Tag Archives: death
Chickcharnie
When sightseeing on the Island of Andros, dear readers, keep your eyes peeled for a creature that Bahamian folk tales describe as a three-toed elf, a red-eyed man-beast or a birdlike creature with a lizard’s tail and a fluffy mane, … Continue reading
Filed under academia, extinct species, folklore, human behavior, Phobia-inducing, Uncategorized
This little fishy went to market
Alright, dear readers, okay. the author has a soapbox to stand on and a bone to pick today: it has to do with fishing ethics and sustainability, and is remarkably un-funny (as opposed to the rest of BV’s posts which … Continue reading
Filed under animal imagery, human behavior, marine life, politics, Uncategorized
Lonomia obliqua caterpillar: prickly little beast
In the rainforests of South America lives a fragile and lovely caterpillar–lonomia obliqua– that will kill you if you let it. Be warned, dear readers, that they are often found–or rather, go unnoticed– on the bark of trees, which provides … Continue reading
BV-worthy new exhibit
The California Academy of Sciences has long been beloved by the author of BV, figuring in her elementary school field trips, and, more recently, looming large in her consciousness as an example of stunning sustainable architecture. And a friend is … Continue reading
Filed under academia, endangered species, extinct species, human behavior
Bovine rampage in Norway: Revenge of the Beef
In 2002, a series of bizzare bovine incidents in the Norweigian countryside alarmed residents, and alerted us to the possibility that cows are beginning to strain at the agricultural tether. The first victim, 23-year old Stian Skoglund, was “bashed and … Continue reading
Catobelpas: Head of an Ox, Tail of a snake, Bad dinner date.
To all of the singletons reading this entry: the author of BV would like to caution you about the Catobelpas, for according to Pliny the Elder, this next member of our medieval bestiary series, which is “of moderate size and inactive … Continue reading
Parasitic Wasps, part deux
A friend to BV has alerted the author to the following video, as a follow-up to a recent posting on parasitic wasps. His advice? Not to watch this while eating lunch. Dear readers, heed this wise man’s advice. But *do* watch. The … Continue reading
The Pop-Culture Guide to Swine flu
The purpose of BV has always been to inform, and now the author feels called upon to clear up some misconceptions floating around about the swine flu epidemic. We’ll start with a brief “scene from a paparazzi”: ****************************************************************************************************************************** [exterior, … Continue reading
Man-eating catfish. It’s what’s for dinner.
When British biologist Jeremy Wade finally investigated a 20-year history of fatal attacks in the Great Kali River between India and Nepal, he discovered that the local legend of a giant river monster devouring folks who went in the water … Continue reading
Exploding frogs (as per request)
Well, dear readers, I have recieved my first command performance, and am more than happy to oblige. Here they are, the amazing, exploding frogs. FUNNY, dark, and clearly not American-made… VERSUS … just plain sick. You can complain … Continue reading
Filed under backyard fauna, human behavior, Phobia-inducing, Uncategorized
Ichneumon wasps: evidence against religion or just mean sons of Bi*%*!s ?
Darwin once offered the ichneumon wasp as proof against the central tenets of natural theology, which believed in the creation of all living things by a benevolent god. Expressing his opinion in a letter to American botanist Asa Gray, Darwin wrote: ”I cannot persuade myself that … Continue reading
Filed under backyard fauna, parasites, Phobia-inducing
every dog has its day… off
and so does B.V. Come back tomorrow for something worth looking at. For today, consider this: If you were a bee, you could get your legs chewed off for drinking your evening beer.
Homo sapiens sapiens; a brief shining moment of joy
Today’s post is about the human animal. In light of recent events, notably the shootings in Oakland, Pittsburgh (CA) and Binghamton (NY), which has precipitated in the author a sudden need for something like faith, B.V would like to submit the following, in the … Continue reading
Hercules Beetle: natural prey of the Stymphalian birds?*
The Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules) is perhaps the most immediately recognizable of the rhinoceros beetles; it’s propensity for epic battles and family tragedies in the Grecian vein, though less well known, is among the beetle’s most prominent characteristics. Male beetles, for instance, often use their prominent … Continue reading
