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Summary: What is it with those spurs? Join Kiersten as she takes a closer look at Screamer spurs.   For my hearing impaired followers, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes:  “On the Spurs On Birds' Wings,” by R. L. Rand. The Wilson Bulletin, June 1954, Vol. 66, No. 2. Birds of the World: https://birdsoftheworld.org Screamers: https://animaldiversity.org Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. The fifth episode of Screamers is the beginning of a few focused on anatomy. We will start off with the fifth thing I like about Screamers, their spurs. The spurs on the wings of these birds certainly set them apart from their closest relatives; ducks, geese, and swans. These little anatomical gems have been fascinating ornithologists for years. I found a paper published in 1954 in the Wilson Bulletin titled “On the Spurs of Birds' Wings.” The author, A.L. Rand, describes the spurs of all the Screamers in decent detail. Rand used specimens at the Chicago Natural History Museum for his study. What he found, I have to admit, was quite fascinating and for a paper written in 1954, it was fairly easy to read and understand. I've read a lot of scientific papers in my day and this one was a delight.  The close up inspection that Rand gave the three Screamer species revealed some interesting details. Let's talk about these details. All species of Screamer have two spurs. These spurs are attached to the metacarpals of the wing, as we have established in past episodes. The first spur, the larger one, is located on the process of metacarpal 1. The process on this metacarpal is used for attachment of the extensor muscles. The second spur is on the distal end of metacarpal 2.   These spurs are described by Rand as follows, “conspicuous, stout, smoothly tapering, sharp spurs with a slight radial curve.” End quote. The spurs are found on both wings, so Screamers have four spurs. The spurs are made up of a horny material on top of a bone center. The horny material is keratin. Upon close inspection, the spurs of the Screamers showed fine lines around the base of the spurs indicating growth in layers. One specimen had three separate bands which may indicate annual growth. At one time is was thought that the spur could be used to determine age of the bird through an annual molt, but there isn't any evidence that this holds true. Next, let's look at each species spurs a bit closer. The following numbers are based on the specimens that Rand looked at in the Chicago Natural History Museum, but on average they seem to hold up over time. Anhima cornuta, the Horned Screamer, spur is triangular in cross section. The spur curves toward the body. All the corners are sharp including the tip. The length of the first spur on the male is 58-61mm and the second spur is 15-16mm. Female spurs are smaller with a length of 50-55mm for the first spur and 11-17mm for the second spur. Chauna torquata, the Southern Screamer, spur is nearly oval in cross section but has a sharp-edged flange near the proximal edge resembling the triangular spur of the Horned Screamer. The length of the male's first spur is 30-47mm while the second spur is 13-20mm. The female's first spur is 35-45mm and the second is 15-17mm.  Chauna chavaria, the Northern Screamer, spur is smoothly oval in cross-section and is sharp only at the tip. The male's first spur is 28mm and the second super measures 18mm. The female's first spur is 30mm and the second spur is 18mm.  Typically the male's spurs are longer than females, even though this last example shows the opposite, we have to remember that Rand was looking at only a few specimens at one museum for this paper.  Current research indicates that Screamers develop the outer portion of the spur at one year of age. Fledglings do not have the outer protrusion of the spur. So what do they use this spur for? The fact that they don't develop them until they are on their own indicates that they use them for protection or defense. Screamers have been seen in the wild using the spurs during ma ting season to win the right to court a female. Couples are also fiercely defensive of their nests and have been seen using the spurs as weapons against intruders, both intraspecies, other Screamers, and interspecies, anything else dumb enough to come near a Screamers nest. So, how and why did Screamers develop these spurs in the first place. Wing spurs occur in other bird species besides, Screamers. Yep, that's right, other bird out there have wing spurs. Most of them are smaller birds than Screamers and have only one spur per wing. Well developed wing spurs actually occur in Family Anhimidae: these are our Screamers, in Family Anatidae (ducks and geese): only 2 species out of the 144 species and they have only one spur, Family Jacanidae (jacanas): only 2 out of 7 species and they have only one spur, and Family Charadriidae (plovers): only 10 out of 25 species and they have one spur.   The spur on most species is an extension of modification of the process of metacarpal 1 with serves as the attachment area for the extensor muscles. If you feel this bone in almost any species of bird you can feel a point or knob, so all species had the potential to develop a spur. It varies depending on the flight needs of different species. So why did some birds develop this spur? If we look at the species that have spurs in modern times, most of them nest on the ground, and spend a lot of thier lives on the ground in water or on water. To successfully protect your mate and young you may depend on using your wings as weapons to fight off predators. When these species of bird did that, the presence of this modified bone increased their survival rates, so this could be the explanation for the evolution of the spur in these species. The bone was playing double duty, a base for the muscle attachment and a useful weapon. I think this is just another instance of nature making so much sense. Man, nature is wicked cool. I hope you were surprised by this close up look at Screamer's spurs because it is my fifth favorite thing about them. If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.  Join me next week for another exciting episode about Screamers.        (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Summary: Do Screamers hang out with other Screamers? That depend on the specs. Join Kiersten to find out a little about the social structure of each species of Screamer.   For my hearing impaired followers, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes: “Aspects of the Biology of the Horned Screamer in Southwestern Colombia,” by Luis G. Naranjo. The Wilson Bulletin, Vol. 98, No. 2 (June, 1986, pp. 243-256 “Mortality of four captive-born crested screamer chicks (Chauan torquata)”, by Lana Fox, Alexis Moreno, and Gregory Bradley. Open Veterinary Journal, 2019 Apr 28:;9(2):120-125. Doi:10.4314/ovj.v9i2.5 Screamers: https://animaldiversity.org Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. This is episode four of screamers and the fourth thing I like about Screamers is their social structure. As we have learned previously, there are three species of screamers. Each species is found in a different range of South America, but they reside in similar habitats and eat similar diets. Their coloration is slightly different which does help in identification once you have those differences memorized. Interestingly these three species that are alike is so many ways have different social structures. Let's start off with the Northern Screamer, also known as the Black-necked Screamer, Chauna chavaria, This screamer is found across northern Columbia from the Atrato River and Magdalena River valleys east into the Lake Maracaibo area of Venezuela. They are most often found near water in habitats such as swamps, marshes, lagoons, riverbanks, and seasonally flooded river plains. They are a non-migratory species, so remain in the same area year round. The social structure of the Northern Screamer seems to revolve around the mated pair. Once a pair bond is established, that couple remains together and defends a territory year around. The pair mates for life or an extended period of time. Since they are a bit anti-social when it comes to entertaining other Northern Screamer neighbors, their social structure is fairly simple. They live in small familial groups consisting of the mated pair and their offspring.  I found very few research papers doing in-depth studies into this species social structure but based on other species that remain in familial groups, once the offspring are old enough to reproduce they leave the parents' territory to find their own mate and establish their own territory, or are run off by the parents to find their own mate and establish their own territory. An educated guess dictates that this is the behavior the Northern Screamers follow, as well. To remain genetically diverse and produce healthy offspring, you gotta leave home. Let's travel south and visit with the Southern Screamer, also known as the Crested Screamer, Chauna torquata. They are found from the eastern half of Bolivia south into Argentina as far as Buenos Ares Province and east through Paraguay into south western Brazil and Uruguay.  Southern Screamers prefer tropical and subtropical wetlands including lakes, marshes, and flooded meadows with scattered trees. They are permanent residents wherever they are found. The social structure of the Southern Screamer varies depending on the season. During breeding season, mated pairs are extremely territorial and will defend their established area fiercelyincluding using the spurs on their wings to fight off intruding screamers or other animals. In the off season, Southern  Screamers are the most gregarious of all the screamer species. They gather together in groups of up to 1500 individuals. This species seems to have the closest relationship to humans. These large groups are often seen foraging near livestock. This may have something to do with them gathering in larger groups. It may be a safety in numbers situation, or it could simply be an abundance of resources available in their region. Whatever the reason, the Southern Screamer is definitely the most gregarious screamer of all three species. The third species of screamer is the Horned Screamer, Anhima cornuta. The range of the Horned Screamer is much larger than our other two species and includes the Amazonian regions of Venezuela, to the eastern llanos of Columbia, to eastern Bolivia and south-central Brazil. Habitat frequented by these birds include tropical lowland freshwater areas such as lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, and swamps. Just like the other screamer species, Horned Screamers are permanent residents of their ranges and appear to defend territories year round. Mated pairs will bond for life and both parties participate in defending the territory. Some studies indicate that Horned Screamers live in smaller groups for longer periods of time than other species. These groups may not be related because mated males have been seen driving off their male offspring when they tried to court the female mate, which is the juvenile's mother.  Mated pairs that remain in the same territory do not nest near each other so as not to encroach on each others resources, but sharing the responsibility of defending a larger territory can be advantageous to their survival.  I find it so interesting that three species of bird that are so similar in almost all aspects of their lives can have such diverse social structures. This episode is a bit shorter than most but we have a lot more to learn about the social structure of all the Screamer species. I hope someone out there listening to this podcast is inspired to jump into this subject so we can all learn more about the social structure of this species because it's my fourth favorite thing about screamers. If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.  Join me next week for another exciting episode about Screamers.        (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Summary: How do Screamers make more Screamers? Join Kiersten to find out about Screamer reproduction.    For my hearing impaired followers, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes:  Screamers: https://animaldiversity.org Ornithology 3rd Edition by Frank B. Gill The Most Perfect Thing: Inside (and Outside) a Bird's Egg by Tim Birkhead Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. Welcome to the third episode of Screamers. The third thing I like about Screamers is how they make new Screamers. Let's talk about reproduction. Since this is the first bird we've discussed, I'm going to start off with a very basic introduction to bird egg anatomy and overall bird reproduction. Then we'll look at individual Screamers.  Basic egg anatomy explains how chicks can actually survive inside what looks like a solid capsule. I know I used to wonder how baby birds could live and grow inside a hard shelled egg. What I'm going to walk you through next is a basic egg anatomy lesson. To learn more in depth, I recommend Tim Birkhead's book The Most Perfect Thing. He describes the avian egg masterfully and it is an enjoyable read.  The avian egg consists of three main layers, the hard outer shell, the albumen (egg whites), and the yolk (the yellow center). In a fertilized egg, not the ones we eat for breakfast, the embryo will start off in a pocket in the yolk. As the embryo grows the yolk decreases. There are other layers, capillaries, and veins throughout the the egg connecting the chick to food (the yolk), removing its waste, and exchanging gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide.  The albumen is the chick's water supply and consists of water and proteins. It also acts as a shock absorber protecting the embryo from movement aa well as protecting it from drastic temperature changes. Sounds cozy! Sounds like nature at its most amazing.  The outer shell protects the chick from getting squished when mom and dad incubate, it is permeable to allow exchange of gases. There are teeny-tiny holes that allow oxygen in and carbon dioxide out. That is the key to a chicks survival, a sturdy out protective shell that is flexible enough to let thing in and out. Seriously, bird eggs really are the most perfect thing nature has ever created. Where do bird eggs come from? Well, from inside the female. It begins in the ovary where a ovum waits to be released into the oviduct. As it travels through this structure, it gathers all the layers it needs around the ovum or fertilized embryo to result in a successfully laid egg. There are ‘pitstops' along the journey through the oviduct where the egg gathers each layer, approximately three until the eggs arrives at the cloaca ready to be laid. This process can take as little as 24 hours or up to a week. Birds lay only one egg at a time. They can lay one to several eggs in a clutch and this depends on the species of bird and the resources available to them during breeding season.  Now that we have a very rudimentary understanding of egg production let's take a trip out to the field and find out how Screamers reproduce. Horned Screamers, Anhima cornuta, pair for life or at least for several years. The male gets the female's attention with a variety of courtship behaviors. Now, males will fight each other for the right to court a female and they use the spurs on their wings as weapons. Once the males has won the right to court the female, one courtship behavior consists of head-bobbing. Both partners will participate in this activity. One partner will approach the other and they will both stretch their necks out and bob their heads up and down one to three times. To confirm their pair bond, preening of each other's head and neck feathers will commence and this behavior will continue throughout the year and throughout their relationship.  Before copulation, the male walks around the female with his beak pressed down against his inflated crop. His neck is retracted and his dorsal feathers are standing up. After he circles her, he will bow his head 1 to 3 times in front of the female. If she accepts copulation will occur and take only about ten seconds. Seems like a lot of work for just ten seconds but I applaud him for his courteous behavior.  Horned Screamers breed year round with no clearly defined breeding season that we are aware of at this time. They nest on the ground with both partners helping build the nest. It is typically located in or near marshy vegetation by shallow water. It will be 8 to 10 cm deep and made of reeds and sticks. A female will lay 2 to 8 smooth yellowish-white eggs and both parents will share in the incubation duties. Females will typically sit on the eggs during the day and males at night. Young are precocial and can walk as soon as they hatch. They will follow their parents fro 60 to 75 days learning what to eat and how to navigate the world. Southern Screamers, Chauna torquata, also create long term pair bonds. Males will fight each other for the opportunity to attract mates using their wing spurs like the Horned Screamer. Once pair bonds are created, the partners will duet together solidifying their pair bond. They will continue these duets reaffirming their bond throughout their relationship. Southern Screamers will mate from July to December. They create nests similar to Horned Screamers and both parents share all the parental duties until the chicks are on their own. Chicks are precocial after hatching and are running around following the parents until about 13 weeks.  Northern Screamers, Chauna chavaria, also maintain long lived pair bonds. During the breeding season males will call loudly to proclaim territory and these territories will be protected against other animals all year long. Males and females will duet together to establish their pair bond. They will also preen each other. During courtship displays, Northern Screamers walk side by side with their heads almost touching their backs. They produce low, coarse sounds as they walk.  Copulation occurs on the ground. Nests are similar to the other two species of screamer and is often in shallow water or next to the water. Peak egg laying season is October through November but breeding may happen year round. Females will lay 3 to 5 yellow-white eggs with a granulated shell. Both parents incubate the eggs and watch after the young once they hatch. Northern Screamer chicks are also precocial. They spend a lot of time in the water just after hatching to protect the chicks. The chicks will fledge from the protection of their parents at about 14 to 15 weeks.  Northern Screamers are solitary nesters but will form loose groups outside of breeding season. Screamers have very similar reproductive behaviors with slight differences that make each species unique. I hope you enjoyed this episode because my third favorite thing about Screamers is how they make baby Screamers. If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.  Join me next we for another exciting episode about Screamers.        (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Summary: There are three species of Screamers. Join Kiersten to meet each one of them in more detail.   For my hearing impaired followers, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes:  Screamers: https://animaldiversity.org Encyclopedia of Life: https://eol.org Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. This is the second episode of Screamers. I hope you enjoyed the introductory episode about this unknown animal. The second thing I like about Screamers is that there are three species of this bird. Let's take a closer look at each species. Last week, I quickly mentioned the three species of screamer and gave an all encompassing description of this group. Today we will look at each species similarities and differences a bit closer. Let's start off with the Northern Screamer, Chauna chavaria. The Northern Screamer is 30 to 36 inches or 76 to 91 cm long. They have a stout body with a disproportionately small head. As I said in the first episode, they have little, tiny heads compared to their body. Sexes have the same coloration, so both males and females look alike. Adults have a gray crown that begins at the beak and ends just beneath the eye. Longer dark gray to black feathers stick out behind the head a bit like a short ponytail. White feathers spread from under the chin and sweep across the face just below the line of gray crown feather. The long, gangly neck is covered in shorter black feathers giving the appearance of a shaved neck. Fuller gray fathers cover the rest of the body from the base of the neck to the base of the legs. Bare, red skin covers the eye area from the beak to directly behind the eye. Adult beaks are gray and their legs are orange with hefty, turkey like feet that have slight webbing between the toes. Juveniles are duller in coloration. All three species of screamer have sharp spurs on their wings at the manus, which is the distal portion of their forelimb.  The Northern Screamer is also known as the Black-necked Screamer. From the description I just provided, I can see why. The northern part of their name comes from there distribution in South America. This screamer is found across northern Columbia from the Atrato River and Magdalena River valleys east into the Lake Maracaibo area of Venezuela.  They are most often found near water in habitats such as swamps, marshes, lagoons, riverbanks, and seasonally flooded river plains. They are a non-migratory species, so remain in the same area year round. Movement within that region is not uncommon in the search of food and searching for mates and appropriate territories by juveniles and non-breeding adults. The Northern Screamer eats leaves, stems, and roots of aquatic plants. They usually graze like geese and can sometimes be seen doing this is loose flocks.  Northern Screamers are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature. They were last assessed in February of 2023 with a stable population numbering 60,000-100,000 mature individuals.  Species number two, I am covering the species in random order so no importance is placed on which I speak about first, second, or last, the Southern Screamer, Chauna torquata.  The Southern Screamer is also 30 to 36 inches or 76 to 91 cm long. They have a stout body with a disproportionately small head. This will be the same for all three species. The coloration differs from the Northern Screamer in slight ways, but once you know what to look for it is quite obvious. The Southern Screamer has a gray face from the crown of the head to an inch below the chin. They have the crest feathers sticking out from the base of the skull just like the Northern Screamer. The coloration on the neck of the Southern Screamer begins with one stripe of white feathers below the gray face and a stripe of black below the white feathers, The white and black feathers ring the neck like a collar. Below the black stripe the rest of the body is covered in gray feathers. The beak is gray and bare, red skin covers a small area on the face from the beak to just behind the eye, similar to the Northern Screamer. Their legs are orange with hefty, turkey like feet with a small potion of webbing between the toes. And, of course, they have the sharp spurs on the manus. Southern Screamers are also found in South America but south of the Northern Screamer's range, which explains the name. They are found from the eastern half of Bolivia south into Argentina as far as Buenos Ares Province and east through Paraguay into south western Brazil and Uruguay.  They prefer tropical and subtropical wetlands including lakes, marshes, and flooded meadows with scattered trees. They are permanent residents wherever they are found, but seasonal changes documented in a portion of their range suggests local movement. They are also herbivores and typically eat leaves, stems, and seeds of aquatic plants. They also graze like geese, but have been seen digging for food. Flocks of up to 100 individuals may forage together in non-breeding seasons. Southern Screamers are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. They were last assessed in July of 2024 with a stable population numbering 66,700-667,000 mature individuals.  The last species of Screamer is the Horned Screamer, Anhima cornuta. Once again we start off with a large bodied bird 30 to 36 inches or 76 to 91 cm long. They also have the typical small head of other screamers. The coloration differs from the other two. Horned screamer are gray over the majority of their body with white speckles on the crown, throat and wing coverts, those are the feathers on the top of the wing. The belly is white. Their beak is gray and they have the typical thick legs and slightly webbed feet, but their legs are gray not orange. They also have the spurs on the manus. Their is one striking difference between this screamer and its other two cousins and that is the long thin horn-like projection on the top of its head. This is where the name Horned Screamer comes from.  This “horn” typically measure 5 inches or 15 cm in length and shoots forward in an arch over the front of the head. It is very thin, so don't think of it like a goat horn, think of it more like a flimsy antenna. It is made of cartilage and we're not currently sure what its purpose is in the bird's life. The range of the Horned Screamer is much larger than our other two species and includes the Amazonian regions of Venezuela, to the eastern llanos of Columbia, to eastern Bolivia and south-central Brazil.  Habitat frequented by these birds include tropical lowland freshwater areas such as lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, and swamps. They are also herbivores eating leaves, stems, and seeds of plants. They do like grasses and sedges along water.  They are permanent residents and groups of 5 to 10 will often live together defending a territory from other screamers.  Horned Screamers are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. They were last assessed in July of 2024 with a stable population numbering 16,700 to 66,700 mature individuals.  That's it for episode two of Screamers. I hope this deep dive into these three species has been an interesting ten minutes for you because my second favorite thing about Screamers is their three species.  If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.  Join me next we for another exciting episode about screamers.        (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Maurice Ravel was born 150 years ago, on March 7, 1875, and he is the subject of numerous tributes this season. Bertrand Chamayou recorded the complete piano works ten years ago for Erato ('No one who loves French music or exquisite piano-playing will want to miss this' wrote Patrick Rucker in Gramophone), a set that incidentally has just been released on LP. So, by way of a supplement, he has curated a programme that weaves a handful of Ravel transcriptions together with tributes and memorials by other composers. James Jolly went to visit Bertrand at his home in Paris this week to talk about the new album, but also to discuss Ravel's place in the pianist's repertoire.  This Gramophone Podcast is given in association with Wigmore Hall

