The common bluebottle, Graphium sarpedon, is a large and striking swallowtail butterfly found in Southeast Asia, India, Sri Lanka, and eastern Australia. It is known for its distinctive black and white markings, which make it one of the most easily recognizable butterflies in its range. Appearance The common bluebottle has a wingspan of 55 to 75 mm (2.2 to 3.0 in). The … [Read more...] about The Common Bluebottle: A Stunning Swallowtail Butterfly
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Perched Bobcats: A Common Sight in the Sonoran Desert
The sight of a bobcat perched atop a tall saguaro cactus may seem like an oddity, but it's actually a relatively common occurrence in the Sonoran Desert. These agile felines are known for their ability to climb trees and saguaros, and they do so for two main reasons: to scan their surroundings for prey and to avoid becoming prey themselves. Scanning for Prey Bobcats are … [Read more...] about Perched Bobcats: A Common Sight in the Sonoran Desert
Koalas and Humans: Fingerprints in Common
Koalas are cute marsupials that are known for their tree-climbing abilities and their furry babies. But did you know that koalas also have fingerprints that are almost identical to human ones? That's right! Not even careful analysis under a microscope can easily distinguish the loopy, whirling ridges on koalas' fingers from our own. This is a remarkable example of convergent … [Read more...] about Koalas and Humans: Fingerprints in Common
Two-Headed Sharks Are Sighted More and More and No One Knows Why
Animals with two heads? Yes, they appear in mythology and films, and we've heard a strange thing or two after nuclear disasters like Chernobyl, but isn't that it? No, it does not. Scientists are only guessing as to why two-headed sharks are becoming more common around the world. Longline fisherman Christopher Johnston was fishing in the Indian Ocean roughly 200 to 900 … [Read more...] about Two-Headed Sharks Are Sighted More and More and No One Knows Why
Dog dies while engaging in a common game with its owner; family wants to alert others to a potential threat
With her family, Jen Walsh spent a summer day at the lake in 2017. Hanz, her two-year-old Schnauzer, accompanied them as usual. And as usual, the family and the dog enjoyed playing together. Hanz would sprint out, catch it, and bring it back while Jen would toss a stick or ball into the water. This was stated repeatedly. Hanz consistently returned eager for more and … [Read more...] about Dog dies while engaging in a common game with its owner; family wants to alert others to a potential threat