Day: June 9, 2010

Poplar Hawk-moth

The Poplar Hawk-moth spends most of its time well masked on a tree branch. At dusk, this moth goes feeding and searching for a mating partner. These bugs are widespread all over Eurasia, from Ireland and Great Britain through all parts of Europe to the Eastern parts of China. Sometimes called the Sphinx-moth because the

Indian Flying-fox

The Indian Flying-fox has more than one meter wide wing span, making it one of the biggest bats in the world. It has earned its name from the fox-like face, markedly the forehead, which looks like taken from a ground mammal. Despite their enormous size, the Indian Flying-foxes are harmless creatures. These bats inhabit India

Vermilion Flycatcher

Vermilion Flycatchers are one of the most beautiful birds in America. Males are ornamented with a colourful plumage, which is especially beautiful during the mating period. These birds inhabit vast territories ranging from southwestern USA, through all parts of Central America to even Bolivia and Argentina. They also live in the Galapagos Islands, and that

Hornet

Hornet is Europe’s largest wasp, and a sociable bug. Hornets live in almost all European areas, as well as part of Asia, from Siberia to western Mongolia. In the past, they only lived in old forests, where they could build nests in tree cavities or cliff holes, but being highly adaptive creatures, they now inhabit

Manta Ray

Manta Ray also known as the Devilfish is the biggest member of the manta family. It stays near the surface of the water and glides through the oceans like a giant bat. Manta Rays can be found in western parts of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the Pacific and Indian Oceans, where they scare

Sloth bear

Sloth Bears a.k.a Labiated Bears inhabit not so wast territories in India’s and Srilanka’s dry forests. It s believed that the bear used to have a larger area of inhabitation but hunting and cutting down forests done by locals has driven it to a small secluded area. Because of the frequent prey to hunters, the

California Sea Lion

California Sea Lion is one of the most the most elegant underwater mammals. Its swimming style, changing direction frequently, looks almost like and underwater flight. These sea mammals are excellent swimmers – they can reach a speed of more than 40 km/h and dive as deep as 300 metres. California Sea Lions can be seen

Glow-worm

Glow-worms can produce light much more effectively than any light bulb invented by the humans. They can also change the colour and intensity of the light emitted, to which scientists haven’t found the explanation yet. Unfortunately, Glow-worms seem to be attracted by light and high intensity lighting, like in large cities, negatively affects their population.

Geoffroy’s Cat

Geoffroy’s Cat is a very skittish inhabitant of the South American forests and not much is known about the cat’s lifestyle in the wild. They look quite similar to house cats, and if interbred, kittens are the so-called “safari cats”. Trying to interbreed them with house cats wasn’t that easy at first – in Germany