Summary: What's all that racket? Could it be a Screamer? Join Kiersten to find out. Show Notes:  Screamers: https://animaldiversity.org Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   For my hearing impaired followers, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops)   Kiersten - Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… This is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  My name is Kiersten and I have a Master's Degree in Animal Behavior and did my thesis on the breeding behavior of the Tri-colored bat. I was a zookeeper for many years and have worked with all sorts of animals from Aba Aba fish to tigers to ravens to domesticated dogs and so many more in between. Many of those years were spent in education programs and the most important lesson I learned was that the more information someone has about a particular animal the less they fear them. The less they fear them the more they crave information about them and before you know it you've become an advocate for that misunderstood animal. This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. This is episode one of the new series on Screamers. The first thing I like about Screamers is that they are birds. Yes, that's right screamers are birds. Screamers are not people who run around screaming, I mean technically yes, but that is a subject for a different podcast all together, not Ten Things I Like About… I can't believe I have created over 100 episodes and this is the first time I‘ve talked about a bird. It is a great bird to start with, though. We'll have lots of twists and turns with this little known but seriously interesting bird. First, we'll start at the beginning. What is a screamer? We have established that it is a bird but there many, many birds out there so I'll narrow it down for you. Here comes the taxonomy: (For those of you just joining this podcast, taxonomy is the method that scientists use to classify and differentiate between species of living organisms. It consists of various group names to help make sure we're all taking about the same animal, plant, or invertebrate.) The taxonomy of screamers is a follows:  Kingdom: Animalia ( they are animals) Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata (they have an internal skeleton) Class: Aves (birds) Order: Anseriformes (this order includes the screamers as well as ducks, geese, and swans) Family: Anhimidae Species: There are three species of screamer. The Horned Screamer, Anhima cornuta, the Southern Screamer, Chauna torquata, and the Northern Screamer, Chauna chavaria.  All three species of screamers look similar. They are a large birds at 27 to 36 in or 71 to 92 cm, weighing about 3100 grams, with a wingspan of 5.5 feet or  1.7 meters. That is a decently big bird. They are classified with other waterfowl, ducks, geese, and swans, so you may be imagining a goose-like bird, but here is one of our first twists.  Screamers look more like a turkey than a goose. They have a large body with a short neck and tiny head, especially compared to their body. They have a hooked beak, more like a bird of prey than a duck. Their legs are thick and stocky, and they have very little webbing between their toes. Doesn't sound much like a duck at all! So why are ducks and screamers classified in the same order? Genetic testing and cladistics science shows them as close relatives to ducks, geese, and swans, so they share an order but are in separate families.  Screamers are found in wetland areas of South America such as swamps, marshes, lagoons, and lakes, as well as open savannas and meadows, and in the floodplains of moist tropical forests. They are most often found around water and they can swim, but they do not spend as much time in the water as ducks and geese. Another strange twist with screamers is the long spurs they have on their wings. Yes, long spurs on their wings. There  are two large, curved spurs attached to the elbow on each wing of the screamer. The larger one is at the joint and a smaller one is just beneath that. They look like terrible claws they use to rip open prey animals or fight off predators, but they tend to use them only during intraspecies dominance fights at breeding season.  This segues us into twist number three, screamers are herbivores. They have short, hooked beaks like raptors and scary spurs on their wings like a predator, but they eat leaves, stems, flowers, and roots of aquatic vegetation. They may throw in a few seeds, insects, and arthropods, but no carnivorous hunting. This is not what you expect when you look at a picture of this bird. I have saved the most interesting tidbit for last. Why are they called screamers? Well, for once the name of an animal is actually perfect because screamers scream. They make a call that sounds a bit like a trumpet gone bad and they make it often. So, screamers are called screamers because they scream.  In the upcoming episodes we will dive into the topic of screamers in more detail. I hope that this overview of our next unknown animal has gotten you excited about this new series because my first favorite thing about Screamers is that they are birds. If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.  Join me next we for another exciting episode about  screamers.        (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Immerse yourself in the serene energy of River of Focus, a soundscape designed to enhance concentration, mental clarity, and relaxation. This episode blends soft ambient piano melodies with the gentle sounds of a flowing mountain stream, creating a peaceful yet invigorating atmosphere. Infused with 15 Hz beta wave binaural beats, this soundscape is perfect for studying, working, reading, or engaging in mindful meditation, helping you stay sharp while keeping stress at bay.

