Hesse, a state in the heart of Germany, is characterized by a diverse biocultural landscape. From the wooded low mountain ranges like the Taunus and the Vogelsberg to the fertile valleys along the Rhine, Hesse offers a wide range of habitats for a variety of plant and animal species. The flora is marked by deciduous and coniferous trees in the forests, as well as typical Central European plants such as beeches, oaks, and chestnuts. The fauna includes a variety of species, including deer, wild boar, foxes, badgers, and various bird species like woodpeckers and owls. The people of Hesse have developed a close relationship with nature over the centuries, reflected in traditions such as the preservation of orchards and the protection of nature reserves. Despite challenges from land use, urbanization, and climate change, the protection and preservation of this biocultural diversity remain crucial for the future of Hesse and the well-being of its residents.
🌸🚁 Marmalade hoverfly (male), Episyrphus balteatus (06/2019 in Oberursel, Germany)
Marmalade hoverflies always follow the nice weather! 🌞 This species belongs to the migratory insects and forms dense seasonal swarms. In autumn, these travel from Central Europe to the Mediterranean region (vice versa in spring). The hoverflies cross the passes of the low mountain ranges, the Pyrenees and the Alps! 👍🐝
🎶 Music: "Hey, Are You Here?" 👤 by Kara Square 🔖 Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial 3.0 🔊 Sound effect: "Helicopter" 👤 by navaneetha kris 🔖 Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Better not mess with this lunatic gila monster! The others already know why they shouldn't get between crazy Berenike and HER food. That's why they wait for the right moment, but always this glutton comes around the corner and grabs the loot.
Leopard geckos aren't social, they don't share. It can also come to biting and stealing out of the mouth. In order to avoid conflict, inferior females signal their submissiveness by tail waving (often towards / touching the others head) and closing the eyes. In nature, they mostly live alone, but it comes in favorable locations to aggregations. So in their behaviour, they are fundamentally peaceful towards conspecifics (males only tolerate females). It happens that a female feels disturbed by another female and therefore wants to distance her. If the terrarium is too small and doesn't provide enough evasion space, it can be fatal. The dominant female then tries more and more pushy to chase off the other gecko without it being able to escape. The disappearance of the loser is an important part of the communication and must always be possible.
The back wall of my terrarium consists entirely of caves, so there is rarely any reason to fight. Usually my geckos give "kisses" when they meet and hang peacefully together. To avoid quarrels about food and to be fair, I usually feed by hand. But I want them to live their entire behavioral spectrum, so sometimes they can hunt. (The video shows a 10x timelapse.)
In a healthy relationship there is no compulsion. You trust and accept each other the way you are. Leopard geckos are wild animals that can become very tame. But you can neither expect nor try to force it. You have to be patient and accept that the animals only allow as much contact as they want.
Originally, Will Smith was to take the lead role in the movie Matrix. He refused. But Keanu Reeves found the role of his life with Neo. The filming of the fourth part will begin next year. Also in this sequel Reeves is to play Neo again. But why always human?
I have another idea:
The machines are defeated and all humans are free. So far, the pet matrix is undiscovered. Of course, even the best friend of man, the leopard gecko, is treacherously used as a battery! They also live in an artificial reality and have no idea what really happens. But there is a young gecko woman, Leo, with a strange idea. She's looking over the Tail Vibration Net for an answer to the constant feeling of having bugs in the walls. A mysterious vibration one day advises her to follow the white cricket. When Leo finally hears it chirping, she locates the cricket and follows her instinct not to catch it. The walls are more interesting. It's as if dream and reality were merging. Leo can see huge bugs through the walls. They are in the walls!
A loud chirping tears Leo out of this vision. Now one cricket has become two. "You can not get one without others!", Crickets chuckle and run away.
Leo can not react that fast.
As she thinks about what the crickets meant, she gets hungry. Bugs in the walls, fooled by crickets, nervous breakdown! The reality collapses! A world appears in which everything is open. Where questions were, answers are now. There is no spoon! Leo splits into several geckos and eats through the buggy walls. The two crickets have no chance! Full eaten, Leo sinks into a deep sleep.
Leopard geckos are friendly hunters. They greet you nicely, with a charming smile, before they crack your exoskeleton and spread your innards everywhere.
Alien Landscape. One of my color drawings from 2006. Fineliners doesn't forgive! Paint over mistakes is usually not possible. Almost every correction remains visible. At least with the pens I used. That's why I drew this picture without a sketch. That sounds illogical at first, but it's great for developing a thoughtful way of working. By design, this drawing is nothing special and I could have done a lot better. But the moment I finished it, I was very proud of it. It was a lot of work and I finished it in one go without rushing. Many of my drawings would have looked much better even then, if I had not become impatient while working. At that time, quantity was even more important to me than quality. I knew I could do better, but I have always been praised for the poor performance. I was rarely satisfied. In the meantime, I'm patient enough to work on a picture for several years. And I'm just happy to do this.