Cat-rant

So many interesting facts can be gleaned from reading and researching TFs. In learning more about Kickback, I discovered the following fascinating facts about grasshopper mating habits:

"A male grasshopper has 400 mating songs in his repertoire! (Move over Luther Vandross!) And, each grasshopper song means something else- from flirting to "I want to do you."

"Nodes around  a grasshopper's penis area are are called spiracles are a term given to them by the Dali Lama. It is a zannist word for a god. This god was the god of pleasure and sex."

"Grasshopper mating habits are as comical and varied as the species itself. Each has its own way of attracting and keeping a mate for the brief but torrid grasshopper mating season."

"Certain grasshopper species have very elaborate courtship rituals. The North American grasshopper will twist itself into 18 different poses with its wings and legs to impress a potential mate. Waving brilliantly colored wings is another way to attract a female. A tiny grasshopper from Costa Rica drums its back legs on its favorite food plant to attract a like-minded mate."

"Actual mating between grasshoppers can last from 45 miniutes to well over a day....some females will mate with several males depending on the species. Wow!

"Most male grasshoppers die immediately after mating, with the female surviving long enough to lay her eggs." And I read somewhere that with some species the penis is detachable and actually falls off after mating.

This last is clearly why Kickback has no girlfriends, and prefers stag beetles.

This guy evidently did not like the little hoppers so much, though Kickback laughs gleefully at the article and says that this, about closely related crickets, might further explain some feelings of human inadequacy (Kickback laughs some more)

LOL - I love the things you can find out! And I love Insecticons XD

This time they worked!

The one at the bottom is the native plants 'area' at the other end from the vegie garden.

That's an olive tree next to the shed in the second one down and, amazingly, its only just over a year old!

The greyish bushes behind the vegies in the third one down are Roman Wormwood - so good at keeping insects down. The purplish bush right at the back is a native hibiscus.

Still no second invasion of snails, but with this rain I shall be on the alert. In the UK it always seems more to be slugs. But here its definitely snailfest XD

The rain is pattering down out there tonight. I think I'll go and get some peas and beans to add to this collection at the weekend. At last its probably cool enough for them :-)

( Photos under cut )

Yes I am tonight - its been a long week. But it was productive in the end, since I made some enquiries about post-grad studies and even started hatching a few plans. This evening, I've also done some awesome RP on the Mush with Hook and Bonecrusher. Awesome!

And having Constructicons on the brain, I was really happy to find THIS Calendar, which is undoubtedly the one the Constructicons hang in their base.

Part the reason I love Constructicons is because heavy construction equipment is SEXY! Frag yeah! I can't be the only one that thinks this :DD

Back at work, today was pretty cheerless. So here's some entertainment.

THIS cheered me up at any rate.

Bad tempered Constructicon! I figure the conversation went something like this:

Long Haul: Hey - Scavenger - you seem outta sorts.
Scavenger: I'm in a bad mood. Nobody appreciates me! I'm allowed to be in a bad mood. And what does that idiot want?
Long Haul: Wo-woah! Hey - leave the squishie will ya? Bots'll have our T-cogs. There's only two of us...
Scavenger: Well I'm gonna get that then...

*KERR-RUNCH ...!!* *Squishie has fit*

Long Haul: Hey! Be gentle will ya?
Scavenger: Its a squishiemobile, idiot! It doesn't feel stuff.
Long Haul: I meant with ME, you moron!

:DDDDD