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The BabyBird Guide to Triathlon: Decide Your Distance, Focus on the Finish (BabyBird Guides)

In the 21st century, however, you can still have these feelings of angst and at the same time experience a deep appreciation and respect for the animal in question. When I was teaching, I always made of point of encouraging my students to hold or touch the many animals that visited our classroom or that we encountered outside. However, there was always the odd student who would refuse to do so. I would sometimes be a little facetious and say something like: So, where do fears like this come from and what are we to make of them?

Snakes — Approximately one adult human in three suffers to some degree from ophiophobia, a fear of snakes. Some people are afraid of even thinking of snakes or looking at images of them. An innate fear of snakes is present even in our closely-related primate cousins, the monkeys. In one famous experiment, monkeys literally panicked when suddenly exposed to snakes, even though they had been raised in a laboratory and had never seen these reptiles before.

According to Lynne Isbell, an anthropologist at the University of California, the survival of early primates depended to a large extent on ways to detect and avoid snakes. Fossil and DNA evidence suggests that the snakes were already around when the first primates were evolving some 60 million years ago and were among the first serious predators our ancestors faced. Early primates were adapted to living in trees, searching for food at night and sleeping in the canopy during the day.

Snakes slithering through those trees would have been a constant threat. This may explain the evolution in primates of adaptations such as a better eye for colour, detail and movement. All of these abilities would have been very important for detecting threats at close range. To keep up with primate evolution, snakes had to get better at killing their prey. This may have driven the evolution of venom, according to Isbell. Bats — A fear of bats may simply be related to the natural startle response experienced by an unsuspecting person when a bat somehow finds itself into a house and flies about erratically looking for a quick exit.

Even among sick bats submitted for rabies testing, only a tiny percentage ever test positive, and those that do are usually clumsy, disoriented, and unable to fly. We should also remember that you can only get rabies if a rabid animal bites you. Contrary to a widespread misconception, only three species of bats feed on blood — mostly livestock — and these species all live in Latin America. In fact, the majority of bats are terrified of humans and see man as a potential predator. If anything, we should be afraid FOR bats, not of them.

White-nose syndrome WNS named for a distinctive fungal growth around the muzzles and on the wings of hibernating bats, has resulted in the deaths of at least 6 million North American bats. In fact, the once-abundant Little Brown Bat is expected to go extinct in the wild. In Ontario, it is now on the list of endangered species. This is an extinction tragedy of unprecedented proportions. Their disappearance is making the natural world a lonelier and less fascinating place. Wolves — When it comes to the complicated relationship between fear and fascination for a wild animal, there are few better examples than the wolf.

Wolves used to be universally reviled and many people wanted to annihilate them altogether. Yes, they may have represented a real danger to our distant ancestors. In modern times, however, wolf persecution is more closely linked to reasons such as livestock depredation. Thankfully, attitudes towards wolves have now shifted dramatically. Much of this has to do with a growing understanding of wolf biology and the huge ecological value of these animals. When wolves are behind bars in a zoo or wildlife park, however, and any element of danger has disappeared, the sense of wonder they inspire falls precipitously.

That is why having healthy populations of wild wolves is so important. Invertebrates — Bugs — to use the vernacular — seem to attract an especially widespread aversion. An entire scientific career awaits curious, young researchers.

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So, what should we be afraid of in ? I would argue that climate change should be near the top of any list. This may partly explain why we continue to engage in the dangerous behaviour of pouring ever-greater amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This is why I was so discouraged last week by the cries of joy when the cost of gasoline plummeted. Evolution, however, never prepared us for slow-motion threats like climate change.

Understanding how the pressures of the environment have shaped the behaviour and appearance of plants and animals — through the process of evolution — adds a great deal to our enjoyment of nature. Little by little, all of the life that surrounds us becomes far more interesting and wondrous. This week, I would like to share a few examples from the book that deal with this important theme.