Summary: Bat conservation is the subject of the final episode of the series on bats. Join Kiersten as she talks about what is going on to help bats.    For my hearing impaired followers, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes: Books: “Bats in Question: A Smithsonian Answer Book,” by Don E. Wilson “America's Neighborhood Bats,” by Merlin Tuttle “The Bats of Europe and north America,” by Wilfried Schooner and Eckard Grimmberger “Bats: A World of Science and Mystery,” by M. Brock Fenton and Nancy B. Simmons “The Secret Lives of Bats,” by Merlin Tuttle Websites: Merlin Tuttle Bat Conservation: https://merlintuttle.org Bat Conservation International: https://www.batcon.org EUROBATS: https://unric.org BatLife Europe: https://www.batlife-europe.info Podcasts: BatChat from Bat Conservation Trust in the UK Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. Sadly, this is the last episode of bats. I've had a ton of fun writing and recording these episodes. One of my favorite things to talk about is bats and I absolutely love educating people about bats. The tenth thing I like about bats is the conservation plans that we have developed to help them survive everything the world throws at them. All bats around the world are under threat. Some are classified as endangered and most populations are in decline. But there are people out there, like myself and you, fabulous listeners, that are trying to make the future of bats bright. Some of the things bats are fighting against include habitat destruction. Forested habitats across the globe are being cut down for human use. Building houses, strip malls, converting forest to grazing land, and mining caves for minerals are all devastating threats to bat populations. Shifting temperatures is also something impacting bats. The timing of the emergence of insects with the timing of the emergence of insectivorous bats from hibernation needs to be spot on, but with the altered temperatures around the world, that timing has shifted. Insects are emerging earlier because of warming winters and the bats are missing the window. This can negatively impact bats that migrate long distances to return to nursery sites where they raise their pups. Even nectar eating bats are impacted by the warmer temperatures because plants are blooming earlier and earlier. Those that follow the blooming flowers are getting caught in end of winter freezes that they are not physiologically equipped to deal sometimes resulting in death. Disease is another threat to bats. Currently in the United States insectivorous cave dwelling bats are combating a disease called White-nose syndrome. This disease is caused by a fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans or Pd, that loves cool, damp places. Sound like a bat hibernaculum? Exactly. The spores of the fungus get on the face of hibernating bats and digs into the skin there. It blooms into a white fluffy structure, hence the name white-nose syndrome. The fungus itself does not kill the bats, but it irritates the bats rousing hem from sleep too often during their hibernation causing dehydration resulting in death.  We now know that this fungus came from Europe on the shoes of some spelunkers. Equipment was not cleaned properly before entering a cave here in the United States, so the spores were spread. It first appeared in caves in New York State and has now spread across all of the Eastern US and is making its way across the Midwest. It can survive in any cave that stays cooler all year round. When this arrived in 2006 it hit three species the hardest, the Little Brown Bat, Northern Long-eared Bat, and Tri-colored Bat. Their populations declined 90%. This is one of the reasons I chose the topic of my Master's thesis. There is very little we can do to help bats combat this disease, but there is some hope that they can survive this on their own. Bat populations in Britain and surrounding countries have been in decline for much longer than those in the United States. When White-nose syndrome was traced back to the spelunkers that had just returned from a European caving trip, scientists on both continents began to collaborate and share notes. In an effort to find a cure for W hite-nose syndrome, they discovered that the bats in England have antibodies in their system that targets Pd. The bats living in Europe today survived a previous infection of this fungus. Their populations were drastically cut, but they pulled through. Recent studies have shown that some bats in the US infected by this fungus are beginning to survive hibernation and are showing antibodies for Pd. One type of bat has actually increased in population due to human activities and that is the Vampire bats. Because more livestock has been  introduced to South America due to increased human populations and the desire for more beef, vampire bats, especially Desmodus rotundus, the Common Vampire Bat's populations have increased. This is the species of bat that relies on mammal blood. Yeah bats! That's what I have to say and I'm sure you agree, but their numbers have exceeded an healthy ecosystem population. So, once again human activity has put a bat species at risk. Vampire bats have become a nuisance and are spreading diseases more readily between people and cattle.  So extermination became the way to handle the problem, but the manner in which people where killing the vampire bats was also killing every other species of bats. It was a free for all, kill all the bats you see. Merlin Tuttle has been studying bats for over sixty years and he has been touting good PR for bats since he's been able to take pictures of them. So he decided to jump into the trouble with vampire bats. His love of bats drove him to find a way to save all the species. To do that he knew he'd have to win over the people who lived with the vampire bats. He and a local scientist and conservationist developed away to help control the vampire bat population without impacting the other species of bats that live in the region. It's working, people feel empowered by their options and now understand that not all bats are vampire bats. Some bats need to be protected. As hard as it is for me to support anything that kills any species of bat, I admire Merlin Tuttle's path to conservation. Win friends, not battles.  Both human sprawl and disease are devastating to bats, but one of the biggest threats to bats is fear. Those of you that have listened to this whole series and those of you that listened to this series because you have an interest in bats, know that fear of bats is real. I certainly understand it. These are nocturnal animals that swoop out of the dark and can frighten you. Myths abound about their behaviors and many of these myths are untrue. False information can lead to fear and fear leads to very bad things for bats.  How can we help bats? The first thing that you can do today, is spread the truth about bats. Tell everyone you know and those you're standing in line with at the grocery store the truth about bats. Dispelling fear goes a long way to protecting current and future bat populations. Use the information you've learned in the series to change people's minds about these small creatures.  You can also join organizations such as Merlin Tuttle Bat Conservation, or Bat Conservation International, both of these organizations are based in the United States but have programs that help bat conservation around the world. EUROBATS and BatLife Europe are two organizations that strive to protect bats and conserve vital habitat for bats in Europe. A bit of online sleuthing will help you find a bat conservation organization near you. I will also post some of my favorite books about bats, podcasts, and websites in this episodes show notes. I can't say how much fun this series was for me to write and post. I'm so happy you all joined me for Bats. They are such misunderstood animals and they deserve all the good PR we can give them. My tenth favorite thing about bats is all the conservation efforts we have developed to protect these amazing animals. If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.    Join me in two weeks for the beginning of a new series about Screamers.    (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Summary: Join Kiersten as she lays out some of the coolest facts about bats!   For my hearing impaired followers, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes:  https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work?united-states/arizona/stories-in-arizona/top-10-bat-facts/ https://www.doi.gov/blog/13-facts-about-bats https://batcon.org Bat honking link: http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/136292 Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. This is the ninth episode of Bats and if I haven't convinced you that they are some of the most amazing creatures on the planet yet, this episode will surely do that. The ninth thing I like about bats is all the cool facts about them.  Some cool bat facts have been sprinkled throughout the other episodes but it never hurts to talk about fun facts again!  Such as…There are 1400 bat species. That's one thousand four hundred species of bat. They make up 1/5 of all mammals. And they range in size from one of the smallest mammals on the planet, the Bumblebee Bat that weighs only as much as a US penny, to the Flying Foxes that can have a wingspan of six feet! That's three cool facts in one go. It's always a party when you're talking about bats. Bats are found on ever single continent including most islands, expect Antarctica. That's pretty cool. Very few animals, outside of humans, are found on so many bodies of land. Remarkably, bats have been around in Europe, North America, South America, India, and Australia for millions of years. Bats show up in the fossil record dating back to the Early Eocene which is roughly 47.5 to 55 million years ago. That's well before humans existed. And…when we study these fossils, they show that bats have changed very little in structure from that time. When animals change very little from the time of their appearance in the fossil record  to today that means they are pretty close to evolutionarily perfect. I think that's very cool.  We also know from studying these fossils that bats have been using echolocation from the beginning. Bats have the most well developed echolocation system of any animal, that we are currently aware, of course. Which is a cool fact in and of itself, but it takes it to a whole other level knowing they have been echolocating for millions of years. Bats are the only mammal capable of true flight. Yes, we have flying squirrels but they can only glide. Bats flap their wings to propel them through the air. Similarly to birds, bats can create sustained flight. While we are discussing flight, the Mexican free-tailed Bat is the fastest bat in flight. They are able to reach speeds of 100 mph. That's fast! Speaking of Mexican Free-tailed Bats, the colony that lives in Bracken Cave in Texas has approximately 15 million individuals making it the largest known bat colony on Earth, as well as the largest concentration of mammals on Earth. The cool facts never end with bats! Let's talk life expectancy. Typically the smaller an animal the shorter the life span. For example, if you have a pet mouse or rat, they typically live a year to two years, where as your dog or cat can live 10 to 15 years. It's just physics, but bats break this rule. Most of them are fairly small and on average they can live 20 years. Some species, such as the Little Brown Bat, can live 30 years. The oldest bat, a Brandt's Bat which is an insectivorous bat, was discovered in 2006 flying wild in Siberia and it was 41 years old!  We know the age because this bat was tagged and had a record of lifespan recorded by scientists. That is cool! Some male bats got milk! The male Dyak's Fruit Bat is able to feed their young from their own mammary glands. It is currently the only known example of natural paternal lactation. Scientists don't know why. What's also interesting in this species is that the dads actually have a role in raising their young. That is not common throughout bat species. Dyak's Fruit Bat is found on the Sunda Shelf of Southeast Asia. All bats have belly buttons! Since they are mammals, they are born live and are connected to mom through an umbilical cord during gestation. Just like us, actually just like almost all mammals. Not all mammals will retain a belly button after the umbilical cord falls off, bats do. Just like humans. That's cool! Female bats can get pregnant whenever they want! Some species of female bats are capable of retaining sperm in their reproductive tract until conditions are right to get pregnant. Mating will occur in fall and the female can retain the sperm in their system, delaying fertilization until spring when resources are high and success is better supported. One of the scarier things about bats is that they seem to appear out of nowhere! When they fly at night using their echolocation to hunt, they do not make sounds that the human ear can hear. It's not scary when you understand it though. But some bats make noises that we CAN hear, some bats even honk. Yep! Male Hammer-headed Fruit Bats honk to attract females during breeding season. I will leave a link in the show notes that lead you to a recording of honking bats! Bat noses can help them see! We know that bats use ultrasonic sound that they emit to hunt and navigate. This is echolocation. Some species of bats have wrinkled skin and flaps of skin called noseleaves on their face and nose that help them use their echolocation calls in various ways allowing them to multitask. They can hunt and avoid crashing into each other at the same time! Most fruit bats have long extended hooks on their wings, also called thumbs, that they use to hold on to branches and fruits, but not all fruit bats have well developed thumbs. Spix's Disk-winged Bat developed suction cups to help them cling to and climb smooth surfaces such as leaves. Take that Spider-Man! The disks are on the wings and ankles and look just like a traditional suction cup. The bats use muscles within the disks to alter the shape of the disks creating suction or release. Spix's Disk-winged Bat is found from southern Mexico to northern Brazil. This adaptation has evolved separately in two different species because there is an Old World Sucker-footed Bat that also has these suction cups, but is not related to the Spix's. How fascinating! These cool bat facts are just a sample of all the fascinating things we know about bats. I am sure we will discover so much more as we continue to study bats. My ninth favorite thing about bats is all the cool facts about them! If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.    Join me next week for another episode about bats!   (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

For my hearing impaired followers, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes: Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. There are so many myths about bats that I HAD to do a second episode. The seventh thing I like about bats is continuing to myth bust. In the last episode we covered why bats fly around our heads: not because they want to get into our hair. We talked about diseases: bats do carry disease but the odds of contracting a disease from them is slight and completely avoidable. And we talked about all bats wanting to suck are blood: completely false only one species of bat, out of all 1400 species, even drinks mammalian blood. Most of these involved Microchiroptera so let's talk about some myths that include Megachiroptera, as well as our little ones. We've all heard, if not used, the saying “Blind as a bat.”, but bats are not blind. All species of bats can see. Some can see better than others but they all have functioning eyes, as far as we know based on the species studied as of the beginning of 2025. Microchiroptera typically have tiny eyes, which may have influenced the old saying, and they do not rely heavily on sight to maneuver their way through the world. But they do use their eyes. Megachiroptera, our amazing fruit bats, have larger eyes and rely on their sight more than microbats. Most, if not all, Megabats do not use echolocation to find food and fly. Their chosen food item is not flitting around trying to make themselves a hard target. Fruit is pretty sedentary, just growing and hanging out on a branch, so Megachiroptera use their vision to find food. Their eyes are much more advanced then bats that rely on echolocation to find their prey. Some nectar eating bats also have larger, higher functioning eyes that can help them find flowers in bloom. So our first myth busted in this episode is that bats are blind. This is completely false, bats are not blind. Maybe we should rephrase and say “Blind as a Cave Fish?” Myth number two: Bats are filthy vermin. This one is also false. Bats keep themselves very clean. They are a lot like cats in that they groom themselves fastidiously. They must keep their wings clean to be able to fly. If there is too much gunk built up on that thin skin, they can't fly right.  When I was studying the Tri-colored Bat in Georgia during winter hibernation, I actually caught a few bats grooming themselves in the hibernaculum. I also did an internship with the Lubee Foundation in Florida that houses the largest colony of fruit bats in the United States. These bats spent the majority of their day grooming themselves and each other. Constant grooming also keeps them clean of parasites such as mites and ticks. A build up of these bloodsuckers can drain a bat to the point where they are too weak to hunt for food. Helping keep your neighbor free of these little pests also helps keep you free of these little pests, especially when you live in a colony. So, myth number two busted. Bats are not dirty vermin, they are very clean animals. Our third myth involves only fruit eating bats. Many people think that bats devastate fruit crops and should be exterminated to preserve farm grown produce. This is false. Bats actually help keep farmed groves healthy and productive. Fruit bats do eat fruit, of course, but they target overripe fruit. They favor the fruits that have passed that perfect ripeness and are on the edge of rotting. This is not the fruit that we want to eat and not the fruit that farmers harvest. When farmers let bats do their thing, it helps keep the groves healthy by ridding the trees of fruits that attract insects and rodents that can decimate a crop. If you keep bats from doing their jobs, then you get these pests. We actually have bats to thank for some of the fruits that we love to eat. Banana, mango, and avocado plants are all pollinated by nectar eating bats. 300 species of fruiting plants rely on bats to either pollinate them or spread their seeds. When fruit bats eat the overripe fruit they often swallow the seeds. The seeds pass through their digestive track and are deposited, with a little fecal fertilizer, far from the parent plant where they will grow into another plant.   Those of you out there that like tequila, have another reason to thank bats. Agave plants that are used to create tequila are only pollinated by nectar eating bats like the Lesser Long-nosed Bat.  The last myth is one that I talked about in the very first episode of this series. Bats are flying rodents. False! Bats are not rats with wings and the taxonomic classification that I discuss in that first episode proves that. Bats and rats are included in the same Class Mammalia but they diverge, which means they separate, at Order. Rats are classified in Order Rodentia, bats are in Order Chiroptera.  All rodents are in a separate order from bats and as scientific processes for collecting data have advanced over the years, each test, including DNA, reinforces the fact that bats and rats are not related outside of them both being vertebrate mammals.  This is a wide spread myth from all over the world and can be seen in some of the names used for bats on other languages other than English, for example. Letushiya meesh is the Russian name for bats which translates to “flying mouse”. But, listeners, you now know the truth about whether bats are rodents. They are not rats, mice, or any other kind of rodent. Well that covers most of the common myths about bats and as you can hear these animals are very misunderstood. That's why myth busting is my seventh favorite thing about bats. If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.    Join me next week for another episode about bats!   (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Seong-Jin Cho, the 30-year-old pianist and winner of the 2015 International Chopin Piano Competition, has been entrusted by Deutsche Grammophon to spearhead the company's celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great French composer, Maurice Ravel. The first release, out on January 17, contains the complete solo piano works, and the second, due on February 21, is of the two piano concertos (a live recording with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons).  Gramophone's James Jolly caught up with Seong-Jin Cho just after the pianist had performed the complete solo works in a single evening in Liechtenstein to talk about Ravel's important contribution to the piano repertoire.

