View allAll Photos Tagged toxins
a dangerous train ...
The pine processionary (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) is a moth of the subfamily Thaumetopoeinae in the family Notodontidae, known for the irritating hairs of its caterpillars, their processions, and the economic damage they cause in coniferous forests.
Toxicity :
Stinging hairs contain a toxic protein that is very irritating and inflammatory: thaumetopoein. It penetrates where the “harpoon” is planted: most often in the skin, but also in the eye, the nose, the mouth…
The hair breaks and the toxin released causes a reaction similar to that of nettle stings: red pimples in the form of blisters, red itchy patches, appear on the skin.
General symptoms may occur in the event of significant exposure. The immune system then goes into overdrive, which can lead to a sudden drop in blood pressure, discomfort or loss of consciousness.
Is there a risk for animals? With their noses at ground level, animals are exposed to contact with these stinging hairs, particularly dogs. They can get it on their coat, or even take a caterpillar in their mouth, which can cause very serious inflammatory reactions including necrosis of the tongue.
Un train dangereux ...
La processionnaire du pin (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) est un papillon de nuit de la sous-famille des Thaumetopoeinae de la famille des Notodontidae, connue pour les poils irritants de ses chenilles, leurs cortèges et les dégâts économiques qu'elles provoquent dans les forêts de conifères.
Toxicité
Les poils urticants contiennent une protéine toxique très irritante et inflammatoire : la thaumétopoéine. Elle pénètre là où le « harpon » s’est planté : le plus souvent dans la peau , mais aussi dans l’œil, le nez, la bouche…
Le poil se casse et la toxine libérée provoque une réaction semblable à celle des piqûres d’ortie : des boutons rouges sous forme de cloques, des plaques rouges qui grattent, apparaissent sur la peau.
Des symptômes généraux peuvent survenir en cas d’exposition importante. Le système immunitaire s’emballe alors, pouvant mener à une baisse brutale de la tension artérielle, un malaise ou une perte de connaissance.
Y a-t-il un risque pour les animaux ? La truffe au ras du sol, les animaux sont exposés au contact avec ces poils urticants, notamment les chiens. Ils peuvent en avoir sur le pelage, voire prendre une chenille dans leur gueule, ce qui peut provoquer des réactions inflammatoires très graves jusqu’à une nécrose de la langue.
(A7R02456-DNll-exp0600S10Hu-5-DNclrll-6k)
Flood plane, Red Cedar River, Legg Park, Meridian Township. Michigan
Fowler's toad is a native species in Michigan and known to occur in the eastern part of North America. It is relatively small ( 5 - 9 cm) and found in a number of habitats ranging from open fields to beaches and woodlands. The species is known to hybridize with closely related species (American toad and Woodhouse's toad). The species is known to produce defensive toxins (bufadienolides) from the warts on its back that are distasteful to predators and can be lethal to small mammals. Other defensive mechanisms include it coloration and playing dead.
Shot for Crazy Tuesday - Natural Texture
Mina de bentonita. Potrerillos. Mendoza. Argentina
La bentonita es una arcilla de grano muy fino (coloidal) del tipo de montmorillonita que contiene bases y hierro. Tiene aplicaciones en cerámica, entre otros usos. El nombre deriva de un yacimiento que se encuentra en Fort Benton, Estados Unidos.
Aplicaciones
En ingeniería civil y cimentaciones, para sostenimiento de tierras, en forma de lodo bentonítico.
En construcción, como material de sellado.
En perforación de pozos para extraer agua, petróleo o gas natural, usada en la preparación de los lodos de perforación.
En la elaboración de grasas lubricantes.
En la elaboración de aromatizantes.
En la industria del vino como clarificante inorganico.
En la industria petrolera ligada con agua para fabricar lodos de perforación.
En la transcripción in vitro a partir de DLPs de Rotavirus.
Alimentación animal para eliminación de toxinas de alimentos.
En humanos se le atribuyen efectos desintoxicantes a nivel físico y no químico.
En metalurgia la bentonita sódica y la cálcica como aglutinante de la arena de cuarzo para fabricar moldes para fundición.
Arenas o piedritas sanitarias para cama de gatos (mascotas).
