Wait, which animals raise livestock?

Several species of ants will 'herd' aphids around (a type of plant lice)- even picking them up and putting them back with the group if they wander off. The ants will attack anything that approaches their aphid herds, defending them. The aphids produce a sugary excretion called honeydew, which the ants harvest and eat.

Some ants will even 'milk' the aphids, stroking the aphids with their antennae, to stimulate them to release honeydew. Some aphids have become 'domesticated' by the ants, and depend entirely on their caretaker ants to milk them.

When the host plant is depleted of resources and dies, the ants will pick up their herd of aphids and carry them to a new plant to feed on - a new 'pasture' if you will.

Some ants continue to care for aphids overwinter, when otherwise they'd die. The ants carry aphid eggs into their own nests, and will even go out of their way to destroy the eggs of aphid-predators, like ladybugs.

--

Microhylids – or narrow-mouthed frogs - have an interesting symbiosis with Tarantulas.

While the spiders could very easily kill and eat the much-tinier frogs, and DO normally prey on small frogs, young spiders instead will use their mouthparts to pick up the microhylid frogs, bring them back to their burrow, and release them unharmed.

The frog benefits from hanging out in/around the burrow of the tarantula, because the tarantula can scare away or eat predators that normally prey on tiny frogs, like snakes, geckos, and mantids. The tarantula gets a babysitter.

Microhylid frogs specialize in eating ants, and ants are one of the major predators of spider eggs. By eating ants, the frogs protect the spider's eggs. The frogs can also lay their eggs in the burrow, and won't be eaten by the spider.

So it's less 'livestock' and more like a housepet - a dog or a cat. You stop coyotes/eagles from hurting your little dog/cat, and in return the dog/cat keeps rats away from your baby.

--

Damselfish grow algae on rocks and corals. They defend these gardens ferociously, and will attack anything that comes too close - even humans. They spend much of their time weeding the gardens, removing unwanted algaes that might overtake their crop.

The species of algae that they cultivate is weak and and sensitive to growing conditions, and can easily be overgrazed by other herbivores. That particular algae tends to grow poorly in areas where damselfish aren't around to protect and farm it.

Damselfish will ALSO actively protect Mysidium integrum (little shrimp-like crustacians) in their reef farms, despite eating other similarly sized invertebrates. The mysids are filter feeders, who feed on zooplankton and free-floating algae, and their waste fertilizes the algae farms. Many types of zooplankton can feed on the algae crop, and the mysids prevent that.

While Mysids can be found around the world, the only place you'll find swarms of Musidium integrum is on the algae farms that Damselfish cultivate.

Damselfish treat the little mysids like some homesteaders treat ducks. Ducks eat snails and other insect pests on our crops, and their poop fertilizes the land. The ducks can be eaten, but aren't often, since they're more useful for their services than their meat.

--

There are SEVERAL species of insect and animal which actively farm. They perform fungiculture and horticulture: deliberately growing and harvesting fungus and plants at a large-scale to feed their population.

Leaf-cutter ants and Termites both chew up plant material and then seed it with a specific type of fungus. The fungus grows, and the termites/ants harvest the mushroom as a food source.

Ambrosia beetles burrow into decaying trees, hollow out little farming rooms, and introduce a specific fungii (the ambrosia fungi), which both adults and larval beetles feed on.

Marsh Periwinkles (a type of snail) cultivates fungus on cordgrass. They wound the plant with their scraping tongue, then defecate into the wound so their preferred fungus will infect it and grow there. They let the fungus grow in the wound a bit, and come back later to eat.

Hiiii. So this is my first time requesting or anything so I’m kinda really nervous??? Anyways, I love your crack fics, I literally giggle non stop and they bring light into my soul.

So, that being said, I have a request. Could you do something with Crocodile and Ace (and whichever other characters) reacting to their s/o having a spider or some type of scary bug on their back? Idk if your can go anywhere with this but hey, it’s worth a shot.

Okay that’s it bye bye have a good day :)))

a/n - omg I’m so glad I can bring light into your life 😭🫶 literally my goal when I’m writing this stuff 💜 oml bro crocodile is afraid of bugs I just know he is 💀 that’s why he had robin, so she could handle them for him

warnings ⚠️ - g/n reader, crack, crocodile would leave you with the the bug just to run as far away as possible 💀🫶

- pls if he sees a single bug in his house he’d move out of his mansion and go to another sea of ocean 💀

- don’t get me wrong he takes you with him of course and makes sure you’re protected from those heinous insects. Get ready for loads of bug spray and pest killing chemicals, because your house is going to smell like that for at least a couple weeks 😃🫶

- so one day, you’re relaxing on the sofa, listening to some ambient music, the lights a bit dimmed, with the shutters open just enough for some light to shine through without being too harsh. It was a weekend, so it was due time for some relaxation!

- crocodile had just gotten finished with his work, and finally he’d get to spend some quality time with you. As he walked over, getting ready to join you on the couch, he froze.

- his eyes were locked onto your back, his breathing completely stopped, his body stiff as a board

- a tiny black speck on your back was… moving. Could that be a- SPIDER? You turned around because you heard footsteps, and you looked confused to see crocodile just- frozen, with wide, disgusted, fearful eyes as if you just committed some heinous crime against humanity

- “….Crocodile? You ok?”

- …

- “Hello???? Earth to crocodile?”

- “Y/n. You know I love you right?“

- “…What?”

- “Then you know why I must do this.”

- “What do you me- hey where’re you going?!”

- to go bag (he has one prepared for this exact situation bruh 💀) materializes out of thin air, then cue crocodile skedaddling out the door without explaining or warning you like a scared selfish asshole

- “CROCODILE IT’S NOT EVEN THE SIZE OF MY FINGERNAIL.”

- “IT’S AN INSECT Y/N.”

- “SO YOU’D LEAVE ME WITH THE FUCKING BUG SO YOU COULD GET AWAY FIRST-? 😭”

- “..well of course I would’ve sent someone back for you-“

- “SENT SOMEONE?!”

- see now ace is afraid of bugs too. But he’s not a selfish asshole like crocodile 💀 bro would at least try and protect you while screaming and sobbing

- you two were relaxing, snuggling together and watching the sun set on the deck of the Moby dick. It always never failed to amaze you with how many colors spread across the sky.

- ace absolutely adored these moments with you. It made him feel so- alive but also dead at the same time. Because how could one be this happy and in love with you?

- he looked down at you, and leaned down to press a kiss to the top of your head, and that’s when he saw… it

- cue the scream of a demon plus a kid who just saw a clown

- “WTF ACE WHAT?!”

- “BABE- DO NOT MOVE. THERE’S A BIGASS BUG ON YOUR HEAD.”

- “EXCUSE ME?!”

- ace grabbed his shoe in a panic, and aimed directly at your head. But since he was so afraid, he was closing his eyes.. as he was swinging to kill the bug.. and he ended up slapping the absolute shit out of you instead of the bug

- “Phew, think I got it- Y/N?! WHAT HAPPENED ARE YOU OK?!”

- “WDYM AM I OK YOU SLAPPED THE SHIT OUT OF ME-“

- “Sorry.. OH SHIT I MISSED-“

- “NONONONO ACE WAIT-“

- you got hit five times before he actually got it. 💀🫶 I hope your brain isn’t damaged 😭

- luffy was one of those kids who collected beetles and watched them fight each other like it was the most intense battle he’s ever seen 💀

- so of course he’s not afraid of them. Bro likes them so much that he doesn’t know if the one piece is better or if beetles are better 😭

- luffy was rambling to you about the various different types of beetles, and which ones were the strongest in fights. He was giving you the WHOLE lowdown, their stats, weaknesses, special skills, traits, etc. 💀 you were surprised luffy had this level of knowledge on- anything really

- “Yeah so the atlas beetle can DEFINITELY take down the rhino beetle because of its really tough shell and- OH MY GOD-“

- “Huh-?! What’s wrong?!”

- “OMG OMG Y/N YOU HAVE AN ATLAS BEETLE ON YOUR HEAD!”

- “Luffy you better be joking. Is it even April yet?”

- “Nono it’s right here see?”

- he pulled it off your head and put it in front of your face. The way you froze, and the way your heart stopped, dropped down to your feet, and then climbed back up 😭

- you couldn’t even scream, you just got up and hauled ass away from whatever that abomination of a creature was

- “Y/n where are you going?! I have to show you how it fights!”

- “I’M PERFECTLY FINE NOT SEEING THAT LUFFY-“

- “But y/n they really like you! You’ve got a rhino beetle on your back too!”

- “WHAT?!”