Summary: Bats what to fly into your hair and suck your blood! False! In this episode Kiersten talks about some of the most common myths about bats and uncovers the truth.   For my hearing impaired followers, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes: Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. We are just halfway through bats, listeners, and am am super excited for this episode. One of my favorite things when I teach about bats is myth busting. So, the sixth thing I like about bats is breaking down and wiping away the myths that make us fear them.  As humans we are often afraid of the dark and we are definitely afraid of things we do not understand. This is a double whammy against bats. They come out at night, fly around where we can't see them, and make strange squeaky noises we don't understand. Misunderstanding leads to myths, myths lead to fear, and fear leads to bad news for bats. In this episode we're going to take a look at some of the most common myths about bats and determine what's true and what's not.  One of the oldest myths about bats is that they want to fly into your hair.  I understand where this one came from, but it one hundred percent false. Bats do not want to be in your hair. This originated from campers misinterpreting bats swooping around their heads as they were enjoying the outdoors at night. Okay, if they don't want to get into my hair, what are they doing swooping around my head? If you are outdoors, there are others creatures that are attracted to us such as mosquitos. If you are sitting by a fire, other species of insects are attracted to the heat and light. I think you see where I am going with this, the bats are swooping down to catch the insects that are hovering around our heads. Anyone who has ever been bitten by a mosquito, you are probably thankful for this behavior. One less mosquito…am I right? I have actually used this behavior to advantage when I took a mammalogy class and we went out the study bats in the wild. If you stand on a well used trail with your headlight pointing straight forward and stay still, insects will begin to fly through your light. The bats won't be far behind. You can see them swooping through the light to catch the insects and it is so cool! This brings me to the second half of this myth. Bats only end up hitting your head when you panic and throw up an arm up and they are unable to avoid the sudden movement. They are never aiming to land in your hair.  Why did the bat that got trapped in my house swoop at me? There wasn't a swarm of insects in my living room! First, bats never want to be in your living space, but sometimes they get lost or they've been roosting in your cabin when you haven't been using it and you coming in for a weekend disturbs them. They just want to get out and away from you and back to a quiet roosting spot. What happens when they swoop toward you in the middle of the room is that as they are flying around looking for a place to hide or an exit and as they approach the walls they have to slow down to turn around. When they slow down they lose elevation and swoop toward the floor in the middle of the room where you're standing flipping out.  Don't panic. Just relax. Open a door if you can to offer an exit. If the bat lands on the wall and settles down, you can carefully place a box over the bat and use a piece of cardboard and slowly slip it under the box from the bottom up to catch the bat inside the box. Holding both pieces together, take the box outside away from the building and release the bat. Okay now that we know that bats don't want to tangle up in our hair, let's talk about diseases. Can bats make us sick? Do bats get sick? Yes and yes, but that's not the end of the answer. Just like any other mammal, bats can get sick and can transmit diseases to other mammals.  Histoplasmosis is a disease caused by a fungus called Histoplasma capsulatum. Humans can become sick if they breath in the spores of the fungus. Histoplasmosis is often associated with bats and birds, but neither one of them is responsible for the illness. The fungus loves to grow on fertile poop. They especially love places with lots of poop. Colonial bats that are roosting together in building or caves create a lot of poop. Bats are typically very loyal to roosting sites and will use them continuously for an entire season, so that create a bunch of poop. The fungus will grow on the poop piles and when another mammal, such as a human, comes across the fungus laden poop they may breath in the spores and get sick. Not the bats, or birds, fault. Now let's talk rabies. Almost all mammals can become infected by and transmit rabies. Bats have long been saddled with the misconception that they carry rabies and transmit it willynilly. Bats can contract rabies, just like almost any other mammal, and they can transmit it to another mammal, but they cannot carry it throughout their entire lives. Rabies is fatal. It is a virus that replicates and finds new hosts. That is it's only goal, survival. When the mammal that it is in begins to die, it wants a new host. No mammal can host it for more than 14 days without perishing.  Protecting yourself from both of these diseases is easy. Don't enter a cave or building that you know is a roost for a large colony of bats. If you must, or they have taken up residence in your attic, wear a respirator and contact professionals that can relocate the colony so the roost can be cleaned and sanitized. When it comes to rabies, don't handle any wildlife, including bats. When animals are suffering from the end stages of rabies, the virus causes the infected mammal to behave unusually in hopes of encountering a new possible host.  If you see a bat on the ground, or active during the day, don't pick them up. Call for assistance and follow their instructions to protect yourself and the bat. You can place a cardboard box over the bat to keep it and others safe until someone can assist you. The last big myth of this episode is that all bats want to suck my blood! This is defiantly false. There is only one species of bat that wants to suck a mammals blood. The Common Vampire Bat, Desmodus rotundus, is a blood drinker. Two other species of bats are also blood drinkers but they specialize on birds. These bats are fall ound only in Central and South America. There are no reports of these bats being found anywhere else.  Common Vampire Bats typically feed on cattle and goats but they can feed from humans, as well. Just like any animal that has found a consistent food source, they will revisit that food source night after night. They never take enough blood to suck an animal dry because these bats weigh only ounces. They take enough to survive and that is all.  My pattern remains the same and I have gone over time again. This episode discussed myths primarily about Microchiroptera but there are myths out there about Megachioptera as well and we will delve into those in the next episode. Thank you for joining me for my sixth favorite thing about bats, myth busting. If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.    Join me next week for another episode about bats!   (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player.  Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Join our Premium Sleep for Women Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Sleep podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here --> https://bit.ly/sleepforwomen  Hey, I'm so glad you're taking the time to be with us today. My team and I are dedicated to making sure you have all the meditations you need throughout all the seasons of your life.  If there's a meditation you desire, but can't find, email us at Katie Krimitsos to make a request. We'd love to create what you want!  Namaste, Beautiful,

A Beautiful Piano Music (my Favourite Yet). Hear this in Autumn in solitude, when the rain falls. Its magical! #pianomusic #piano

Summary: To migrate or not to migrate? How do bats deal with cooling temperatures? Join Kiersten as she travels through bat migration.   For my hearing impaired listeners, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes:  “America's Neighborhood Bats,” by Merlin Tuttle “The Bats of Europe and north America,” by Wilfried Schooner and Eckard Grimmberger “Flying-Foxes - The bush refugees” by Martin Pueschel Backyard Bats Project: https://www.azgfd.com/wildlife-conservation/living-with-wildlife/backyard-bats-project/  Music written and performed by Katherine Camp Bats: Migration Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. The fifth thing I like about bats is migration. Yes! Bats do migrate, well some bats migrate. Have you ever wondered why you see bats in the spring and summer and not in the winter? Many microbats either migrate or hibernate, while megabats may migrate from area to area following the fruiting and flowering seasons. In this episode we will investigate the ways bats cope with colder weather in temperate regions or the non-fruiting season is tropical areas. Let's start with a quick definition of migration. Migration is a mass movement of living creatures from one area to another. It is often seen seasonally and can be influenced by available resources. Birds will migrate north in spring following available food resources and seeking optimum breeding grounds. They will migrate south again for the winter as the northern regions cool down diminishing food resources. Male tarantulas will migrate much shorter distances in fall searching for female mates. Bats that rely on insects can either migrate from northern regions to southern regions where the insects are still active in, or hibernate in place during the colder months of the year. The insectivorous bat species of North America choose one of these two options. The Mexican Free-tailed bat, one of the most plentiful species in southern United States, also known as the Brazilian Free-tailed Bat, is a migrator. They will spend the warmer parts of the year in the United States traveling as far north as Northern California all the way across the country to South Carolina. Here they hunt insects at night and roost in caves or bridge overpasses during the day. They travel and roost in huge colonies and some roosts can number in the millions. It's quite a sight to see them exit their roosts come sundown. If you are ever in an area where you can do this, do it. It is something you don't want to miss in your lifetime. Come colder temps in late fall when insect activity begins to slow, Mexican Free-tailed bats begin to depart. They are heading to Central and South America, following warmer temperatures. They will find caves and other enclosed spaces to spend their days until spring and summer roll around again when they will head north . The Big Brown Bat, another insectivorous species found in North America, is a permanent resident where it is found. And they are found all over North America from Mexico to the northern border of some Canadian provinces. They are much more tolerant of colder temperatures and will hibernate as opposed to migrate. As insect activity wanes they will search for secure hibernating structures. We call these hibernaculums, and Big Brown Bats are not terribly picky. When I was researching my thesis, I found Big Brown Bats in the cave where I filmed the Tri-colored Bats. They were much closer to the entrance of the cave where temperatures were colder and less humid than the interior where the Tri-coloreds where found. Big Browns will hibernate in groups, small or large, or as individuals in caves, abandoned or little used buildings, attics, walls, even under tree bark. They are generalists that are quite adaptable to their environment, which is why they are one of the most widespread bats in North America. Not all migrators are insectivorous bats. The Lesser Long-nosed Bat migrates from southern Mexico to the Southwestern states of the US. They are nectar eaters and they follow the blooming flowers. They don't come up too far into the United States but they love the flowering cactus and agave plants of the lower desert regions. They come up just after the rainy season in spring that jumpstarts the blooming season in the desert. There is actually a Community Science Project called Backyard Bats that is ongoing in Arizona with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. This project asks you to monitor your hummingbird feeders overnight to determine if nectar is going down during the night. If it is you may have visiting bats! For those of you in Arizona, I will leave a link in the show notes so you can participate in this project. European bats have similar choices when dealing with changing temperatures. The Lesser Horseshoe Bat found in Europe is a permanent resident where they are found. They utilize hibernaculums in the winter and separate roosts in the warmer months. So, we could consider them short distance migrators. They travel only about 5 to 10 kilometers or 3 to 6 miles between the different sites. They are active during peak insect activity. The Greater Mouse-eared Bat, an insectivorous bat found in Central Europe, is classified as a partial migrant. Partial migrants fly over 100 kilometers, or 62 miles, from winter to spring roosts.  What about fruit-eating bats that don't have to worry about changing seasonal temperatures? They migrate. They don't migrate as far as some of our insectivorous friends in North America, but they still travel following food. They are a bit more like permanent residents because they stay in the same region, but they travel around that region following the blooms and fruits in trees. Most will roost together so you can see large groups of bats flying through the sky searching for ripening fruits. This movement is impacted by available food and also by the rainy season. To migrate or not to migrate? Another amazing adaptation that makes bats even more fascinating. Thanks for traveling with me through this episode because my fifth favorite thing about bats is migration.   If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.    Join me next week for another episode about bats!   (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Summary: How do bats make more baby bats? Let us count the ways! Join Kiersten as she discusses the various reproductive techniques bats use to make more bats.   For my hearing impaired listeners, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes: “Bats in Question: A Smithsonian Answer Book,” by Don E. Wilson Music written and performed by Katherine Camp Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. I apologize for missing last week, listeners. The holidays snuck up on me and I just didn't have time to write, record, edit, and post before Christmas was upon me. Let's get back to bats! The fourth thing I like about bats is making more bats! Chiroptera reproduction is interesting and diverse. Microbats and Megabats are mammals, so they give live birth and nurse their young with milk, but we're going to take a closer look at the reproductive cycle of some of the specific species of bats in this episode.  As my loyal listeners know, I earned my Master's of Science in Animal Behavior by studying the breeding behavior of the Tri-colored Bat, Perimyotis subflavus. I chose to study the breeding behavior of this particular bat because they are heavily impacted by White-nose Syndrome, a disease that impacts the hibernation behaviors of bats that overwinter in caves that remain around 55 degrees or cooler throughout the year. Many of the caves on the East coast of the United States fit this bill. I will be talking more about this problem in a future episode. The reason I wanted to study the breeding behavior is because we did not have a record of how these bats reproduced. If their numbers fell so low that we needed to intervene to help save the species from extinction, it was essential that we knew how they reproduced so we could offer everything they needed in a captive setting. So, off I went with my husband in tow to sit for hours at a time in a dark cold cave at 2am to record the behavior of hibernating Tri-colored Bats. What did I learn? We discovered that in this cave, the Tri-colored Bat males will seek out females during their hibernation periods and mate with them. Yes, that's right these little boogers mate with the females while they are sleeping! We were shocked! But it is the optimal time to mate with females without having to expend excessive amounts of time and energy vying for their attention.  I agree that it sounds terrible. Not very nice at all. No consent from the females, but it works for this species of bat. The males and females go their separate ways as soon as the winter season passes so the males have no chance to breed later in the year. The female's body stores the sperm until it is needed. When the time is right, the sperm will fertilize the egg and she will become pregnant.  Many species that hibernate in caves breed during the fall season as males and females are swarming into the caves. For these species there are two paths to fertilization. One I just talked about, where the female stores the sperm in her reproductive tract until spring. Another path is immediate fertilization. Long-fingered bats from the Old World practice this method. The females and males breed in fall and fertilization happens immediately, but development of the fetus is slowed during hibernation so that the female will be ready to give birth come spring.  For species that have a long distance migration, such at the Brazilian Free-tailed Bat, breeding occurs most often in the early spring as they are entering their summer roosts. The physical stress placed upon them by a migration from Central America to the Southern United States may prevent them from breeding until they reach their destinations. Tropical species of bats that are not impacted by temperate weather changes have a greater variety of reproductive patterns. Insectivorous species that rely on invertebrates for food are constrained by the wet and dry seasons and typically have one offspring a year during the height of insect season.  Species of neotropical fruit-eating bats will often have two reproductive cycles a year. Bats in family Phyllostomidae will breed early in the year, a few months later the young are born, then the females will enter a postpartum estrus and become pregnant again. This allows them to have more young during the flowering and fruiting season of the year before the rainy season begins. The Jamaican Fruit Bat has a slight alternation in that they will breed early in the year and birth young a few months later as we just discussed, but their second cycle will have a lengthened fetal development, so that they are pregnant during the rainy season and birth their second young when the dry season occurs again. Now, attracting mates is something that many species of bats have to concern themselves with, and they have so many ways to do it! The Gambian Epauletted Fruit Bat has whit tufts of fur on it's shoulders that are used to attract a female. With this and an attractive scent release by glands, they attract a female for mating. This is an active form of mating where the female chooses her mate.  African Hammer-headed Fruit Bats form leks during breeding season. Leks are display grounds where males gather to perform to attract and win a mate. These particularly bat males will call loudly to get a female's attention as she passes and hopefully win her favor.  Courtship displays can include wing-flapping, vocalizations, and mutual grooming. Sac-winged bat species will hover in front of a female while opening a glandular sac that is located in front of each wing. We presume that he is wafting a pheromone at her to win her attention.  In some flying fox colonies where males and females roost together throughout the year, males do very little to attract a female's attention for mating and often mates with her even when she doesn't appear to agree.  When young are born, females will give birth in a roost site. Sometimes that is in a nursery, like the Mexican Free-tailed bats, where many mothers are giving birth in the same place. Sometimes that is in a smaller colony with males and female together such as many flying fox species. And sometimes that is alone, like the red bat species of North America, that are solitary roosters.  Young are born hairless and helpless. Their eyes are closed and they cannot fly. They will drink milk produced by their mother. During birth, some mothers will hang upside down and the young will instinctively grasp onto the mothers fur, while some Megachiroptera will use their thumb-like hooks to hold onto a branch creating a four pointed position that helps them catch their young as they are born.  There is evidence that fruit bats that live in the same colonies throughout the year will have helpers at birth. Older females will come to the aid of new mothers, physically helping them birth their young and guiding the pup into their arms, while younger females will roost nearby watching. This has been seen in captive colonies many times, with one or two reports from wild colonies. But, boy oh boy, what an amazing behavior! There is still so much we have to learn about bat social behavior. Young are born feet first so they can help pull themselves out of the birth canal. Bat young typically weigh up to 40 percent of the mother's own body weight. That's like a 115 pound woman, or approximately 40 kilos giving birth to a 40 pound baby, or a 20 kilo baby. Holy smokes!  Bats that roost in large nursery colonies will leave the young behind, gathered tightly together to conserve body heat, when they hunt and return to nurse the young through the daytime. They find their young without fail every time they come back to the colony. When young are first born, or in solitary nesting species, mothers will keep the babies on them as they search for food. They will cling to the armpit area holding on with the well developed thumb hooks with their mouths latched onto a nipple. Can you imagine flying around at night looking for insects with a baby attached to you that weights almost half your own body weight?! Most species of bats will birth only a single pup, yes bat babies are called pups, at a time. A handful of species will birth twins, such as the Hoary Bat and the Red Bat, and will have one pup attached to each nipple. Most bats have only two nipples so producing more than that can be problematic. Not to mention how big each baby is! The bats in the Lasiurus Genus can have two, three, four, or five pups at a time. They have four nipples so larger litters are doable.  Bat pups grow quickly and are typically flying on their own at about about thirty days or so. Once they can fly, they are on their own. Or so we think. We are still studying this and some research shows that young my rely on their mothers for a longer period of time. They may learn much more from their mothers than we know. There is no current evidence that males have any role in raising the young past fertilization. Well, I've done it again listeners, I have gone over time. I think you can expect that with every episode in this series about bats. If you can't tell, I do like them a lot. Thanks for joining me for my fourth favorite thing about these amazing mammals, their reproduction. If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.    Join me next week for another episode about bats!   (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Hey, it's Katie and I want to welcome you to this special bonus episode. It'll be here for you completely ad-free for the next week so you can get a feel of what it's like to be a PREMIUM member. If you'd like an easy ad-free experience for all of our podcasts - that's over 200 episodes each month, then JOIN PREMIUM today at https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Join our Premium Sleep for Women Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Sleep podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here --> https://bit.ly/sleepforwomen I'm so glad you're taking the time to be with us today. My team and I are dedicated to making sure you have all the meditations you need throughout all the seasons of your life.  If there's a meditation you desire, but can't find, email us at hello@womensmeditationnetwork.com to make a request. We'd love to create what you want!  Namaste, Beautiful,