Como aditivo para pinturas tixotrópicas o impermeables.
En la elaboración de electrodos para puesta a tierra.
Para rellenar pozos de captación Geotérmica vertical por su buena conductividad del calor y su homogénea mezcla sin burbujas lo que facilita el contacto con las sondas.
Fuente: es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentonita
Macro, Dusk, September, Colorado
Milkweed beetles are commonly found in Colorado and live on and eat milkweed plants. Their red coloring is attributed to the alkaloid toxins they consume from milkweed. They are known to make purring and squeaking sounds. (I've not yet heard them do it!)
This is a slightly younger squash bug than I recently uploaded. Yakima County, Washington. I seem to find them late in the evening when there is poor light for photography. They like to keep moving so getting sharp shots in poor light is a challenge.
Both adults and nymphs damage squash and pumpkin plants by sucking juices out of the leaves. The leaves then lose nutrients and water, become speckled, then yellow, then brown, and finally, the plant totally wilts and dies. The squash bug also injects a toxin that expedites the plant's withering and death. I barely have them under control. Controlling them takes daily examination of the underside of leaves and stems and removal of eggs, nymphs and adults.
IMG_5558
Pasque flowers in the small garden of my mother-in-law :)
Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) is a species of flowering plant belonging to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae), found locally on calcareous grassland in Europe and North America. Pasque refers to Easter (Passover) as the flower blooms around that time of year. The pasque flower is the official state flower of South Dakota and the provincial flower of Manitoba. It is also the county flower of the English counties of Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. Pasque flower is highly toxic, and produces cardiogenic toxins and oxytoxins which slow the heart in humans, and has been used as a medicine by Native Americans for centuries.
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Sasanki na działce u mojej teściowej :)
Sasanka zwyczajna (Pulsatilla vulgaris) – gatunek rośliny należący do rodziny jaskrowatych. Występuje w Europie i Ameryce Północnej. Niegdyś występowała w Polsce w środowisku naturalnym (ostatnio podawana tylko z Lubelszczyzny), jednakże już prawdopodobnie wymarła na naturalnych stanowiskach. Jest natomiast często uprawiana. Kwitnie od marca do początku maja. Cała roślina jest lekko trująca. Powoduje pobudzenie i paraliż ośrodkowego układu nerwowego, mdłości i odurzenie. W Polsce objęta jest ścisłą ochroną gatunkową. Ze względu na to, że kwitnie wczesną wiosną, jest często sadzona w ogródkach przydomowych, zwłaszcza w ogrodach skalnych.
The soothing power of massage therapy extends to the mind. Thai traditional SPA massage using a compress of ancient Thai herbs with essential oils promotes relaxation whilst releasing toxins from the body. So, these are the herbs that give a simultaneously relaxing and energising effect to body, mind and soul:
1. Thai herbal compress ball
2. bergamot
3. lemon grass
4. lemon
5. ginger
6. galangal root
7. sea salt
8. dried lemon
Try it…..as it is an investment in your health that goes beyond the surface, offering profound healing and rejuvenation.
Happy Wednesday!
Common Toad (Bufo bufo):-
The Common Toad is a widespread amphibian found throughout Britain though is absent from Ireland. Common Toads prefer deeper water bodies in which to breed, including fish ponds, farm ponds, reservoirs or village ponds. They have rough, ‘warty’ skin and tend to crawl rather than hop. Common Toads produce a toxin from a pair of glands on their back which makes them distasteful to would-be predators.
Courtesy: froglife website
Red uneaten berries are a sure sign of danger on a plant. There is this incessant evolutionary battle between plants and their toxins and animals and their tolerance to these toxins. So far the Holly is winning because these berries are very toxic to animals and humans. www.poison.org/articles/2014-dec/holly-berries
Most predators have learned that the monarch butterfly makes a poisonous snack. The toxins from the monarch's milkweed diet have given the butterfly this defense. In either the caterpillar or butterfly stage the monarch needs no camouflage because it takes in toxins from the milkweed and is poisonous to predators. Many animals advertise their poisonous nature with bright colors... just like the monarch!
"If you look at ocean water in a clear glass, you’ll see that it’s not clear but full of tiny particles. Seawater contains dissolved salts, proteins, fats, dead algae, detergents and other pollutants. If you shake this glass of ocean water vigorously, small bubbles will form on the surface of the liquid.
