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.
Shy Little Shark. One of my doodles from 2012. I didn't really think about it, but just let my mood run wild. The doodles arose without thoroughness. I like to do that to create absurd scurrility. I have a lot such scribbles, a few thousand. They live a miserable existence, nobody looks at them. You are the first to see them.
Magic Snail. One of my doodles from 2012. I didn't really think about it, but just let my mood run wild. The doodles arose without thoroughness. I like to do that to create absurd scurrility. I have a lot such scribbles, a few thousand. They live a miserable existence, nobody looks at them. You are the first to see them.
The Travel Bug. One of my doodles from 2012. I didn't really think about it, but just let my mood run wild. The doodles arose without thoroughness. I like to do that to create absurd scurrility. I have a lot such scribbles, a few thousand. They live a miserable existence, nobody looks at them. You are the first to see them.
Burning palo santo in front of a mirror. I discovered this "holy wood" in Peru. Bursera graveolens beguiles with a sweet soothing scent and has a nice relaxing effect. It contains a lot of resin, so it burns very well. Palo santo is closely related to frankincense. Both belong to the plant group of torchwoods. The smell is quite similar.
The intensely fragrant smoke is supposed to drive away bad energies. Shamans and medicine men use it for ritual purification and healing. People use it to clean their homes of bad energy. In fact, mosquitoes and moths don't like it at all.
In Peru, no trees are cut for harvesting. The twigs and branches are collected from the ground. I don't know how this is handled in other countries.
🌸🚁 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.)
