), then on to suck up the fluid back into the mouth together with the liquified meat.

A semi abstract rendition of a carnivorous Oblong Leaved Sundew plant (Drosera intermedia) growing in a wetland.

The modified leaves of these carnivorous plants attract and trap insects using sticky red tipped hairs that glisten in the sun (hence the name "Sundew"). Sundews grow in bogs and fens where nitrogen essential for plant growth is typically deficient. The hapless insects once trapped by the plant are digested with enzymes to serve as a source of nitrogen rich nutrition. The modified leaves have a total length (with stalk) of about 1-3 cm. Oblong Leaved Sundew is widely distributed and is native to parts of Europe and the Americas.

West Quebec, Canada

Olympus EM1 and 60 mm f2.8 lens

P6223372

The first photo from the left is taken using the Tair 11a that I received for Christmas and the other two shots are older using a macro lens. I didn't get the separation for the type of bokeh I had wished using the vintage Tair 11a when shooting these. kneeling in and also putting my hand in dog poo .That didn't help tbh but I can only blame my own photography at the end of the day....I got outdoors though and that counts for a lot...

Of course I don't expect comments or faves on three uploads at a time and was just bringing my photo stream up to date as to how things are going for my friends on here..

I have been looking at your remarkable photos but felt so awful.

Was taken by ambulance to A&E three weeks ago today. Had symptoms of heart attack and an ECG taken by paramedics was abnormal. They insisted a blood enzyme test to be the only definitive test even though my symptoms were easing off. Enzymes were up and another ECG abnormal so kept for hours more and then the Enzyme levels dropped and I was diagnosed with Oesophageal Spasm instead caused by............. stress the Dr reckoned. Who would have guessed ?

The spiders main primary function is to quickly immobilize and subdue its prey and start the digesting process. The venom can contain many different substances which can include amino acids, proteolytic enzymes and neurotoxic polypeptides. This adult female has not quite finished her meal here. Once a spider has caught its prey and will want to eat its food the first step is to literally vomit a digestive fluid all over the food and then to chew the item with the jaws (chelicerae), then on to suck up the fluid back into the mouth together with the liquified meat.

The spiders main primary function is to quickly immobilize and subdue its prey and start the digesting process. The venom can contain many different substances which can include amino acids, proteolytic enzymes and neurotoxic polypeptides.

Tilden Botanic Garden, Berkeley, CA

Western False Asphodel (Triantha occidentalis) is a species of flowering plant in the family Tofieldiaceae. It used to be called Tofieldia occidentalis. It was only recently determined to be a carnivorous plant with a unique sticky inflorescence trap catching unsuspecting prey. Its flower stems are covered in a sticky substance and have tiny hairs that produce a digestive enzyme, a phosphatase. The sticky substance is able to trap small insects, which are digested by the enzyme from the hairs, allowing the plant to absorb their nutrients. The left frame in this diptych provides a close-up view of Western False Asphodel with its trapped prey.

All My Links

At last I have finally got a Jumping Spider Macro shot, so now I can start to feel like a real photographer. After being rudely awakened by the DPD delivery guy too early this morning, I was on my balcony and inspecting the plants when I spied this little fella, now I have to say, this species of Spider are the greatest physical contradiction in terms one could ever witness, how can something so hopelessly cute be a predator in a manner we would find so grotesque?!

A parasitizing toxin utilising, eight legged predator, that feeds off bugs by excreting digestive enzymes and then sucking up the remains, yummy! But hey, they're so cute though!

Still, thrilled I finally got one.

I hope everyone is well and so as always, thank you! :)

PS: Zoom in, false eye lashes! ;)

Lampyridae (ightning bugs, fireflies) - Photinini tribe.

Fireflies began appearing in large numbers during the 2nd week in June. Under a hazy 1st quarter moon, hundreds were visible in a field behind my home.

In lightning bugs, bioluminescence occurs in the abdomen where luciferin is converted to oxyluciferin and light by an enzyme called luciferase. To facilitate catalysis, the enzyme also requires ATP, Mg2+ and Oxygen.

Nikon D5500, F-S DX VR Nikkor 55-300mm 4.5-5.6G ED @ 85mm

10s x 32 (iso 400) - Max combine, Affinity Photo

lightning bugs

LightingBugs_B_DSC-642-673_max_33r90q.jpg

The Reduviidae are a large cosmopolitan family of the order Hemiptera (true bugs). They are unusual among the Hemiptera because almost all are terrestrial ambush predators (most other predatory Hemiptera are aquatic). The main examples of nonpredatory Reduviidae are some blood-sucking ectoparasites in the subfamily Triatominae. Though spectacular exceptions are known, most members of the family are fairly easily recognizable; they have a relatively narrow neck, sturdy build, and formidable curved proboscis (sometimes called a rostrum). Large specimens should be handled with caution, if at all, because they sometimes defend themselves with a very painful stab from the proboscis. Predatory Reduviidae use the long rostrum to inject a lethal saliva that liquefies the insides of the prey, which are then sucked out. The saliva contains enzymes that digest the tissues they swallow. This process is generally referred to as extraoral digestion. The saliva is commonly effective at killing prey substantially larger than the bug itself. 2201

She's spending the last weeks of her life, our Honeybee, foraging for pollen for the well-being of the hive. Before this she was a hive worker for a couple of weeks, feeding the larvae and generally cleaning up. Also 'chemically' extracting the nutrients from the pollen delivered by her older companions, and dumping the leftover debris.

As a forager herself now she won't partake of the pollen she's collecting because her system no longer has the enzymes necessary to access those nutrients.

Honeybee is delighting on an African Daisy, an Osteospermum in the Hortus Botanicus.

Monkshood is one of the deadliest plants - at least to human beings - you'll find in your garden. Indeed, ancient Romans used it as a plant for executions.

All parts of the plant are highly toxic even the pollen. And it has been claimed that people have been poisioned by Monkshood honey that contains the plant's pollen (as reported by H.S. Puri in 1974 citing Motoyoshi Satake 1969). And around 1900 in Germany the honey itself was thought to be toxic to humans.

But fear not this little scene. Our insect is not a Bee collecting nectar for our honey. It's a Marmalade Hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus, eating pollen. The proteins will be extracted from it by nectar and enzymes in Hoverfly's stomach. That will provide energy for reproduction and also for further foraging which is sure to pollinate plants for multiplication and the further Purple Glory of a garden.

This green lynx spider will eat any insect,

Here is eating a grasshopper while the grasshopper is shedding,

Never seen that before,

It does not bite people Sheila:-)

Good luck today.

Note,

Most spiders don't eat their prey whole instead they expel digestive enzymes onto or into the animal to liquefy it.

Some spiders use their fangs to inject the digestive fluid directly into the animal as you can see this one is doing it.