Can you Deeg it? Here is a story to help kids better understand how evolution works. We will call them Deegs. Male and female Deegs can breed have babies together because they are members of the same species and find each other attractive. Imagine, too, that instead of tender grasses to eat, there are only trees with tough, leathery leaves. An ability to eat and digest grasses is essential for survival in the original valley but being able to reach up, then chew, and digest tough tree leaves is necessary in the second.

Slowly, over many generations, differences would start to appear in the Tree Valley Deegs, because of mutations. In other words, Deegs with these characteristics would have a better chance of surviving and passing on their genes. Now imagine that once every few generations a Deeg from one valley wanders into the other valley and wants to mate. For many years, mating would be possible because they would still be the same species.

However, as the generations go by and differences in the genes continue to build up, it would become harder and harder for the Deegs from the two valleys to produce healthy babies together. For example, female Deegs from one valley may no longer find the males from the other valley attractive and refuse to mate. When it becomes virtually impossible for the Deegs from one valley to breed with the Deegs from the other valley, they would have evolved into two distinct species.

September is a month when our attention is drawn to the beautiful colour display of leaves. For much of the year, however, leaves can easily be taken for granted. To help children appreciate just how amazing these structures really are, ask them to look closely at a tree leaf, to feel it and to describe it. Then, ask some of the following questions: Oak leaves — Evolution has made them deeply lobed and leathery. These two species have evolved near-identical wing colours and patterns.

However, they are only distantly related. The reason they look so similar is because of mimicry, which is the ability of a species to imitate something other than what it really is. Why would mimicry have evolved? In the case of the Viceroy, the purpose is to trick predators into thinking that it is an inedible species.

Predators quickly learn that Monarchs are distasteful and eating them causes vomiting. They therefore learn to avoid them. Viceroys therefore find protection by closely resembling their distant cousins. However, there is also some newer research showing that the Viceroy itself may actually be poisonous and that both the Viceroy and Monarch mimic each other.

Monarch left and Viceroy Comparison — Can you see the difference on the lower hind wing? Metamorphosis The Monarchs that we see flying south in September have just recently completed an amazing transformation known as metamorphosis. This is the process by which an animal continues to develop and change its body structure and behaviour, even after hatching out of the egg. Some animals that undergo metamorphosis include amphibians, insects, molluscs and crustaceans. In insects, metamorphosis can be incomplete or partial egg, nymph, adult or complete egg, larva, pupa, adult. In incomplete metamorphosis, the immature stages are called nymphs.

Nymphs closely resemble adults but are smaller and lack wings. Some common insects that go through this kind of metamorphosis include grasshoppers and dragonflies. This type of metamorphosis evolved first and is therefore much more ancient than complete metamorphosis. In complete metamorphosis, the immature stages are called larva.

Depending on the insect group, other terms such as caterpillar, grub, maggot, etc. Unlike nymphs, larvae look very different from adults. Larvae eventually enter an inactive or resting state known as a pupa. The adult emerges from the pupal stage. Metamorphosis has long been a cause of misunderstanding and mysticism. One early scientist even thought that metamorphosis in butterflies began by the accidental mating of two different species: Scientists now use the theory of evolution to explain how a larval and pupal stage came to be.

They believe that the larval stage is actually a walking form of the embryo that was developing in the egg. Rather than continue to develop in the egg, natural selection found it to be more advantageous to the animal to get out of the egg as soon as possible and simply to continue to develop while on the move. Scientists think of the pupa as very similar to the nymph stage in incomplete metamorphosis. The difference, however, is that the pupa goes through all of the nymph stages while resting and being completely immobile.