- you legit stopped, dropped, and rolled 💀💀💀 poor robin was watching the whole thing transpire from really far away so she couldn’t hear the context of what the hell was happening 😭

a/n - bro I missed writing these. I’m a bit rusty tho 😂

how about yandere boyfriend h/c for Gun Park 🫶🏻

Sure

YANDERE PARK JONGGUN HEADCANONS

If you have this psychotic fighting obsessed lunatic after you as a yandere or as a significant other, I seriously pray for you and your mental health. He's the cause of people's trauma and gave at least half the lookism characters their own sob backstories. You'd meet him in middle school. He's the heir of the famous Japanese Yakuza organization of the Yamazaki clan. You didn't want anything to do with him at first. He was the poster boy for being a troublemaker and kept beating people up left and right. You hated his cruelty towards the other students and wanted to stay the heck away from him. One day however you accidentally bumped into him and you spilled some water over his shirt. His bodyguards simply glared at you menacingly as Gun stared at you with a cold stoic look on his face. However when you apologized profusely with a flustered embarrassed expression on his face, a small smirk formed on his lips as he watched you with an amused expression, trying to wipe his shirt with that cute little handkerchief of yours

You've managed to intrigue him now, congratulations because you have a stalker on your trail. He quietly observes you in the classes, how you're always quick to answer the questions asked by the teacher, how you're so eager to finish doing your homework...you were such a goody two shoes, the typical girl next door and he found your personality rather amusing. He felt like a predator watching his pretty little prey and he felt a surge of power rush through him. He found out everything about you within 10 minutes and during the lunch period he quietly left a bottle of your favorite drink and left

He promised himself he'd never have time for silly frivolous distractions like love and that nonsense. He was supposed to destroy everyone in his path to attain his great title of becoming the king of the second generation, so why couldn't he fight you when he was about to hit some random moron because they'd dared to challenge him. "Leave. This doesn't concern you" he said with his usual cold look on his face as a slight flash of irritation flashed in his eyes. Why on earth would you defend someone so weak and insignificant when you're supposed to be by his side? Do you not know you belong to him now? However when he sees you extending your arms out and looking at him with a slight angry determined pout and asking him to leave the student alone, for the first time, he actually listened to someone and it was you. An amused smirk formed on his face. "Aww...how cute, a little princess is trying to be a hero...just know things won't always work out your way and you'll need someone like me in the end to protect you...I'll wait for that day to come" said Gun with a slight hint of malice dancing manically in his eyes as he left

A few years later you've heard of his fearful and dangerous reputation around South Korea of how he's busy terrorizing the other gangs with another blonde pest named Goo. However you had no intention of getting involved in things like gang wars and such, your only objective was to just survive high school and get a decent job and make a life of your own. If you thought for a moment he's stopped watching you, you're absolutely wrong. He's always on the lookout for you and is always keeping an eye on you. The other day some random guy started hitting on you despite your repeated attempts of refusing him

"She said no you lousy insect..get lost before I murder you" said a familiar cold voice as he came out of the shadows in his long black suit and black glasses as he smoked a cigarette and glared at the man. "Who the hell are you to tell me what to-" said the man but couldn't finish his sentence as Gun ended up grabbing him by his neck with his hand and flung him to the nearby. He then put out his cigarette on top of the man's unconscious head as he smirked at you. "Well princess...it's been a while since we've met" he said as he strode closer to you. He surveyed your features, you didn't change since the last time he saw you. However what drew him towards you was your childlike naivety and innocence. Something he wanted for himself

"I'll be upfront with you...I don't play games. Go out with me. And don't you dare refuse, you know you don't have that option" he said as he leaned closer to you just to make you feel more flustered which he was getting a kick out of. You sighed and agreed to go out with him as he smiled evilly at you. But deep down, he could feel his heart melt slightly at your acceptance. What a good little doll you were, doing whatever he asked from you

As a yandere, he would be possessive, obsessive and manipulative as well. He's not above to using other people as mere chess pieces just to get whatever he wants from you. But the bright side is, he doesn't hurt you, physically or emotionally. Despite him not being too fond of the idea of romance, he has a pretty good idea of what to do with a partner. He likes taking you out to nice fancy restaurants where there's a private booth so you won't be able to squeal for help. This sadistic MF here loves and lives to see you squirm and get flustered. Don't get too surprised when this jerk here keeps running his hands down your thigh with a smirk on his face

He ALWAYS knows your location, despite you not even telling him. A certain purple haired brat keeps him informed as insufferable as he might be. If you've guessed it was Kouji then good job, you win a cookie. Another blonde psychopath who goes by the name Goo keeps him informed as well. You're not supposed to go anywhere without telling your man where you're going. He'll always be stalking you from the shadows, you're never really alone. He doesn't want you getting involved in gang fights and crew messes and stuff. When you asked him to fight you, he simply cracked a sadistic amused grin. A few seconds later you found yourself on the ground as he pet your head and chuckled softly. "Naive little princesses like you aren't supposed to be in gang fights..." he said as he softly caressed your cheek

He'd rather take this to the grave than admit this out loud but he loves it when you rake your fingers through his hair. He feels like all the walls in his heart are breaking down and he lets out a soft contended hum of approval. Had it been Goo doing that, his fingers would have been bent at an unnatural angle and would have to deal with his incessant whining. He also likes to hold you and have you on his lap. He likes the physical intimacy. Plus the view is great too, there's a reason he wears glasses you know...this shameless perv 💀

Don't underestimate his power. The second you try to leave him or get away from him, he'll end up kidnapping you. He has his own reasons, selfish reasons to be precise. Scream, cry and throw as many number of tantrums as you want, you won't be leaving him anytime soon. There's no way you'll be able to even fight him so the sooner you get that silly little thought from your pretty little head, the better it would be for everyone involved. He'll just think you might need some time to adjust and he'll give you your space. However when you try kicking and punching him, he'll just take them with an amused smirk on his face and coo at you describing your hits compared to that of a bratty little child trying to hit someone

He'd spoil the hell out of you though, whatever your little heart desires it's yours. Just say the word. He also likes it when he comes back from a fight and you patch him up and he can't help but lean in slightly into your touch as he looks at you with a soft affectionate look, reserved only for you, the special one in his heart. Of course, he might be a cocky little jerk to get deliberately injured in fights at times just to feel your touch and to see how adorable you look when you're all concerned and fussing over him. Goo will eventually call him out on his BS only for Gun to whack him across the head with a slight smirk but he wouldn't deny it

Now, as for the people who dare to steal you away from him or try to take you away from him...not even the gods would be able to save them. He will have no mercy when it comes to such people. Perhaps if he's feeling a tad bit merciful and he wants to get home to you quickly, he'll just beat them up till they're literally hospitalized for a month. Or else it's straight up death in the most gruesome and horrendous manner possible. He does not hold back and will go even feral than usual. Some lousy moron tried to take pictures of you while you were unaware of it a few days ago. Gun didn't even bother to hesitate to break the punk's hand and crush it in one go, silently vowing to murder the little pest later on in the night

Don't even bother trying to escape from him, you'll just be making him laugh at this point. He doesn't even need any help tracking you down, like I said before, he'll always know where you are. He can read you like an open book and knows what your thoughts are. He might be cold and aloof at times but he does like cuddling with you and petting your head affectionately. As much as you nag him to quit smoking, that's something he wouldn't give up on. But he finds it amusing and endearing how fussy you get about it and will pull you onto his lap and quickly capture your lips in a soft yet passionate kiss

Ultimately at the end of the day, no matter how ruthless he is he just wants to come back to you and have you in his arms, right where you belong...

Bug hybrid!Task force 141 x Human!reader

Bug hybrid AU LETS GOOOOO-

Warning: Bugs/insects/arachnids, sfw (I am a minor), fluff, bug shenanigans,

Let’s bug out y’all (I’m sorry please stay-)

Moth Hybrid Price:

-One of his moth antenna‘s are damaged leaving him unable to fly (He can glide though)

-Sometimes he eats your sweaters if you accidentally leave them in his office or quarters (He immediately apologizes repeatedly and tries to buy you a new one)

-During mating season he gets all fluffy like a moth (he’s gonna need help with shaving…)

-And yes, he can’t resist any form of light but only at night (Price is obsessed with Reader because their eyes shine bright from any light’s reflection)

Funfact: Moths are actually pollinators and feed off of nectar just like their cousin the butterfly.

Tarantula hybrid Gaz:

-Has the lower half of a Tarantula (Like a centaur but spider)

-Large Tarantula pinchers that can poke out of his mouth (Eating is messy for him. Poor Gaz)

-His bunk is completely covered in webs

-Has the urge to constantly make small webs to impress the reader

-During mating season he fluffs up like Price and also does a little mating dance (He’s only done it once on accident in front of the reader)

-Has Venom but it is weak when inflicted on humans (Some can have serious reactions depending)

-Likes to wrap the Reader in webs like a burrito (Blink twice if your endanger reader)

Funfact: Tarantulas can get severely injured if they fall from great heights (Be careful with your eight-legged friends)

(Centipedes honestly terrify me-)

Centipede Hybrid Ghost:

-Cury antennas (They twitch and move around)

-Lower half of a centipede (Like a centaur but centipede)

-His legs make little click sounds when he walks (Sends shivers down the spines of anyone who hears it)

-Disgusted of himself. Ever since the team’s transformation he’s honest to god disgusted and horrified of his appearance (Reader sees through that and helps him through it)

-Coils his lower half around the reader. Being the only remaining human of the task force he’s very protective of them like the others are.