Sundew typically grows on poor, rather acidic and moist soils. He also needs a lot of sun, so are Moore and wetlands be ideal habitat. To cover its nitrogen requirement of sundew catches insects with the help of adhesive hairs on the leaf surface. These are then dissolved by digestive enzymes and added the vacant nutrients through the leaf surface. The progressive decline of bogs and wetlands are both types in Baden-Württemberg on the Red List, the Langblättrige sundew is even listed as endangered.

Sonnentau wächst typischerweise auf nährstoffarmen, eher sauren und feuchten Böden. Außerdem benötigt er viel Sonne, deshalb sind Moore und Feuchtgebiete sein idealer Lebensraum. Zur Deckung seines Stickstoffbedarfes fängt der Sonnentau Insekten mit Hilfe von Klebehaaren auf der Blattoberfläche. Diese werden dann durch Verdauungsenzyme aufgelöst und die freigewordenen Nährstoffe über die Blattoberfläche aufgenommen. Durch den fortschreitenden Rückgang von Mooren und Feuchtgebieten stehen beide Arten in Baden-Württemberg auf der Roten Liste, der Langblättrige Sonnentau wird sogar als stark gefährdet aufgeführt.

In meinem Urlaub in Portugal konnte ich wirklich tolle Vögel sehe. Besonders beeindruckend fand ich natürlich die Flamingos, die zum Teil eine sehr schöne rosa Farbe hatten.

Die Rosafärbung des Gefieders ist auf die Aufnahme von Carotinoiden mit der Nahrung zurückzuführen. Diese sind vor allem in planktonischen Algen enthalten. Der Flamingo-Organismus kann diese Carotinoide mit Hilfe von Enzymen in der Leber umwandeln; dabei entstehen mehrere Pigmente, vor allem Canthaxanthin, das in Haut und Federn ausgewachsener Flamingos eingelagert wird. Jungvögel haben ein graues Gefieder mit keinen oder wenigen rosa Pigmenten.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

During my holiday in Portugal, I was able to see some really great birds. Of course, I was particularly impressed by the flamingos, some of which had a very beautiful pink colour.

The pink colouring of the plumage is due to the intake of carotenoids with the food. These are mainly contained in planktonic algae. The flamingo organism can convert these carotenoids with the help of enzymes in the liver; this produces several pigments, especially canthaxanthin, which is stored in the skin and feathers of adult flamingos. Young birds have grey plumage with no or few pink pigments.

These pale green assassin bugs are beautiful but deadly predators on other bugs they find in the forest. Amazingly, they can produce glue from glands on their front leg to lay sticky traps on the leaves and then sit back and wait for a hapless bug to get stuck there. They then stab said prey with a long needle-like beak and inject enzymes into the captured insect to dissolve its insides - sucked out then through that "straw" like a milkshake. Something to think about next time you visit the local soda shop.

…The Tans Fade but the Memories Last Forever

____________________________

Found this Worker Bee doing what Bees do… Stop and Smell the Flowers. Maybe that’s something we all could benefit from : )

____________________________

More than you may want to know about Worker Bees:

A worker bee is any female bee that lacks the full reproductive capacity of the colony's queen bee. While worker bees occur in all bee species, the term is rarely used for any bees other than honey bees.

Honey bee workers gather pollen into the pollen baskets on their back legs and carry it back to the hive where it is used as food for the developing brood. Pollen carried on their bodies may be carried to another flower where a small portion can rub off onto the pistil, resulting in cross pollination.

A significant amount of the world's food supply depends greatly on crop pollination by honey bees. Nectar is sucked up through the proboscis, mixed with enzymes in the stomach, and carried back to the hive, where it is stored in wax cells and evaporated into honey.

The life span of a worker bee is generally only a few months, and rarely can survive a year. The life span is 1-2 months in summer and can be up to 6-8 months over autumn and winter.

Honeybee workers keep the hive temperature uniform in the critical brood area (where new bees are raised). This is in the center of the hive. Workers must maintain the hive's brood chamber at 34.4 C to incubate the eggs. If it is too hot, they collect water and deposit it around the hive, then fan air through with their wings causing cooling by evaporation. If it is too cold, they cluster together to generate body heat.

The life of all honeybees start as an egg, which is laid by the queen in the bottom of a wax cell in the brood area of a hive. A worker egg hatches after three days into a larva. Nurse bees feed it royal jelly at first, then pollen and honey for six days. It then becomes an inactive pupa.

During its 14 days as a pupa, sealed in a capped cell, it grows into a worker bee, emerging on the 21st day. In most species of honeybees, workers do everything but lay eggs and mate. They build the comb from wax extruded from glands under their abdomen.

- Wikipedia

(Nikon, 100-400/5,6 @ 400 mm, 1/2000 @ f/8.0, ISO 500, edited to taste)

fungus (plural: fungi or funguses is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from the other eukaryotic kingdoms, which by one traditional classification include Plantae, Animalia, Protozoa, and Chromista.

A characteristic that places fungi in a different kingdom from plants, bacteria, and some protists is chitin in their cell walls. Fungi, like animals, are heterotrophs; they acquire their food by absorbing dissolved molecules, typically by secreting digestive enzymes into their environment. Fungi do not photosynthesize. Growth is their means of mobility, except for spores (a few of which are flagellated), which may travel through the air or water. Fungi are the principal decomposers in ecological systems. These and other differences place fungi in a single group of related organisms, named the Eumycota (true fungi or Eumycetes), that share a common ancestor (i.e. they form a monophyletic group), an interpretation that is also strongly supported by molecular phylogenetics. This fungal group is distinct from the structurally similar myxomycetes (slime molds) and oomycetes (water molds). The discipline of biology devoted to the study of fungi is known as mycology (from the Greek μύκης mykes, mushroom). In the past, mycology was regarded as a branch of botany, although it is now known fungi are genetically more closely related to animals than to plants.

Abundant worldwide, most fungi are inconspicuous because of the small size of their structures, and their cryptic lifestyles in soil or on dead matter. Fungi include symbionts of plants, animals, or other fungi and also parasites. They may become noticeable when fruiting, either as mushrooms or as molds. Fungi perform an essential role in the decomposition of organic matter and have fundamental roles in nutrient cycling and exchange in the environment. They have long been used as a direct source of human food, in the form of mushrooms and truffles; as a leavening agent for bread; and in the fermentation of various food products, such as wine, beer, and soy sauce. Since the 1940s, fungi have been used for the production of antibiotics, and, more recently, various enzymes produced by fungi are used industrially and in detergents. Fungi are also used as biological pesticides to control weeds, plant diseases and insect pests. Many species produce bioactive compounds called mycotoxins, such as alkaloids and polyketides, that are toxic to animals including humans. The fruiting structures of a few species contain psychotropic compounds and are consumed recreationally or in traditional spiritual ceremonies. Fungi can break down manufactured materials and buildings, and become significant pathogens of humans and other animals. Losses of crops due to fungal diseases (e.g., rice blast disease) or food spoilage can have a large impact on human food supplies and local economies.

