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.
I like experimenting with Dall-E, an artificial intelligence that generates images based on input.👨💻
Actually, I wanted a completely different motif, namely that of a Pachnoda marginata (sun beetle). At least it created Scarab Beetles, so it didn't go completely off plan.😄
An AI has no intentions of its own, it only implements commands according to learned patterns. Without consciousness, without longing, an AI can never create art. But I do not deny that you can create art using AI.
However, I only imagine beautiful images and ask my virtual friend to create them. And I get beautiful and inspiring pictures, don't you think?😊
Watch it to the end, not only I was curious! 😊🐝 They are so lovely! 🥰
Bees, once they find a good nectar source, tend to stick with this type of flower. That's why the beekeeper can tell you which plants the honey comes from.
The Shining Serpent.
Many people are fascinated, but also fearful. Snakes have always played a special role for humans. The fear of snakes is innate, babies as young as six months react with stress to snake motifs. It is assumed that this has evolutionary reasons. It makes sense to spot a snake early, as some species are dangerous. Nevertheless, in ancient cultures primarily positive meanings have developed. The snake embodies knowledge and wisdom not only in ancient Greece, Rome or India, but also in Inca mythology and many more. The role as protector and as a connection between the worlds is also found again and again. It is a highly symbolic animal, godlike or with divine attributes. I can well imagine that this inborn fear has contributed significantly to the myth-making. You see this wondrous animal and you automatically feel something. "Where does this feeling come from?" In the past there was no concept of evolution and no scientific connection to instincts as it is possible to understand today. Of course, coupled with the obvious characteristics (kills rodents, legless, skins in one piece) this certainly captures the imagination. We deal with our environment, how we perceive and evaluate it. We recognize patterns and make assumptions. Inevitably we intervene and have to be aware of the consequences in order not to end up harming ourselves. Snakes are important, so are our instincts. But whoever kills a snake takes on a force stronger than oneself. Be it nature, be it God. Only a part of all snake species can be dangerous to humans, but almost any rodent can make you seriously ill. We are somewhere between monkeys playing with sticks and trees growing on our ruins. Snakes have been around for at least 167 million years. Humility.
While Chico the day gecko has already enjoyed much of your attention, this nameless young leopard gecko lady has kept very hidden until now. Along with Chico, she is one of the three geckos I adopted two months ago.
Unfortunately, the previous owner was not in the mental state to offer them species-appropriate accommodation. He kept two leopard geckos in a terrarium together with a day gecko. Actually, his supervisors should have taken care of it, whether that's okay.
The surprise was big, because my friend and I didn't know anything about the leopard geckos. But the good thing is that I have 22 years of experience keeping this species.
At first there was a huge shock because it seemed like only one leopard gecko was alive. Both were in a large sea shell, looking out. But this girl looked like she'd been dead for weeks. To play dead believably, she shut her eyes tight, opened her mouth a little, and contracted her body.
When I got the male out of the sea shell, she authentically fell inside and disappeared. When I first heard a noise, I thought I had just imagined it. Dead geckos don't make sounds!
What a feeling when she suddenly looked alive and beautiful out of the sea shell!
Like all my animals, she is a very beautiful sight. Nothing is known about her age and origin, but she looks to me like a young animal of about one or two years. As soon as I have a few nice photos of the male, I will of course also show him to you. 🥰
This morning the whole balcony was hung with white spider webs. It was very foggy at minus 5 degrees. A beautiful, enchanting sight that did not last long. The webs collapsed after a short time. These were the works of garden spiders (Araneus diadematus).🥰 I couldn't stand it for long either and I'm back in quickly! 😄☕
Vincent spent a year and a half in a tight suitcase. If your son is a stuffed animal, you can do that. For me, looking at him was painful because Vincent was a gift from a woman I loved dearly. The magic of our bond breathed life into it. He became a real baby sloth. I have many fond memories of Vincent. He guarded the fruit basket and mistook kiwis for his eggs. He stuck his round head out of my backpack on hikes. He sat with us watching TV and always had a more or less clever comment ready. He slept in bed with us and lost filling quite quickly from being cuddled so much. Vincent van Sloth, a real sloth with personality. I miss the passion in my life, somehow all the magic has gone. I always had this vibe, the trust in the universe, I could feel the beauty of the world in my body and mind. And I always wanted to convey this feeling to others, or at least share some of it. I'm used to being alone. That's not it. I feel exhausted from the experiences of the past two years. All this insane German bureaucracy on the way to my professional goal. Half a year ago I temporarily stopped my Instagram activities because I needed my energy. I'm feeling better now because I was able to win an important stage. But there is a lot of work to be done in the next few months. The magic will come back on its own one day, and maybe my posts will get some of that as well. I brought Vincent out again because my grudges have faded and suffering has dissolved into heartwarming memories. And now I want him back with me, my little Vincent.
A Dubia cockroach (Blaptica dubia) that extrudes and retracts the ootheca. But what is it and why does it do that? The egg packets of cockroaches and mantises are called ootheca. The Dubia cockroach is ovoviviparous, meaning the eggs remain in the body until the young are ready to hatch. The extruding of the ootheca occurs because it's the only way to move them from the ovary chamber to the brood chamber.
I keep a small group of cockroaches because they are good food for my animals. The terrarium is set up with an 11 to 15 centimeter high layer of coconut soil, which is piled up like a slope towards the back wall of the terrarium. In the lower area there are branches, leaves and pieces of bark, where the animals stay the most. The upper area stays free, only the feeding bowl is there. I only keep the soil slightly moist in places. These areas are visited by the animals from time to time and also cover their drinking needs. Springtails and microorganisms also live in the soil, which help to keep the terrarium clean. It smells very good like forest floor.
Many startle when they hear the word cockroach. Only about 30 species out of 4,600 are associated with human habitats. In a normal living situation, there is no need to worry about an infestation by these animals.
Banana Joe passed away in April. He has lived with me since 2002. At that time I was 16 years old. Banana Joe wasn't seen very often, he kept his wild nature to the end. If you had to grab him, he often responded with a bite and a loud crackle. I just really liked his incorruptible nature about him. All the more enriching were the moments when he showed himself, or when you could hear from the loudly vibrating tail that he was presenting his special advantages to a female. In 2017, he became a father to five girls. His daughter Nameless still lives with me, the other "Banana Shakes" got new owners. Like her father, Nameless is a rather shy animal and she is a beautiful living memory. I really wished that Banana Joe would stay with me for many more years, but he has reached a good age and I am grateful for the time together.