Let the soothing sounds of Sleepy Thunder guide you into a night of deep, restorative sleep. This peaceful soundscape blends the gentle melodies of sleepy piano music with the calming rhythm of a thunderstorm, the soft chirping of night crickets, and the power of 1 Hz delta wave binaural beats. Together, these elements create the perfect atmosphere to unwind, let go of the day, and drift effortlessly into deep rest.

Summary: Join Kiersten as she talk about the largest bats in the world, the Megachiroptera. Don't worry it's not scary at all!   For my hearing impaired listeners, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes: https://www.ecologyasia.com https://batcon.org “Bats in Question: A Smithsonian Answer Book,” by Don E. Wilson Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops)   Kiersten - Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… This is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. The second thing I like about bats is Megachiroptera. If you remember from the last episode, which I'm sure you do, Megachiroptera refers to the Old World bats found in Asia, Africa, Australia, and some Pacific Islands. These are the larger bat species and in this episode we're going to take a closer look at them. You may know Megachiroptera by their more commonly used name, Flying Foxes. They get the name from the fact that their faces look a lot like foxes. You may also hear these bats referred to as the Old World Fruit bats or megabats, There is only one Family under Suborder Megachiroptera and that is Family Pteropodidae. There are approximately 170 species of megabats but keep in mind we are always discovering new species of animals and scientists are always rearranging classifications based on new information.  Where are Megachiroptera found? They can be found in Asia, Africa, Australia, and on a few islands in the Pacific Ocean. It is often said that they are Old World species only. That refers to the fact that they are not found in the Americas. No Megachiroptera are found in North, Central, or South America. Since I live in North America that make me a little sad because megabats are freaking awesome! What kinds of habitats are these bats found in? That is often dictated by what they eat and most Megachiroptera are frugivores. So, they will be found where fruits are very plentiful. This places the bats in forested habitats that have large fruit bearing trees for our bigger species and medium size fruits for our smaller species. Forests seems to be the typical choice of most Megachiroptera because it offers the most variable fruit. So what do they eat? We just answered this question. Most Megachiroptera eat fruit. Fruit makes up the majority of their diet, but an occasional flower or leaf might get thrown in the mix. It's very interesting to watch fruit bats eat because they don't actually eat the pulp of the fruit. They bite into the fruit and chew it into a pulpy mess letting the juices of the fruit flow down their throat as the more fibrous portions of the fruit fall out the sides of their mouth. I did a two-week internship at the Lubee Foundation in Gainesville, FL some time ago and got to see this up close and personal. I was all prepared to watch these bats tear into the pieces of fruit and leave nothing behind, but that is not what happened. We were cleaning chewed up fruits off the floor by the shovelful. It was kinda gross, but it did not take away from the majesty of these animals. What kind of fruits are we talking about? A lot of the same things that we eat. In the wild they will eat bananas, mango, papaya, figs, various berries, and citrus fruits. In captivity they get a lot of the same fruits with some different kinds of melons thrown in, as well. The fact that these bats eat the same kinds of fruits that we like is what gets them into trouble with fruit growers, but these bats are looking for the overripe fruit and tend to leave the ripe fruit or slightly underripe fruit that growers pick to sell alone. These bats actually do the fruit growers a favor by getting rid of the overripe fruit that attracts destructive insects and the bats help spread seeds to propagate more fruit plants. Are fruit bats and flying foxes the same kind of bat? Yes and no. The term Flying Foxes typically refers to the Pteropus genus. These bats are the ones that have the long muzzle, the tiny little ears, the round heads, large teeth, and look a lot like foxes. These bats are fruit bats, but there are other species of bats that are also fruit bats but are not Pteropus bats.  One of the questions people ask about Flying Foxes in particular, is why they have such large, scary teeth? They use those large, scary teeth to rip into the tough skin of the fruit they eat. Hav you ever tried to bite into a mango, or papaya or banana with just your teeth? It's tough. Since they don't have opposable thumbs, they use their teeth. Megachiroptera tend to hang out in large groups and roosts during the day in trees. They will hang from their short back legs using the large curved claws that are used only for roosting. You can see them hanging in the tallest trees like Christmas ornaments. Like their smaller cousins, they do tend to be more active at night, but you can see them flying at dawn and dusk. This makes them a bit more crepuscular than nocturnal, but they can still be moving around at night.  Unlike their smaller cousins, they don't seem to use echolocation much, if at all. It does make sense that they might not use this because their prey items are fruit. The fruit typically doesn't fly around at night trying to avoid being eaten by a bat. Scientists are still trying to determine if some species of Megachiroptera use echolocation, possibly in a different way than insect eating Microchiroptera. Fruit bats do have better vision than their smaller, insect eating cousins because they rely on that to find their food. Most flying foxes actually have color-vision to help them find their fruit and determine whether it is ripe enough for them to eat. When they get close enough to the chosen item, they will also use their sense of smell to make sure this is just what they want.  Now both Mega and Micro bats have essentially the same anatomy, with one striking difference. Megachiroptera have a large hook that protrudes from the top of the wing that looks an awful lot like a thumb with a claw at the end. They use this to help grasp fruit and use as a way to grasp onto branches when they need to hold on with their wings for various reasons.  The largest species of Megachirotera comes from southeastern Asia. It is found only on the islands of the Philippines. The Golden-crowned Flying Fox has a wingspan over five feet long and is the heaviest bat weighing in at 3 pounds. It gets it's name from the yellow colored fur that adorns it head and is also known as the Golden-capped Fruit Bat.  The smallest species of megabat is the Spotted-winged Fruit Bat that is found in southern Thailand through Peninsular Malaysia to the Riau Archipelago and parts of Borneo. They weigh in at 15 grams and are only 5-6cm from head to toe. They get their name from the pale spots on the wings, fingers joints, face, and base of the ear. They are fruit eaters and are most often found in lowland primary rainforest or tall secondary forests. As you can see there is quite a wide range of species in the Megachiroptera. Now I could go on, but I have used up my time. Thanks for joining me for my second favorite thing about bats, the Megachiroptera.         If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.  Join me next week for another exciting episode about bats.        (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Welcome to Theta Christmas Calm, a serene soundscape that captures the peaceful magic of the holiday season while helping you unwind and drift into deep sleep. This episode features a tranquil holiday piano melody, the cozy crackle of a warm fireplace, and the soothing sound of howling winter winds and swirling snow. Enhanced with 5 Hz theta wave binaural beats, this soundscape is designed to calm your mind, reduce stress, and guide you into a state of deep relaxation.