The fungus kingdom encompasses an enormous diversity of taxa with varied ecologies, life cycle strategies, and morphologies ranging from unicellular aquatic chytrids to large mushrooms. However, little is known of the true biodiversity of Kingdom Fungi, which has been estimated at 2.2 million to 3.8 million species.[5] Of these, only about 148,000 have been described,[6] with over 8,000 species known to be detrimental to plants and at least 300 that can be pathogenic to humans.[7] Ever since the pioneering 18th and 19th century taxonomical works of Carl Linnaeus, Christiaan Hendrik Persoon, and Elias Magnus Fries, fungi have been classified according to their morphology (e.g., characteristics such as spore color or microscopic features) or physiology. Advances in molecular genetics have opened the way for DNA analysis to be incorporated into taxonomy, which has sometimes challenged the historical groupings based on morphology and other traits. Phylogenetic studies published in the first decade of the 21st century have helped reshape the classification within Kingdom Fungi, which is divided into one subkingdom, seven phyla, and ten subphyla.

Sobralia is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr. Francisco Sobral, a Spanish botanist. The genus is abbreviated Sob in trade journals. Their reed-like stems range in height from about 1 ft (33 cm) (such as in Sobralia galeottiana) to 44 ft. (13.4 m) (in Sobralia altissima). They have typically heavily veined, bilobed, plicate, apical leaves all along the stem. The inflorescences on the apex of the stem carry one or two successive ephemeral flowers with large sepals and petals. The short duration of the flower is caused by a self-digesting enzyme. The lip is entire or lobed and clasps the column at its base. This columns carries eight soft pollinia. These flowers range in color from pure white to yellow, green, pink, purple, red, brown, and even a blue violet. 30392

A green jewel bug on a leaf. Some fun facts about jewel bugs -

Jewel bugs are also known as metallic shield bugs.

Jewel bugs are from the ‘Scutelleridae’ family, which are true bugs that have mouths that suck, rather than beetles that have mouths that chomp.

The jewel bug’s diet consists of plant juices.

When jewel bug’s feed, they alter the plant by injecting an enzyme from their saliva into the plant matter, which turns the plant into a liquid state.

Jewel bugs are related to stink bugs, as they can produce a smell when they are irritated.

There are approximately 450 species of jewel bugs around the world.

Jewel bugs can range from 5 mm to 2 cm in length.

Jewel bugs come in a range of colours including metallic or iridescent blue, red, orange, black and green.

A fig is, in fact, not a fruit but a cluster of inverted flowers known as a syncomium.

Figs are part of the mulberry family.

Figs contain a milky sap called latex that can cause major skin irritation.

Fig skin is edible; just twist off the stem and tuck in. If you don’t like the texture of the skin, gently peel it away with your fingers, starting from where you removed the stem.

According to legend, Buddha achieved enlightenment under the bodhi tree, a sacred fig tree.

Figs are very labour intensive to harvest: they bruise very easily and must be picked daily by hand.

Figs contain ficinen, a digestive enzyme that digests proteins and can be used to tenderise meat.

Most commercial figs are grown in Spain, Italy, Turkey, the Middle East, Iran, Greece, Portugal, USA, North Africa and South Africa.

Fluted Flan Dish in Cassis

The Reduviidae are a large cosmopolitan family of the order Hemiptera (true bugs). They are unusual among the Hemiptera because almost all are terrestrial ambush predators (most other predatory Hemiptera are aquatic). The main examples of nonpredatory Reduviidae are some blood-sucking ectoparasites in the subfamily Triatominae. Though spectacular exceptions are known, most members of the family are fairly easily recognizable; they have a relatively narrow neck, sturdy build, and formidable curved proboscis (sometimes called a rostrum). Large specimens should be handled with caution, if at all, because they sometimes defend themselves with a very painful stab from the proboscis. Predatory Reduviidae use the long rostrum to inject a lethal saliva that liquefies the insides of the prey, which are then sucked out. The saliva contains enzymes that digest the tissues they swallow. This process is generally referred to as extraoral digestion. The saliva is commonly effective at killing prey substantially larger than the bug itself. 2206

Our two protagonists enjoy a Dutch speciality. In the Netherlands, matje herring is traditionally eaten by hand. That means you grab the fish by the tail, place the head in the neck and enjoy the herring (or fillet) in one piece. For the production of matje herring, only young herring may be taken that have put on fat before the reproductive phase (fishing season May to June). The herrings are gutted down to the pancreas and salted. They are then matured in brine for a few days by the body's own enzymes still present in the pancreas. So " True Matjes" consists only of herring and salt.

Zandvoort Beach

Noord-Holland Province, Netherlands 25.02.2014

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a1ITBzEOyQ

Unsere beiden Protagonisten genießen eine niederländische Spezialität. In den Niederlanden wird der Matjeshering traditionell mit der Hand gegessen. Das heißt, man packt den Fisch am Schwanz, legt den Kopf in den Nacken und genießt den Hering (oder das Filet) am Stück. Für die Herstellung von Matjeshering dürfen nur junge Heringe verwendet werden, die sich vor der Fortpflanzungsphase Fettpolster angefressen haben (Fangsaison Mai bis Juni). Die Heringe werden bis auf die Bauchspeicheldrüse ausgenommen und gesalzen. Anschließend reifen sie durch die in der Bauchspeicheldrüse noch vorhandenen, körpereigenen Enzyme für einige Tage in Salzlake. „Echter Matjes“ besteht also nur aus Hering und Salz.

