arcanebarrage: “ cutebiology: “ malformalady: “ Festooning is a behavior where bees hold onto each other to create a scaffold while they build honeycombs. Photo credit: girlnextdoorhoney ” building a bridge to my heart more like ” Festooning,...
Pop-up View Separately

arcanebarrage:

cutebiology:

malformalady:

Festooning is a behavior where bees hold onto each other to create a scaffold while they build honeycombs.

Photo credit: girlnextdoorhoney

building a bridge to my heart more like

Festooning, bearding, and air conditioning are some of the cutest things bees do. When you take frames out of busy lower supers, you will usually always get a bee “daisy chain” of festooners trying to keep you from tugging the frame out. 

The air conditioning is my favorite, though. You will see a little line of workers sitting at the front of the hive with their butts facing the entrance, and they will all start rapidly buzzing their wings. They’re blowing “cooler” air into the entrance to try and bring the hive temperature down so that the gals inside can work more efficiently. 

Apis mellifera is a wonderful insect. 

(via moreanimalia)

nubbsgalore: “ photos by thomas peschak and shawn heinrichs from the world’s largest sanctuary for manta rays in indonesia, a reserve covering more than two million square kilometres of ocean. manta rays, who face increased threats from targeted and...
Zoom Info
nubbsgalore: “ photos by thomas peschak and shawn heinrichs from the world’s largest sanctuary for manta rays in indonesia, a reserve covering more than two million square kilometres of ocean. manta rays, who face increased threats from targeted and...
Zoom Info
nubbsgalore: “ photos by thomas peschak and shawn heinrichs from the world’s largest sanctuary for manta rays in indonesia, a reserve covering more than two million square kilometres of ocean. manta rays, who face increased threats from targeted and...
Zoom Info
nubbsgalore: “ photos by thomas peschak and shawn heinrichs from the world’s largest sanctuary for manta rays in indonesia, a reserve covering more than two million square kilometres of ocean. manta rays, who face increased threats from targeted and...
Zoom Info
nubbsgalore: “ photos by thomas peschak and shawn heinrichs from the world’s largest sanctuary for manta rays in indonesia, a reserve covering more than two million square kilometres of ocean. manta rays, who face increased threats from targeted and...
Zoom Info
nubbsgalore: “ photos by thomas peschak and shawn heinrichs from the world’s largest sanctuary for manta rays in indonesia, a reserve covering more than two million square kilometres of ocean. manta rays, who face increased threats from targeted and...
Zoom Info
nubbsgalore: “ photos by thomas peschak and shawn heinrichs from the world’s largest sanctuary for manta rays in indonesia, a reserve covering more than two million square kilometres of ocean. manta rays, who face increased threats from targeted and...
Zoom Info
nubbsgalore: “ photos by thomas peschak and shawn heinrichs from the world’s largest sanctuary for manta rays in indonesia, a reserve covering more than two million square kilometres of ocean. manta rays, who face increased threats from targeted and...
Zoom Info
nubbsgalore: “ photos by thomas peschak and shawn heinrichs from the world’s largest sanctuary for manta rays in indonesia, a reserve covering more than two million square kilometres of ocean. manta rays, who face increased threats from targeted and...
Zoom Info

nubbsgalore:

photos by thomas peschak and shawn heinrichs from the world’s largest sanctuary for manta rays in indonesia, a reserve covering more than two million square kilometres of ocean.  

manta rays, who face increased threats from targeted and bycatch fisheries, are gentle and social animals, and with their tendency to feed near the ocean’s surface and interact with humans, it is hoped that rise in tourism will more than offset the financial loses to the fisheries. 

notes shawn, “to spend time in the company of a manta ray is both a humbling and incredibly moving experience. they are massive, powerful creatures, yet are incredibly gentle and curious. if approached correctly, they will interact and dance with you for hours on end.”

unfortunately, those same friendly tendencies make the rays easy targets for fishermen who hunt them for their gills, which fetch 500 dollars a kilo on the chinese market. being slow to both mature and reproduce, it doesn’t take long for manta ray populations to be hunted to depletion. 

(via nirdian)

Source: nubbsgalore