harleyshine: Gynandromorphs are mutations of sexually dimorphic organisms that simultaneously exhibit male and female characteristics. They are also sometimes known as half-siders because this mutation typically presents with half the body as female and the other half as male, split ventrally down the middle. It occurs as a result of errors during embryonic development and is extremely rare. The mutation arises as an error in the first cell division. Instead of passing on a complete set of sex chromosomes, the divided cell passes on only a partial set to one half, causing it to develop different physical characteristics. Non-disjunction, as the failure of a chromosome to separate fully during cell division is known, is usually fatal for the cell because it needs that genetic material, but every now and then the result is a gynandromorph.” -WiseGeek.
(Source: bimbiravindra, via bigemperor)
Arachnocampa luminosa is a species of fungus gnat which are, in their larval stage, glowworms. They are found mostly in New Zealand and Australia in caves and grottos, or sheltered places in forests.
The larva spins a nest out of silk on the ceiling of the cave and then hangs down as many as 70 threads of silk from around the nest, each up to 30 or 40 cm long and holding small droplets of mucus that act asa sticky glue. Prey fly into the strands of silk and the larva pulls it up (at up to about 2 millimetres a second) and feeds. In some species, the droplets of mucus on the silk threads are poisonous enhancing the trap’s ability to suppress prey quickly.
The larva glows to attract prey into its threads, perhaps luring them into believing they are outdoors, for the roof of a cave covered with larva can look remarkably like a starry sky at night. Prey include midges, mayflies, caddis flies, mosquitos, moths, or even small snails or millipedes.
rhamphotheca: starry-eyed-wolfchild: Bee Hotels for Solitary Bees
You may be wondering what bees need a hotel for, when they make their own hives. The truth is that many species of bees are solitary – the do not live in hives but instead construct their own nest. The main reason for this is because in these species every female is fertile and this would not make for comfortable communal living in a hive.
LOOK AT THIS MOTH.
LOOK AT IT. IT HAS A FUCKING AFRO.
Spanish Moth Xanthropastis timais
(via ollieosa)