Sea foam forms under similar conditions – but on a much grander scale – when storms roll in and the ocean is agitated by wind and waves. The creation of sea foam can occur often in gargantuan proportions.
Most sea foam is not harmful to humans and is often an indication of a productive ocean ecosystem. But when large harmful algal blooms decay near shore, there are potential for impacts to human health and the environment. During blooms popping sea foam bubbles are one way that algal toxins become airborne. The resulting aerosol can irritate the eyes of beach goers and poses a health risk for those with asthma or other respiratory conditions."
A stack of 7 focus points at a single exposure level.
Aquilegia (common names: granny's bonnet or columbine) is a genus of about 60-70 species of perennial plants that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere, known for the spurred petals of their flowers. The genus name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle (aquila), because the shape of the flower petals, which are said to resemble an eagle's claw. The common name "columbine" comes from the Latin for "dove", due to the resemblance of the inverted flower to five doves clustered together. The Colorado Blue Columbine (A. caerulea) is the official state flower of Colorado. Large numbers of hybrids are available for the garden, since the European A. vulgaris was hybridized with other European and North American varieties. Aquilegia species are very interfertile, and will self-sow. Some varieties are short-lived so are better treated as biennials.
Mussels are filter feeders, meaning they filter ocean water through their bodies to grab plankton. Mussels filter massive amounts of water (over 17 gallons a day) and are therefore vulnerable to what ends up in the ocean. Their numbers can drop if there are increased amounts of runoff or coastal erosion Mussels also can collect toxins in their bodies which can be harmful for humans who eat them.
Recently over 20 people became sickened after eating mussels harvested on the Oregon coast. At this time, the entire Oregon coast is closed to gathering mussels due to shellfish poisoning.
apnews.com/article/oregon-coast-shellfish-poisoning-06068...
It is indeed my opinion now that evil is never “radical,” that it is only extreme, and that it possesses neither depth nor any demonic dimension. It can overgrow and lay waste the whole world precisely because it spreads like a fungus on the surface. It is “thought-defying,” as I said, because thought tries to reach some depth, to go to the roots, and the moment it concerns itself with evil, it is frustrated because there is nothing. That is its “banality.” Only the good has depth that can be radical.
Hannah Arendt - Letter to Gerhard Scholem.
For more on this go here...
www.brainpickings.org/2017/02/07/hannah-arendt-the-banali...
A stack of 7 focus points at a single exposures level against matt black paper, with 2 LED studio lights.
Aquilegia (common names: granny's bonnet or columbine) is a genus of about 60-70 species of perennial plants that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere, known for the spurred petals of their flowers. The genus name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle (aquila), because the shape of the flower petals, which are said to resemble an eagle's claw. The common name "columbine" comes from the Latin for "dove", due to the resemblance of the inverted flower to five doves clustered together. The Colorado Blue Columbine (A. caerulea) is the official state flower of Colorado. Large numbers of hybrids are available for the garden, since the European A. vulgaris was hybridized with other European and North American varieties. Aquilegia species are very interfertile, and will self-sow. Some varieties are short-lived so are better treated as biennials.
A monarch's brilliant coloring tells predators: "Don't eat me. I'm poisonous." The butterflies get their toxins from a plant called milkweed, which is their only food source in the caterpillar stage. An animal that eats a monarch butterfly usually doesn't die, but it feels sick enough to avoid monarchs in the future. When fall approaches tens of millions will migrate 2000 miles south for winter. Over half don't survive but they will breed again and in time new ones will make the journey north. Amazing!
PS: Tell you music streaming services to play music by
JOHN WILLISM HAMMOND
use all 3 names - you will enjoy.
Today marked another very hot day in Portland. Leah, our dog, insisted on a field trip. We took her to the community gardens by the park so she could do her thing while I scout for more flowers to photograph. I found this gerbera hiding from the brutal sun underneath a very big tomato plant :-). Took a few more clicks and harried back to the cool car ...
Pink gerberas are a symbol of admiration, adoration, or high esteem for someone.
