Roll Cloud, Las Olas Beach, Uruguay | Photograph by Daniela Mirner Eberl The skies have always been a constant source of fascination for humans. One common mass that everyone on the planet has seen in one form or another are clouds. They can come in all sizes, shapes, and colours; and their distinct…
The Glasswinged butterfly (Greta oto) is a beautiful brush-footed butterfly and is a member of the: subfamily Danainae, tribe Ithomiini, subtribe Godyridina. Greta oto adults exhibit a number of interesting behaviours, such as long migrations and lekking (gathering of males for competitive mating displays). The wings are translucent, with a wingspan of 5.6 to…
Photograph by Cburnett on Wikipedia Melanism is an undue development of dark-colored pigment in the skin or its appendages and is the opposite of albinism. The word ‘melanism’ is deduced from a Greek word that means black pigment. Pseudo-melanism, also called abundism, is another variant of pigmentation, characterized by dark spots or enlarged stripes,…
Photograph by KEN RIPPENGALE Deilephila elpenor, known as the Elephant Hawk-moth, is a large moth of the Sphingidae family. The species is found throughout Britain and Ireland. Its range extends across Europe, Russia, and into China, northern parts of the Indian subcontinent, Japan and Korea (though not Taiwan). Introduced specimens have been found in…
Photograph by FLASHFLOOD STUDIOS The Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), also known as the dwarf leopard, is a wild cat distributed over South and Central America and Mexico, but has been reported as far north as Texas and in Trinidad, in the Caribbean. The ocelot is similar in appearance to a domestic cat. Its fur…
Photograph by IGOR SIWANOWICZ Mantodea (or mantises) is an order of insects that contains approximately 2,200 species in 15 families worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. A colloquial name for the order is “praying mantises”, because of the typical “prayer-like” stance, although the term is often misspelled as “preying mantis” since mantises are…
Image compiled by Christophe Courtois Siberian blogger Christophe Courtois has compiled an amazing list of funny move poster cliches. These classic design techniques have been employed for years, it’s just fun to see them all together in one post. On Christophe’s blogs you can find many more examples but below is a list…
Photograph by DECKSTER1965 CHEETAHS: THE WORLD’S FASTEST LAND ANIMALS The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. They are the only felid with non-retractable claws and pads that, by their scope, disallow gripping (therefore cheetahs cannot climb vertical trees, although they are…
Photograph via iClickfun.com In Colombia, Rio Cano Castales, or the ‘river of five colors’, is a special place where for a brief period of time every year when the conditions are just right, the river explodes with vibrant colours your eyes won’t believe. During the short span between the wet and dry season,…
Photograph by A. KNIESEL Who knew the Ostrich was such a notable record-holder in the Animal Kingdom? Not only is it the world’s largest bird; it also lays the largest eggs [of any bird] and is the fastest two-legged animal on land (sorry Usain Bolt)! Here are 10 things you might not have known…