-During mating season he gives off a foul Oder and makes webs to impress the Reader like Gaz does (They get very competitive with each other)

Funfact: Centipedes are not harmful to humans. In fact they help keep the pests away like cockroaches, moths, flies, silverfish and termites. They also do not make webs or nests indoors. (As much as they terrify me they do take care of the pests)

Praying Mantis Hybrid Soap:

-Has the mantis arms under his normal arms at his sides and cute antennas on his head. (And he has the Mantis tail. I believe it’s called a Metathorax?)

-Hunts like crazy (His urges constantly puts him in hunting mode)

-He’s always bringing back everything he hunts to the Reader (Makes him even happier if you eat what he gives you in front or him-or pretend to)

-Able to fly/glide for a short distance

-For mating season….uh….lets just say mantises are very horny

Funfact: Mantises can turn their heads a Full 180 Degrees. They have very flexible a joint between the head and prothorax that allows them to swivel their heads.

Bonus:

(Roach is Roach)

Cockroach Hybrid Roach:

-He has the Roach antennas, and roach arms/legs under his normal arms (He has the roach tail as well)

-Fucking indestructible. (Can literally survive radiation)

-Can literally eat anything (that’s from a living organism

-Cuddles. He’s clingy and always wants a cuddle from the reader after a long mission. (I honestly don’t blame him with the shit the task force goes through on a daily basis)

-Reader is very worried about Roach despite his indestructibility and always panics if he gets hurt during a mission. (He enjoys the attention)

Funfact: Cockroaches like to cuddle. Cockroaches like feeling something solid against their bodies. That’s why they hide in cracks and crevices or even your stacked towels and linens.

Pet! SAHSRAU (part 3)

Reader's pronouns: -

Warnings: possible out-of-character, mentions of blood & amputation (Herta)

Notes: reverse isekai, characters turn into animals, Herta Space Station Crew

------------------------------

Rough Collie! Asta who is energetic...at night. She loves sitting by windows / glass doors and staring at the starry night sky. Sometimes she holds your hand gently between her teeth and drags you along to watch the stars with her at midnight. Asta nudges you when you start to fall asleep - she doesn't want you to miss out on the beauty of the stars. Welt or Himeko will come chide her gently for making you stay up late, then lead you back to your room. Asta will follow them reluctantly and curl up next to your bed, wishing you a silent goodnight before falling asleep.

Birman! Herta who has prosthetic limbs. You found her by the road two streets away from your home, legs bloodied, barely conscious. You figured that she might've gotten hit by a car. The vet told you that they had to amputate her legs as her wounds were badly infected. Herta still remembers the devastated look on your face when you pressed your hand against the glass of her cage at the hospital, glancing at her paw-less limbs with tears trickling down your cheeks; the relief when you finally saw her walking steadily with prosthetics, crying tears of joy this time. Though she isn't as agile as the other cats due to her prosthetics, Herta uses them to her advantage - she meows at you when she wants to get onto tables or couches, and you'll pick her up to put her on them. Herta just can't resist giving the others a smug look when you cradle her in your arms.

Sable ferret! Arlan who guards you from pest insects. You see him swatting at mosquitoes with his front paws or chasing after spiders nearly every day. Arlan doesn't listen when you tell him that you can deal with them yourself - he believes that he has to protect you. Only when you held him up so you were face-to-face with him and repeated yourself did he listen...partially. Two weeks later he actually forgets what you had said and continues to catch the bugs. Arlan likes to dig holes in your garden and dirty his fur. You scold him as you wipe him clean (ferrets can't bathe too often), but maybe, just maybe, you'll notice that he's enjoying your attention and the soft tone you're using.

------------------------------

Forgot to mention this in the previous parts but somehow reader is unaware that they are all those characters from HSR they love (⁠•⁠ ⁠▽⁠ ⁠•⁠;⁠)

Jarilo-VI characters are next!

A kitten’s savior 1/2

Catboy!Xiao x reader

Warning: a bit of swearing, blood, suggestions of past abuse, on the angstier side on the first part(I promise it’ll get better in the next part scratch that, in the future)

Part 2

<------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->

Cold. Pain. Lonely. Betrayed. That’s what Xiao felt. His last owner promised they wouldn’t abandon him too. He was always tossed around. Too aggressive. Too cold. Too overprotective. That’s what they all said, except his last owner. Or so he thought.

They always pet his head, reassuring him that they won’t leave. Scratching under his chin while cooing at him, spilling praises of how good he’s been at protecting the house from mice and other invasive pests. Yet, one unfateful day, he woke up to his owner pacing around in the living room, talking over the phone with someone unknown to him. ‘Possibly a friend?’ he had thought at the time. ‘But why did they seem mad?’ was his next thought.

“Seriously, do I HAVE to keep him? He’s so annoying. He’s always so clingy all the time and won’t stop following me every second I’m home. Not only that, but no matter how much I trim them, his claws always grow back at an alarming speed and they hurt like shit! Like, c’mon, I cut them off 3 days ago and when he went to grab onto my hand I ended up with several bloody cuts! Sure, he may be useful to catch rats, mice and other insects, but I cannot DEAL with this pest anymore! I’m putting him down tomorrow. It’s better for everyone if he didn’t exist”.

That was it. That’s what confirmed his suspicions and he bolted through the closest window. Glass shattering echoed throughout the house, alerting any living being inside of what happened. His owner, if they can even be called that now, knew it was hopeless to chase after Xiao, so they let it be, huffing in annoyance about having to get the window fixed.

Xiao had already seen his owner getting more and more irritated by the day. His gut feeling was screaming at him that it was HIS fault. HE was the source of their irritation, but Xiao ignored it. He didn’t want to believe it, the person who he trusted, who finally gave him the affection he craved, lied straight to his face, but reality always catches up to everyone at some point, even to Xiao.

Tears clouding his eyes, he didn’t know where he was going, nor did he care. Anywhere was better from where he was previously. Despite the blood trickling down his fur and rain stinging on his wounds and making his fur even heavier, he ran with the wind. To the common eye it would just look like a black and green blur, a blur going between and over any obstacles in it’s way. But eventually the adrenaline wore off and the hunger and exhaustion from the panic and running settled in.

He layed down on the cold concrete under the top of an open trashcan to shelter from the rain. His wounds stung as they potentially got infected from the dirty ground, but there wasn’t much he could do. Every muscle in his small feline body was screaming, fur matted with blood uncomfortably sticking to his flesh, but he didn’t have the energy to do anything about it, or anything for that matter. Xiao slowly succumbed to slumber as a small pool of blood was pooling around him.

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You were going home back from work, an umbrella in hand shielding you from the rain. You had earbuds in your ears, blasting music to make the trip back home a bit more interesting.

You passed by a small supermarket, reminding you that you’ll have to go shopping to restock the fridge soon. Lost in thought, making a mental list of what you’d need to buy off the top of your head, a strong washed out metallic smell hits you. You look around, but there doesn’t seem to be anyone injured on your front or sides, so you turn around going a few steps back to the supermarket you just passed. The closer you got the stronger and clearer the smell got. 

Right next to the supermarket there’s an open trashcan, but the sight bellow the hanging lid is what horrified you. There layed a small black and green kitten with a vibrant red fur around it’s eyelids. It layed in small pool of it’s own blood, some small gashes gushing blood and others being clogged by pieces of glass.

You reach a hand out, placing it near the kittens neck searching for a pulse, which it thankfully had, albeit a slow one. A small sigh escapes your lips as hope of saving the small feline’s life shines in your eyes as you pull out your phone and search up on google maps where the closest vet is. To your luck, the closest was a 10 min walk away from you.