The goal of the Rally is two-fold: As pleasant as a late summer picnic might be, there always seems to be a handful of unwanted guests. Like corn-on-the-cob, tomatoes and blueberry pie, hornets and yellowjackets are often part of a late summer outside meal. Their hind legs are flattened for collecting and transporting pollen. Wasps, on the other hand, have a slender body with a narrow waist, more cylindrical legs and appear smoothed-skinned and shiny. Yellowjackets and Bald-faced Hornets are the most common types of wasps that we encounter in the Kawarthas. They are both members of a family of insects known as the Vespidae, which, in turn, is part of the much larger order Hymenoptera, or bees, wasps and ants.

Most of the Vespidae are social wasps that nest in colonies. When spring arrives, each queen begins the process of starting a new colony by gathering wood fiber to masticate into a pulp, which dries into a paper-like nesting material. Depending on the species, the nest will be located in an underground cavity or aboveground attached to trees or buildings.

The queen starts the nest by constructing several hexagonal, egg-carton-like cells suspended from a short stalk and enveloped with a paper covering. She then proceeds to lay an egg in each cell. A week or so later, the eggs hatch and the busy queen must then feed the larvae small pieces of protein rich food such as bits of caterpillar or carrion. After about 12 days, the outer skin of the worm like larvae hardens into a tough casing. The developing wasp is now called a pupa and will undergo a radical change in form.

Pupae do not eat. After another 12 days, an adult wasp emerges from each of the pupal cases. All of these individuals are sterile females called workers. They immediately begin to work for the queen, enlarging the nest, gathering food and taking care of the new young. However, not all of their hard work is altruistic.

In an amazing exchange of material called trophallaxis, the larvae secrete a sugar material relished by the workers. The queen, all the while, continues to lay eggs. As most everyone knows, the workers are armed and dangerous, especially when they perceive a threat to the colony. Because these females are also sterile, they do not use their ovipositor as an egg-laying tube. Rather, it has been modified into a stinger, which is able to pierce the skin and inject a small amount of venom. Unlike Honey Bees, which have barbs on the stinger that cause it to break off when pulled out thereby killing the bee , wasps lack these barbs and can therefore deliver multiple stings over the course of their lives.

Wasps tend to be most aggressive in late summer, maybe because of the large number of offspring in the nest, which offers a great nutrient jackpot to predators like raccoons, skunks and bears. As fall approaches, something unique happens.

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Sensing the shorter days, the queen begins to lay unfertilized eggs that will develop either into males drones or into new queens. These individuals will go on to mate, but only the newly fertilized females have the ability to overwinter. The rest of the colony dies including the hardworking queen with the first hard frosts of fall.

One of the most commonly-seen Vespid wasps is the Eastern Yellowjacket Vespula malculifrons. The triangle has a narrow black stem or neck, which extends to the upper edge of the abdomen. Yellowjackets usually nest in the ground, often in an abandoned animal burrow. As summer ends, there is a frantic search for food to feed the thousands of larvae still in the nest. Caterpillars are the larval food of preference but these wasps will also turn to dead insects and to human foods as a source of protein for the colony. Adults also need sugar in order to fuel the energy requirements of their own bodies.

In addition to what they receive through trophallaxis, some of their favorite sources of sugar include flower nectar especially goldenrod , ripe fruit and aphid honeydew, which is usually gleaned from tree leaves. However, as we know all too well, wasps are also attracted to the same sweet drinks as humans.

Hot, dry summers provide the best breeding conditions for wasps, because this kind of weather also means high survival rates for the insects on which wasps feed. Under these conditions, yellowjacket colonies can expand rapidly. The Bald faced Hornet Dolichovespula maculata is another common Vespid. It is a little larger than a yellowjacket and has a mostly black body with yellowish white markings on the side and face.

Hornets catch our attention because of their habit of building globular paper nests in trees. All summer long, colonies of these insects chew the fiber of trees and boards. Like yellowjackets, they turn the fiber into a saliva soaked pulp that dries into the fine, grey paper walls of the nests.

The nest starts out small but grows in progressive layers over the course of the summer. A large colony can harbor up to individual hornets by September. They are a species that needs to be treated with respect. After the first few weeks of frost, it is safe to open an old hornet to see the intricate design and various levels of nesting tiers. There are usually some cells with dead larvae and pupae, as well.

