Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Natures Glow


  • Fireflies --  or winged beetles, also called lightning bugs due to their bioluminescence used to attract mates or prey. Fireflies produce a "cold light", with no infrared or ultraviolet frequencies. This chemically produced light from the lower abdomen may be yellow, green, or pale red, with wavelengths from 510 to 670 nanometers. About 2,100 species of fireflies are found in temperate and tropical climates. Many are in marshes or in wet, wooded areas where their larvae have abundant sources of food.
Fireflies Time Lapse

  • Glow Worms  --  are the larvae of a small fly. Glow Worms produce a blue-green light. They go through a life cycle from egg to larva, to pupa, to adult. The Glow Worms construct traps like a spider's web made from silk and produce sticky droplets to capture and eat the insects attracted to their glow, which they then feed on. The larval stage is the only stage in their life cycle that they glow. Its here they must get enough sustenance for the rest of their lifecycle. The larvae are believed to live for approximately one year, although this is heavily dependent on environmental conditions and availability of food.
Glow Worm Caves New Zealand

 

  • Fireflies of the Sea -- Certain creatures both on land and sea can produce light through chemical reactions taking place within their bodies known as Bioluminescence. The chemicals in plankton when mixed together are termed luciferins and produce energy which ‘excites’ other particles on vibration and generate light which causes the glow. It is a form of cold light or luminescence. The word “bioluminescence,” which comes from “bio,” meaning life, and “lumin,” meaning light. Most of these plankton glow blue, but a few can glow green, red, or orange. Then there is bioluminescent zooplankton which don’t actually glow in the dark themselves. Instead, they squirt globs of glowing chemicals into the water.  Throw your sea monkeys in the garbage. There's a new tiny pet in town . Fill your fish bowl  with bioluminescent plankton that glow blue when gently shaken. It looks like magic, but it's actually science. 
Bioluminescent Plankton


  •  Organisms of the Deep -- Bioluminescence on land is seen among certain insect species like fireflies and glowworms some mushrooms and fungi also glow in the dark. In the deep sea, however, bioluminescence is found in virtually every type of animal: squids, octopuses, fishes, shrimps, single-celled organisms, and jellies of all kinds.
Songs 
Fireflies by Owl City 


I'll Never Know by Elvis 
What fire lights a firefly I'll never know 

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Mysterious Fungi

Fungi
The study of fungi is known as Mycology. Genetic studies have shown that fungi are more closely related to animals than to plants.
 Fungi have been used for the production of antibiotics since the early 1940's and recently, various enzymes produced by fungi are used industrially and in detergents. Fungi are also used as biological pesticides to control weeds, plant diseases and insect pests. Many species produce bioactive compounds called mycotoxins, that are toxic to animals including humans.

Africa  The Veiled Lady

Arizona  The Bleeding Tooth 

 Earthstar Puffball

Bearded Tooth Mushroom
 Used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicines, and have been found to have anti-oxidant properties and can reduce glucose levels in the blood.

 Violet Coral 

The "Jelly Ear," is very appropriate common names for this fungi. Looking at the photos you can see why people think it looks like the missing part of a Van Gogh self portrait.

 Hairy Cup Fungus

Our Local Fungi from South East Queensland 

Stinkhorn at Maleny South East Queensland

Does anyone know what fungus group this comes under!

Hypholoma 
dull orange/yellow or fawn coloured often growing on stumps in clusters.






Shelf Fungus 

Friday, April 26, 2013

Cloud Formations

Love cloud formations so amazing ! Look up at the sky all day!

Lenticular cloud, Mt. Fuji, Japan

Punch Hole Clouds
Roll Clouds
Tsunami Cloud

Shelf Clouds





 What are Clouds made of! 




Sunshine Coast Queensland Cloud Pics
 
A lot of high cirrus clouds and
Cumulus clouds .