Gerberas emit oxygen and absorb toxins and carbon monoxide at night instead of during the day like most flowers. Gerberas always turn towards the sun. They track the sun as it moves from east to west.
As beautiful as these grasses can be in the right light, I have learned from Dean that "these invasive Phragmites (European Common Reed) are ... troublesome in our native marsh and wetlands."
Wikipedia:
"In North America, the status of Phragmites australis was a source of confusion and debate. It was commonly considered an exotic species and often invasive species, introduced from Europe. However, there is evidence of the existence of Phragmites as a native plant in North America long before European colonization of the continent. It is now known that the North American native forms of P. a. subsp. americanus are markedly less vigorous than European forms. The recent marked expansion of Phragmites in North America may be due to the more vigorous, but similar-looking European subsp. australis.
"Phragmites outcompetes the native vegetation and lowers the local plant biodiversity. Phragmites forms dense thickets of vegetation that is unsuitable habitat for native fauna. Phragmites displaces native plants species such as wild rice, cattails, and native wetland orchids. Phragmites's high above ground biomass blocks light to other plants allowing areas to turn into Phragmites monoculture very quickly. Decomposing Phragmites increases the rate of marsh accretion more rapidly than would occur with native marsh vegetation.
"Phragmites australis subsp. australis is causing serious problems for many other North American hydrophyte wetland plants, including the native Phragmites australis subsp. americanus. Gallic acid released by Phragmites is degraded by ultraviolet light to produce mesoxalic acid, effectively hitting susceptible plants and seedlings with two harmful toxins. Phragmites are so difficult to control that one of the most effective methods of eradicating the plant is to burn it over 2-3 seasons. The roots grow so deep and strong that one burn is not enough. Ongoing research suggests that goats could be effectively used to control the species."
One of the best known mushrooms, at least in European culture, is the red-and-white Fly Agaric. This mushroom appears often in illustrations of fairy tales - you might see a gnome or a fairy perched on top of one. Experts believe that the Fly Agaric was used as a hallucinogenic by northern European shamans and religious leaders. Interestingly, it contains two toxins that reduce the body's response to fear stimulus, so it may have been ingested by warriors prior to battle. In central Europe, the Fly Agaric is associated with the Yule season, and there is a theory that Santa Claus' red and white suit originated in the colors of this magical mushroom.
Jagged Ambush Bugs are among the most effective of all insect predators. They are amazingly well camouflaged, and lie in wait on flowers for bees and other flying insects; their front feet are modified into claws for grasping their prey; their bodies seem almost armour-plated to resist counter-attacks from prey insects; and they have a long, stiff, pointed proboscis with which they penetrate their prey and inject a lethal cocktail of toxins which paralyse the victims and start digesting the internal organs. Photo was taken in Kanata, ON. (Note - best viewed enlarged)
The caterpillar of the Cinnabar Moth feeds on the Tansy Ragwort plant, an invasive species from Europe that has toxins in it, which, when accumulated, can harm many browsing species such as horses and cows. The moth is a very pretty black and red moth.
a dangerous train ...
The pine processionary (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) is a moth of the subfamily Thaumetopoeinae in the family Notodontidae, known for the irritating hairs of its caterpillars, their processions, and the economic damage they cause in coniferous forests.
Toxicity :
Stinging hairs contain a toxic protein that is very irritating and inflammatory: thaumetopoein. It penetrates where the “harpoon” is planted: most often in the skin, but also in the eye, the nose, the mouth…
The hair breaks and the toxin released causes a reaction similar to that of nettle stings: red pimples in the form of blisters, red itchy patches, appear on the skin.
General symptoms may occur in the event of significant exposure. The immune system then goes into overdrive, which can lead to a sudden drop in blood pressure, discomfort or loss of consciousness.
Is there a risk for animals? With their noses at ground level, animals are exposed to contact with these stinging hairs, particularly dogs. They can get it on their coat, or even take a caterpillar in their mouth, which can cause very serious inflammatory reactions including necrosis of the tongue.
Un train dangereux ...
La processionnaire du pin (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) est un papillon de nuit de la sous-famille des Thaumetopoeinae de la famille des Notodontidae, connue pour les poils irritants de ses chenilles, leurs cortèges et les dégâts économiques qu'elles provoquent dans les forêts de conifères.
