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.

🐝🌸🌦️

It's raining and the teasel flowers are filled with delicious potion.
Bumblebees use their magic sparingly and do not fly when it's raining. Happy are those who find refuge on this wild teasel (Dipsacus fullonum). Here you can linger until the sun shines again. Perfect stay for this buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris).

European garden spider,
Araneus diadematus
(09/2016 in Oberursel, Germany)

It's raining... My guest forgot her umbrella and looked for shelter. Now she's totally relaxed getting dry on my warm hand! 😆💛

Common yellowjacket
(Vespula vulgaris)

There is only one Summer of Love for European june beetles (Amphimallon solstitiale) and about two-thirds are males. 😄

This species of scarab is often found on oak trees. Rhizotrogus aestivus flies at twilight from April to June and provides a significant food source during this time - especially for pregnant greater horseshoe bats after their hibernation. But there are no greater horseshoe bats in Hesse. The last sighting was in 1924. There are still a few in Rhineland-Palatinate. The bat species is threatened with extinction because it is running out of food and there is less and less habitat available, e.g. old attics.

Yesterday I met this beautiful oak splendour beetle (Agrilus biguttatus) in the ruins of the Falkenstein Castle.🌞🏰🌳

Sun beetles and their cocoons 🌞
Pachnoda marginata peregrina

The Friedenslinde (Peace Linden) 🌳

Green is the color of hope. I can still remember the first time I heard that saying. I was asked to choose the color for a game called "Mensch ärgere Dich nicht!" (Man, Don't Get Angry!) and I chose green. I didn't win.

Still, I stuck with this color. Because you should never give up hope.

The universe collaborates with me.

😎🤜🤛🌌