Gently picking up and cradling the cat in your arms, you ran faster than you ever thought you could, desperately hoping to get to the vet in time to save the small creature in your arms.

i tend to replace fear with anger so i feel insane about how scared people are of cultural diversity when it's the the technology that's going to save us all.

cultural traditions are in and of themselves a technology to cultivate the skills and values needed to meet the group's physical needs and maintain social cohesion. it's a type of accumulated knowledge, we do x thing for x reason. for example, the old testament says not to mix linen and wool not because of the moral paradigm but because it sucks ass, doesn't really work, and counteracts the benefits of each type of fabric. the heat retention and stretch of wool ❌❌ the breathability and durable, non-stretchy nature of linen. you also probably don't want to get caught outside in a partially wool garment in an arid region. keep it on and overheat and die, or take it off, dehydrate, and die anyway but also burn your skin off in the process. unpleasant results no matter what. so just don't.

the inuit teach incredible anger management skills and consider it deeply humiliating and childish to lose your temper. because they live in remote places in small dwellings and need to get along. it is a requirement to keep the peace when it's like -60 degrees out and nobody can physically leave or stray far from the fire and warmth of other bodies or they will straight up fucking die.

celtic folklore tells of kelpies, who lurk in pools and will lure you with promises of adventure before dragging you down into the depths (don't swim in pools you aren't familiar with or you will drown.) my grandma taught me to bribe the house fairies with notes and soft pieces of cloth left in nooks and crannies when you've lost something (go pay specific attention to places you usually ignore.)

the haudenosaunee (iroquois) seventh generation principle teaches environmental awareness by requiring that you protect the next seven generations of all your kin, every member of the system, animal(humans are included here) and plant alike.

the knowledge you have, the language you learned it in, and the terms and the connotations that were used to explain it all direct paths of thought and imagination that a person has. if you live in a culture that hates and fears insects, bugs are introduced to you in hostile language, conceptualized for you as pests and interlopers, and you're told that the right thing to do is get rid of them. the word "bug" is itself hostile-- "don't bug me." you have to personally really fucking love bugs to see beyond that framework and the social stigma attracted by violating it to become an entomologist. the culture that does not hate and fear insects has many more entomologists. the culture that loves them has more entomologists than anybody else. the culture that has more entomologists has a better understanding of ecosystems, and will accumulate a more comprehensive body of ecological knowledge over time. i'm using insects here as a stand-in for gross or alien aspects of the natural world and by extension the concept that the animal homo sapiens is superior to and can be separated from nature. which is a stupid ass concept that fucked western/european ecological thought from the jump.

that accumulated body of knowledge will influence other types of thought, particularly how you think of and understand systems. a vast body of ecological knowledge lends itself to understanding that a top-heavy system is unstable, that systems thrive on diversity and redundancy, that there are many ways to accomplish the same task and it's more likely the goal will be accomplished with various methods in play. you need bees and wasps and mosquitos to pollinate your plants. bees will ignore a plant that a wasp loves. the lives of both are purposeful, necessary. ecological thought tends to breed egalitarian imagination, and this is the soil from which the Seventh Generation Principle comes from. american indigenous nations do not have magic nature powers, they are descendants and inheritors of cultures that cultivated more comprehensive ecological knowledge than europeans did. much requires rebuilding, but the base assumptions of their ecological (and political) knowledge systems are not fundamentally fucked. so we should listen. landback

culture is cultivation, and cultivation bears fruit. the same way that negative attributes (kyriarchy, racism, homophobia, sexism) can be cultivated, positive attributes (anger management skills, ecological knowledge) can be cultivated, too. and here's the best fucking part, the most human of technologies: we can learn them from each other.

we can learn from each other!

we can learn how the inuit teach their children anger management and practice those skills ourselves. we can learn each other's little tricks for finding lost objects. we can learn the ecological principles that structure the Seventh Generation Principle. we can use this knowledge to change how we understand and imagine all our systems, to respect each other better, to never change a puzzle piece but recognize its curves and where they fit. to love the colors needed to make a beautiful and complex tapestry.

it's all right here. not at the tip of our fingers but already in our grasp! and it takes nothing but respect for the necessity of diversity. that others know things you don't, and that is a profoundly joyful thing.

One thing I've found important but also sometimes difficult to learn is that the difference between a 'butterfly garden' and a 'biodiverse habitat' is that you gotta accept that sometimes things are gonna die.

This isn't to say that you shouldn't try to tend to things. If I find a bunch of oleander aphids harassing some of my young milkweed plants, I'll get the hose and spray them off no problem--hard to tend a garden and save milkweed seeds if they're getting the life sucked out of them before they can even go to seed. If I see a lot of snails starting to devour some of my flowers and turn them into brown mush, I'll pick them off and toss them to the neighborhood ducks.

But with that being said, creating a biodiverse environment for wildlife means there's gonna be prey animals and predator animals, and some insects may fill several niches. I plant milkweed and other flowers so monarchs and other insects can enjoy them as a host plant and a nectar source. Some years, I can barely even find large caterpillars because the wasps just go ham and pig out. That doesn't mean I'm gonna hunt down any and every wasp nest and spray it to death for being oh-so-mean to my precious baby caterpillars! They're just trying to survive, just like everything else in my garden!

And in the grand scheme, everything is part of a cycle that feeds everything else. The caterpillars feed the wasps, which then feed the cardinals and chickadees and mocking birds. Later in the summer, I always see some ladybugs, and my aphid problems drop even without me bringing out the hose. Sure, the snails are a major problem for me, right now. But they might be feeding things I'm not even seeing, late at night--like blindworms, or possums, or frogs, and maybe even the birds are going at them when I'm not outside.

The literal basis of my pollinator garden is so things can eat other things--the caterpillars feed on the milkweed, after all. I can't deny that they're part of an ecosystem, and the effort in trying to just sprays poisons everywhere for no real reason.

If I really wanted to, I could try and collect every single tiny little baby caterpillar and keep them in a little container, so I can rear them by hand, if it hurts too much to think of them getting eaten by wasps. My next door neighbor did that. Brought in 26 caterpillars to protect them from outside enemies, and promptly ran out of milkweed. Out of all that, only maybe 10 tops made it. And the instant she set out her stripped-bare plants again, there were already more monarchs coming in and laying seeds on the stems of plants that just barely were starting to leaf back out.

Nature's a balancing act. Monarchs have been dealing with pests like wasps through all this time. Every time I wonder where the caterpillars are, I sure can still find a few dozen eggs on my plants. Butterflies are still dropping by, still laying tons of eggs on my plants. And it's not like I go out there five times a day to count caterpillars--for all I know, there could still be dozens of those little guys growing up where I don't even see them.

I feel like I'm losing my point. Long story short, if wasps are eating some caterpillars in my backyard, I'm not gonna lose my mind. I want my garden to be part of a wider ecosystem, not a members-only club.

Chapter 9

Rescuing Lunar

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Experiments Sun, Moon and Eclipse (And Lunar) x Caretaker Y/n)

Genre: Fluff and angst

Warning: Swearing, near death experience

word counts: 1346

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

August 11th, 2087

CBR

Midnight

Y/n POV:

Tonight was the night I looked for Lunar. Using my privilege that director gave me to stay with my astral boys. I was in the guys' chamber getting ready while the boys were getting some rest. As I was about to head out and start my search, I felt someone grabbing my arm softly. I turned to see that it was Sun being half awake as he kept a firm yet soft hold on me.

“Sunstar, are you really going tonight…” Sun quietly said in a tired worried voice. “Unfortunately love I have too, I made a promise to bring you guys Lunar back” I softly spoke while I walked over to sun and gently cupped his cheeks softly. Sun whined softly at the idea and pressed his face into my hands even more. “I’m afraid we’ll lose you just like we first lost Lunar” Sun looked at me with sad eyes as he brought me closer against him. “Oh Sunny…” Gently having Sun look at me, I lightly stroke his cheek before giving him a soft kiss as he kissed me back just as soft as well.

“I’ll do my best to be careful” saying that as we part from the kiss. Sun hugged me while I did the same before gently removing Sun’s arms from around me. “Simone will get you guys out of here if I’m not back anytime soon so please be my good boys okay” Sun looked at me and let out a sigh as he nodded his head. “Be careful Y/n” I was happy that he was worried and protective of me but I knew I had to do this. Giving Sun a kiss on his cheek, while gently giving the other two sleeping boys a light kiss on their cheek.

Heading to the door quietly and quickly. I looked back to Sun and the other one last time before I was fully out the door. “I’m on my own Lunar”

Marcus POV:

This was infuriating and ridiculous. My job was close to being in jeopardy because of that bothersome Y/n. This company shouldn’t have hired them as of now everything has gone wrong and I lost my position because of them. “I need to get rid of them before I lose everything” I growled while slamming my fist against the counter in my office. But the question is how to do it since I’m being supervised and there are cameras everywhere watching my moves.

Except for my secret room…. That’s it! These fools don’t know that I have stolen and kept hidden the missing experiment. “Yes, if I let this pest find the missing experiment. I can get rid of them without anyone bothering me” I smirked at the idea as I was gonna make Y/n pay for ruining my career and stealing everything from me.

I did this company so much and gave them everything I have worked for. “Once I get rid of this insect, they have no choice but to find someone else and I’ll be sure to take their place” If that doesn't work then I’ll just have to get rid of the experiments myself so no one can take over my job. Just as I headed out of my office and went to the storage room where the secret room was hidden. I spotted Y/n entering the room which was all too perfect to begin with. “So what could they need in that room” I quietly walked over and peaked through the small crack to see that the pest was looking for something but what who.