No wasps, including the new queens, ever overwinter in the nest. Usually by late August, egg laying ceases in yellowjacket and hornet colonies and there are fewer larvae to feed. Consequently, the workers are no longer receiving sugar from the larvae in exchange for protein. They therefore start to abandon the nest to satisfy their own all-consuming sweet tooth.


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With a sugar fix in mind, wasps will sometimes descend upon family picnics, backyard barbecues and schoolyards full of juice-drinking children. Like all living creatures, wasps play an important ecological role. Because most Vespids prey on insects and other arthropods, they help to control the numbers of many pest species. It takes a lot of bugs to feed a hungry brood.

Yellowjackets also scavenge dead insects to feed their offspring — an important ecological service, too. Some species of wasps are also important pollinators. Fig trees, for example, depend entirely on wasps for pollination. In fact, the relationship between fig trees and fig wasps is one of the best examples of co-evolution in the nature. The fig shaped the wasp and the wasp shaped the fig. Wasps are just one more example of how the natural world never ceases to amaze. For anyone with an interest in wildflowers, June is synonymous with orchids.

At least a dozen species of this fascinating plant family bloom this month in the Kawarthas, and the spectacle is not to be missed. In addition to their exquisite colours and designs, orchids are a wonderful testament to the power and wonder of evolution. The Kawarthas has long enjoyed a special status among orchid lovers.

Some of the most interesting passages are his vivid descriptions of orchid searching trips to the Cavan Swamp and Stony Lake. Unfortunately, one becomes immediately aware that orchids were much more plentiful at that time. Because of habitat loss, indiscriminate picking and digging up for transplanting into gardens, most orchid species have declined greatly in number.

Peterborough County is home to about 36 orchid species including one, Helleborine, which is an alien species from Eurasia. Of the 36, 14 are considered rare or their presence is based on very old records. The Kawarthas boast four species. It is usually found in dry, upland sites, quite often in association with pines.

Petroglyphs Provincial Park and the north shore of Stony Lake provide good habitat for this species.

This species requires 10 years of growth from germination to the time it flowers. This species is widespread in the Warsaw area. They prefer cold, undisturbed wetland edges and are often found in association with White Cedars. One reason I love orchids is that they have so much to tell us about evolution. They show amazing adaptations — or contrivances, as Charles Darwin described them — to attracting and exploiting their insect pollinators.

He realized that as the insects changed, so did the orchids that were dependent upon them. Co-evolution between orchids and insects has led to an incredible amount of diversity. They are also a very old family.


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  8. The first orchids are believed to have appeared some 80 million years ago. This means that they may have co-existed with dinosaurs! Despite the huge number of species, most orchids tend to be uncommon and almost never dominate a given landscape. Paradoxically, they produce seeds in astronomical quantity well over a million in some species.

    Its sweet odour and enticing pink pouch — a modified petal — attract bumblebees. On the hunt for nectar and pollen, these large, hairy insects pry their way into the large, slipper-like pouch through the incurved slit down the front. Once inside, the slit closes and traps the hapless bee.

    Exiting by where it entered therefore becomes impossible. The upper part of the pouch is lined with sticky hairs coated in nectar, and there are translucent areas where light shines through. Attracted by the light and sugar reward, the bee climbs upwards to gather nectar and to make its escape. The pouch constricts, however, below two small exits to the outside. In order to regain its freedom, the bee must crawl under a large flattened structure. Any pollen sticking to its body — presumably from another orchid it visited earlier — is scraped off.

    The orchid is pollinated. But one last bit of trickery still remains. As the bee finally makes its way out of one of the strategically-located exit holes, it inadvertently rubs up against a sticky mass of pollen grains, which adheres to its back and sides. In this manner, cross pollination between plants is assured. Rhizomes are underground, creeping stems that are capable of forming new plants. Three other species are of considerable interest this month, both because of the unique design of their flowers and the special habitats in which they grow.

