Mind Nuggets » Wildlife http://mindnuggets.com Feeding Your Brain Chunkwise Fri, 22 Jul 2011 10:37:11 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 What are Flying Termites? http://mindnuggets.com/wildlife/what-are-flying-termites/ http://mindnuggets.com/wildlife/what-are-flying-termites/#comments Sun, 09 May 2010 19:35:33 +0000 Neil http://mindnuggets.com/?p=316 Flying termites or “Swarmers” are the most common types of termites most people will see. Swarmers usually come out during the fall and spring. These pesky insects are usually the first sign of a big termite problem. Flying termites will make their appearance when the temperatures are humid and warm. They will be looking for a place to start a new colony. Sometimes large rainfalls will stir them up and bring them out.

Termites resemble ants and will enter your home through windows and cracks. They are very attracted to any type of light. The best way to keep them from invading your home is keep the area with the openings and cracks dark. When these swarmers are seen it is usually a sign that a colony of termites are around. Some people may mistake these insects for flying ants.

There are ways to tell the difference between flying termites as opposed to flying ants. Flying termites have two body parts, a head and a body, ants have three. They are also identified by the characteristics of their wings. The wings are longer than a flying ant’s wings. Flying termites are not great flyers, but the wind will help them get to different areas.

The swarmer’s main job is reproduction; it is not to eat wood. After the male and female swarmers mate, they will shed their wings and venture out to build new colonies. The flying termites will usually swarm for 48 hours. They usually appear in the number of thousands. After they swarm they will return back to the ground. The swarmers will go away by themselves, but they will leave the workers behind to eat the wood.

If you feel you have a termite problem, it is best to seek out professional help to take care of this problem before the infestation becomes unbearable.

]]> Flying termites or “Swarmers” are the most common types of termites most people will see. Swarmers usually come out during the fall and spring. These pesky insects are usually the first sign of a big termite problem. Flying termites will make their appearance when the temperatures are humid and warm. They will be looking for a place to start a new colony. Sometimes large rainfalls will stir them up and bring them out.

Termites resemble ants and will enter your home through windows and cracks. They are very attracted to any type of light. The best way to keep them from invading your home is keep the area with the openings and cracks dark. When these swarmers are seen it is usually a sign that a colony of termites are around. Some people may mistake these insects for flying ants.

There are ways to tell the difference between flying termites as opposed to flying ants. Flying termites have two body parts, a head and a body, ants have three. They are also identified by the characteristics of their wings. The wings are longer than a flying ant’s wings. Flying termites are not great flyers, but the wind will help them get to different areas.

The swarmer’s main job is reproduction; it is not to eat wood. After the male and female swarmers mate, they will shed their wings and venture out to build new colonies. The flying termites will usually swarm for 48 hours. They usually appear in the number of thousands. After they swarm they will return back to the ground. The swarmers will go away by themselves, but they will leave the workers behind to eat the wood.

If you feel you have a termite problem, it is best to seek out professional help to take care of this problem before the infestation becomes unbearable.

]]> http://mindnuggets.com/wildlife/what-are-flying-termites/feed/ 0 Endangered Animals Wronged by Man http://mindnuggets.com/wildlife/endangered-animals-wronged-by-man/ http://mindnuggets.com/wildlife/endangered-animals-wronged-by-man/#comments Fri, 07 May 2010 23:07:12 +0000 Neil http://mindnuggets.com/?p=284 There is no doubt that most of the freaky weird animals that live on this planet do so in the oceans. A prime example being the prowfish, which reside as far down as 2,000 feet beneath the surface, although young ones tend to stay more in middle levels of water near jellyfish. In fact juveniles have even been seen to hide in jellyfish bells when they feel threatened by some predator or another, although, they, themselves often prey on their own protectors. As a result, this behavior has served to keep them safe from the most dangerous of all predators on earth. Namely man.

Not so lucky, however, are other marine wildlife. While no one would think of eating a prowfish, many sea creatures have become animals endangered by the insatiable appetites of humans over the centuries. In fact, due to a long history of whaling, the Atlantic Ocean’s right whales are now known to be the most endangered species of cetaceans. In fact, even the name right whale was given to them because seamen during the 17th and 18th centuries considered them to be “the right ones to hunt” since the they tended to swim close to shore and their bodies floated after they were killed.

Commonly seen off the coast of Long Island and as far north as Martha’s Vineyard, right whales generally breed in the waters near northern Florida and Georgia before moving up to Cape Cod in the spring and Bay of Fundy by summer. Mature animals are generally 35-60 feet long and can weigh up to 117 tons. Their heads comprise almost one quarter of the length of their dark gray or black rounded bodies, and they have bowed-shaped lower jaws.

Although they have been protected by the government since the 1930’s, only 350 animals are known to exist today.

]]> There is no doubt that most of the freaky weird animals that live on this planet do so in the oceans. A prime example being the prowfish, which reside as far down as 2,000 feet beneath the surface, although young ones tend to stay more in middle levels of water near jellyfish. In fact juveniles have even been seen to hide in jellyfish bells when they feel threatened by some predator or another, although, they, themselves often prey on their own protectors. As a result, this behavior has served to keep them safe from the most dangerous of all predators on earth. Namely man.

Not so lucky, however, are other marine wildlife. While no one would think of eating a prowfish, many sea creatures have become animals endangered by the insatiable appetites of humans over the centuries. In fact, due to a long history of whaling, the Atlantic Ocean’s right whales are now known to be the most endangered species of cetaceans. In fact, even the name right whale was given to them because seamen during the 17th and 18th centuries considered them to be “the right ones to hunt” since the they tended to swim close to shore and their bodies floated after they were killed.

Commonly seen off the coast of Long Island and as far north as Martha’s Vineyard, right whales generally breed in the waters near northern Florida and Georgia before moving up to Cape Cod in the spring and Bay of Fundy by summer. Mature animals are generally 35-60 feet long and can weigh up to 117 tons. Their heads comprise almost one quarter of the length of their dark gray or black rounded bodies, and they have bowed-shaped lower jaws.

Although they have been protected by the government since the 1930’s, only 350 animals are known to exist today.

]]> http://mindnuggets.com/wildlife/endangered-animals-wronged-by-man/feed/ 0