Strand von Zandvoort

Provinz Noord-Holland, Niederlande 25.02.2014

www.youtube.com/watch?v=chKixfngM7k

Cyathe en vase

(Cyathus olla)

Cyathus est un genre de champignons de la famille des Agaricaceae

une famille dont la ressemblance à de petits nids d'oiseaux remplis d’œufs est importante. Ce sont en fait des structures de reproduction contenant des spores. Les « œufs », ou péridioles, sont fermement attachés à la surface interne de l'organe de fructification par un cordon élastique connu comme un funicule. Les 45 espèces sont largement distribués à travers le monde et certaines se retrouvent dans la plupart des pays, alors que d'autres existent seulement dans un ou deux endroits. Cyathus stercoreus est considéré comme en danger dans un certain nombre de pays européens. Certaines espèces de Cyathus ressemblent également à des tasses éclatées, car les gouttes de pluie en tombant peuvent frapper les péridioles et les éjecter hors de la tasse. Les surfaces interne et externe de cette coupe peuvent être striées longitudinalement ce qui est un exemple d'une caractéristique taxinomique qui sert traditionnellement à distinguer les espèces. Généralement considéré comme non comestibles, les Cyathus sont saprophytes, car ils obtiennent les nutriments dont ils ont besoin de la décomposition des matières organiques. Ils poussent généralement sur ​​le bois en décomposition ou des débris ligneux, sur les bouses de vache et le crottin de cheval, ou directement sur un sol riche en humus. Le cycle de vie de ce genre lui permet de se reproduire de façon sexuée, par méiose, et asexuée, par des spores. Plusieurs espèces produisent des composés bioactifs, dont certains ont des propriétés médicinales, et plusieurs enzymes de dégradation de la lignine peuvent être utiles dans la bioremédiation et l'agriculture. L'analyse phylogénétique offre de nouvelles perspectives sur les relations évolutives entre les différentes espèces de Cyathus et a jeté un doute sur la validité des systèmes de classification plus âgés qui sont basés sur des caractéristiques

Photographié devant mon tas de bois

Généralement considérés comme non comestible, mais pas dangereux,/

--------------------------------------------------------------

Cyathus is a genus of fungi in the family Agaricaceae

a family whose resemblance to small bird nests filled with eggs is important. They are actually reproductive structures containing spores. The "eggs", or peridioles, are firmly attached to the inner surface of the fruiting body by an elastic cord known as a funicle. The 45 species are widely distributed across the world and some are found in most countries, while others only exist in one or two locations. Cyathus stercoreus is considered endangered in a number of European countries. Some species of Cyathus also resemble popped cups, as falling raindrops can strike the peridioles and eject them out of the cup. The inner and outer surfaces of this cup may be longitudinally streaked which is an example of a taxonomic feature that is traditionally used to distinguish species. Generally considered inedible, Cyathus are saprophytes, as they obtain the nutrients they need from the decomposition of organic matter. They typically grow on rotting wood or woody debris, on cow dung and horse manure, or directly on humus-rich soil. The life cycle of this genus allows it to reproduce sexually, by meiosis, and asexually, by spores. Several species produce bioactive compounds, some of which have medicinal properties, and several lignin-degrading enzymes may be useful in bioremediation and agriculture. Phylogenetic analysis offers new insights into the evolutionary relationships between different Cyathus species and has cast doubt on the validity of older classification systems that are based on characteristics.

Photographed in front of my pile of wood

Generally considered inedible, but not dangerous

Thank you everyone for your kind words about Poppy it very much appreciated.

After Meeting Jess at the German shepherd Welfare fund www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/ I knew straight away she should come home with us, she is about three years old and gets on really well with Harry (Lurcher)

Jess is very thin due to a condition called 'EPI' Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is the inability to produce sufficient pancreatic enzymes to digest fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. This difficulty in digestion leads to poor absorption of nutrients which commonly causes weight loss despite a normal or increased appetite.

Hopefully her condition will improve now that it is being treated and she is on a good diet. she is putting weight on gradually which is good news.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by, take care,stay safe and have a lovely day !!

Georgia, 2013.

“Humans! They lived in a world where the grass continued to be green and the sun rose every day and flowers regularly turned into fruit, and what impressed them? Weeping statues. And wine made out of water! A mere quantum-mechanistic tunnel effect, that'd happen anyway if you were prepared to wait zillions of years. As if the turning of sunlight into wine, by means of vines and grapes and time and enzymes, wasn't a thousand times more impressive and happened all the time...”

― Terry Pratchett, Small Gods

Alaverdi Monastery (Georgian: ალავერდის მონასტერი) is a Georgian Eastern Orthodox monastery located 25 km from Akhmeta, in the Kakheti region of Eastern Georgia. While parts of the monastery date back to 6th century, the present day cathedral was built in the 11th century by Kvirike III of Kakheti, replacing an older church of St. George.

The monastery was founded by the Assyrian monk Joseph (Yoseb, Amba) Alaverdeli, who came from Antioch and settled in Alaverdi, then a small village and former pagan religious center dedicated to the Moon. At a height of over 55 meters, Alaverdi Cathedral is the second tallest religious building in Georgia, after Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi, which was consecrated in 2004. Its overall size is also smaller than the cathedral of Svetitskhoveli in Mtskheta. The monastery is the focus of the annual religious celebration Alaverdoba. Situated in the heart of the world's oldest wine region, the monks also make their own wine, known as Alaverdi Monastery Cellar. [source: wikipedia.com]

The long leaves on this plant are covered in transparent and sticky 'dew drops' and these attract the insects that become trapped and are slowly digested by the enzymes contained in the dew drop.

I have several of these plants growing in pots in my garden during the summer months and in the green house in winter. The pots stand in a tray full of rainwater which keeps them moist.

No escape. I watched as Lucilia's right wing got caught on the sticky 'tentacles' of this Fork-leaved Sundew. A bit of a struggle, but that only brought it into contact with more of those glue-droplets. They're composed of a sugary mucilage apparently attractive to Lucilia. When those tentacles sense a prey is 'stuck' they begin to also secrete a digestive fluid: some enzymes among which a chitinase which dissolves the chitin outer protection of Fly. At the same time the stalk-leaf of Drosera is stimulated to bend a bit to bring as many of those tentacles as possible into contact with Food. The dissolving Fly is then slow absorbed into Sundew through those same tentacles, through the plant's outer cells, and through so-called sessile glands on its surface (the latter are small and unfocused in the photo but you can make them out in particular on the left between the tentacles). The dark spots top right and bottom left are what'll be left of Lucilia, too, once the longish lunch is over.

fungus (plural: fungi or funguses is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from the other eukaryotic kingdoms, which by one traditional classification include Plantae, Animalia, Protozoa, and Chromista.

A characteristic that places fungi in a different kingdom from plants, bacteria, and some protists is chitin in their cell walls. Fungi, like animals, are heterotrophs; they acquire their food by absorbing dissolved molecules, typically by secreting digestive enzymes into their environment. Fungi do not photosynthesize. Growth is their means of mobility, except for spores (a few of which are flagellated), which may travel through the air or water. Fungi are the principal decomposers in ecological systems. These and other differences place fungi in a single group of related organisms, named the Eumycota (true fungi or Eumycetes), that share a common ancestor (i.e. they form a monophyletic group), an interpretation that is also strongly supported by molecular phylogenetics. This fungal group is distinct from the structurally similar myxomycetes (slime molds) and oomycetes (water molds). The discipline of biology devoted to the study of fungi is known as mycology (from the Greek μύκης mykes, mushroom). In the past, mycology was regarded as a branch of botany, although it is now known fungi are genetically more closely related to animals than to plants.

