Circus Of The Spineless

Welcome to the 33rd edition of Circus Of The Spineless, the blog carnival devoted to all things, well, spineless… I’ve been somewhat sluggish snail-like* posting this COTS (thanks Andrea for the picture below), but it eventually comes up… Thanks to everybody for these interesting links. I won’t try competing with the previous edition of COTS, the very brilliant number 32, which you can still read at Deep Sea News.

First, a special mention for the Banana slug (from Wendy at Naturally Connected), and Giand Blue Earthworm (at Zooillogix) for cool colourful beasties. If you are short of time, please visit at least one of these two links, it’s worth to give a look, even quickly.

In this May edition, Doug, at Gossamer Tapestry, is telling us about a wonderful mining moth, Papaipema cerina, that’s spending its life as a caterpillar into May Apple stems. You’ll learn about the game of rearing it till emergence, but more importantly, that sharing with colleagues can be very rewarding. A beautiful story about conservation too.

Chris, At Catalogue of Organisms, is wondering about sinister twists (right here, where comments can be left). How many genes must organisms fix, before you call them species? Well, maybe you won’t find the right answer, but we’re left with an easy guess: one is not enough, even when it affects morphology dramatically.

Have you ever counter Tiger Beetles spots? If so, you’re ready for a festive and picturesque post about Festive Tiger, from Troy and Martha at Ramblings Around Texas (fantastic pictures). While you’re there, you may also spend some time on a little Jewel picture Beetle.

Speaking of lovely pictures, you will wonder how spiders do chose their lipstick, for green is something quite audaxcious, as you’ll see following Andrea’s Buzzing… Maybe teasing with antennae is more successful, if you have any. Yep, not every species have antennae, even if they should. That’s a point clarified by Charlie at 10 000 birds, with explanations as to why hummingbirds are strange, but can’t possibly be that weird. Insects usually do. I know that birds may try their best to transmutate into butterflies, even trying to ingest as many as they can (following the antique but unfortunately wrong precept of “you are what you eat“), but this may be a traumatic experience, as clearly demonstrated here (at Bird Ecology Study Group).

Odonatoholics in need for their daily du(d)e can have a detailed report of the rare Sri Lankan clubtail dragonfly, Macrogomphus lankanensis, and its acrobatic wheeling exercise (from Amila at Gallicissa). Or meet Tyriobapta torrida at the Annotated Buddak. Last, Katie from Bog Bumper is offering a serie of great pictures too. A real dragon fest.

Diaphane cellophane bees, with impressive close-ups and mining details, can be found at Flatbush Gardener. While we are into hard-working hairy things, let’s have a look at foraging Bee Knees offered by Jan at Cascade Exposure (hairy tells, beet-Knees and flower power, yep there was a potential to revive the 68’s in here).

Suzannah, at Wanderin’ Weeta, got an early visit by a fairly cute moth. Birds, rains, many dangers for moths this month. Here are other stories at Ben Cruachan Blog. But best is not to begin offering a shelter to the many arthropods seeking for protection from the wide weird world… If you ever begin, the task becomes rapidly huge, but though it may seem never ending, there are sometimes happy ends (speaking from personal experience).

Bug_girl has also a nice picture of a gynandromorph moth. If you’re in a bitey mood, you’ll find a new face of struggle against mosquitoes on her blog, or you’ll be delighted by some more de-licious post.

There’s been many terrestrial submissions for this edition. Thanks to Sadie, we can have some sea air err water. With very colourful sea cucumbers. Actually, you can spend a lot more time reading posts there, for at Stitchin’ Fish, there’s more than come ‘n sea, there’s also a knitting profusion that’s admittedly very impressive… Take for example the friendly hermit crab. Makes you willing to give a try at knitting! But I have to confess that, after I tried a few times, I begin to behave like this. (Oh! and sea cucumbers are all right! finally).

Otherwise, sea attracted some shrimpy ponderings on the tentacle, and wondering how sea hares get selected for the spineless circus… All by Markus (the Annotated Buddak again).

High sea-art, which qualifies for sci-art, is announced by Kevin at Deep Sea News… Planktonik music on Radiolarian, if you’re at the right place, you better go! If you can’t, you can still consider nudibranchs instead.

Computering further with shell prompt, there are striking pictures of freshwater baby snail of the Lymnaea Genus (and genius). Learn about possible sperm sequestration or selfing at The Other 95%…

Ants go marching one by one… Wonder what use DNA barcoding is going to offer taxonomical sciences? Go to the Other 95% again.

Do butterflies and politics mix well? The Painted Lady may have a point to make, at Sisu.

After reading all this stuff, maybe is it time for a snack, as suggests Duncan from Ben Cruachan Blog again. Good idea!

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The next edition, COTS #34, will be posted at Gossamer Tapestry. Send your submissions to Doug: dtaron(at)gmail.com before June, 29.

*Edited remark: I meant slow, not lazzy. I realize my English is not perfect at all… :-)