Toxicité
Les poils urticants contiennent une protéine toxique très irritante et inflammatoire : la thaumétopoéine. Elle pénètre là où le « harpon » s’est planté : le plus souvent dans la peau , mais aussi dans l’œil, le nez, la bouche…
Le poil se casse et la toxine libérée provoque une réaction semblable à celle des piqûres d’ortie : des boutons rouges sous forme de cloques, des plaques rouges qui grattent, apparaissent sur la peau.
Des symptômes généraux peuvent survenir en cas d’exposition importante. Le système immunitaire s’emballe alors, pouvant mener à une baisse brutale de la tension artérielle, un malaise ou une perte de connaissance.
Y a-t-il un risque pour les animaux ? La truffe au ras du sol, les animaux sont exposés au contact avec ces poils urticants, notamment les chiens. Ils peuvent en avoir sur le pelage, voire prendre une chenille dans leur gueule, ce qui peut provoquer des réactions inflammatoires très graves jusqu’à une nécrose de la langue.
(A7R02442_DxO)
Dr. Johnathan Crane, aka the Scarecrow, is one of the Batman's most fearsome enemies. Utilizing toxins, he creates terrifying hallucinations to kill his victims.
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There just aren’t many fungi showing themselves in our woods this year. I was listening to a program talk about the need to protect the fungi more. They are so necessary for the survival of a healthy forest. There is a group of people studying how they can use fungi to clean up toxins in our environment. One success story they talked about is cultivating Turkey Tail mushrooms on old railway ties left behind to rot. The problem with the railway ties is the creosote in them that leaches out into the soil as they decompose. However, the Turkey Tails have shown to be able to deal with the creosote on a small scale and degrade it. I do not know what fungus this is in my image, but who knows what wonderful things it could do for our environment.
"Réconciliez-vous avec vos proches, dissipez les toxines qui divisent, qui créent du mal-être mutuel, respectez la terre qui nous fait vivre et ceux avec qui nous la partageons.
C'est là que se trouve la clé de l'humanisme que nous espérons voir émerger".
(Pierre Rabhi)
Daniel 2:31 “Thou, O king, sawest, and, behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the aspect thereof was terrible.”
This photo is the result of a stack of 11 focus points, each at 3 different exposures. Using the Canon 7D view screen on live view mode really helped.
Aquilegia (common names: granny's bonnet or columbine) is a genus of about 60-70 species of perennial plants that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere, known for the spurred petals of their flowers. The genus name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle (aquila), because the shape of the flower petals, which are said to resemble an eagle's claw. The common name "columbine" comes from the Latin for "dove", due to the resemblance of the inverted flower to five doves clustered together. The Colorado Blue Columbine (A. caerulea) is the official state flower of Colorado. Large numbers of hybrids are available for the garden, since the European A. vulgaris was hybridized with other European and North American varieties. Aquilegia species are very interfertile, and will self-sow. Some varieties are short-lived so are better treated as biennials.
A commonly seen but uncommonly known relationship here in the Midwest, the Virginia Creeper is tolerant of the Black Walnut's toxic secretion, Juglone. This toxin is active in it's ability to stunt the growth of certain plants and trees in the immediate vicinity, giving it a distinct advantage in competing for resources - mainly sunlight. The vine produces a plentiful amount of berries that attract a multitude of Birds as well as Skunks, Mice, Deer and Squirrels - which in turn attracts them to Black Walnuts... Who says the perfect relationship doesn't exist?!
Seeing myself in the mirror I thought,
A diet wouldn't do me any harm,
Losing a few kilos should be helpful,
Overweight could cause some alarm.
First I tried a weight watcher's diet,
Consisting of points I must count,
Many foods allowed, even chocolate,
Though trying, I over-did the amount.
Another said drink lots of water,
Which helps to flush toxins away,
I soon gave up doing that diet,
For I sat on the loo half the day!
Then I read about eating low carb,
High protein, no bread, allowed cream,
Well I liked the sound of this one,
The food list to me was a dream.
But after a few weeks on low carb,
Things didn't work out the right way,
Was the opposite of the water diet,
For it clogged up the works every day.