Abundant worldwide, most fungi are inconspicuous because of the small size of their structures, and their cryptic lifestyles in soil or on dead matter. Fungi include symbionts of plants, animals, or other fungi and also parasites. They may become noticeable when fruiting, either as mushrooms or as molds. Fungi perform an essential role in the decomposition of organic matter and have fundamental roles in nutrient cycling and exchange in the environment. They have long been used as a direct source of human food, in the form of mushrooms and truffles; as a leavening agent for bread; and in the fermentation of various food products, such as wine, beer, and soy sauce. Since the 1940s, fungi have been used for the production of antibiotics, and, more recently, various enzymes produced by fungi are used industrially and in detergents. Fungi are also used as biological pesticides to control weeds, plant diseases and insect pests. Many species produce bioactive compounds called mycotoxins, such as alkaloids and polyketides, that are toxic to animals including humans. The fruiting structures of a few species contain psychotropic compounds and are consumed recreationally or in traditional spiritual ceremonies. Fungi can break down manufactured materials and buildings, and become significant pathogens of humans and other animals. Losses of crops due to fungal diseases (e.g., rice blast disease) or food spoilage can have a large impact on human food supplies and local economies.

The fungus kingdom encompasses an enormous diversity of taxa with varied ecologies, life cycle strategies, and morphologies ranging from unicellular aquatic chytrids to large mushrooms. However, little is known of the true biodiversity of Kingdom Fungi, which has been estimated at 2.2 million to 3.8 million species.[5] Of these, only about 148,000 have been described,[6] with over 8,000 species known to be detrimental to plants and at least 300 that can be pathogenic to humans.[7] Ever since the pioneering 18th and 19th century taxonomical works of Carl Linnaeus, Christiaan Hendrik Persoon, and Elias Magnus Fries, fungi have been classified according to their morphology (e.g., characteristics such as spore color or microscopic features) or physiology. Advances in molecular genetics have opened the way for DNA analysis to be incorporated into taxonomy, which has sometimes challenged the historical groupings based on morphology and other traits. Phylogenetic studies published in the first decade of the 21st century have helped reshape the classification within Kingdom Fungi, which is divided into one subkingdom, seven phyla, and ten subphyla.

fungus (plural: fungi or funguses is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from the other eukaryotic kingdoms, which by one traditional classification include Plantae, Animalia, Protozoa, and Chromista.

A characteristic that places fungi in a different kingdom from plants, bacteria, and some protists is chitin in their cell walls. Fungi, like animals, are heterotrophs; they acquire their food by absorbing dissolved molecules, typically by secreting digestive enzymes into their environment. Fungi do not photosynthesize. Growth is their means of mobility, except for spores (a few of which are flagellated), which may travel through the air or water. Fungi are the principal decomposers in ecological systems. These and other differences place fungi in a single group of related organisms, named the Eumycota (true fungi or Eumycetes), that share a common ancestor (i.e. they form a monophyletic group), an interpretation that is also strongly supported by molecular phylogenetics. This fungal group is distinct from the structurally similar myxomycetes (slime molds) and oomycetes (water molds). The discipline of biology devoted to the study of fungi is known as mycology (from the Greek μύκης mykes, mushroom). In the past, mycology was regarded as a branch of botany, although it is now known fungi are genetically more closely related to animals than to plants.

Abundant worldwide, most fungi are inconspicuous because of the small size of their structures, and their cryptic lifestyles in soil or on dead matter. Fungi include symbionts of plants, animals, or other fungi and also parasites. They may become noticeable when fruiting, either as mushrooms or as molds. Fungi perform an essential role in the decomposition of organic matter and have fundamental roles in nutrient cycling and exchange in the environment. They have long been used as a direct source of human food, in the form of mushrooms and truffles; as a leavening agent for bread; and in the fermentation of various food products, such as wine, beer, and soy sauce. Since the 1940s, fungi have been used for the production of antibiotics, and, more recently, various enzymes produced by fungi are used industrially and in detergents. Fungi are also used as biological pesticides to control weeds, plant diseases and insect pests. Many species produce bioactive compounds called mycotoxins, such as alkaloids and polyketides, that are toxic to animals including humans. The fruiting structures of a few species contain psychotropic compounds and are consumed recreationally or in traditional spiritual ceremonies. Fungi can break down manufactured materials and buildings, and become significant pathogens of humans and other animals. Losses of crops due to fungal diseases (e.g., rice blast disease) or food spoilage can have a large impact on human food supplies and local economies.

The fungus kingdom encompasses an enormous diversity of taxa with varied ecologies, life cycle strategies, and morphologies ranging from unicellular aquatic chytrids to large mushrooms. However, little is known of the true biodiversity of Kingdom Fungi, which has been estimated at 2.2 million to 3.8 million species.[5] Of these, only about 148,000 have been described,[6] with over 8,000 species known to be detrimental to plants and at least 300 that can be pathogenic to humans.[7] Ever since the pioneering 18th and 19th century taxonomical works of Carl Linnaeus, Christiaan Hendrik Persoon, and Elias Magnus Fries, fungi have been classified according to their morphology (e.g., characteristics such as spore color or microscopic features) or physiology. Advances in molecular genetics have opened the way for DNA analysis to be incorporated into taxonomy, which has sometimes challenged the historical groupings based on morphology and other traits. Phylogenetic studies published in the first decade of the 21st century have helped reshape the classification within Kingdom Fungi, which is divided into one subkingdom, seven phyla, and ten subphyla.

A bee joins a Zebra Butterfly feasting on a Passion Fruit flower.

From Bug of the Week -

I had the opportunity to enjoy the antics of the remarkable zebra longwing, Heliconius charitonius, as it visited flowering trees and shrubs along a trail through a swampy forest. Tropical butterflies in the genus Heliconius, such as the zebra, are notable for their longevity. These beauties live up to six months. Zebras and their kin evolved an interesting strategy to gather nutritious pollen used to sustain their long lives. The zebra flies a well-defined route through the forest visiting flowers that present a fresh batch of pollen and nectar each day. This behavior is called traplining and is employed by many tropical pollinators including bees, hummingbirds, and bats.

After collecting a gob of pollen on its long, straw-like proboscis, the butterfly secretes specialized enzymes to release the amino acids and other nutrients in the pollen. The nutrients are absorbed through the membranes lining the proboscis and used to produce eggs and maintain the zebra’s high level of activity zooming about the forest. In addition to visiting flowers laden with pollen, the zebra also searches for different species of plants in the passion vine genus, Passiflora.