Summary: To this day, bats have been one of the most misunderstood animals. Join Kiersten as she reveals what bats are and begins a new series about these amazing creatures.   For my hearing impaired listeners, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes: “Bats in Question: A Smithsonian Answer Book,” by Don E. Wilson Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops)   Kiersten - Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… This is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  My name is Kiersten and I have a Master's Degree in Animal Behavior and did my thesis on the breeding behavior of the Tri-colored bat. I was a zookeeper for many years and have worked with all sorts of animals from Aba Aba fish to tigers to ravens to domesticated dogs and so many more in between. Many of those years were spent in education programs and the most important lesson I learned was that the more information someone has about a particular animal the less they fear them. The less they fear them the more they crave information about them and before you know it you've become an advocate for that misunderstood animal. This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. This series is near and dear to my heart. We will be delving into the world of bats. To this day, this species of animal remains one of the most misunderstood in the animal kingdom. Despite all of the PR efforts of researchers, naturalists, and photographers, humans still cannot look past some of the myths about bats. But we will start off with the firstling I like about bats, what they are. As I mention in the opening of each series, I earned my Master's of Science studying the breeding behavior of the tri-colored bat. This is a small species of insectivorous bat native to eastern North America. I studied them in the state of Georgia. I was already enamored of bats before I undertook this research, but working up close with these tiny creatures solidified my love of them and expanded my respect for them as a species, so this series of Ten Things I Like About….is all about the misunderstood bat. Let's start at the beginning. What is a bat? Loyal listeners, you know where this is going. We are going to start off with some taxonomy.  Bats are classified under Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Cordata, Subphylum Vertebrata, Class Mammalia, Order Chiroptera, Suborder Megachiroptera, Family Pteropodidae, Suborder Microchiroptera, and under Microchiroptera there are many more families.  What does all this classification tell? Kingdom Animalia means bats are animals as opposed to plants or invertebrates. Phylum Chordata puts them in a group of living beings with a central flexible rod supporting their dorsal side or back. Subphylum Vertebrata means they have an internal skeleton that supports their body. Class Mammalia puts them in the same class as us. Bats are mammals which means they have hair on their bodies, they give live birth, and they nurse their young with milk. Order Chiroptera is the order specific to all bats and Chiroptera is Latin for hand-wing. There are two suborders for bats, Suborder Megachiroptera is the group of larger bats (mega kind of gives that away) and Family Pteropodidae refers to the Old World bats that are found in Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. Family Pteropodidae contains around 45 genera and approximately 200 species of fruit-eating bats. The second Suborder of bats is Microchiroptera which includes the smaller bats (hence micro) and the over 900 species of bats classified as Microchiroptera that are found all over the world.  Now we know that bats are mammals, let's take a look at Chiroptera. Why was this word used in association with bats? If you break it down, chiro means hand and pteron means wing, giving us hand-wing. Those of you that are not driving while listening to this episode, take a moment and search for bat anatomy on the internet or in book, yes books still exist. Take a good look. Does the pattern seem familiar? Take a look at your own hand. Do you see it? That's correct. Bats have the same bones in their wing that we have in our hand, leading us back to Chiroptera or ‘hand-wing'. This is actually one of my favorite classifications in Class Mammalia. It makes a great talking point and links bats directly to humans which goes a long way to dispelling some of the fear people have of bats. A future episode will be dedicated to discussing and debunking the myths and fears surrounding bats, but I will say that 99% of those fears are misconceptions. Including the one that says bats are flying rats. Bats are not rats with wings and the classification proves that. Bats and rats are included in the same Class Mammalia but they diverge, which means they separate, at Order. Rats are classified in Order Rodentia. All rodents are in a separate order from bats and as scientific processes for collecting data have advanced over the years, each test, including DNA, reenforces the fact that bats and rats are not related outside of them both being vertebrate mammals. Bats range in size from the thumb-size Bumblebee Bat to the six-foot wings span Malaysian Flying Fox, but they all have one thing in common. You all know what that is, wings. Every species of bat, that we currently know about, has wings. A thin membrane of skin called a patagium stretches between the bones of the wing creating a surface area that allows bats to fly. Bat are the only mammals with true flight. But what about flying squirrels, right? Flying squirrels also have a patagium that stretches from the wrist to the ankle, but they are only able to glide. They leap from a height, snap open the patagium, and glide down. Bats can use their wings to propel themselves, just like birds. This is true flight. Bats do have to fall from a height so they can catch air in their wings before they begin to flap, but it doesn't have to be too high. Bats such as Pallid Bats, that are gleaners focus on catching insects near the ground and occasionally find themselves on the ground while hunting. They can scramble to a rock or low shrub and get high enough to catch some air with at least one wing flap, and they are off. There is one type of bat that can takeoff from the ground and that is Vampire bats. Since they are adapted to finding food on the ground, their anatomy has developed to allow them to make a small jump and catch the air from the ground.  Bat anatomy has changed very little from the Eocene epoch which is about 60 million years ago. The oldest fossils found are some of the best persevered and most complete. Fossil have been found in Germany and North America and they show fully formed bats. It doesn't tell us much about the divergence of bats but is does tell us that the anatomy of bats has changed very little from their first appearance in the fossil record. When that happens it means that animal is so well adapted to its niche in the ecosystem that they haven't needed to change. To me it means that bats are perfect.  So now you know that bats are mammals, that they are not rats, that they are the only mammals capable of true flight, and you know the super cool meaning behind their scientific classification of Chiroptera. This is just my first favorite thing about these amazingly cool, misunderstood animals. If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.  Join me next we for another exciting episode of bats.        (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Drift into the boundless calm of Cosmic Ocean, a soothing soundscape designed to guide you into a night of deep, restorative sleep. This episode blends the tranquil vastness of deep space ambience with the rhythmic flow of ocean waves, soft piano melodies, and the calming influence of 4 Hz delta wave binaural beats. Together, these elements create a serene, otherworldly retreat that quiets the mind and relaxes the body.

In this episode of The Missional Life Podcast, we're diving deep into the intersection of faith, family, and community with J.P. De Gance, the founder and president of Communio. J.P. shares his journey in launching this groundbreaking ministry that partners with churches to promote healthier relationships and marriages. We explore the pressing question: How can the church lead the charge in saving faith and family in America? J.P. offers key insights into how a data-driven approach to relationship ministry can help reverse the decline in faith and strengthen the fabric of society. Whether you're a church leader or someone passionate about revitalizing marriages and families, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and inspiration!

Episode 94: Nepenthes: Conservation Summary: How are Nepenthes doing in the wild? Can we help them if the need help? Join Kiersten as she answers these questions and more about Nepenthes conservation.   For my hearing impaired listeners, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes: “Nepenthes Conservation: Preserving Earth's Carnivorous Marvels,” Singapore Carnivorous Plant Society. https://sgcarnivorousplantsociety.medium.com Nepenthes Species. IUCN Red List, https://www.iucnredlist.org “I'll Have Flies with That,” by Kali Shiloh. Stanford Magazine, September 2022. https://stanfordmag.org *This article also highlights some responsible carnivorous plants growers.* Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. Once again we find ourselves at the bittersweet final episode of a series. It's always exciting to finish a topic but sad to say goodbye to my chosen topic. The final episode of Nepenthes is the fifth thing I like about them and that is conservation. Just like Rafflesia, the biggest obstacle to the survival of all wild growing Nepenthes is habitat loss. Once again we can blame ourselves for this as vast tracts of rainforest are cleared for agriculture, logging, and urban development. Unlike Rafflesia that cannot be collected from the wild because of its unique life cycle, Nepenthes can be collected from the wild. Collecting various species of Nepenthes has become big business and the race to possess the most unique and hard to obtain species has created a market for illegally harvested plants.  Changing weather patterns is also impacting the future survival prospects of many Nepenthes species. Some habitats are receiving less rainfall causing many species of Nepenthes to struggle for survival. Their habitats are changing so quickly the plants cannot adapt fast enough. And something that the entire world is battling that is also impacting Nepenthes, invasive species. Humans, whether knowingly or unknowingly, have spread both plants and animal species all around the globe. When these non-native species are introduced to other habitats, chaos ensues. Nepenthes plants are battling both invasive plants and animals that are either stealing the resources they need or damaging their habitats. How can we help wild Nepenthes? By doing many of the same things we are doing for Rafflesia. We need to establish protected areas and reserves that include Nepenthes habitats. This action has the added bonus of helping any other plants, animals, and insects that also live in these habitats, as well as securing natural spaces that positively impact human health. We can also enforce and strengthen legal protections already in place for Nepenthes species. Unlike Rafflesia, there are 123 species of Nepenthes listed on the IUCN's Red List. The Red List is a catalog of species that have been studied enough to determine a population count and trending patterns of that population number. Many of the Nepenthes species listed are Least Concern which means that their population numbers are healthy and stable or increasing, but 45 of these species are categorized as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered. The important thing about being listed by the IUCN is that the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species can pass measures to help regulate international trade in the listed species. Continued research of Nepenthes species in the wild is an important step to successful conservation. If we know where and what these plants need to survive, we can expand preserves and bolster laws protecting them. This also provides information that can be utilized to successfully propagate Nepenthes in captivity. Some of the critically endangered species may only be saved by propagating them in greenhouses and botanical gardens. And the last thing we all can do to help is educate everyone about these wicked cool plants! Letting people know about these amazing living beings is the number one best way to ensure their survival into the future. Tell your friends, family, and strangers in the grocery store line about these unbelievable unknown plants. Feel free to give a little shout out for my Ten Things I Like About…podcast while you're at it! Let's talk a little bit about the hobbyists that are propagating Nepenthes in captivity. Collecting Nepenthes out of the wild one of the activities that is cause for concern, but not all hobbyists are part of the darker side of collecting Nepenthes. Many, probably most, are people that follow all the rules and regulations established to protect the plant in the wild. Some are even involved in propagating critically endangered species.  There is a market for Nepenthes outside of scientific study and conservation and this is where I fell down a rabbit hole of unbelievable prices. If you do a search for Nepenthes on the internet the first sites that pop up are online shopping sites. You can buy hundreds of different species ranging in price from $10 to $1900. The most expensive Nepenthes species ever sold is Nepenthes veitchii that sold for $3500 in 2020 earning a spot in the Guinness Book of World records for the most expensive carnivorous plant on the planet.  If you are interested in delving into this interesting but addictive world, you can find several online sites to purchase any number of Nepenthes species. But do your research and make sure these sites offer lab grown Nepenthes so you are not supporting illegal collection for the wild. The lab grown species will also have a better chance of survival in captivity since they are already used to that environment.  You can also join many Carnivorous Plant Societies from all over the world. Many of these organizations have seed banks that store varies species or carnivorous plants including Nepenthes. They will sell seeds to those interested in trying their hand at growing from seed and offer advice and support along your journey. Most of these organizations are also great places to find information on new scientific discovers. Many of them improve captive cultivation techniques and are happy to share with the public and research facilities simply because they love their plants. That is all for this episode of Nepenthes. I am glad you joined my for my fifth favorite thing about this carnivorous plant, conservation. If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.    Reporting on Nepenthes and Rafflesia has been a fun ride for me and I hope you all enjoyed it, as well. Join me in two weeks for the beginning of a new series about a misunderstood or unknown animal.   (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Piano Music courtesy of Harpeth Presbyterian Church, closing Banjo Music courtesy of Banjo HangOut "Waiting for The Robert E. Lee" used with permission.The so-called era of good feeling ended with the rise of our first named political party, Andrew Jackson was their first president…In that “Era of Good Feeling,” Congress had factions, not named parties….There were Federalists and anti/Federalists, Tomas Jefferson was an “agrarian” and a devout anti-federalist despite his work on The Declaration….That was the first division of Congress… — In his  (new) farewell address upon declining a third term, Washington warned against petty partisanship and foreign entanglements. It didn't take; the divisions were too great. Join me on Monday -- when we talk about preventive maintenance for your favorite ride how to change your oil.

Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player.  Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Join our Premium Sleep for Women Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Sleep podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here --> https://bit.ly/sleepforwomen  Hey, I'm so glad you're taking the time to be with us today. My team and I are dedicated to making sure you have all the meditations you need throughout all the seasons of your life.  If there's a meditation you desire, but can't find, email us at Katie Krimitsos to make a request. We'd love to create what you want!  Namaste, Beautiful,