Maybe a high carb one would be better,
Though no sugar or sweets like before,
Bread and cream were back on the menu,
But my sweet tooth took over once more.
I'm finished with all fad diets,
Found a balanced one holds the key,
For a bar of chocolate in both hands,
Is a well balanced diet for me!
Common Crow butterfly is distasteful to predators due to toxins it absorbs from its host plants. This helps it survive by discouraging birds and other predators from attacking.
Outdoor, natural light, stack of 40 focus points in-camera. Geared tripod head.
Aquilegia (common names: granny's bonnet or columbine) is a genus of about 60-70 species of perennial plants that are found in meadows woodlands and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere known for the spurred petals of their flowers. The genus name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle (aquila) because the shape of the flower petals which are said to resemble an eagle's claw. The common name "columbine" comes from the Latin for "dove" due to the resemblance of the inverted flower to five doves clustered together. The Colorado Blue Columbine (A. caerulea) is the official state flower of Colorado. Large numbers of hybrids are available for the garden since the European A. vulgaris was hybridized with other European and North American varieties. Aquilegia species are very interfertile and will self-sow. Some varieties are short-lived so are better treated as biennials. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquilegia
On retrouve ces papillons du Mexique au Panama. Greta oto butine des fleurs communes comme le lantana, mais préfère pondre ses œufs sur les plantes tropicales toxiques tels que les Cestrum nocturnum1. Les chenilles qui sont rouges et violettes à rayures, se nourrissent de ces toxines et stockent les alcaloïdes végétaux dans leurs tissus. Elles deviennent ainsi à leur tour toxiques (ou au moins désagréables) pour leurs prédateurs naturels tels que les oiseaux. Cette toxicité acquise à l'état larvaire perdure chez le papillon adulte. Les mêmes alcaloïdes végétaux (et toxiques) sont convertis en phéromones par les mâles pour attirer les femelles.
Le papillon transparent de la famille des nymphalidés
Adultes, les Greta oto affichent également un certain nombre de comportements intéressants, parmi lesquels on notera la constitution d'une aire de parade chez les mâles et la capacité à réaliser des migrations importantes. Source Wikipedia
Both adults and nymphs damage squash and pumpkin plants by sucking juices out of the leaves. The leaves then lose nutrients and water, become speckled, then yellow, then brown, and finally, the plant totally wilts and dies. The squash bug also injects a toxin that expedites the plant's withering and death. I barely have them under control. Controlling them takes daily examination of the underside of leaves and stems and removal of eggs, nymphs and adults.
Photographed this evening in my backyard, Yakima County, Washington. IMG_5546
Pink Rain Lily ゼフィランサス
ロゼア (Zephyranthes rosea)
This photo was taken in Oaza Kaminaguri Hanno, Saitama, Japan. I had a beautiful scenic drive in Chichibu-shi, 秩父市. It was a very hot day but pretty nice up in the mountains. I found these Rain Lily flowers growing up in the mountains. According to Wikipedia they are believed to grow after the rain.
Zephyranthes rosea, commonly known as the Cuban zephyrlily, rosy rain lily, rose fairy lily, rose zephyr lily or the pink rain lily, is a species of rain lily native to Peru and Colombia. They are widely cultivated as ornamentals and have become naturalized in tropical regions worldwide. Like all rain lilies, they are known for blooming only after heavy rains.
They contain potentially lethal toxins.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zephyranthes_rosea
Nikon D5300
Nikon Nikon Nikkor 105mm Macro Lens
f/13
Exposure Program - 0
Focal length - 105mm
1/200
Handheld
Automatic Focus
This image is the property of the photographer and cannot be used, printed, downloaded, or
reproduced in any way for either personal or commercial use without prior written consent of the photographer.
Fly is having lunch
But it doesn't munch or crunch
Rather, sucks bug up
Note: Robber flies inject their prey with saliva containing toxins and enzymes that paralyze their prey and digest their insides, which the fly then sucks up with its proboscis.
Cette punaise n'est pas comestible. Elle s'est parée de rouge afin de prévenir d'éventuels prédateurs. Elle stocke des toxines végétales en consommant diverses plantes comme le Dompte-venin - Vincetoxicum hirundinaria.
