Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
The monarch butterfly is a milkweed butterfly and has a wingspan ranging from 8.9 to 10.2 centimeters. The top side of the wing is brightly orange and has black veins and margins running along the wing. Within the margins, there are a series of white small spots. A characteristic to separate the males from the females, is the size of the black veins on the wings. Females have thicker black veins whereas the males have narrower black veins. Monarch butterflies have 6 legs, but only uses the 4 hind legs to carry its body while the 2 front legs are carries against its body. The color display of contrasting colors are used to warn potential predators of their foul-taste and poisonous characteristics. There foul-taste and poisonous characteristic is due to the presence of cardenolide algycones which occur within their bodies. Predators of the monarch butterfly includes birds such as the brown thrasher, grackles, sparrows, cardinals and robins.
Milkweed bug (Lygaeus kalmi)
The milkweed bug is known for its characteristic orange to red and black colored bodies. These brightly contrasted colors and patterns are aposematic colors used to advertise their toxicity and prevent other animals from ingesting them. They consume the nectar of a variety of plants including the milkweed plant. These bugs are poisonous as they contain toxic compounds obtained from the sap of the milkweed plants. Due to milkweed bugs being true bugs, they are commonly used in research studies as they are easy to collect, easy to handle in the laboratory, have a relatively short life cycle and is very easy to manipulate. Although they are found on all parts of a plant, they do not harm or damage the plant in any way and is thus mor...
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...ornamental plants as their blooming from the top to the bottom of the spike makes them an excellent choice in freshly cut floral arrangements.
Purple cone flower (Echinacea purpurea)
The purple cone flower is native to eastern North American and is also present in the wild in the eastern, southeastern and midwest of the of the United States of America. These are herbaceous perennial cone-shaped flower plants where the heads are normally purple. They can grow to be up to 120 centimetres tall and 25 centimetres wide which is depended on the climate. The individual flowers in the flower head are all hermaphroditic and is mostly pollinated by bees and butterflies. This flower is cultivated as ornamental plants and its main predators is the slug. Many of the species that occur in the Echinacea genus, are believed to stimulate the immune system if correctly ingested.
Monarch Butterflies and Butterfly Weed, a type of milkweed, have coevolved as plant and pollinator. This means that they both rely on one another to survive. Milkweed is the primary source of nutrition for monarchs. Monarchs only eat Asclepias tuberosa a particular species of Milkweed. The monarch relies on toxins in the milkweed to fend off predators such as birds. The toxic tendencies of the milkweed plants caused the government to attempt o eradicated the plant along roadsides and in cow pastures. This has caused a major decline in population of milkweed, which is also endangering monarchs. Milkweed relies on the monarch to pollinate it so that it can reproduce.
ImageText BoxImageOne of the biggest threats to the environment of Ontario is the Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar dispar). The species itself is native to Europe and Asia. How this affects us is by weakening trees across Ontario and North America. The first time the gypsy moth was found in Ontario was 1969. The gypsy moth can be found in southern Canada (Ontario), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and British Columbia. It is known to weaken trees and the caterpillar form live in trees and during most outbreaks its caterpillar feces would fall from the trees to the ground or even on top of humans. The average Gypsy Caterpillar can grow 5-6 centimeters long. With five pairs of blue spots and six pairs of bright red dots on their back. The female moth are white and can fly on the other hand, the male moth are brown and can also fly. The female have a 5cm wing span but male have a 2.5cm wing span. The gypsy moth usually lives in open forests and other forests and take up at least 20% of the space. The Gypsy moth are about 4cm long, tan coloured and can be located on tree trunks, furniture, and buildings. (OFAH Invading Species Awareness Program, 2012)
diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than 12,500 of an estimated total of
A study was undertaken by Cutler and Scott-Dupree (2007) in order to understand the long term effects of field exposure to cothianidin (a class of neonicotinoid) through flowering canola, on 32 honey bee colonies, Apis melilfera L. In the study, there were four treated and four untreated fields. Four colonies per field were located either in the middle of the 1-ha clothianidin treated fields or untreated canola fields for a period of 3 weeks (Cutler and Scott-Dupree, 2007). Liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry detection were used to measure the amount of clothianidin residues in honey, beeswax, nectar and pollen (Cutler and Scott-Dupree, 2007). The results of the study were such that: although residues of clothianidin were found in pollen, nectar and honey for the colonies in the treated fields, with the highest concentration being 8-22 fold, the amount of honey produced and the weight gains were similar with those in the control fields. The treated overwintered colonies also did not show any significant differences than the control canola field (Cutler and Scott-Dupree, 2007). Thus, the study concluded that there will not be any long-term affect due to exposure to canola seeds that have been treated with