    All three are pink in colour and grow in the acid soil of bogs and wet meadows. All can be found in Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park. Pollination for these species, too, depends on some very clever adaptations. In the case of Calopogon, downright deception comes into play. Bees are immediately attracted to the top petal of the flower because of a mass of stamen like objects, which appear to be loaded with pollen.

    However, upon landing on these hairs, the insect quickly realizes there is no pollen to be found. The hapless bee ends up on its back, pinned against a trough like appendage that contains the true sexual parts of the flower. Evolution rarely takes the easy route to solving the challenges of reproduction! Orchids, like all plants, follow a definite blooming schedule. Rose Pogonia can sometimes still be found in flower as late as mid July.

    Once again, Petroglyphs Provincial Park is a good place to try for all three of these summer blooming species. Not only does this put the species further at risk, but it is rarely successful. Orchids depend on a special relationship with fungi, which provide the plants with minerals and other nutrients that they cannot attain by themselves. Without the presence of the right fungi in the soil, most orchids will not survive. With monikers such as pop-eyed shot dodger, bogsucker, sky dancer and timberdoodle, the American Woodcock may have the most evocative nicknames of any bird.

    What a shame this is, because the sight and sound of displaying woodcock is a true spectacle of spring. Woodcock arrive back in late March from wintering grounds in the southeastern states. Their arrival more or less coincides with the thawing of the soil, which frees up their favourite food — earthworms. Migrating birds will sometimes show up in suburban backyards and create quite a stir as people try to figure out the identity of the rather ridiculous-looking visitor.

    The woodcock is indeed quite comical, with its bizarre anatomy and even stranger behaviours. It is similar in size and shape to a starling, but with a mottled colouration of blacks, browns, tans and whites, which provide near-perfect camouflage against the dead leaves, and twigs of the forest floor. Evolution has also provided the woodcock with very large eyes, located high and well back on the head. The size and placement allows the bird to see in front, behind and even above, affording a view of approaching predators such as domestic cats, hawks, owls and coyotes. This adaptation is extremely important because woodcocks spend a lot of time with their head down and their bill deep in the mud.

    The males also draw a lot of attention to themselves during their courtship displays. Like many shorebirds, the woodcock also has a long bill — as long as your middle finger — with which it probes deeply into soil for earthworms. The sensitive, flexible bill tip can feel a worm in its underground burrow and then open to grab it. This feat is nearly impossible for other birds. It tends to amble slowly along, all the while rocking its body back and forth.

    Its head, however, remains motionless. This strange gait is accompanied by a kind of foot-stomping, which is thought to cause worms to move around in the soil, thereby making them more easily detectable. The sky dance is performed over openings known as singing grounds. As darkness falls, the peents become more numerous until, all of a sudden, the bird bursts into the air and flies upwards in wide circles. After reaching a height of about metres feet , the twittering becomes intermittent, and the bird soon begins a zigzag descent. A third sound is then produced as the woodcock starts singing liquid, kissing notes — just in case the flight itself was not enough to impress the hard-to-please female!

    The kissing notes grow louder and louder as he approaches the ground, but then cease completely for the final portion of the descent. The bird usually lands almost at the same spot from whence he took off. He then walks stiff-legged in the direction of the nearby female, wings stretched vertically. Soon after, he begins peenting once again.

    A few minutes later, the poor bird—probably close to exhaustion — launches into yet another flight. Woodcock will display for up to an hour at dusk and dawn and even through the night if there is a full moon. Click here for a YouTube video of the sky dance. The males will mate with any female impressed with his display. Let cool slightly before unmolding. Unmold carefully using a butter knife around the sides of the nests.

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    In the aptly titled Jewel Quest IV: In order to prove that the board is rightfully his, Rupert must trace its origins all the way back to the Aztec Empire while investigating his own family tree to see how the history of the jewel board is intertwined with the lives of his own ancestors.

