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It was fun while it lasted. Thank you all. areyouastableslut

@endofthelinefolks

This blog was the headstone for the grave of of @areyouastableslut. I awoke one bright morning to find a notice that Tumblr deactivated my blog. Things change. Many of you touched my life. For that I am greatful. I hope in some small way I was able to do the same.
My other blog was reinstated so I now post my objections to censorship.
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jonnysinsectcatalogue

Zophobas Darkling Beetle (Superworm) - Zophobas morio + insect fossils

The darkness loving Beetles return for showcase, this time with lighting conditions that give us a clear look at several individuals. Since the last time I saw them, their habitat has undergone some renovations, but these armored vegetarians look nearly the same, although these are likely new individuals compared to the ones of 2019. They’re all well established into adulthood as when Z. morio emerges from pupation, it appears to sport a light color that turns to brick-red and then gradually darkens to black over time. Either way, it’s great to see them again. These insects live in between a colony of Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches (to their right) and a scorpion, each terrarium offering insight into the world of arthropods. Despite the light shining upon them, these dark-loving Beetles were reasonably active: crawling around their environment and on each other. After the lights turn off in their home, we can only guess how much more they’ll get up to. While not as voracious as their “Superworm” larval form, that plate of vegetables may need a touch of refilling. 

Talking of food, these adult Darklings are very fortunate to be on display here because (as mentioned before) as larvae are quite nutritious and highly valued as feed for reptile and amphibian pets. In the wild, this would be the exact same case: many delicious individuals acting as detritivores and omnivores in their ecosystems which convert spent energy into new energy fit for growth or for consumption. It sounds like dirty work but such roles are highly valued in ecosystems, and while soft and vulnerable as larvae, the armor they acquire as adults makes navigating the wild much easier. Even then, they can still fly away to new location if they need to. It sounds like common knowledge, but there are a few species of Darkling Beetles that have fused wingcases, meaning flight is impossible. Never undervalue the freedom wings can grant, even if they are energetically costly in the insect world. Here, in the human world, these specimens can live with no danger of the Vietnamese mossy frog tank just a few feet away (whose denizens are fed Common House Crickets instead). Having seen a few videos observing these Beetles, it may offer more interactivity/perspective to dot the shells with color (safe on the shell and edibility) and journey out what each Beetle does over the course of a day. Perhaps we may find a favorite character among this group?

Pictures were taken on March 21, 2023 with a Google Pixel 4. Please go and visit the bugs! And also visit the section of the ROM that examines prehistoric life. They hold a few fossilized insect specimens, some of whom are much larger than the insects we know today. However, they are still quite similar to today’s insects for a physical appearance.