Once I witnessed an extraordinary phenomenon. In late April, on the outskirts of the Menkovo village (Leningrad oblast, Russia), I observed a huge number of common toads (also known as European Toads, Bufo bufo). They were everywhere – on a plowed field, in ditches with water, they galloped along road, where they often fell under […]
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Pachyiulus foetidissimus
Pachyiulus foetidissimus (julid millipede) lives in the forests of the North Caucasus. It is slow-moving, but if it is disturbed, it turns into a spiral. Simultaneously, out of the numerous openings of the special glands located in each segment of the body, a secret with a characteristic odor is poured out. So this julida protects. […]
Potamon ibericum
When we pronounce the word “crab”, we usually think of sea creatures. However, out of 6.5 thousand species of crabs (Brachyura infraorder) more than 1.4 thousand species inhabit fresh waters, and most of them (1.3 thousand species, 8 families) are exclusively freshwater. That is, they inhabit fresh water constantly during their life, or are connected […]
The European rhinoceros beetle
When I see a live rhinoceros beetle or a photograph of it, I recall my earlier childhood. Once upon a very, very long time, the possession of such a beetle was a matter of special pride. And I remember that the longer the horn, the more appreciated the beetle… The european rhinoceros beetle Oryctes nasicornis […]