Summary: Do plants eat meat? Yes they do! Join Kiersten as she discusses the diet of Nepenthes which includes more than just meat.   For my hearing impaired listeners, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes: “Caught in a Trap,” The Biologist 62(2) p12-14. “Nepenthes lowii: the carnivorous plant that evolved into a toilet,” by Paul Simons. The Guardian, April 2023. https://www.theguardian.com “Bats Are Acoustically Attracted to Mutualistic Carnivorous Plants,” by Michael G. Schoner, Caroline R Schoner, Ralph Simon, T. Ulmar Grafe, Sebastian J. Puechmaille, Liaw Lin Ji, Gerald Kerth. Current Biology, Volume 25, Issue 14, 20 July 2015, Pgs 1911-1916. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.05.054 Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. The fourth thing I like about Nepenthes is its diet. These are not your typical plants. Sunlight is not the only thing on the menu. I have spoken of a portion of the diet in the previous episodes, so we all know that Nepenthes eats meat. But before we jump into that portion of their diet let's look at the other half of their diet. It's this half that led to the need for the meat eating side of Nepenthes nutrition. Nepenthes is like other plants that use photosynthesis to grow. I don't know about all of you listeners, but it has been a minute since 6th grade science class, so here is a refresher on how photosynthesis works.  Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create sugars that they can utilize to survive. Plants take in carbon dioxide through small holes in the leaves, stems, flowers, and other parts of the plant. They will combine that with water, usually absorbed through the roots, and sunlight. The sunlight is the energy that helps the plant combine the carbon dioxide and the water together to create glucose which they use as food to grow big and strong. If they only need those three things, what's up with the soil? Soil offers plants minerals that they need to boost their health and growth.  Plants can live without it but to reproduce successfully they need an extra kick. The need for this extra kick is why Nepenthes evolved to eat meat.  Most Nepenthes species grow in nutrient poor soil or no soil at all. So they evolved to get the extra minerals they need from another source.  How do you catch prey if you don't have teeth or claws and you are rooted in place? Well, you bring the prey to you! Nepenthes developed pitcher traps to attract and catch prey without having to use teeth and claws or roam about searching for prey. The pitcher develops from tendrils that grow as the plant matures. Tendrils will emerge from the midline of leaves and as it matures the tip of the tendril will begin to inflate with air. Once it has inflated to the desired size, which depends on the species and whether it is a lower pitcher or an aerial pitcher, it will fill with liquid. The top of the pitcher will pop open when the pitcher is ready for use.  The pitchers of Nepenthes are classified as pitfall traps. This means that they are relying on insects falling into the pitcher and getting stuck inside. A pitfall trap is a trap that something falls into and cannot climb the walls to get out. So, how does this work for the Nepenthes pitcher? The pitcher will attract insects with the scent of pollen. Insects will investigate the trap searching for the source of the smell. There is no pollen to be found inside the pitcher so the insects will turn to leave and discover that they cannot. As they try to climb out, the waxy lining of the pitcher will flake away leaving the insect struggling to get out. But no upward motion is possible and the prey item eventually falls into the liquid at the bottom of the pitcher. The liquid is mainly water until prey falls in and sloshes the water around as it attempts to get out. The vibrations created by the struggle stimulate digestive glands which release a digestive acid. The acid is so strong that an insect the size of a midge will disappear completely within hours. Nepenthes rajah, one of the largest Nepenthes species, can digest mice! What are they getting from these digested insects and mammals? Nitrogen and phosphorus which are vital minerals for the healthy growth of the plant. Those of you that are gardeners probably recognize those elements as being important to plant survival. If you supplement your gardens with fertilizer the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus are extremely important.  Let's take a closer look at a specific Nepenthes species's hunting strategy. Nepenthes rafflesiana produces two different pitchers, upper and lower, like many pitches plants do. The uppers pitchers specialize in attracting flying insects while the lower pitchers focus on terrestrial insects. The upper pitchers are narrow and release fragrant compounds that mimic the scent of flowers. This attracts a wide range of rainforest pollinators that mistake the scent for a good snack. They will enter the pitcher in search of the source of the aroma and come in contact with sticky polysaccharides that coat the wings rendering them useless. The insects can't fly out and fall into the liquid to be digested. The lower pitchers of Nepenthes rafflesiana use a lining of wax crystals to trap terrestrial insects. It attracts mainly ants. When the ants enter the pitcher the wax crystals attach to the ant's feet preventing them from climbing out of the pitcher. It clings to the feet causing them to slip along the surface of the pitcher leading them to the liquid death below. Some Nepenthes are generalists and are happy to take whatever they can get in their traps, but remember competition for pollinators is fierce so some spices have become specialists. Nepenthes albomarginata has a band of white hairs just below the rim of its pitchers. These hairs are bait for termites. And this Nepenthes sure knows how to do it right. It can catch 20 termites per minute during a frenzied feast. Okay, now we're going to talk about what inspired me to report on Nepenthes for my podcast. Remember in the first episode when I said these plants fed on something unusual that gives a whole new twist on the term “potty mouth”? Well, here we go! Nepenthes rajah can digest mice and rats, but that's not what it's really shooting for when it attracts these animals. What is really wants is the rodents poop. Yep, that's right it wants the rodent to use its pitcher as a potty. The feces of these animals is high in nitrogen  and much easier to digest than the body of an insect or mammal.  Nepenthes lowii was the species that caught my eye when I was researching unusual plants. This plant has large pitchers that have evolved to attract mountain tree shrews that slip into the pitcher to lick a fatty substance that oozes from the lip of the pitcher. The shrew balance on the edge of the pitcher and as they eat they leave behind a deposit. There is some speculation that the substance emitted by the pitcher my have a laxative component that ensures the animal leaves behind a deposit before the depart.  Nepenthes hemsleyana attracts a specific animal to roost in its pitchers so it can collect poo all day long. The lid of this plant's pitcher is shaped specifically to reflect bat echolocation frequencies. Bats such as Hardwicke's Wooly Bat use echolocation to find acceptable day roosts. They search for the right reflection from a plant structure to indicate an acceptable daytime roost. Nepenthes hemsleyana had evolved to reflect the correct frequency luring the bat in to roost throughout the day. The bat will poop as they sleep the day away and the plant will catch it in the pitcher. Talk about a Bed and Breakfast! Can you believe it! This plant is so amazing!! I can go on about Nepenthes diets, but I've run over time already. I'm so glad you joined me for this episode of Nepenthes because my fourth favorite thing, honestly my most favorite thing, about them is their diet. If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.  Join me next week for another episode about Nepenthes.       (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Summary: How do Nepenthes become big strong plants? Join Kiersten as she walks through the stages of Nepenthes life cycle.   For my hearing impaired listeners, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes: Nepenthes. Wikipedia (This page is well referenced). ”Pitcher Plant: Tropical Pitcher Plants-Nepenthes sp.” The North Creek Wetland, https://www.uwb.edu Tropical Pitcher Plant-Nepenthes. Carnivorous Plant Resource. https://www.carnivorousplantresourcs.com Nepenthes Phylogeny, International Carnivorous Plant Society. https://www.carnivorousplants.org Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. The eighth episode of Unbelievable Unknown Plants is also the third episode of Nepenthes and the third thing I like about this supercool plant is its life cycle. Now, I'm sure you remember the unusual life cycle of Rafflesia from previous episodes, boy that was a fun episode. Nepenthes is not quite as unusual, but it it still exciting. No laughing, this really is exciting. It all starts with a meet-cute. A male Nepenthes meets a female Nepenthes, they fall in love, get married, have babies, and live happily ever after. No not really, but Nepenthes are dioecious which means individual plants are either male or female. Mature plants do start off as seeds, unlike Rafflesia they do not rely on a host plant to harbor them until they are ready to bloom. Nepenthes are more like traditional plants that rely on seeds germinating in soil to grow.  They cannot pollinate themselves, so how do they create seeds? They must rely on a pollinator to get the whole reproduction thing started. Once the plant has matured, flowers will bloom. Both sexes produce flowers. Male's flowers will produce pollen, while the female's flowers will have carpels, the reproductive structure. The flowers will grow on a long spike. Several flowers will grow on one spike. The flower spikes are completely different structures from the pitchers that these plants are so well known for. Pollen needs to get inside the carpel for the reproductive cycle to begin. Nepenthes rely on insects to do the pollinating, but as we discussed with Rafflesia the competition for insect pollinators is fierce, so Nepenthes has targeted non-typical insects to do their bidding. They give off a not-so-sweet smell to attract insects such as blow flies, midges, male mosquitos, and wasps; while also attracting more typical pollinators such as moths and butterflies.  Before you start scratching your head and wondering how the insects survive a visit to a pitcher plant that eats insects, remember the flowers and the pitchers are two different parts of the Nepenthes plant. The pollinators are not attracted to the pitcher trap they are only attracted to the flowers, so they are safe to drink from the flowers and pick up and deposit pollen without getting eaten.  Once the female flowers have been pollinated, a four-sided capsule will develop. Inside this capsule is 50 to 500 seeds. The seeds are light in weight with an embryo in the middle and two wings, one on each side. The seeds are distributed by the wind, so the low weight and wings help the seeds travel further away. Hopefully those seeds will settle in appropriate soil to begin the reproductive process all over again. When they do, the seeds will sprout developing a shallow root system and a climbing stem that can reach several meters long. Along the stems alternate leaves will sprout. These leaves will become the pitchers. A tendril will extend past the end of the leaf at the midrib. This tendril will swell and droop eventually becoming the pitcher. Most Nepenthes produce two types of pitchers, “lower pitchers” that grow near the ground and “upper pitchers” that grow higher on the plants. The lower pitchers are usually larger and may actually sit on the ground. The upper pitchers also called aerial pitchers are usually smaller and may be a differ color than the lower pitchers. These two types of pitchers can posses different features meaning one plant may have two different types of pitchers. The upper pitchers generally develop as the plant matures and will often create loops in the vine so the plant can hold onto something to help stabilize it. This is an incredibly cool adaptation, I mean mind-blowingly cool, but it can make identifying species difficult.  As the pitchers are growing they are developing a hatch on the top of the pitcher. When the pitcher is ready to attract and trap prey, the top pops open and the pitcher will emanate a scent that attracts targeted prey items. The two different types of pitchers that one plant produces often attract different types of prey. That is genius! I guess the last question about the life cycle of Nepenthes is how long do they live? We don't have a perfect answer for this yet, but it appears that they can live indefinitely. If they have the right habitat, food resources, and water, they can live forever. That doesn't mean that every Nepenthes plant will live forever. In the wild, they are battling habitat loss, food depletion, broad spectrum herbicide use, and poaching which all impacts their potential life span.   It also doesn't mean if you run out and buy one from the store that it will live forever. I know the ones that I brought into my house lasted maybe a year, but I was a novice at caring for them and bought them on a whim. People more knowledgeable than I can encourage them to live a long an healthy life in a home but you have to put some blood, sweat, and tears into it.  Thanks for joining me for the third episode of Nepenthes because my third favorite thing about them is their life cycle.   If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform you're listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.  Join me next week for another episode about Nepenthes.       (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player.  Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Join our Premium Sleep for Women Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Sleep podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here --> https://bit.ly/sleepforwomen  Hey, I'm so glad you're taking the time to be with us today. My team and I are dedicated to making sure you have all the meditations you need throughout all the seasons of your life.  If there's a meditation you desire, but can't find, email us at Katie Krimitsos to make a request. We'd love to create what you want!  Namaste, Beautiful,