Click

Hearing that familiar sound. I had a feeling that Y/n had found the entrance button as the shelf and wall in front of Y/n moved to reveal my hidden room. “Shit” Now the secret was out as I watched them look around before heading down the stairs.

“*Chuckled evilly* Your mine now L/n”

Y/n POV:

I was right about there being a hidden room in this small store room. I had a bad feeling that if I didn’t get Lunar out of here soon. Lunar would be dead soon cause Marcus doesn’t like having the astral guys around anymore. Making my way down the stairs. I looked around to see that Marcus had so many things that belonged to the company in this room that I’m assuming he was stealing these from the facility.

“You're so screwed when the company knows about this place” I said loud enough in case Marcus was close by before I reached the bottom and saw the entrance. As I entered the room, I gasped when I saw Lunar in front of me. He was in a tube surrounded by some kind of tealish liquid that had Lunar sedated.

“So you have found my secret lab, that’s no good”

I jumped slightly in surprise as I quickly turned to see Marcus. “You're a sick and twisted man, what did you do to Lunar!” Marcus smirked as he walked over and pressed his hand against the glass tube. “Someone as foolish as you wouldn’t understand anything a scientist could do with one single being” Marcus spoke as he turned to face my direction as he had an evil proud look. I didn’t give a damn about it as I wanted to know what he was doing with Lunar. “Cut to the chase Marcus I know you're up to something and being here means something” I growled since Marcus just laughed before pressing a button and grabbed something that came out.

“I give you that, you're not a complete moron but are you strong enough to handle this!” Marcus threw something to the ground as it shattered near my feet. I backed away from it to see that something was being formed into a dark liquid being. Marcus smirks as he walks over and stands next to the creature as it growls towards my direction. “This here is my greatest creation. Thanks to having this Lunar’s blood, it will obey me like now. Attack!” With Marcus' command, the liquid monster roars and it tries to strike me as I quickly dodge its attack.

It was creating a large hole in the floor from its liquid attack like strong acid.

This isn’t good at all for me. There was no way for me to attack this acidic monster without knowing its weakness. Marcus just stood there to watch as he waited for this moment. “You’re going to destroy this place and all of us if you don’t call this thing back!” I yelled at Marcus while I yet again dodged the creature attack. “Just died so it can be all over with” Marcus barked out loud as the monster kept attacking as I was dodging as much as I could.

Soon I had an idea and ran over to the control panel that was in front of Lunar’s tank. “Over here you slimy fuck!” I yelled at the creature as it turned towards my direction and threw a large glob of acid in my direction. “NO!” Marcus yelled as I again dodge and the acid hit the control panel. Bingo, the acid was melting the metal and wires that triggered the water sprinkles and Lunar’s tank. The acid monster roars pain as it trash around, sending acid everywhere to destroy as much it could before it melted away. A small portion of the acid landed on my left leg as it melted a hole into my pants and started to badly burn my leg.

“Fuck!” Thankfully the sprinklers dealt with it but damn did it hurt. “What have you done, You will pay for this!!!” Marcus growled as he grabbed some and ran towards me. I couldn’t move much thanks to the acid that burned my leg. But right before Marcus could strike me with some kind of sharp object. He was grabbed and lifted into the air as it was Lunar who grabbed him.

“Not on my watch…”

runt // jonathan crane x reader (25)

Chapter 25

cross-posted on AO3

masterlist.

Sleep on and dream of love

Because it's the closest you will

Get to love

Poor twisted child

So ugly

Poor twisted child

Oh hug me

One November

Spawned a monster

In the shape of this child.

Crane was an apostate, renegade of any good faith, and a child deserted of love. Love that juxtapositioned with her purity and held her hostage of his swings as she clinged onto him. She clinged on like a pest, a leech, an acute infection that creeped up his body and crawled under his skin, like billions of tiny insects of thousand legs, a disease that travels through his blood, condensing it and its stench of iron poisoning his veins until no part of his body was safe of her curse.

His forehead, damp of sweat, rested on his palm as his body leaned on his desk. It was late at night, and he remained in Arkham, the distant howling of the patients prisoners of his torture was overheard crossing the walls of his office, muffled and quieted down by the thickness of the concrete. The dread he felt living tenant in his heart could lap up the soul of any common person, even a crude and thick Gothamite.

His grandmother had the misfortune of ever having to carry with raising what she only thought to be the spawn of Satan, in the sense that a curse had been put on her for even having to be around him. She ladled on her disdain for him ever since he had gained his very early consciousness, paying no mind to protecting the innocence of his infant self. This cruelty, like a hereditary disease, had naturally latched to his back and become parasitic, likewise Y/N, only that it turned him into a bitter fruit and, once stripped from his timid demeanour, shifted into a cruelly sardonic Maldoror.

"If the Lord truly loved me, I wouldn't have been born" his little abstract but almost audible child voice spoke at the back of his head as he yielded and bent, his knees against the hardness of rice and sharp kernels of maize punishing his skin, and his head down, bowed like a dog to his grandmother. Dog was all he had been for more than a human soul could take, stripped from the untarnished purity of a child into the cruel animal of a man. Puberty was definitive of this state, turning him into a lethargic being, vomiting his evil wherever he could, still shy and reserved of his deviant nature, but forming where a mind had become a womb to evil. Long limbs, thin body where bones protruded traced by the skin, odour of sweat and testosterone, the peeking of a moustache under his nose, and a languid character.

"I'm the result of God's visits to the brothel." His younger self would write in his diary, pages filled with macabre irony, he moulded his hatred that desperately searched for a channel, soon to be found in the shape of fear. Fear induction had installed itself in his dopamine receptors to feed him an instant rush of addictive pleasure, always at the expense of someone's suffering. Naturally this had obvious psychological explanations that could be attributed to his upbringing, he wasn't actually the spawn of Satan, or someone born with evil, once again and said before; hardly anyone is. Jonathan Crane could have been a kind soul, a soft lover who instead of torturing Y/N relentlessly with the object of her desire, which was nothing more than a pinch of his vulnerability and affection, he could provide and comply to the desires of her or any other lover without guarding his heart like the last thing he'd ever give out.

But once again, how much of it had he already given out? It was not too hard to deduce that a portion of his possessiveness towards her stemmed from his sociopathic tendencies, but there were fleeting glimpses of humanity in the way his gaze would often release tension as her own stared into his, or whenever she'd hold his head against her chest, and he could feel the warmth of a living being and the heartbeat of a woman, the idea of a lobotomized follower instead of a lover sounded bafflingly appalling. Although, this feeling wasn't very frequent, and whenever it'd abandon his mind it would be quickly replaced by his fury at the thought of not owning her thoughts and decisions, the more she'd abscent herself from around him, the more he'd crave to rewind to when she wouldn't exercise her natural sadism and he wouldn't torture her with his fluctuating mood.

At some point they had been taciturn lovers, passively passionate and honeymooned by the magical sex that cradled their infatuation. Obviously the effects of it lingered on them both, as she was far from indifferent to him either, yet there was an underlying friction, precursor to conflicts over mundane things like the time, or Bruce Wayne. But in every fight he picked, he continued to test how much she'd be willing to take, wondering how much of it was simple devotion to her brother rather than her own convictions and heart.

She couldn't deny there was an underlying thrill to appealing sexually, and even, why not? romantically to a man with the level of insanity as Crane. His volatile but also coldly calculating personality, off the rails and completely deranged, but also painfully methodical and obsessive. Something in his insanity ignited a strange desire to tame it, although prompted impossible, she liked to feed her deluded idea that someday, just perhaps, his deviations could settle down to be replaced with those now occasional snapshots of a sweet and vulnerable Jonathan Crane into permanency.

Despite it being obviously impossible, every time they'd argue, it was when the hostility would scatter and be replaced by the occasional late-night sex that she'd pray wrapped around his arms that she could leash him and keep him forever. Humanise him, dwindling the hatred in his heart to occupy all the space it could fit. She'd naively hope that whenever they'd embrace each other in unbounded vulnerability, in his mind he'd pray for the same as her; love and domestication of a wild, rampant insanity.