These tropical vines bear the magnificent passion flower and following pollination, the passion fruit. Several species of passion vine are used by the immature stages of the zebra and other Heliconius butterflies as a source of food. These voracious caterpillars consume great quantities of leafy tissue on a daily basis. As a group, passion fruit plants are protected from most leaf-munching caterpillars and other vegan insects by a veritable witch’s brew of highly toxic chemicals including alkaloids, a family of toxins that include strychnine and nicotine, and cyanogenic glycosides, chemicals that release cyanide upon entering the body. However, using some clever metabolic machinery, the specialized Heliconius butterflies have turned the tables on passion fruit plants and now feast on their leaves with impunity. With so much munching by the larvae of the zebras and their kin, one wonders how the vines of Passiflora survive.

From the butterfly breeder/photographer - the passion fruit vines act as a 'host' for the zebra butterflies. I have many of those as well as Firebush which the butterfly enjoys. Adult zebra longwing butterflies feed on both flower nectar and pollen. The additional nutrients from the pollen enable individuals to survive for several months, far exceeding the normal two to four week adult life span of most other butterflies. Adult individuals often form small communal roosts at night. Sometimes they swarm around me - the first time they did that I was shocked.

Yes I was out in a preserve looking for a zebra on a passionflower when I took this photo - the bee was an 'extra'.

BTW - since this was photographed with an R7 - this telephoto shot (hand-held) was at over 500mm.

From the Florida Times Union :

...you’ve probably seen the flight of the distinctive black butterfly with bold yellow stripes, the zebra longwing butterfly (Heliconius charithonis). Since 1996, it has been the Florida state butterfly. What you discovered is the mature larvae feeding on its host plant, one of many species of passionflower.

You really can’t confuse it with any other Florida butterfly. This impressive 2 1/2- to 4-inch flyer with its striking pattern prefers warm, damp, tropical hammocks and thickets. Just the conditions most of the state provides, especially central and south Florida.

Pitcher Plants are, of course, carnivorous. Insects attracted by the sweet-edged pitchers fall in and are drowned in the digestive pool at the bottom. There the Plant - which produces far too little in enzymes for digestion itself - is helped commensally by tiny invertebrates such as the larvae of mosquitoes and midges; and by various bacteria and protozoa. The resulting stew is the life's blood, so to speak, of our Pitcher Plant.

The photo shows none of this. Here rather is a Sarracenia flower. Those flowers stand high about the Pitchers and one might think pollinating insects could inadvertently fall into one, intent as they are on gathering proteins from the pollen and nectar. You've probably seen the way many pollinators seem to tumble around. To prevent such a Fall, the flower of the Pitcher Plant has ingenuously developed a kind of Catching Cup - clearly visible in the photo - just under its pistil and stamens. Thus the Plant has the best of two worlds: it safely attracts insects for the pollination of its flowers and others yet for its Pitcher for food.

Here's a Sundew from North America. It has long and slender, erect 'tendrils', filaments covered with tiny hairs or trichomes with globules of sticky exudate at their ends. They serve to trap small insects and also contain digestive enzymes that soon reduce insects to plant nutrients. Then it'll have energy to produce these pretty pink flowers.

Our 'elegant species', as writes Frederick Traugott Pursh (1774-1820), was seen by him near Tuckerton, New Jersey, about 1805. He describes it 1813/1814, too late for Constantine Samuel Raffinesque (1783-1840) to have read it. Usually Raffinesque quotes Pursh if the latter saw a specific plant before he did, but he saw this Drosera around 1803/1804 also in New Jersey and described it in 1808, well before Pursh. Hence its find is attributed to him.

Oudemansiella mucida, commonly known as porcelain fungus, is a basidiomycete fungus of the family Physalacriaceae and native to Europe. O. mucida is a white, slimy wood-rot fungus and is strongly tied to rotting beech, where it grows in clusters

Fungus (plural: fungi or funguses is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from the other eukaryotic kingdoms, which by one traditional classification include Plantae, Animalia, Protozoa, and Chromista.

A characteristic that places fungi in a different kingdom from plants, bacteria, and some protists is chitin in their cell walls. Fungi, like animals, are heterotrophs; they acquire their food by absorbing dissolved molecules, typically by secreting digestive enzymes into their environment. Fungi do not photosynthesize. Growth is their means of mobility, except for spores (a few of which are flagellated), which may travel through the air or water. Fungi are the principal decomposers in ecological systems. These and other differences place fungi in a single group of related organisms, named the Eumycota (true fungi or Eumycetes), that share a common ancestor (i.e. they form a monophyletic group), an interpretation that is also strongly supported by molecular phylogenetics. This fungal group is distinct from the structurally similar myxomycetes (slime molds) and oomycetes (water molds). The discipline of biology devoted to the study of fungi is known as mycology (from the Greek μύκης mykes, mushroom). In the past, mycology was regarded as a branch of botany, although it is now known fungi are genetically more closely related to animals than to plants.

Abundant worldwide, most fungi are inconspicuous because of the small size of their structures, and their cryptic lifestyles in soil or on dead matter. Fungi include symbionts of plants, animals, or other fungi and also parasites. They may become noticeable when fruiting, either as mushrooms or as molds. Fungi perform an essential role in the decomposition of organic matter and have fundamental roles in nutrient cycling and exchange in the environment. They have long been used as a direct source of human food, in the form of mushrooms and truffles; as a leavening agent for bread; and in the fermentation of various food products, such as wine, beer, and soy sauce. Since the 1940s, fungi have been used for the production of antibiotics, and, more recently, various enzymes produced by fungi are used industrially and in detergents. Fungi are also used as biological pesticides to control weeds, plant diseases and insect pests. Many species produce bioactive compounds called mycotoxins, such as alkaloids and polyketides, that are toxic to animals including humans. The fruiting structures of a few species contain psychotropic compounds and are consumed recreationally or in traditional spiritual ceremonies. Fungi can break down manufactured materials and buildings, and become significant pathogens of humans and other animals. Losses of crops due to fungal diseases (e.g., rice blast disease) or food spoilage can have a large impact on human food supplies and local economies.

The fungus kingdom encompasses an enormous diversity of taxa with varied ecologies, life cycle strategies, and morphologies ranging from unicellular aquatic chytrids to large mushrooms. However, little is known of the true biodiversity of Kingdom Fungi, which has been estimated at 2.2 million to 3.8 million species.[5] Of these, only about 148,000 have been described,[6] with over 8,000 species known to be detrimental to plants and at least 300 that can be pathogenic to humans.[7] Ever since the pioneering 18th and 19th century taxonomical works of Carl Linnaeus, Christiaan Hendrik Persoon, and Elias Magnus Fries, fungi have been classified according to their morphology (e.g., characteristics such as spore color or microscopic features) or physiology. Advances in molecular genetics have opened the way for DNA analysis to be incorporated into taxonomy, which has sometimes challenged the historical groupings based on morphology and other traits. Phylogenetic studies published in the first decade of the 21st century have helped reshape the classification within Kingdom Fungi, which is divided into one subkingdom, seven phyla, and ten subphyla.

