Thanks to a rather silly kids TV programme, "Barney's Latin America" I now know about the sea fire fleas or Photeros annecohenae a type of Ostracode Crustaceans.
These tiny creatures make vivid light by mixing two chemicals which is used to attract mates and to scare off predators.
Reference:
Insect Behavioral Ecology '85
Discover the beauty and complexity of Photeros annecohenae
Monday, October 17, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Nikon International Small World Competition
A water flea (Daphnia magna) has made it into the top 10 of Nikon International Small World Competition with some help from photographer Joan Röhl.
This fantastic image is 100x magnified and was created with Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) Microscopy at the Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Germany.
Other flea entries include a 20x magnified mouse flea by Dr. Jerzy Gubernator from the University of Wroclaw, Poland and another water flea with grean algae by Dr. Ralf Wagner of Düsseldorf, Germany
This fantastic image is 100x magnified and was created with Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) Microscopy at the Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Germany.
Other flea entries include a 20x magnified mouse flea by Dr. Jerzy Gubernator from the University of Wroclaw, Poland and another water flea with grean algae by Dr. Ralf Wagner of Düsseldorf, Germany
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Fleas at the Natural History Museum 1926
I occasionally check Ebay for interesting flea items and today I spotted this one.
"This modern postcard features a reproduction of a work by American artist Edward "Ted" McKnight Kauffer (1890-1954). Montana born McKnight Kauffer was one of Europe's most prolific and influential advertising poster artists during the Twenties and Thirties
The original poster titled The Flea ( Natural History Museum) was created by the artist in 1926 for the British Natural History Museum in South Kensington. London."
"This modern postcard features a reproduction of a work by American artist Edward "Ted" McKnight Kauffer (1890-1954). Montana born McKnight Kauffer was one of Europe's most prolific and influential advertising poster artists during the Twenties and Thirties
The original poster titled The Flea ( Natural History Museum) was created by the artist in 1926 for the British Natural History Museum in South Kensington. London."
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Camping fleas?
Flea Circus Tonga now has it's own circus tent and hence can provide shows whatever the weather or if you've only a small venue he's also available in a portable table top variation of the show.
"Betty LaBelle" is back from Australia and has brought more artists! Overall, six fleas their arts! Experience "Hannibal" the daring stuntman, "David Copperflea" and "Professor Fips" as a magician, as well as the Grand Dame "Mme Flohrentine" as a prima ballerina and many others more.
"Betty LaBelle" is back from Australia and has brought more artists! Overall, six fleas their arts! Experience "Hannibal" the daring stuntman, "David Copperflea" and "Professor Fips" as a magician, as well as the Grand Dame "Mme Flohrentine" as a prima ballerina and many others more.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
ABC, My Grannie Caught a Flea
Spotted in a castle bookshop in Scotland, a gripping insight into the author's grandmother's entomological studies including techniques for acquisition of new specimens.
ABC, My Grannie Caught a Flea
ABC, My Grannie Caught a Flea
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Nu Way Flea Circus!
Chuck Caputo from the USA has announced his new "out of the box" flea circus that has no suitcase but still has plenty of contents. The acts contain some of the standards such as a high wire, diving board, strong flea but also some new ideas such as a bowling flea and Annie Oakly flea. The stage also has spot lights and a magician flea who makes a card rise from a pack.
The circus platform "integrates sophisticated electronics, electronic pad control, pull bar and magnetic operations."
The circus platform "integrates sophisticated electronics, electronic pad control, pull bar and magnetic operations."
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Fleas in Novels
The latest from Lee and the Victorian London website is a searchable index of literature.
Of course the first thing I did with it was to search for fleas. This returned an interesting selection of books with flea references. Here's a sample of the results at the time the query was run
Middlemarch, by George Eliot - "I should stick to it like a flea to a fleece for my own sake"
The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope - "'With a flea in her lug,' suggested the farmer."
Martin Chuzzlewit, by Charles Dickens - "I looks at him tolerable hard. 'Fleas?' says I. 'And more,' says he. 'Wampires?' says I. 'And more,' says he."
also
"Astonishment making him surly, he preferred the latter, and sent her into the toll-house with a flea in her ear."
Antonina, by Wilkie Collins - "It is easier to make a drinking-vessel of the skull of a flea than to make an honest man of such a villainous night-walker as thou art!"
The Mysteries of London, by G.W.M.Reynolds - Chapter 246 - The Party at Ravensworth Hall - "And bid smart onions rise To churn me in my mantling path and give A flea to nerve the thought that I may live To bask in thy blear'd eyes!"
Cometh up as a Flower, by Rhoda Broughton - "I vault from the sofa, as if the spirit of a flea had passed into me, and walk across the room; my legs feel stiff and sore"
After Dark, by Wilkie Collins - "he is among my men and here am I ready to look for a flea or two in his bedstead"
The Water Babies, by Charles Kingsley - "the Queen of all the Fairies, who makes the clouds thunder and the fleas bite"
Adam Bede, by George Eliot - "Aye, it's ill livin' in a hen-roost for them as doesn't like fleas"
Felix Holt, by George Eliot - "the utmost stretch of their ideas will not place them on a level with the intelligent fleas"
Of course the first thing I did with it was to search for fleas. This returned an interesting selection of books with flea references. Here's a sample of the results at the time the query was run
Middlemarch, by George Eliot - "I should stick to it like a flea to a fleece for my own sake"
The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope - "'With a flea in her lug,' suggested the farmer."
Martin Chuzzlewit, by Charles Dickens - "I looks at him tolerable hard. 'Fleas?' says I. 'And more,' says he. 'Wampires?' says I. 'And more,' says he."
also
"Astonishment making him surly, he preferred the latter, and sent her into the toll-house with a flea in her ear."
Antonina, by Wilkie Collins - "It is easier to make a drinking-vessel of the skull of a flea than to make an honest man of such a villainous night-walker as thou art!"
The Mysteries of London, by G.W.M.Reynolds - Chapter 246 - The Party at Ravensworth Hall - "And bid smart onions rise To churn me in my mantling path and give A flea to nerve the thought that I may live To bask in thy blear'd eyes!"
Cometh up as a Flower, by Rhoda Broughton - "I vault from the sofa, as if the spirit of a flea had passed into me, and walk across the room; my legs feel stiff and sore"
After Dark, by Wilkie Collins - "he is among my men and here am I ready to look for a flea or two in his bedstead"
The Water Babies, by Charles Kingsley - "the Queen of all the Fairies, who makes the clouds thunder and the fleas bite"
Adam Bede, by George Eliot - "Aye, it's ill livin' in a hen-roost for them as doesn't like fleas"
Felix Holt, by George Eliot - "the utmost stretch of their ideas will not place them on a level with the intelligent fleas"
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