Obviously he did, but not in the same way as her, also his moments of weakness being significantly scarce. Despite the cruelty of the circumstances granting no fair play to either of the two, she'd gotten the upper hand in chances of flourishing as an individual capable of feeling love. Crane's love was twisted and plagued with his ego, she was more human still. Although sometimes she was painfully human, to see her humanity remained incorrupt, even by the volatile evil love of Jonathan Crane, made him wish to tame her own humanity and bottle it to consume her whenever he pleased. A part of him wished she was like him, but most of the times he just loved that she was human even in the indecency, the cruelty or her evil, aroused by her genuine nature and the large gap of difference between his character and her own.

me when i realise crane is incapable of ever truly, conventionally and normally loving y/n 😪

first is the art I commissioned from my awesome friend and wifu @asm0s, and the second is also commissioned art from the equally awesome @stellawolfe30. thank you both so much for loving Apis and listening to me ramble about her and other ocs!

finally getting around to making a OC post for Apis, she doesn't belong to any particular fandom and is manly a comfort OC. she's a teddy Bear demon or Bearkin the teddy part being added due to her smaller-than-average size for her kind. (also because I was partially inspired to make her after watching clips from the Sleepy Princess anime) she knows minor illusion magic to glamor her appearance in public, her main ability is Volukinesis the manipulation of insects (specifically Bees and Hornets/Wasps) a trait she gets from her mother's side. as such she makes a living working with bees, selling honey and honey-related sweets at farmers' markets. later adding special plants and flowers after meeting her partner Chunhua and occasionally mentoring others wanting to take up beekeeping. she found that her talent could extend to hornets/wasp species and after a few years of trial and error was able to raise a colony of her own. thanks to being able to change their behavior over time, she was slowly able to get them to co-inhabit with her main bee colony as extra protection from outside pests as well as security to her home. she's married to a Monkey demon named Chunhua, and lives together on a small farm. originally their marriage had been an act to keep Apis's father from trying to arrange a marriage but the two ended up making it official. Chunhua does most of the farm work so Apis takes care of the housework and of course, handles the beekeeping. Extra Facts!: Apis is the middle child of 5 siblings, two older twin brothers, a younger brother, and a sister. her father makes his own mead, operating a small meadery with his eldest sons, with her stepmother running a connected store/bar. Apis's biological mother originally opened the storefront, and like Apis was a voluketic beekeeper, unfortunately, she passed away due to an accident. she's closest with her twin brothers and still keeps in contact, but she is in low contact mainly with her father and stepmother due to her decision to leave home, as well as marrying Chunhua. her younger half-siblings and she never had much of a relationship due to age differences and thus aren't really a part of the drama. her older brothers originally did visit and tried to convince her to return home but changed their tune after seeing their little sister thriving and happy. they were 100 happy in supporting the marriage lie and were just as happy to hear when they tied the knot officially. (although they were sad there was no wedding, but Apis and Chunhua made it up to them by letting them plan their first-anniversary party.) Apis and Chunhua honestly aren't PDA at all preferring to keep most if not all affections in privet. It's largely cause of that they preferred a courthouse ceremony over any kind of wedding, followed by a short road trip to various botanical gardens, fairs, and markets. Their "wedding bands" are literally just two painted metal rings they got at the souvenir shop at one of the gardens they visited. There are more but i feel like this post is really long so imma end it here, idk maybe if there's more i want to add i'll do another smaller post or i'll reblog an addon maybe. i will be doing a post for Chunhua soon to go with this one!

WHY PROFESSIONAL PEST CONTROL IS IMPORTANT?

WHY PROFESSIONAL PEST CONTROL IS IMPORTANT?

Before knowing why let me give you a brief introduction of PEST AND PEST CONTROL

WHAT IS PEST?

Any organism dangerous to people or their concerns is considered a pest. The phrase is specifically used to describe animals that harm livestock, crops, forests, or people, especially in their houses. Because they have altered the environment to suit their needs, humans are intolerant of other animals sharing space with them if their actions negatively affect our goals. Elephants are therefore OK in their native habitat but undesirable when they trample crops.

WHAT IS PEST CONTROL?

The technique of managing and stopping pests, such as insects, rodents, and other animals from harming crops, structures, and other areas is known as pest control. Numerous techniques exist for controlling pests, encompassing chemical and physical approaches such using pesticides and setting up barriers and traps.

Professional pest control is Important because You and your family should feel safe and secure in your property, but that sense is destroyed when pests break in. In addition to being an annoyance, pests pose a risk to your family's health and safety. Because infestations can spread illnesses and cause damage to property, it's best to leave professional pest treatment to the professionals when it comes to your property. Professional pest control services are vital for a number of reasons, including the maintenance of a secure, comfortable, and healthy home or workplace. Here is the list of WHY PROFESSIONAL PEST CONTROL IS IMPORTANT?

Safety and Health:

For both people and pets, pests can be extremely dangerous to their health. There are several pests that can spread bacteria, viruses, and parasites to people. To give just two examples, ticks and mosquitoes can spread Lyme disease and the West Nile virus, respectively, while rodents can carry infections like the Hantavirus.

Eco-Friendly Resolutions:

A lot of pest control businesses provide low-toxicity and environmentally friendly pest control solutions. In order to safeguard the ecosystem and reduce harm to non-target species, they place a higher priority on the use of safer techniques and chemicals.

Peace of Mind: 

It gives you peace of mind to know that skilled pest control services are protecting your property. You don't have to worry about the presence of pests or the possible health hazards they may cause to carry out your everyday activities.

Allergies and Respiratory Problems:

Pest infestations can trigger allergies and respiratory problems, particularly in individuals who are sensitive to allergens like cockroach droppings, dust mites, and pet dander. Professional Pest Control Services helps reduce allergen exposure.

Safeguarding Property:

Professional pest control safeguard your property.In addition to eating through wires, insulation, wood, and fabrics, pests can seriously harm property. For example, unmanaged termites can seriously harm building integrity. Professional pest management shields against such harm.

Food Security:

Food sources in residences and commercial buildings can become contaminated by pests. Foodborne infections may result from this contamination. By preventing infestations in kitchens, pantries, and storage spaces, professional pest control 

Dubai may help protect food safety.

Keeping Out Secondary Pests:

Using do-it-yourself pest control techniques could unintentionally result in further infestations of pests. For example, getting rid of one kind of bug with insecticides could lead to another pest issue. By locating and addressing the underlying cause of infestations, professionals can lower the likelihood of developing secondary pests.

Knowledge and Experience:

Professionals in pest control have the skills, background, and education necessary to recognise various pest species, comprehend their habits, and implement efficient removal methods. They are able to customise solutions for specific pest issues.

Time and Money Saved:

Do-it-yourself pest control techniques can be labor-intensive and may not work well. Proffesional pest control experts can handle insect issues more quickly, which could ultimately save you time and money.

Observance of Regulations:

Businesses must follow rules for pest control, particularly those in the food and hospitality sectors. Professional pest management services support adherence to these rules.

Prolonged Prevention:

Professional pest control services prioritise long-term prevention in addition to quick elimination. By recognising and addressing pest-attracting environments, they lessen the chance of additional infestations.

Tailored Solutions:

Pest control professionals customise their approaches to address the particular problems with pests and the particular requirements of every property, offering efficient and customised solutions. 

To sum up, Professional pest control services are necessary to keep a space safe, healthy, and free of pests. In order to shield residential and commercial premises from the damaging consequences of pest infestations, they provide knowledge, experience, and a variety of practical solutions.

At Pestfreezone.ae. We will help you to get rid of all the pest from your indoor,outdoor and warehouses in DUBAI, SHARJAH and ABU DHABI.

Urban gardening techniques

There are many different urban gardening techniques that can be used to grow food in small spaces. Some of the most popular methods include:

Container gardening: This is a great way to grow plants if you don't have a lot of space. You can use any type of container, such as pots, buckets, or even old tires. Just make sure the container has drainage holes to prevent the roots from rotting.

Raised beds: Raised beds are a good option if you have poor soil or limited sunlight. They are also easier to weed and maintain than traditional gardens.

Vertical gardening: This method uses vertical space to grow plants. You can use trellises, hanging baskets, or even walls to create a vertical garden.

Indoor gardening: If you don't have any outdoor space, you can still grow plants indoors. There are many different ways to do this, including using grow lights, windowsill gardens, and hydroponics.

Rooftop gardening: This is a growing trend in urban areas. Rooftop gardens can provide food, beauty, and insulation for buildings.

Community gardens: Community gardens are a great way to get involved in urban gardening. They provide a space for people to come together and grow food.

The best urban gardening technique for you will depend on your individual circumstances. Consider the amount of space you have, the amount of sunlight you get, and your budget when choosing a method.

No matter which method you choose, there are a few things to keep in mind when urban gardening:

Choose plants that are suited to your climate and growing conditions.

Prepare the soil well before planting.

Water your plants regularly, especially during hot weather.

Fertilize your plants as needed.

Protect your plants from pests and diseases.

With a little planning and effort, you can enjoy the benefits of urban gardening, even if you don't have a lot of space.

Here are some additional tips for urban gardening:

Use compost or other organic matter to improve the quality of your soil.

Mulch around your plants to help retain moisture and suppress weeds.

Use companion planting to attract beneficial insects and repel pests.

Practice crop rotation to help prevent soil-borne diseases.

Harvest your crops regularly to encourage new growth.