Lampyridae (fireflies, lightning bugs) - Photinini tribe.

Fireflies began appearing in large numbers over the past week. Under a hazy 1st quarter moon, hundreds were visible in a field behind my home.

In lightning bugs, bioluminescence occurs in the abdomen where luciferin is converted to oxyluciferin and light by an enzyme called luciferase. To facilitate catalysis, the enzyme also requires ATP, Mg2+ and Oxygen.

7 images combined - Max method -> Affinity Photo

319-325_B_c50r90q2

Pelopidas cf. mathias, Family: Hesperiidae

About the flower: The passion flower (Passiflora foetida) is a protocarnivorous plant. It is able to trap insects on its bracts, which exude a sticky substance that also contains digestive enzymes. This minimizes predation on young flowers and fruits.

This is a rare shot for me.

In my locality, I've never seen butterflies or bees drinking nectar from this flower. It is poisonous and will make this butterfly poisonous too thereby making it unpalatable to its predators.

A feared, aggressive and large pit viper. responsible for most snake bites in central America. The anti venom may save life but cannot prevent damage to limbs, as the venom contains many modified digestive enzymes causing extensive damage. the maim reason one should stay on the path when traveling in Costa Rica.

multi flash shots from a photo tour led by Juan Carlos Vindas of Neotropic Photo Tours www.neotropicphototours.com.

Drilus flavescens es uno de los casos más extremos de dimorfismo sexual en insectos. Las hembras de este escarabajo se parecen a una oruga, las llamadas hembras larviformes, completamente desprovistas de alas y otras características adultas.Los machos adultos de estos insectos se pueden encontrar en las flores y el follaje. Las hembras viven en el suelo y se pueden encontrar en las conchas de los caracoles, alimentándose de los habitantes, previamente asesinados con una mordedura venenosa y absorbidos con la ayuda de enzimas digestivas.

''Drilus flavescens'' is one of the most extreme cases of sexual dimorphism in insects. The females of this beetle look like a caterpillar – so called larviform females – completely lacking wings and other adult characters.

Adult males are approximately 10 millimetres long. They have long comb-shaped antennas, probably utilized for detecting pheromones of females. Head and pronotum are black, while elytra are reddish, quite soft and covered of fine upstanding hairs.

Adult males of these insects can be encountered on flowers and foliage. Female live on the ground and can be encountered in the shells of snails , feeding on the inhabitants, previously killed with a poisonous bite and sucked up with the help of digestive enzymes.

For today's theme, three photos from Yellowstone National Park. What, you may ask, are thermophilic springs, and I would answer they are springs found in geothermally heated regions of the Earth, such as those in Yellowstone National Park and deep sea hydrothermal vents.

Thermophilic springs in Yellowstone National Park host diverse communities of heat-loving microbes (thermophiles) that create vibrant colours in the water and produce enzymes crucial for biotechnology and medicine, such as the famous Taq polymerase (but you already knew that bit 😄, so I won't go on about it.)

Argiope bruennichi (wasp spider) is a species of orb-web spiders distributed throughout Central and Northern Europe, North Africa, parts of Asia, and the Azores archipelago. Like many other members of the genus Argiope (including St Andrew's Cross spiders), it has striking yellow and black markings on its abdomen. The spider builds a spiral orb web at dawn or dusk, most often in long grass just above ground level. When prey gets trapped in the web, the spider immobilizes it by wrapping it in silk. The prey is then bitten and injected with a paralyzing venom and a protein-dissolving enzyme.

Montenaken, Belgium.

www.istockphoto.com/fr/portfolio/sonja-ooms

www.shutterstock.com/g/Sonja+Ooms

www.peetersooms.com/

fungus (plural: fungi or funguses is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from the other eukaryotic kingdoms, which by one traditional classification include Plantae, Animalia, Protozoa, and Chromista.

A characteristic that places fungi in a different kingdom from plants, bacteria, and some protists is chitin in their cell walls. Fungi, like animals, are heterotrophs; they acquire their food by absorbing dissolved molecules, typically by secreting digestive enzymes into their environment. Fungi do not photosynthesize. Growth is their means of mobility, except for spores (a few of which are flagellated), which may travel through the air or water. Fungi are the principal decomposers in ecological systems. These and other differences place fungi in a single group of related organisms, named the Eumycota (true fungi or Eumycetes), that share a common ancestor (i.e. they form a monophyletic group), an interpretation that is also strongly supported by molecular phylogenetics. This fungal group is distinct from the structurally similar myxomycetes (slime molds) and oomycetes (water molds). The discipline of biology devoted to the study of fungi is known as mycology (from the Greek μύκης mykes, mushroom). In the past, mycology was regarded as a branch of botany, although it is now known fungi are genetically more closely related to animals than to plants.

Abundant worldwide, most fungi are inconspicuous because of the small size of their structures, and their cryptic lifestyles in soil or on dead matter. Fungi include symbionts of plants, animals, or other fungi and also parasites. They may become noticeable when fruiting, either as mushrooms or as molds. Fungi perform an essential role in the decomposition of organic matter and have fundamental roles in nutrient cycling and exchange in the environment. They have long been used as a direct source of human food, in the form of mushrooms and truffles; as a leavening agent for bread; and in the fermentation of various food products, such as wine, beer, and soy sauce. Since the 1940s, fungi have been used for the production of antibiotics, and, more recently, various enzymes produced by fungi are used industrially and in detergents. Fungi are also used as biological pesticides to control weeds, plant diseases and insect pests. Many species produce bioactive compounds called mycotoxins, such as alkaloids and polyketides, that are toxic to animals including humans. The fruiting structures of a few species contain psychotropic compounds and are consumed recreationally or in traditional spiritual ceremonies. Fungi can break down manufactured materials and buildings, and become significant pathogens of humans and other animals. Losses of crops due to fungal diseases (e.g., rice blast disease) or food spoilage can have a large impact on human food supplies and local economies.

The fungus kingdom encompasses an enormous diversity of taxa with varied ecologies, life cycle strategies, and morphologies ranging from unicellular aquatic chytrids to large mushrooms. However, little is known of the true biodiversity of Kingdom Fungi, which has been estimated at 2.2 million to 3.8 million species.[5] Of these, only about 148,000 have been described,[6] with over 8,000 species known to be detrimental to plants and at least 300 that can be pathogenic to humans.[7] Ever since the pioneering 18th and 19th century taxonomical works of Carl Linnaeus, Christiaan Hendrik Persoon, and Elias Magnus Fries, fungi have been classified according to their morphology (e.g., characteristics such as spore color or microscopic features) or physiology. Advances in molecular genetics have opened the way for DNA analysis to be incorporated into taxonomy, which has sometimes challenged the historical groupings based on morphology and other traits. Phylogenetic studies published in the first decade of the 21st century have helped reshape the classification within Kingdom Fungi, which is divided into one subkingdom, seven phyla, and ten subphyla.

