#august2024

[coffeenuts]

[jcq94]

[natur-nah-dran]

colors and ferns

[tears-of-xion]

Have some Chiyos to make your day a little brighter!!

-

Please do not use or re-post my artwork without my permission. Thank you!   (reblogs, however, are welcome and appreciated)

I do not own Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun, nor it’s characters. All rights to their owners.

[punkpillowprincess]

SZIGET '24

Louis Tomlinson - Budapest, Hungary ✶ Festivals Era Collection ✶

✦

[jonnysinsectcatalogue]

Tiger Bee Fly - Xenox tigrinus

Earlier this week we examined another specie of Bee Fly which had an appearance reminiscent of this larger, more common specimen. It's as if this large, robust insect is the big brother here. In all seriousness, it helps to have a comparison between the 2 species to make identification more simple when searching for insects in the neighborhood and wilderness. While size is the biggest factor here between these two Flies, the easiest way to distinguish this Tiger Bee Fly from an Anthrax genus relative is by looking at the wings. The wing veins are always prominent on a Tiger Bee Fly. In addition, the patterning along the wings is much more saturated and pronounced compared to Anthrax Bee Flies who appear to have more of a splotchy look. Of course, with this Fly's size, it's more likely to be mistaken for more rotund, fuzzy insects which hover and buzz around flowers and live in a hive or (preferably) in a wooden cavity. This specie is particularly keen on finding Carpenter Bees for the same reason that an Anthrax Bee Fly is keen to find certain types of Digger Wasps: flicking their eggs near or into the nest/cells as they hover near the entrance. If you wish to try and observe this behavior for yourself, it would help to know which Xenox is male and which is female.

Although the first may be to look at the head of this variety of Fly and measure the gaps between the eyes, quit while you're ahead for this specie. This specie doesn't follow the convention of eyes being "close or apart", which is strange as other species within the Bombyliidae family do have compound eyes differences. For example, the Greater Bee Fly males have eyes that are closer together, while the females have their eyes further apart (as can be seen with this blog's first specimen). I suppose the question is, "Among Bee Flies, what is the exception and what is the rule?" Getting back to our Tiger Bee Fly friend: since the eyes aren't reliable, we will discover the differences between males and females by carefully observing their bodies. There's likely to be variation between individuals, but it seems that male Tiger Bee Flies have darker bodies and a "collar" of white tufts behind their head. Meanwhile, the first abdominal segment (just behind the thorax) of a female features lighter hairs, and the overall coloration of her thorax skews toward greyish brown. So it looks like we have a male in these pictures today. There is one other clue: if you find a similar-looking Fly hovering in place and focusing dead ahead on an opening or a crevice, it's very likely that you've found a female. Please snap a picture if possible!

Pictures were taken on August 28, 2024 with a Google Pixel 4. For additional information (and a visual aid), you can review this Bugguide submission of a pair of Flies found in Pennsylvania.

[theartoflovingthomashunt]

'In one kiss, you know all I haven't said' ~Pablo Neruda

I love this quote for them. It really speaks to the depth of their love. Alex wears her heart on her sleeve, Thomas doesn't. But, he can't hold back his feelings when he kisses her, and she knows that. She has patience to let him express his feelings in his time (even if she enjoys teasing him and challenging him on it.)

Thomas and Alex will always be my OTP. They bring me more joy than I can share. This art by @chryzure just captures them perfectly. It is absolutely adorable and so sweet! I can't get enough of it!!!

[All Thomas Hunt x Alex Masterlists] [Halex Commission tag]

[storyofmychoices]

A Night to Remember by ArtbyAinna (IG)

Happy birthday, @lilyoffandoms!!!! You are such a lovely, wonderful, talented, and all around incredible person. I think the world of you! I am so grateful to have met you through this fandom. You've always been such an amazing and supportive friend. I am so lucky to have you in my life (even luckier than Daenarya is to have Maiele 🤭). I hope your birthday brings you all the most wonderful things. You deserve only the best on your special day! Love you!💛