Urban gardening can be a rewarding experience that can help you connect with nature, improve your health, and reduce your impact on the environment. So get started today and see how much fun you can have growing your own food in the city!

A few dragons that was an accidental project a few years back. The point was to make small, simpleish color + nature themed dragons technically wyverns I know. It got a bit out of hand but it's a good collection.

Watercolor paintings.

Infoblurbs and dragon names in order under the cut.

Acidic Leaf Dragon: As far as I know, it indeed glows in the dark. Despite of being rather small and looking slightly like some plant, it bites bites back nastily if disturbed and causes glowing and not easily healing wounds. It usually warns before biting anybody, but its furious warnings are not often taken seriously, mainly because it sounds much like a desert rain frog.

Autumn Leaf Dragon: Another minuscule majestic beast. It looks like it could be from autumnal maple tree. Only thing what it has with maples, is that it likes maple sap and gnaws holes to trees. Maple syrup harvesters think it is a pest.

Red Thorn Dragon: Small in size, furious by nature, this miniature beast is what you don't want to encounter from your rose garden. Its neck is covered in sharp thorns and it bites nastily when disturbed. Despite of everything, it is not toxic and eats many harmful insects out of its way.

Royal Anemone Dragon: Swift and agile flyer, the anemone dragon is specialized catching bigger preys like large crickets and even unfortunate tiny rodents and birds. Somewhere where this dragon is plentiful, locals call it with less honorable name "pansy-fancy" due to its pansy-colored appearance,

Sunfield Dragon: Miniature feathered wyvern which blends well withing sunflowers, can be spotted eating sunflower seeds. Generally docile but pecks if you try touch it all sudden.

Birch Dragon: Small beast which resides in leafy lush forests. It is an odd thing which headbutts and pierces birch trees with its single horn, then feeds the tree sap. When it can be careful with its horn amongst its own kind, it uses it as a weapon when it feels threatened.

Mistfall Dragon: This tiny dragon's feathery scales shine like water surface in the evenings and nights, when it is swooping around catching moths and moth-hunting bats, which didn't expect to be the lunch as well. Its horns are merely decorative, having longer and curlier horns show its good health to its own kind.

Cyan Petals Dragon: This petit dragon flutters on open flower fields, catching unfortunate butterflies. Its flight is erratic, similar to butterflies. It has reflective scales and in sunlight it shines in hues of turquoise and deeper blues.

Rhododendron Dragon: Another minimal dragon with the red thorn dragon which thrives amongst roses. This species claims a few rose bushes as its territory and protects them fiercely. Despite of its size, it will attack anybody who come too close its roses and is seemingly fearless.

Orchid Dragon: Not as hissy as some of other mini dragons, the orchid dragon mostly minds its own business but it appreciates personal space and gets defensive if approaching too close. It can't fly away very fast, so it just spreads its wings to make very (often a bit too adorable) threatening pose.

Nightglow Dragon: A small truly nocturnal dragon, which is often seen around same areas as Silver Swift. It can be a terror for small rodents and bats, but even it needs to keep an eye on bigger owls.

Willow Dragon: Partly fluffy tiny dragon, which nests amongst willows. When it feels threatened, it poofs up all its fur to look bigger. It can endure some cold but rather moves to warmer areas during winter.

Golden Beetle Dragon: When this small shiny dragon needs to hide, it can change its coat color to glossy brownish green to blend surroundings better. But when it flutters around with its full glory, its highly reflective coat cannot remain unnoticed.

Silver Swift Dragon: Small and agile in flight, this shiny dragon races with swallows and catches them for food. Its scales reflect light like silver.

Fool's Copper Dragon: Not actual mineral dragon like the big real dragons it imitates, its coat is merely keratinous and colored like copper. A little more brave that majority of miniature dragons, it can sometimes land close to a passerbying person just out of curiosity.

Brass Fire Dragon: Nothing to do with real fire, this hardy tiny dragon was named due to its living range on hot areas and its brass-colored almost armor like scaly coat which makes it resistant even against fire ants and scorpion stings. It attacks head-on towards its prey and mauls it to death effectively. Occasionally it eats cactus fruits and its attack technic is just the same even against plants.

Conifer Dragon: Tiny beast which lives in coniferous forests, looking for pinecones to eat or pecking out meaty worms from trees like a woodpecker. It has a good disguise against tree bark. Occasional it fights with squirrels and woodpeckers.

Rainbow Fly Dragon: This colourful miniature dragon gets probably all the attention wherever it flutters. Its bright coat is known to scare bigger predators, as anything with these colors surely is not edible.

From ferret electricians to landmine-sniffing rats – meet the extraordinary animals that work for a living

Sometimes the right person for the job isn’t a person at all …

Magawa, a recently retired mine-detecting rat, plays with his former handler in Cambodia. Photograph: Cindy Liu/Reuters

by Emma Beddington

Thu 19 Oct 2023 11.00 CEST

Our relationship with animals is deeply peculiar, spanning the spectrum from besotted to breezily exploitative. Whether they are friends, pests, assets, dinner or catnip content creators, the relationship tends to be heavily skewed in our favour. We might look after our pets devotedly, but most animals aren’t so lucky in their encounters with us.

There are a few instances, however, where human interests and animals’ natural behaviours and inclinations more or less align. Most aren’t technically “mutualistic” interactions between two species that benefit both, like a clownfish hiding in and cleaning up its sea anemone. Even so, there is a cheering amount of win-win in a handful of our relationships with the natural world. Let’s take a look at some of that mutual back-scratching.

Bat librarians

Careful curators … bats have lived in the Joanina library at the University of Coimbra in Portugal for centuries. Photograph: Marcin Jamkowski/Adventure Pictures/Alamy

The baroque Joanina Library at the University of Coimbra in Portugal is well known for its exquisitely detailed gilding and woodwork, but also for what its deputy director, António Maia do Amaral, calls its “honorary librarians”: bats. Amaral explains that there are two small colonies – free-tailed bats and pipistrelles – living in Joanina. They have been there for centuries: 18th-century library paperwork documents an order of large leather sheets from Russia; these sheets, known as “moscovias”, are still unrolled at night to protect the huge embossed tropical wood tables from bat droppings.

Literary wingman … a pipistrelle bat, one of two species found at Joanina. Photograph: Rudmer Zwerver/Alamy

Whether the bat librarians are actually helping is a moot point. The assumption is that they feed on book-eating insects that could damage the library’s precious collection, but their droppings have never been analysed to check. “As far as I know, it has always been a peaceful coexistence, even if their role in pest control is maybe marginal,” says Amaral. “We cannot trust bats alone to preserve the books from flying insects. For that purpose, we have a six-cubic-metre anoxic chamber for cleaning the books.”

The bats are part of the library anyway, even if they are only occasionally spotted (usually at evening events, when they flutter out from the shelves to entertain guests). Visitors are intrigued – you can even get a baseball cap with a Joanina bat on it – but opinions within the library vary. “My first director was always very annoyed when asked about the bats’ existence,” says Amaral. “He felt that bats were the least important thing in the library, because he was such a cultured man. Nowadays, people are more often benevolent and amused with the bat story. Personally, I’m very happy with the bats and pray for their good health.”

The bats weren’t the only honorary librarians in previous centuries, Amaral adds. Historical library records included an annual sum in the budget for feeding Joanina’s mouse-hunting cats; you can still spot “cat doors” cut into the woodwork.

Ferret electricians

The cutest cable guys … ferrets strut their stuff on Channel 4.

“Ferrets are, if you want to be polite, inquisitive; if you want to be blunt, they’re nosy little devils,” says James McKay of the National Ferret School. “When you put them in any opening, they want to go through and see what’s at the other end.” Their curiosity, shape and sinuous flexibility mean they can get to places and do jobs no human could manage. Felicia the ferret became a furry pipe cleaner for the Fermilab particle accelerator in Illinois in 1971; ferrets wriggled under the floor of St Paul’s Cathedral to enable TV transmission of the royal wedding in 1981 and cabled the Millennium Dome (the work of three called Beckham, Posh and Baby).

Naturally inquisitive … ferrets can squeeze into spaces that humans can’t. Photograph: Farlap/Alamy

How does the cabling work? The ferret wears a harness attached to a long, light nylon line. Once it has threaded the line through a duct, the line is attached to a heavier pull rope to thread the cable. Although there is some training involved – the school has a training area with a range of vertical and split pipes and cul-de-sacs – it is really a case of capitalising on the ferrets’ natural inclination to investigate holes. A bit of salmon oil at the far end of a long pipe as a reward can help them find their way. The furthest one of McKay’s ferrets has travelled is about 250 metres: “We’ve never had one get halfway and decide to come back.”