SN/NC: Carica Papaya, Caricaceae Family

This time was the time of papayas to gain a clue. The tree fell down with the rain and it blossomed with many different new papaya plants, very unusual. This was seen in front of my residence in Paramaribo on May Straat, on the house of Edouard, my friend. Really spectacular.

Carica papaya, es una especie de planta arbustiva del género Carica en la familia Caricaceae. Su fruto se conoce comúnmente como papaya o papayón, olocotón, papayo en Canarias, lechosa en República Dominicana y Venezuela, melón papaya, melón de árbol . Aquí una planta que se cayó con la lluvia en Paramaribo produciendo 5 nuevas matas, todas con frutas como se fuesen gajos. Algo inaudito.

Sobrou até para um pé de mamão perdido por aqui. O pé da fruta caiu com a chuva e continuou vivo no chão brotando 5 plantas com frutas, algo jamais visto por mim. Muito lindo mesmo. Fica na May Straat em Paramaribo onde eu morava até Julho de 2020. Realmente algo jamais visto e de uma grande visiblidade plástica.

SN/NC: Carica Papaya, Caricaceae Family

The papaya, a gift from the Caricaceae family, is a large, oval berry with a soft, buttery flesh. Its skin ripens from green to a vibrant sunset hue of orange and yellow. Inside, a central cavity is filled with glossy, black, peppery seeds. The taste is a sweet, musky tropical delight, often described as a milder cantaloupe. This fruit is not only delicious but is a rich source of the digestive enzyme papain.

A papaia, um fruto da família Caricaceae, é uma baga grande e oval de polpa macia e amanteigada. Sua casca amadurece do verde para tons vibrantes de laranja e amarelo. Internamente, uma cavidade central é preenchida com sementes negras e brilhantes. Seu sabor é uma doce e muskosa delícia tropical, frequentemente comparada a um melão mais suave. Além de deliciosa, é uma fonte rica da enzima digestiva papaína.

La papaya, un fruto de la familia Caricaceae, es una baya grande y ovalada con una pulpa suave y mantecosa. Su piel madura del verde a un vibrante tono naranja y amarillo. En su interior, una cavidad central está llena de semillas negras y brillantes. Su sabor es una dulce y muskosa delicia tropical, a menudo comparada con un melón más suave. Esta fruta no solo es deliciosa, sino también una rica fuente de la enzima digestiva papaína.

La papaia, un frutto della famiglia Caricaceae, è una grande bacca ovale con una polpa morbida e burrosa. La sua buccia matura dal verde a una vivace tonalità di arancione e giallo. All'interno, una cavità centrale è piena di semi neri e lucidi. Il suo sapore è un dolce e muschiato piacere tropicale, spesso paragonato a un melone più delicato. Oltre che deliziosa, è una ricca fonte dell'enzima digestivo papaina.

La papaye, un fruit de la famille des Caricaceae, est une grande baie ovale à la chair tendre et beurrée. Sa peau passe du vert à une teinte orange et jaune vibrante. À l'intérieur, une cavité centrale est remplie de graines noires et brillantes. Sa saveur est une douce et musquée délice tropicale, souvent comparée à un melon plus doux. Ce fruit n'est pas seulement délicieux, il est aussi une riche source de l'enzyme digestive papaïne.

De papaja, een vrucht uit de Caricaceae-familie, is een grote, ovale bes met een zachte, boterachtige pulp. De schil rijpt van groen naar een levendige oranjegele kleur. Van binnen is een centrale holte gevuld met glanzende, zwarte zaadjes. De smaak is een zoete, muskusachtige tropische lekkernij, vaak omschreven als een mildere meloen. Deze vrucht is niet alleen heerlijk, maar ook een rijke bron van het spijsverteringsenzym papaïne.

Die Papaya, eine Frucht aus der Familie der Caricaceae, ist eine große, ovale Beere mit weichem, buttrigem Fruchtfleisch. Ihre Schale reift von Grün zu einem lebhaften Orange- und Gelbton. Im Inneren befindet sich eine zentrale Höhle, gefüllt mit glänzenden, schwarzen Samen. Ihr Geschmack ist eine süße, moschusartige tropische Köstlichkeit, oft als mildere Melone beschrieben. Diese Frucht ist nicht nur lecker, sondern auch eine reiche Quelle des Verdauungsenzyms Papain.

木瓜，属于番木瓜科的果实，是一种大型椭圆形浆果，果肉柔软似黄油。其外皮从绿色成熟为充满活力的橙黄色。果实内部的中空腔室充满了亮黑色的种子。它的味道是一种甜美、带有麝香气的热带美味，常被形容为更温和的甜瓜。这种水果不仅美味，还是消化酶木瓜蛋白酶的重要来源。

パパイアはパパイア科の果実で、大きく楕円形のベリーであり、柔らかくバターのような果肉を持ちます。皮は緑色から鮮やかなオレンジや黄色に熟します。内部の中央の空洞には、輝く黒い種が詰まっています。その味は甘く、ムスク香るトロピカルな美味しさで、よりマイルドなメロンとよく例えられます。この果実は美味しいだけでなく、消化酵素パパインの豊富な源です。

البابايا، إحدى ثمار فصيلة البابايا، هي توتة كبيرة بيضاوية ذات لب طري يشبه الزبدة. ينضج قشرها من اللون الأخضر إلى درجات نابضة بالحياة من البرتقالي والأصفر. بداخلها، تحتوي تجويفًا مركزيًا مليئًا ببذور سوداء لامعة. طعمها حلو ولذيذ ذو نكهة مسكية استوائية، غالبًا ما يشبه بطيخًا أخف. هذه الفاكهة ليست فقط لذيذة، ولكنها أيضًا مصدر غوي للإنزيم الهاضم الباباين.

The Tall Sundew (Drosera auriculata) is a carnivorous plant found in eastern Australia and New Zealand. It is a common plant of heathy dry forests, often growing in hard stony ground that is nutrient poor. As can be seen in the image, the leaves of the plant are covered with glandular hairs (trichomes) that secrete mucilage, a sticky substance rich in polysaccharides. This natural trap attracts and immobilizes unwary insects. Once trapped, the prey is slowly digested by the enzymes released from the trichomes. This fascinating adaptation allows the plant to survive in nutrient deficient soils.