This plant was given the name Skunk Cabbage because of its distinctive “skunky” odour that it emits due to the breaking and tearing of its leaves. This odour will permeate the area where the plant grows, and can even be detected in old, dried specimens. Although, it produces such a pungent smell, it is not a poisonous odour; but it attracts its pollinators like flies, stoneflies, bees, and beetles and also serves another purpose to discourage large animals from disturbing or damaging this plant. Although, this plant is very unique due to the “smelly” odour it emits, it is also exceptionally due to its ability to maintain an approximate constant temperature of 20 degrees around it spadix, which bears both male and female flowers) even in below freezing conditions (Takashasi et al., 2009; Ito-Kikukatsu et al., 2004). This ability to grow in such conditions is due to its thermogenetic properties of the species of plant, the Skunk Cabbage is a thermogenic plant that blooms in early spring and maintains temperatures, as seen above in all-weather conditions. In this essay, I will focus on the Skunk Cabbage and its unique characteristics that allows it to survive and prosper by the means of being a poisonous species, distinctive odour, and unique metabolic mechanisms
The main symbolic image that the flowers provide is that of life; in the first chapter of the novel Offred says “…flowers: these are not to be dismissed. I am alive.” Many of the flowers Offred encounters are in or around the house where she lives; it can be suggested that this array of floral life is a substitute for the lack of human life, birth and social interaction. The entire idea of anything growing can be seen as a substitute for a child growing. The Commander’s house contains many pictures; as they are visual images, “flowers are still allowed.” Later, when Serena is “snipping off the seed pods with a pair of shears… aiming, positioning the blades… The fruiting body,” it seems that all life is being eradicated, even that of the flowers.
small flower spears at the 'A' on her mother's chest and when each stalk hits its target
This paper do the research on the potential ecological and human health consequences of Bt plants, including effects on nontarget organisms, food safety, and the development of resistant insect populations. And it get the alternative insect management strategies. It turns out that scientists do not have full knowledge of the risks and benefits of any insect management strategies. The Bt plants has great benefit.
The influence of the people around you has a great impact on your life. In In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez and in Journey to Jihad by Ben Taub, radicalization is due to the influences of others. Minerva’s rebellion was caused by both Sinita and Trujillo. Patria’s rebellion was caused by the influences of Minerva and the Church. Jeojen’s radical actions were due to his girlfriend, as well as his neighbor. Minerva, Patria, and Jeojen all epitomize the significance of influential people within one’s life.
Janick. J. (2011). Center for New Crops & Plant Products - Department of Horticulture and
Lawrence, Timothy, and Walter S. Sheppard. "Neonicotinoid Pesticides and Honey Bees." Cru.cahe.wsu.edu. Washington State University, Nov. 2013. Web.
Insects are the most diverse group of organisms on the planet. They occupy most of the habitat in the world. Insects have served as a model group of organisms for tackling many biological queries. Butterflies (Class: Insecta; Order: Lepidoptera) have been used as a model for studies on ecology, development and population dynamics. Most of the species are highly seasonal and some have very restricted habitats. Butterflies are good indicators of climate and help us understand fluctuations in seasonal changes. They require specific ecological conditions for their growth and development. Monitoring butterflies helps us understand the overall diversity of a habitat as they are directly dependent on other factors such as availability of host plants and nectar plants. They also play a very significant role in
The sight is wonder for the eyes, as you cross each little section of flowers. As we continued through, you can see the hard work put into the garden. Each detail and sections are taken with ...
Insect pollination as we all know, is the process that enables reproduction and fertilization by the transfer of pollen performed by insects. Insects are some of the oldest pollinators of plants. Pollinating insects date back to 140 million years ago. Since then, due to how effective insect pollinators are, these flowering plants have become the major group of terrestrial vascular plants. Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms, have imperative roles within our ecosystems, both natural and agricultural. For instance, insects provide food, fiber and shelter for wildlife and humankind alike (2007). It is commonly know that in humans, high levels of fruit and vegetable consumption are associated with decreased risk of chronic disease (Calderone 2012). Aside from these important roles, plants have also been considered as a viable option for fuel sources (Calderone 2012). There are around 300,00 species of flowering plants in the world and without pollination, the reproductive process would be very difficult since pollination causes the production of seeds (Calderone 2012). Of the 300,000 plant species worldwide, a little over 3,000 of these plants have been used as a source of food. Close to 300 of these species are grown around the world today and only 12 of these plants make up about 90 percent of the food sources in our world. These 12 include the grains...
Both poems of Margaret Avison and P.K Page are common to the point of cliché in literary criticism to safely state that both were metafictional to a certain extent. The beauty and vividness of the language and patterning of lexical items employed and deployed make it imperative to acknowledge the rightfulness of both poets to fame and renown.