A photo of a beautiful Old English Oak Tree I took a few years ago during the Autumn..., I've always thought of trees as the Lungs of the Earth', as their leaves filter toxins in the air and reduce the carbon dioxide 'CO2, that humans produce on such a massive worldwide scale...
It's amazing how much timber is created from felled trees around the world and there is a bit of an obsession with Oak timber framed houses everywhere... Why use timber when there are Quadrillions of tones of hardcore all over the planet which can so easily be turned into bricks to build houses rather than wasting trees for house building...
Although this tree has been featured on other sites such as Adobe and Shutterstock a few years ago, it sadly no longer exists as it succumbed to disease a couple of years ago and was chopped down..., and if humans keep chopping trees down, in a few decades it will be humans who will no longer exist
Sloths are among the slowest-moving animals on Earth; they can swim but are virtually unable to walk. This makes them an easy target for jaguars, eagles and people that hunt sloths for their meat.
Brown-throated sloths have the ability to rotate their heads like owls. They can turn their heads up to 300 degrees due to their unique neck structure.Sloths evolved to expend very little energy because their diet does not provide them with a lot of calories and nutrition. Brown-throated sloths primarily eat tough, rubbery rainforest leaves. These leaves are also full of toxins (a form of protection for the rainforest trees). But sloths have developed a digestive system to handle these highly indigestible leaves. Their stomachs are multi-chambered, similar to a cow’s stomach, and house a mix of bacteria which helps to slowly break down the leaves. It takes two weeks for a sloth to digest one meal — the slowest digestion time of any mammal! and they only descend from the rainforest canopy to urinate and defecate once a week.
Sloths are specially adapted to live among the treetops. Their fur hangs upside down, running from their stomachs to their backs. This is because sloths themselves usually hang upside down. The orientation of their fur helps the rain water flow away from their body. But sloths take the risk to climb down to the ground because of a symbiotic relationship they have with the flora living in their fur. Sloth fur is rife with macro- and microorganisms like algae, fungi and moths. While these organisms benefit from having a sheltered place to live among the long coarse hairs, the sloth also gains from the relationship.
The algae provides supplemental nutrition for the sloth and tints the fur green, which helps camouflage the sloth among the leaves. The fungi helps fend off parasites known to cause diseases like malaria and Chagas disease. The moths provide fertiliser for the algae.
Another unique trait of sloths is that they rely on solar energy to regulate their body temperature. With such a slow metabolism, sloths must sunbathe in order to keep their body temperature up. In this way, sloths are similar to reptiles.
Male brown-throated three-toed sloths can be easily distinguished from females because they have a bright orange patch with a black stripe on their backs. This patch has scent marking glands that attracts female sloths. Alpha males have a larger patches than other males.
I couldn't not post one.
This has a bite out of it. Since the only thing I know would eat it are slugs I wondered if the toxins and hallucigens it contains would affect whatever eats the slug?
The Toft Little Heath Staffordshire UK 17th October 2018
After hunting all over the place we finally found some Fly Agarics growing along Docwra's Ditch on Dunwich Heath!
The classic fairy tale toadstool, Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) is found in woodlands, parks and heaths with scattered trees, typically growing beneath birch trees or pines and spruces.
When young, Fly agaric it is covered by a white membranous veil, which rips as the stem pushes up and the bright red cap expands. The remains of the veil skirt the stem and also leave white, wart-like flakes on the cap.
The red and white spotted fruiting bodies can usually be seen between late summer and early winter. The mycelium of Fly agaric often forms a symbiotic relationship with the trees around it, wrapping around the roots and supplying them with nutrients taken from the soil. In exchange, the fungus receives sugars produced by the trees.
Traditionally used as an insecticide, the cap of Fly agaric was broken up and sprinkled into saucers of milk to keep the flies at bay. Fly agaric is now known to contain ibotenic acid, which both attracts and kills flies. Ibotenic acid, along with the other toxins in Fly agaric, muscarine and muscimol, have psychoactive properties. Despite serious safety concerns, fly agaric mushroom is sometimes used as a hallucinogen.
