He Rolls with the Big Dogs

And They Didn't Even Invite Us to the Party.

Yesterday the walking sticks had a rendezvous on the door to my office.  Today, a spontaneous party of daddy long legs. 

I guess I know what I'll be dreaming about tonight...

It Must All Work Out Because They Aren't Going Extinct...

The animal kingdom is keeping me alert on this difficult Monday.  Check out these walking sticks.

Yes, there are two.  Look carefully.  One is on the window and the other is on the frame.  What's so cool about that?  The FEMALE is on the window and the MALE is on the frame.  I had no ideas that female walking sticks were SO HUGE in comparison to the males!

Here's a photo for size reference.

What a Life

One of my coworkers took this photo of a fawn on one of our Water Quality Protection Lands.  I look at it at least once every day.  It makes me happy :)

Dang Octopus

The octopus stole my video camera!  Oh how I love this.  And oh how it makes me miss scuba.

I Love You, Ladybugs, But You Better Keep Out of My Orifices

You're about to learn something about me that is a little cool, slightly sad, and really gross. 

I live with part of a ladybug inside my body.

From 1984.

Okay before you start imagining how it got in my body, let me explain.

I was an innocent four-year-old playing outside of my home in Arkansas and my lady friend flew into my ear.  Simple as that!  But then she kept flying...down my ear canal.

They look so sweet, don't they?  Wrong!  I'm more scared of ladybugs than snakes.  I spent the afternoon in the hospital with the doctor urging me not to move as he thrust the flexible forceps down my ear canal.  And, let's just say he was a little too forceful with his forceps and he flogged that little lady while she was in my ear.  And when he retrieved his work, it was only half our lady.  Leaving the other half with me, for the rest of my life.

I hate to think what her decayed body has turned into, but whatever it is, it gifted me with ear infections throughout my childhood.  And I'm pretty sure I'm going deaf in that ear.

But I learned more from Wikipedia today:

Human Impact

Ladybugs generally do not injure humans but are mainly a nuisance. However, recent studies suggest that ladybugs can cause some reactions, such as eye irritation or asthma. Dr. Linda Gilkeson, states "You bet those little critters can bite! They don't have any kind of venom or irritating saliva (like mosquitoes, black flies, etc.), but they are just big enough for us to feel it when they pinch our skin." ^[8] The ladybugs emit an acrid odor and can stain surfaces with their yellowish secretions; this defense reaction known as "reflex bleeding," which prevents predators, such as birds, from eating them. However, in a home, the fluid can stain walls and fabrics. "This substance actually is ladybug blood," says Tedders, a researcher from the United States Department of Agriculture. "It comes out the joints of the legs. "
 
Humm, I wonder how much ladybug blood is in my body.  Nice thought. 

So on to the reason I've been thinking about ladybugs today.  I wasn't aware some ladybug species that formerly thrived in the US are now becoming rare.  This is problematic because ladybugs are natural and effective predators of crop-damaging insects  Thus, scientists need help tracking several ladybug species, and quite brilliantly, they've enlisted kids!

Kids contributing to the Lost Ladybug Project simply find ladybugs, photograph them, and send it their photos with location information.  So far 6,000 ladybugs of 79 species have been counted through the project.

 Ladybug Sightings via Lost Ladybug Project

Local elementary kids do similar work finding and identifying archeological artifacts on my work's properties in southern Austin.  Love it!

Here's to your future, ladybugs...just keep out of those kiddos' ears!

Brotherly Love

“If you don’t own a dog, at least one, there is not necessarily anything wrong with you, but there may be something wrong with your life.”

- Roger Caras
wildlife photographer and writer 

No canine or feline octomoms, please.

Haha... Octomom needs money, so she's letting PETA pay her to place this sign in her front yard.

Bears Love Casinos

South Louisiana, March 2010

Who Invited You?

The expressions on Debo and the dog in the middle are priceless.

Starling Wave

I find this photo absolutely stunning. Photographer Danny Green won a 2009 Wildlife Photographer of the Year award for it. It was shot in England and shows over a million starlings avoiding a falcon. I love how he slowed the shutter to create the flow (or wave, as he calls it).


More award-winning photos here.

The Splits

I'm a little out of practice, but at least one of my dogs can still do them.

It's Been That Kind of Winter

Love this photo my friend Christine took in Pennsylvania this past December.

Hugs

Must Have Book

"Featuring over 150 suicidal pets!"

Kids - Gotta Love Em

My wedding photographer's ten year-old son created this adorable blog. It

1) Cracks me up
2) Amazes me that ten year olds are growing up blogging!

Cute Captioned Cats

Zen

My Kind of Dog Races

I'm thankful for moments like this.

Welcome Potus to the Sembera-Peters Family!

Potus joined our family this week and we are so happy to have him!

All the Dogs You've Ever Loved

I check out PostSecret from time to time, and I really liked this postcard I saw recently. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy :)