The Wandering Tortoise at the Corner of City - Nature 98

We saw a tortoise at the corner of our city recently, we believe it was a pet, belongs to someone nearby, and escaped from owner.

Image 1- A tortoise on the run

Based on GoogleID, the tortoise refers to African sulcata or sulcata tortoise with scientific name Centrochelys sulcata.

This tortoise is quite big, we think about 15 inches (38 cm) in length, and about 80 pound (36 kg) in weight.

By searching through Google, adult tortoise may reach 3 feet (91 cm), and up to 150 pounds (68 kg).The shell looks brown to yellow (yellowish brown) in color, and pretty thick.

The question then how this tortoise comes from Sahara Desert, Africa to America?

Image 2 - The African sulcata tortoise crossing the street.

The best answer, we think that the tortoise might be purchased from pet shops or breeders by someone.

Then the owners can't or unwilling to take the tortoise anymore or the tortoise just simply escape.

Image 3- Size of tortoise and feet of a kid

What do you think?

# Previous postings:

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The Cypress Vine is one of Popular Flowers for Hummingbirds - Nature 97

 The Cypress Vine is one of the popular plants in our area during Spring and Summer seasons. The little birds love this plant with several reasons.

Image 1- Two flowers of Cypress Vine

Two most reasons why hummingbirds love Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamoclit) flowers are:

1) The Cypress vine flowers contain very rich nectar as main food source for hummingbirds.

2) The plant has flowers with bright colors, include yellow, red, pink and white. These colors attractive to hummingbirds. 

For many people, cypress vine plants are easy to grow and take care, and to be popular choice to attract hummingbirds.

Image 2- Hummingbirds on the feeder, illustration

People grow Cypress vine plants both in the containers and in the ground. They may enjoy beautiful flowers display in the containers.

Image 3- Red flowers of Cypress vine.

Do you familiar with Cypress vine plants?

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The Night Sky at our Neighborhood - Nature 96

We were out for brief walking tonight, it moved so fast, we almost missed a chance to picture the beautiful sky over our neighborhood. 

Image 1- The beautiful sky at night

Actually, all of our life it has been constantly changing. Things don't just hang there for hours with going away quickly. If we are very observant, we should understand about this point.

The colors are very pretty to our eyes. Some people said that this stunning, the magnificent sky is a typical sunset in the Fall season, especially in our and close by areas lately.

However, such pretty colors could be caused by many factors, either naturally or manmade pollution, sad to say.

Image 2- Sky night over neighborhood

Naturally, colors of could be caused by such as atoms and molecules on the atmosphere, stars, aurora and nebulas.

Image 3- View of sky night in our place

Beautiful sky might be dictated by the pollutants in our atmosphere which break up the light spectrum into those colors.

Image 4- The sunset view over the street

Pollutants such as sulfur dioxide can create a green and yellow sky, and nitrogen dioxide could make sky to be a reddish-orange color.

Image 5- The sky view over our home.

How about sky colors in your areas?

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The Life Cycle of Monarch Butterfly - Nature 95

We just observe 3 stages development (metamorphosis) of Monarch butterfly in nature, they are: eggs, larvae (caterpillar) and pupa (chrysalis).

Image 1- Butterfly eggs, attached on the leaf

Summer is a monarch butterfly mating season; the female produces up to 500 eggs in one season.

Eggs need 4 days for hatching, but no more than 20% will hatch, due to several factors, include predators, parasites, climate, and even pesticides.

Insects are main predators of Monarch butterfly eggs; other predators are spiders and birds. 

Larvae (caterpillar) stage is about 10 to 14 days in normal condition of summer temperature and available of foods.

Image 2- Larvae (caterpillar), crawling on the leaf

Caterpillar then transform to Pupa stage. Pupa needs at least 15 days to transform to be adult butterfly. Then, butterfly ready to fly and start new life cycle.

Image 3- The pupa stage of Monarch butterfly.

Have you seen these 3 stages of Monarch butterfly metamorphosis in nature?

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Spicy Food and Alzheimer's Disease – Part 1 - Alzheimer's 14

Chili pepper is used the most for flavoring in many cuisine in the worldwide. It is about three quarters (75%) of population in this word using any kind of chili.

Image 1- Spicy food.

This substance will add flavor, heat and even complicity to foods. Chili peppers might be applied in a variety of ways. In the market, chili peppers could be fresh, dried and powdered.

Surprisingly, there are more than 200 chemical compounds in the pepper, including capsaicin.

Capsaicin is the component that has responsible for “spicy” taste. This is a chemical irritant which attached to a receptor on our tongue. The more capsaicin compound in the chili, so the chili will be spicier.

Image 2- Chilies in the market

Beside to give extra flavors, there are many studies about benefit capsaicin of the chili peppers:

- relieve abdominal pain or gastrointestinal pain.
- increase saliva, reduce bloating, reduce cold, and weight loss
- relieve joint pain and effective agent as anticancer.

Image 3- Food, just for illustration

# To be continued to part 2

## Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Could Avocado Reduce Metabolic Syndrome? - Part 1 – Healthy Life 21

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The Five-spotted Hawkmoth Caterpillar - Nature 94

We observed a big caterpillar in one of our tomatoes plants this morning. The caterpillar eats a lot of the tomato plant’s leaves.

Image 1- A big caterpillar on tomato's leaves

The caterpillar is a quite big, the length size might be 3 inches or 7.6 cm. The color is green with stripes, and a black horn on the tail.

Based on the GoogleID, this caterpillar belongs to the five-spotted hawkmoth caterpillar or also called as a tomato hornworm.

It is said that the caterpillar is commonly seen in the garden. In addition to tomatoes. It loves peppers and potatoes leaves.

Unfortunately, this caterpillar might be a plant pest. It is because it could consume great number of leaves.

Image 2- A green stripes caterpillar

In case of tomatoes, the five-spotted hawkmoth caterpillars can also destroy tomato fruit by boring into the fruit.

Image 3- The caterpillar consumed a lot.

When getting larger and larger at last stage devolvement, the caterpillar could eat an entire tomato plant within minutes.

Image 4- A caterpillar is moving under tomato branches.

Have you ever seen this kind of caterpillar?

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Are Buff Orpington Chickens Excellent Pets? - Nature 93

 We posted a rooster on the run at our neighborhood:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : A Rooster on the Run - Nature 90

Image 1- A Buff Orpington hen

Many people have a Buff Orpington as a pet with some reasons, among them are its gentle temperament, low maintenance breeding and well survive in the variety of weather conditions.

Other reasons include:

1) Produce a quite number of eggs. The hen could produce up to 200 brown eggs per year. So, good choice for eggs in addition to the pet.

2) Beautiful chicken. It is good to add the bird to our backyard.  The Buff Orpington makes yard more beautiful.

they can add a touch of beauty to your backyard.

Image 2- A Buff Orpington loves to play.

We need to provide the hen with a coop and plenty of space to forage and roam. The Buff Orpington breeding needs high quality diet which contain high calcium and protein. 

Image 3- Chickens, just illustration

Do you know about the Buff Orpington breeding?

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