Commonly known as hellebores, the Eurasian genus Helleborus consists of approximately 20 species of herbaceous or evergreen perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, within which it gave its name to the tribe of Helleboreae. Despite names such as "winter rose", "Christmas rose" and "Lenten rose", hellebores are not closely related to the rose family (Rosaceae). Many hellebore species are poisonous.
All helleborus plants are toxic, and all parts of the helleborus plant are toxic. Hellebore poisoning is rare, but it does occur. Hellebore plants are usually left alone by animals such as deer and rabbits due to the fact that the leaves of the plant produce poisonous alkaloids, making them distasteful to animals. The poisonous alkaloids have been known to sometimes bother gardeners with sensitive skin.
Poisonings will occur through ingestion or handling. Hellebore plants should not be ingested as poisoning cases are most severe when the plants are eaten. This is especially true when hellebores are eaten in large quantities. Symptoms of ingestion will include: burning of the mouth and throat, salivation, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, nervous symptoms, and possibly depression. Consuming large quantities of hellebore plants can be fatal. Toxic cardiac glycosides occur in the roots. High levels of ranunculin and protoanemonin, especially in the leaves and sap, will also contribute to symptoms after ingestion.
Dermatitis may also occur from handling the hellebore plants without protection. This is typically caused by the ranunculin and protoanemonin found on the outside of the plant, including areas such as the leaves, stem, flower, and sap. The poison on the outside of the plant will cause irritation and burning sensations on the skin. When collecting seeds from hellebore plants it is recommended to wait for the pods to dry and shake them out into a container or onto the ground to collect. Attempts to remove the seeds by hand will expose skin to the potent toxins in the sap of the hellebore, which can increase the damage done to the skin. Small or minimal exposure to the toxins should only cause a mild irritation to the skin, and the affliction should only last for a few minutes. If the burning persists or intensifies, it is recommended to wash the affected areas thoroughly to remove the toxins and see a doctor.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Explore Feb 16, 2023 #327
The rice paper butterfly, also called the paper kite butterfly, wood nymph, or tree nymph (Idea leuconoe) is a distinctive black and white butterfly. The wingspan is 95 to 110 cm across. It is hanging on stem of a Forest Cucumber vine.
The larval wood nymphs are similar to monarch caterpillars in that they feed on plants in the Apocenaceae (dogbane) and Asclepiadaceae (milkweed) families. Also like the monarchs, giant wood nymphs are distasteful to predators, and they derive this protection from the toxins produced by their host plants.
Paper Kite on Firespike
Wings of the Tropics, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
Milkweed pods
"Pods contain brown oval seeds attached to fluffy pappus that catches the wind and helps distribute the seeds to new sprouting spots. The milky latex contains cardiac glycosides to varying degrees depending on the species. The plant uses the toxin to protect itself from herbivores, but there are some insects, such as the Monarch, that incorporate the toxin and become unpalatable to potential predators."
This was taken at Sunny's Studio, without use of lightboxes. As in a couple previous shots, I wanted to challenge myself in the use of light. Especially after talking to Toxin, I was surprised how beautiful his shots were without using lightboxes.
Hope you enjoy it!
One of my favourite variety of bird. Interesting facts about vultures:
Vultures are the only land-based vertebrate scavengers. They rely almost entirely on dead animals for food.
Vultures' stomach acid is highly acidic which allows them to safely digest bacteria which would be lethal to other scavengers – such as anthrax, botulium toxin, and hog cholera. This makes vultures incredibly important as they are able to safely remove dangerous bacteria from the environment. With a pH of 1.0, vultures’ stomachs have the lowest pH of any other animal in the world. As it is highly acidic it is also extremely corrosive. This is particularly useful for vultures as they also consume bones, so their stomach acid is able to break them down easily.
Vultures are able to smell food from distances as far as one mile away.
Of the 23 species of vultures, more than half of them are endangered in some way, with four of them being critically endangered which, if you read the other facts above is crazy - to think such useful birds in the ecosystem for removing disease are in danger of becoming extinct.
This mural was spotted one street over from where the Farmer's Market is held in Oakland, California's historic downtown district. What you see is only a fraction of the entire mural. At first I thought I was looking at guns in this mural. But the more I looked, the more I realized they are not guns. This could be about changing environmental toxins into something good, such as flowers. I will have to figure out more about this artwork.