Mutualistic pairs for an “Odd Couples” Valentine’s program at my work. (Why do so many of my big work projects revolve around Valentine’s programs?)
Also, by “sea bugs,” I obviously meant “gnathiid isopod larvae.”
The himan one is not as good as the rest
If you mean the mutualism between humans and honeyguides, I respectfully disagree. Human/honeyguide mutualism is one of the most sophisticated interspecies relationships in the animal kingdom.
While humans have domesticated many other animals for their labor, the honeyguide remains entirely wild while electing to partner up with humans. Both humans and honeyguides have each developed specific calls to signal to one another that they are on the hunt, and these calls greatly increase the likelihood of success. According to this paper:
The production of this sound increased the probability of being guided
by a honeyguide from about 33 to 66% and the overall probability of thus
finding a bees’ nest from 17 to 54%, as compared with other animal or
human sounds of similar amplitude.
That’s fucking bonkers, you guys!!! There are people out there who over the course of human history have created a sound to communicate with birds, and the birds themselves have a Human Call they use to communicate with us. There is no other wild animal you can just make noises at and immediately communicate that you want it to come help you!!!
What’s more, many scientists consider this relationship more exploitative on the honeyguide’s end than on our end! That’s unprecedented!! These birds have essentially negotiated a trade deal with humanity!!!! This is the stuff of fantasy movies, except it’s real.
Apart from with our gut bacteria, we humans don’t really have any
mutualistic relationships with other creatures. There is no special tune
that we can sing to magically attract nearby hedgehogs into our gardens
to feast on slugs. There will never be a special wink that fishermen
can offer otters, encouraging them to catch fish that we might then
de-bone for them, in return for some of the catch. The world is poorer
for this.
OKAY BUT the noise we make at honeyguides is one of my favorite noises there is, and if y’all haven’t heard the “BRRR-HM?” call that hunters use to summon honeyguides you are SERIOUSLY missing out.
“Solarpunks cherish nature, progress and science; the individual and the community.
They believe in a world that is green, colourful, and bright. It can be described as a literary genre, an aesthetic, or a movement. The key points are:
An emphasis on renewable energy, especially solar power.
A demand for technology and society to re-centre around sustainability, longevity, and balance.
A focus on decentralisation, community activism, social justice and civic empowerment.
A recognition that economic, social, and ecological injustices are all deeply inter-connected.”
- Sunbeam City
“Solarpunk is a literary movement, a hashtag, a flag, and a statement of intent about the future we hope to create” - Ben Valentine
Solarpunk as a concept emerged from the imagination of authors and creators in the early 2000′s, and was shared freely throughout the internet. It originated as a genre of creative writing and artwork, but it quickly began to be implemented into decentralised left-wing spaces. Nowadays, solarpunk embodies a whole range of politics, activism, design and art; but at its heart it encompasses positive, grassroots community action and innovation as a way to prevent ecological crises.
This is where I need your help - I would love to collate a list of Solarpunk-themed tumblr blogs. If you post about Solarpunk and would like to be included in this list, please comment or message me with your blog URL. Thank you!
As the California pipevine plant was displaced from San Francisco by urban sprawl, the California pipevine swallowtail, which relies on the pipevine plant to feed its caterpillars, also disappeared. That is, until a biologist named Tim Wong made it his mission to repopuplate the species in his own backyard.
Armed only with a cutting of California pipevine from the San Francisco Botanical Garden, Tim created a screened in butterfly enclosure in his backyard and began to reproduce California pipevines.
As new butterflies were born, Tim would donate them to the San Francisco Botanical Gardens where their pipevine host plant could still be found.
“At first he brought them in by the hundreds. Now he brings them in by the thousands every few months.”
While most of us don’t have the power to create habitat for endangered rhinos or tigers, anyone with a little bit of outdoor space can help create habitat for endangered insects!
You can:
-plant a pollinator garden with native nectar-producing plants
-plant host plants of local butterfly species
-leave piles of fallen leaves or sticks in your yard as habitat for native bees
-avoid using pesticides (or use them as sparingly as possible) around your home and yard
“Improving habitat for native fauna is something anyone can do. Conservation and stewardship can start in your very own backyard.” -Tim Wong
This blog is mostly so I can vent my feelings and share my interests. Other than that, I am nothing special.
If you don't like Left Wing political thought and philosophy, all things related to horror, the supernatural, the grotesque, guns or the strange, then get the fuck out. I just warned you.