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    Mysteryville tells the story of the town of Mysteryville facing a baffling occurrence: As an ace reporter for Countryside Life Magazine, its up to you to find the truth. Visit the shops, question the residents and examine every detail to find the answers behind this feline mystery! Along with Percy and a beautiful Algonquin named Yellow Feather, you will travel to exotic locations on two continents and overcome dangers at every turn, in an effort to recover the jewel. The game includes over jewel board puzzles, including never-before-seen obstacle puzzles! You will progress through a beautifully illustrated and fully voice-acted story that includes collectible power-ups that enhance game strategy as well as quest options filled with your favorite classic Jewel Quest games.

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    October 23, Imagine Babyz is the first simulation game focused on caring for babies. Ballet Star Release Date: November 18, Immerse yourself in a fantasy world of twirls, jumps, music, fashion, and fun competition. January 27, Make a difference for your school and friends by leading the team to victory! Family Doctor Release Date: March 31, Become the new favorite doctor in town! Fashion Designer Release Date: October 23, Imagine Fashion Designer invites players to become hip Manhattan designers handling all aspects of the fashion business, from creating their own line of clothing to directing photo shoots.

    October 7, Play as a young fashion designer starting your career in a famous fashion agency in New York. Figure Skater Release Date: March 4, In Imagine Figure Skater, players live the life of a champion who needs to balance her life between training, school and friends.

    Evolution and Special Adaptations – Our Changing Seasons

    Ice Champions Release Date: February 24, Take on the role of a young figure skater who dreams of becoming a world champion! Interior Designer Release Date: November 4, As a young interior designer, renovate homes, decorate furniture and more - express your creativity and design your clients' dream rooms. Makeup Artist Release Date: May 12, In Imagine Makeup Artist, players begin as an apprentice and must work their way up to earn the reputation of a professional makeup artist. Master Chef Release Date: October 23, Imagine Master Chef allows players to create recipes from all over the world using the stylus to prepare, stir and cook ingredients.

    Movie Star Release Date: November 18, Experience all the glamour and fun of being a celebrity! Rock Star Release Date: June 17, Imagine Rock Star allows players to create a rock band and select who plays the drums, guitar, bass and piano. Soccer Captain Release Date: August 11, Now you can be a part of a winning soccer team with Olympic gold-medalist Mia Hamm as your coach! August 12, Imagine Teacher allows players to become a teacher at a brand new school.

    Teacher Class Trip Release Date: August 25, Imagine Teacher: Wedding Designer Release Date: November 4, As a young wedding designer, create the perfect wedding that satisfies the bride's taste and meets her expectations. March 16, Metascore: April 25, Inchworm Animation is a full-featured paint and animation system for the Nintendo DSi system. June 9, Step into the shoes of the legendary hero, Indiana Jones, in an all new epic adventure! March 16, Infinite Space is a role-playing game in which players assemble a spaceship armada and embark on a cosmic adventure that allows them to delve deep into the vast outer reaches of space, exploring a universe filled with planets and interstellar organizations each with their own culture.

    January 12, Based on the feature film adaptation of the best-selling Cornelia Funke novel, Inkheart is the story of Meggie, a young girl whose father has a secret magical ability; he can bring book characters to life simply by reading the story aloud! November 2, Relive the 80's with Intellivision Lives! Series 1 Release Date: September 18, Full of gaming goodness and positive fairy tales, this title immerses both the parent and the child into the world of skill building, learning, reading and having fun!

    Series 2 Release Date: October 26, Your kids may never want to put this title down once they start playing, and for once, you will be okay with that! Series 3 Release Date: October 26, our kids may never want to put this title down once they start playing, and for once, you will be okay with that!

    Secret of the Divine Jewel Release Date: November 29, Fight off the alien blob invaders by squashing them with the Stylus!