The school’s business (the delightful collective noun for ferrets) numbers about 50 and McKay usually takes half a dozen along on a job in case someone isn’t in the mood. The hobs (males, which are larger) can pull lines longer distances, while the smaller jills (females) are better at wriggling through the narrowest spaces. Does he have a favourite ferret? “They’re all as good as each other.”

Winemaking ducks and spiders

How winemaking ducks help Vergenoegd Löw vineyard – video

At the Vergenoegd Löw winery in South Africa, pest control on the vines is the responsibility of a flock of more than 1,000 Indian runner duck “soldiers”. They emerge in a cacophony of honks every morning and spend the day eating aphids, snails and worms, keeping the vines pest-free and healthy. They circulate in a 14-day loop around different areas of the vineyard, with their droppings providing a bonus fertiliser. The ducks take a break only during harvest – grapes are just too tempting – when they get a holiday to swim in a nearby lake, forage on farmland and, er, work on producing the next generation of vineyard soldiers.

A corking idea … gigantic cobwebs drape the cellar walls at R López de Heredia winery in La Rioja, Spain. Photograph: Agefotostock/Alamy

Meanwhile, at the R López de Heredia winery in La Rioja, gigantic cobwebs drape the cellar walls and yet more cover the bottles. They aren’t Halloween props or atmospheric decor: they are home to the spiders who help the López de Heredia family keep their barrels and corks free from cork-eating moths – “the mortal enemy of long‑ageing wine”.

Diagnostic technician and demining rats

Another fruitful endeavour … one of Apopo’s rats gets a tasty treat for identifying an inactive mine in Cambodia. Photograph: Taylor Weidman/Getty Images

The 300 African giant pouched rats employed by the NGO Apopo are multitalented. Not only have they worked on mine clearance in south-east Asia and Africa, but they also sniff out positive tuberculosis sputum samples.

Why are they so good at the job? “They’ve very smart; they’re sociable; they have an excellent sense of smell,” says Lily Shallom of Apopo. “In the past, we’ve found that they can smell a picogram of TNT – a trillionth of a gram.” The rats are “very motivated by food. They like to stuff their cheeks; they have a sweet tooth and they love anything that’s got a really high fat and protein content.” Peanuts and bananas are particular favourites.

The rats signal when they have found a mine by scratching at the surface of the ground. (Weighing a maximum of 1.5kg, the rats are much too light to set off a mine; none have been hurt in the field.) A TB sample, meanwhile, is flagged as potentially positive if a rat hovers over it for three seconds.

Reporting for duty … Apopo’s life-saving rats.

It’s a nice life for these highly sociable creatures. Training (which takes nine months on average) or work make up a tiny portion of the rats’ day: mine detection sessions last about 20 minutes, building up to half an hour. Assessing 100 TB samples – the standard batch size – takes a maximum of 20 minutes, but could take a human technician up to four days. The rest of the rats’ day is devoted to free play, hanging out with other rats, snacking and napping.

Apopo is always exploring potential uses for the rats’ special skillset at its training and research centre in Tanzania. Projects include searching for survivors of natural disasters, detecting illegally trafficked pangolin scales and decontaminating land, with the rats deployed to detect specific concentrations of hydrocarbons in soil.

Honey-hunting birds

Birds of a feather … a honey hunter studies a greater honeyguide at the Niassa national reserve in Mozambique. Photograph: Claire Spottiswoode/AP

Humans and greater honeyguides have a genuinely mutualistic relationship: the small, brown‑ish African relative of the woodpecker flutters in front of people, tweeting to guide them to bees’ nests in hollow tree trunks. The humans then smoke out the potentially dangerous bees and take the honey. The honeyguide watches and waits until they have finished, then enjoys its preferred food: beeswax.

On song … how honeyguides talk to people.

In 2016, a research team at the University of Cambridge discovered that communication between honeyguides and humans goes both ways. They learned that honey hunters from the Yao community in Mozambique have a better chance of attracting honeyguides, and finding honey, if they use a specific sound: “A loud trill followed by a short grunt: brrr-hmm.” The call increased the overall chance of finding honey from 16% to 54% compared with control sounds. “The ‘brrr-hmm’ call more than tripled the chances of a successful interaction, yielding honey for the humans and wax for the bird,” reported Dr Claire Spottiswoode, who led the project.

Hawk bouncers

Top flight … a working hawk at the Hayward Gallery, London. Photograph: Stephen Chung/Alamy

Why do pigeons need to be deterred? According to Citihawk’s Leigh Holmes, they represent a twofold health hazard: “Pigeon fouling contains horrendous amounts of bacteria and parasites – and when wet it becomes very slippery,” she says. The hawks aren’t there to attack or eat the pigeons – that never happens, according to Holmes. They would rather fly back for chicken pieces held by their handlers. The aim is to scare them off and discourage them from returning. The theory, says Holmes, is that “pigeons see a natural predator that they are in-built to be fearful of … They disappear to find somewhere safer to roost, nest and feed.”

The hawks fly free, exploring wherever they like on the day’s site. “They love the exercise; they love getting out and flying,” says Holmes. She thinks they particularly relish working in urban areas. “They really enjoy some of the hustle and bustle, because they fly exceptionally well.” That freedom does mean they sometimes go awol. “They can be quite childlike at times and see a pigeon a street away or on another roof. They will literally just go to scare off other birds.” The hawks are fitted with trackers, so the handlers can follow their movements in real time.

Harris’s hawks are good at this work because they are naturally gregarious and used to hunting collaboratively in the wild, says Holmes. When trained by humans, they view their falconer as part of their hunting team. “They learn to read each other,” she says. “It’s incredible. It’s an amazing feeling for the staff members.”

Another big part of the falconer’s job is interacting with amazed and delighted members of the public: “The amount of photographs taken, the amount of interest and the amount of love for birds of prey … People just love it.”

Worldbuilding: Practical Elements

A few thoughts on the application of elemental magic to everyday life.

Water magic: Ways to find, dig for, and purify water. A pump of some kind would be handy but it might be more efficient to use a windmill or hand pump.

It might also be good for irrigation, but the real lifesaver for farmers would be diverting water from floods. An old saying: “Drought’ll starve a farmer, but flood’ll kill him.” Dry plants may hold on with a little irrigation, but plants in waterlogged soil can’t get oxygen to their roots. They suffocate. Any magic that could move floodwaters somewhere harmless would save lives and stave off later famines.

Earth magic: Cleansing the soil of insect, mold, and bacterial pests. It might also be good for breaking up hardpan, bringing buried minerals up near the surface for crops to use, and shoving excess salts down out of root range. Or possibly extracting them for human use. Not to mention earth-moving might let you plow without draft animals. Granted, usually you want draft beasts for both power and fertilizer. But if you were a mage alone trying to survive, it might be worth it to plow magically. You’d have to consider your personal energy costs, and how much time you had to work with. Because even if the plowing spell exhausted you for a whole day, if that spell let you plow all the fields you needed so you could sow them the next day - it might be worth it.

(It’d be even better if you could plow and sow in the same round, but that’d depend on how your spells worked.)

Air magic: A little trickier. It might be good for sweeping pests away, crushing clouds of locusts, and diverting excess rainclouds somewhere else. You could shake trees to gather crops, or provide the best breeze for winnowing grain. On a fine-control scale, fresh air circulating around your seedlings would help prevent damping off. It’d also be a way to save flooded crops, dry laundry, and help desiccate meat and cheeses for storage.

Do not underestimate the value of drying laundry! All too often wash days had to be scheduled when there were both free hands for the work and a sunny day to dry it - or a freezing day, so you could crack the ice off clothing. Brr. If you have the air-drying part handled, all you need is any day with hands free. You can do the work in smaller batches, making it easier if people are worn out or busy, and you can do it more often. In cases of epidemic disease, such as smallpox, cholera, and yellow fever, enough clean laundry can make the difference between someone pulling through or dying in a stinking morass.

And if you realize malaria and yellow fever are carried by mosquitoes, and setup an air spell to ward them out - you could stop some epidemics cold.

Fire magic: Oh wow, the possibilities. First and foremost, spells to protect against fire. Lose your house or your stored fodder and grain, you can lose everything. Hay, straw, seed oils, grain, flour - all of those are too combustible for comfort.

Direct use of fire and heat? Sterilizing infested fields. Controlled burns to take off flammable brush and grasses, returning nutrients to the soil. Forge-fires for iron-working; there’s always something that needs to be repaired or improvised, down to straightening nails so you can hammer them in again. Heat to boil water, dry clothes, parch grain, season wood... so much of human history has revolved around getting sources of heat and learning to control them better. With enough heat you can make it through a lean winter; without it, even twice the food might not be enough.

All of this depends on how skilled your magic is, how often you can use it, and what it costs you (in time, materials, and personal energy) compared to just doing things with regular physics. It’s interesting to see worlds where magic is good for some things, yet others it’s easier to do it the “hard” way!