Summary: How many species of Nepenthes are there and where are they found? Join Kiersten as she takes you on a trip to discover the Nepenthes species.   For my hearing impaired listeners, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes:  Nepenthes. Wikipedia (This page is well referenced). “Caught in a Trap,” The Biologist 62(2) p12-14. Tropical Pitcher Plant-Nepenthes. Carnivorous Plant Resource. https://www.carnivorousplantresourcs.com Nepenthes Phylogeny, International Carnivorous Plant Society. https://www.carnivorousplants.org Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. The second episode of Nepenthes is all about species and where they are found. They do prefer areas similar to Rafflesia but they are more widespread.  Let's start from the beginning with the classification of Nepenthes. We have talked about scientific classification before but as a quick refresher this classification method is used to help determine the number of species within a group of living things. It helps scientists and researchers  determine who is related to whom. It is constantly evolving as classification methods are continually changing. It began with visual similarities between living creatures, then behaviors were incorporated, and with the advent of DNA testing classification has jumped forward and some things have been turned on its ear. Classification for Nepenthes is a follows: Kingdom - Planta (Plants) Subkingdom - Tracheobionta (Vascular Plants) Superdivision - Spematophyta (Seed Plants) Division - Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants) Class - Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons) Subclass - Dilleniidae Order - Nepenthales Family - Nepenthaceae Genus - Nepenthes Species names will follow genus. So how many species of Nepenthes are there? To tell you the truth, I'm not totally sure. My research for this episode lead me to sources that said 30 to 35, 140, and as many as 170. The International Carnivore Plant Society says Nepenthes species numbers are in excess of 100. I think we'll go with that number because it gives a bit of wiggle room. I'm inclined to believe this site because they get crazy scientific when discussing the origins of modern day Nepenthes. One of the most interesting things I could decipher from this blog is that the modern day Nepenthes genus has no close relatives. So when digging into the evolutionary history of this genus, there are no transitional species that can lead us back to an ancestral beginning. Maybe these wicked cool pitcher plants are so perfect they've never evolved from their original template.  Let's take a closer look at a few Nepenthes species. One of the largest species of Nepenthes is Nepenthes rajah that grows pitchers large enough to hold 3.5 liters or 1 US gallon of liquid. That's a pretty big pitcher plant. Nepenthes rajah traps are large enough to drown rats. They are known as the “king of the pitcher plants”. As an aside Nepenthes rajah is also the largest carnivorous plant in the world.  Nepenthes argentii is considered to be the smallest species of pitcher plants with a pitcher opening of 2-4 millimeters and a pitcher size of 30 cm. That's a pretty tiny pitcher plant.  The rarest species of known Nepenthes is Nepenthes clipeata. Only 15 individual plants were known to exist in the wild in 1997. It's found only on the granite cliff faces of Mount Kelam in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. It may very well be extinct today.  Nepenthes mirabilis is the most widely distributed species of Nepenthes. It is found in Indochina throughout the Malay Archipelago, it is found in China and also Australia. This species varies greatly in color throughout its vast range. So where are these plants found in the wild? They are mainly found in the Old World Tropics, ranging from South China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. There are two species found in Madagascar and one species found in the Seychelles. Nepenthes are also found in Australia and New Caledonia. India and Sri Lanka also host a few Nepenthes species. The greatest diversity of Nepenthes are found in Borneo, Sumatra, and the Philippines. What kind of habitats do Nepenthes favor? Like Rafflesia, many pitcher plants of this species are found in hot, humid lowland rainforests but some are found in other habitats. Many are tropical montane plants found on the side of mountains where they experience warm days and cool to cold, humid nights. Some are tropical alpine species that grow in areas that have cool days and near freezing nights.  The majority of species are restricted to small ranges within these different habitats. Some of them may only be found on one mountain and no where else, like Nepenthes clipeata.  Nepenthes species are often classified as lowland species or highland species based on the altitudes at which they grow. Those that grow below 1200 meters or 3900 feet above sea level are considered lowland and thrive with warmer climates that vary little temperature-wise from day to night. Highland species that grow above 1200 meters prefer warm days that bleed into much cooler nights. Nepenthes lamii grows at the highest altitude of any other Nepenthes species, 3520 meters or 11,500 feet above sea level. Most Nepenthes species tend to be found in environments with high humidity, a lot of precipitation, and moderate to high light levels. Some species have evolved to thrive in dense, shaded forests. Many species do well on the margins of tree and shrub communities or clearings. Some species such as Nepenthes mirabilis have been seen growing in clear-cut forest areas, roadsides, and disturbed fields. There are even species that have adapted to grow in savanna-like grass habitats. These amazing plants tend to grow in acidic soils that boast little nutrients and often contain peat, white sand, sandstone, or volcanic soils. Some species can grow in soils with high heavy metal content, such as Nepenthes rajah, some can grow on sandy beaches in the sea spray zone such as Nepenthes albomarginata. Soil isn't always necessary for pitcher plants to grow as some have evolved into lithophytes that can grow in or on rocks while others are epiphytes that grow on other plants, like trees. We've taken quite a ride in the second epidote of Nepenthes and my second favorite thing about them, is where they are found. If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform you're listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.  Join me next week for another episode about Nepenthes.       (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Summary: Our next unbelievable unknown plant eats something quite unusual. Join Kiersten as she unravels the amazing life of Nepenthes.   For my hearing impaired listeners, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes: Nepenthes, Britannica Online: https://www.britannica.com Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. In episode six of Unbelievable Unknown Plants were are introducing the first episode of or second plant. Like Rafflesia, we will be talking about several species of plants collectively called Nepenthes. The first thing I like about Nepenthes is the amazing plant itself. Let's talk about the family in general before we pinpoint a few very interesting species that we will highlight in following episodes. If you have gone into the garden department of a home improvement store or a Wal-Mart at anytime in your life you may be familiar with Nepenthes. It is also known as monkey cup and tropical pitcher plant. Sound familiar? Unlike Rafflesia, humans have figured out how to cultivate some species of Nepenthes and with the correct set up, it can be pretty easy. So they have been mass produced for sale. I have to admit I have had a few in my lifetime. We will go more in-depth with this topic in a future episode. I suspect this will be a rabbit hole of addictive behavior. As I did my research on this plan t I came across several websites dedicated to the sale and care of Nepenthes. Some of these plants sell for over $1000 US dollars. Who-boy! I cant's wait for that episode! There are 140 known species of Nepenthes and, in the wild, they are mainly found in Madagascar, Southeast Asia, and Australia. What is it that makes these pitcher plants so unbelievable? They eat meat! Yes, that's right, these are carnivorous plants. Every species of Nepenthes that we currently know of is classified as a carnivorous plant that captures insects or other prey by luring the targeted prey to them through scent. The shape of the pitcher makes it difficult if not impossible for the prey to escape once it has ventured inside where the sweet scent they want has led them. I've always found it interesting that a plant eats meat. I mean everything has to survive and Nature is amazing, but it does seem a bit oxymoronic that a plant eats meat. On the other hand maybe it's karmic. Insects and mammals eat plants so why not evolve a plant that eats insects and mammals. Some have taken it a step farther int their pursuit of nutrient and have evolved to utilize a very special diet. They are still dependent on mammals for this nutrient but they aren't eating the animal itself. I don't want to spoil the surprise, but I will say they give the term “potty mouth” a whole new twist. Pitcher plants are perennial, which means the same plant regrows every year. Many grow in very acidic soil and some are epiphytes. An epiphyte is a plan  t that grows on another plant for support purposes only. Epiphytes have no attachment to the ground or obvious nutrient source. They are not parasitic to the host plant causing no harm to the structure upon which they are growing. It's no wonder that Nepenthes has evolved to utilize an alternative source of nutrients if they grow in an acidic soil, which typically offers little in the way of usable nutrients, or no soil at all.  Nepenthes vary in size. Some are the perfect fit to attract a tiny fruit fly while others are so large they can attract and digest rats. You heard that correctly, I said rats. That is one big pitcher plant! Like Rafflesia, some species of Nepenthes are engendered in their native habitats, but unlike Rafflesia more than one of these species is listed as endangered by the IUCN which makes conservation of these species so much easier. We will take more about this is future episodes. The first episode of Nepenthes is a bit shorter than my usual episodes but don't worry the next four will be packed full of amazing facts about Nepenthes. Think of this one as an introduction to this amazing plant, a bit of a teaser, if you will. Thanks for listening to the sixth episode of Unbelievable Unknown Plants and I'm glad you joined me because my first favorite thing about Nepenthes is Nepenthes.   If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.  Join me next week for another episode about Nepenthes.       (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Summary: Is the stinkiest flower in the world in danger of disappearing forever? Join Kiersten as she discusses the conservation status of Rafflesia.   For my hearing impaired listeners, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes:  “Most of the world's largest flowers (genus Rafflesia) are now on the brink of extinction,” by Pastor Malabrigo Jr, Adriane B. Tobias, Joko Witono, Sofi Mursidawati, Agus Susatya, Mat Eunuch Siti-Munirah, Adhityo Wicaksono, Reza Raihandhany, Sarah Edwards, and Chris J. Thorogood. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10431 “Colossal Blossom: Pursuing the peculiar genetics of a parasitic plant,” by Jonathan Shaw. Harvard Magazine. https://www.harvardmagazine.com Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. This is episode five of Unbelievable Unknown Plants and the final episode of rafflesia. The fifth thing I like about rafflesia is awareness that conservation discussions are bringing to this unknown plant. Awareness is always important for any conservation efforts. That is one of the main reasons I decided to do this podcast. Getting the word out is the best weapon in a conservationist's tool belt for saving an imperiled species. When it comes to rafflesia the conservation efforts is what really brought this flower into the public eye. The first paper I found when diving into the research on this lifeform was titled “Most of the world's largest flowers (genus Rafflesia) are now on the brink of extinction.”  Despite the recent increased interest in Rafflesia, the flower as a species is in danger of extinction. When we say that we mean all species of Rafflesia not just one species. What makes Rafflesia so vulnerable to disappearing? If you've listened to the last four episode you might be able to piece it together yourself. In the second episode in this series, I talked about where Rafflesia can be found. All species of Rafflesia are restricted to one area of the world. They are found on several islands within the southeast Asian region but they are only found in the Philippines, Borneo, Java, Sumatra, and Peninsular Malaysia. They rely on the tropical rainforest areas of these islands, which restricts them to only a portion of the terrain.  The number one reason Rafflesia are endangered is habitat loss. The above mentioned paper predicts that 67% of known habitats for Rafflesia are not in a protected area. This means that these habitats are at risk from human encroachment for lumber, clear cutting for farming, and greed, in general. Rafflesia are found only on Tetrastigma vines, as far as we currently know, and these are only found in rainforests of southeast Asia. If these vines are removed, we lose all species of Rafflesia.  Those of you that are loyal listeners may be saying, what about protections that come with IUCN listings of endangered species? That is a good point, but the International Union for Conservation of Nature only lists one Rafflesia species as Critically Endangered. In 2008 Rafflesia magnifica was listed as Critically Endangered with a population trend of decreasing.   Rafflesia magnifica is found only on Mindanao Island, Philippines. The habitat in which this particular flower is found is being destroyed for road construction and conversion of the rainforest into banana plantations.  Why are more species not listed by the IUCN? Even though researchers that published this paper urge the world to take action to list all Rafflesia as endangered, there are steps that must be taken to warrant this listing. The biggest obstacle is the lack of data determining the population numbers of Rafflesia. These flowers are hard to find as they bloom at random times and have no indication that they are about to bloom. It's hard for scientists to find them, much less make an accurate count of them. Without this hard evidence, a listing by IUCN is impossible. So scientists are doing the next best thing. They are bringing awareness of this plant to the world. Many international news companies have picked up this story and run with it. Smaller news outlets are highlighting this flower, and people like me are getting the name out there as well. The best way to save any species is to get the public interested. The more that they know the better. What can we do? The scientists involved in the research of Rafflesia populations have proposed a four-point action plan.  1. We need greater protection of Rafflesia habitats which targets the populations at most risk. Southeast Asia has the fastest disappearing forests on the planet, and as we know this is the only place where Rafflesia are found. 2. We need a better understanding of the full diversity of Rafflesia that exists which will better inform decision-making. A big problem with current protections is that the species diversity of Rafflesia are still under debate. How many species actually are there of Rafflesia? Sampling expeditions and genetic testing must be a priority. 3. We need to develop methods to successfully propagate Rafflesia in captivity. 4. If we introduce new ecotourism initiatives to engage local communities in Rafflesia conservation, it can go a long way. When given alternatives to destructive farming to feed your family, locals get on board with protecting local wildlife. Several of the countries that host Rafflesia are doing their best to protect these flowers through ecotourism initiatives, local laws, and research in National Parks. For example, local villagers in West Sumatra are benefiting from Rafflesia ecotourism by building social media platforms that announce blooming events to attract paying tourists, bring awareness to the Rafflesia, and carefully manage the risks of trampling the flowers due to unsupervised visitors.  Indonesia celebrates Rafflesia as one of its national flowers.  In Sarawak, Malaysia all Rafflesia are listed by the local government as “Total Protected Plants” under the Wildlife Protection Ordinance of 1998. Let's go bak to number three of the four-point action plan. Many species of wildlife, flora or fauna, have benefitted from our efforts to breed or propagate individuals in captivity, so why not do this with Rafflesia? I love your thought process, listeners! The problem with this is that Rafflesia is a parasitic plant that relies on a host plant for survival, it's not like other flowers where we just collect some seeds and put them in the ground. Rafflesia seeds have to get into the Tertrastigma vine to germinate and we still don't know how that happens. No having said this, Bogor Botanic Garden in West Java, Indonesia has had some success in propagating Rafflesia. They have successfully bloomed Rafflesia patma 16 times. There are several botanical gardens around the world that are in line to learn the secrets discovered at Bogor Botanic Garden, so they too can help conserve this amazing plant. Even with these efforts, most Rafflesia species are still at great risk of disappearing forever, but hopefully with more exposure we can help Rafflesia have a bright future. This is the final episode of Raflessia but only the fifth in the Unbelievable Unknown Plants series and my fifth favorite thing about Rafflesia is the conservation effort being made to secure their future.   If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.    So join me next week for another episode about Unbelievable Unknown Plants.       (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

Summary: Boy that sticks! Rafflesia are beautiful but stinky flowers. Join Kiersten as she explains why they smell so foul.   For my hearing impaired listeners, a complete transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean   Show Notes: “Colossal Blossom: Pursuing the peculiar genetics of a parasitic plant,” by Jonathan Shaw. Harvard Magazine. https://www.harvardmagazine.com “What's that smell? The putrid scent of Rafflesia consueloae, its origin and developmental regulation,” by Erika Marie A. Bascos, Edwina S. Fernando, Melizar V. Duya. Lilian Jennifer V. Rodriguez. Flora, Volume 318, September 2024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2024.152571 Music written and performed by Katherine Camp   Transcript (Piano music plays) Kiersten - This is Ten Things I Like About…a ten minute, ten episode podcast about unknown or misunderstood wildlife. (Piano music stops) Welcome to Ten Things I Like About… I'm Kiersten, your host, and this is a podcast about misunderstood or unknown creatures in nature. Some we'll find right out side our doors and some are continents away but all are fascinating.  This podcast will focus ten, ten minute episodes on different animals and their amazing characteristics. Please join me on this extraordinary journey, you won't regret it. The fourth episode of rafflesia is titled ‘What's With That Smell?', because the fourth thing I like about this amazing plant is the smell. Rafflesia arnoldii is known as the corpse lily. It's not just a terrible nickname it earned on the school playground because of some strange mishap that it had no control over, no it actually smells like rotting meat. And it is absolutely on purpose. Why would a flower want to smell like rotting meat? Well, smell emitted by any flower is typically aimed at a pollinator. The flower wants to attract an animal that is mobile that can help with reproduction. Mingling your pollen with another flower's pollen is the way fertilization happens which results in fruit production that contains seeds which will produce new plants.   There are a lot of plants out there and many of them use flowers to reproduce, so competition to attract a pollinator is fierce. Rafflesia have adapted to attract an unlikely pollinator, the carrion fly. Carrion flies are not your typical pollinator they do not fly around looking for flowers with nectar and pollen to eat. They do fly around looking for dead animals upon which to lay their eggs. The females lay eggs on rotting meat so when the eggs hatch the larvae have something to eat. Yum!  Rafflesia are attracting these flies because no other flowers are doing so. It works well, for the flower, the flies, on the other hand, are wasting genetic material by laying eggs on something that smells like what they want but is not really meat. The flies wander around the flower looking for the best place to lay their eggs, most likely the smelliest part of the flower, which appears to be inside the bowl shape in the middle of the flower. As the fly determines the best place to lay eggs it gets covered in pollen. Now rafflesia pollen is different from other flower's pollen. It is a snotty, viscous liquid as opposed to powered pollen that is typical of most other flowers. The liquid pollen remains on the fly from days to weeks allowing the female fly to retain the pollen until it is, hopefully, attracted to another rafflesia. What is it in the scent of rafflesia that makes it smell like rotting meat? Researchers asked this question too and they decided to create a scent composition of Rafflesia consueloae. They identified 13 volatile compounds in the scent of this rafflesia species. Now there were two other scent compound studies done before this on Rafflesia cantleyi and Rafflesia kerri. They found dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide and these floral volatile were also found in the study of Rafflesia consueloae. These are both sulfur containing volatiles and are the same ones produced by decomposing meat. So that's where the smell comes from. This parasitic plant has figured out how to produce the exact same scent as actual rotting meat. In studies investigating what female carrion flies were most attracted to, these two compounds were also profiled. The female carrion flies love these smells. These scents attract the females specifically because they are looking for rotting meat on which to lay their eggs. The females flies take their time looking for just the right spot in the flower to lay their eggs and as they do they come in contact with rafflesia's pollen.   But where is the best place to lay their eggs? Turns out these sulfide based scents are more heavily released from specific places in the flower that draw the fly deep into the interior so it becomes covered in the liquid pollen.  Another Interesting tidbit to come out of these studies is that the rafflesia flower emits different scents at various stages of development. Remember I said  they found 13 different floral volatiles in the study of Rafflesia consueloae. Not all thirteen of them were released through the entire lifecycle of the flower. The dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide where only released when the flower was in full bloom. This flower just keeps getting more and more fascinating as we go along.  The immense size of rafflesias may also be related to their chosen pollinator. Rotting meat is often large in size since we're talking about decomposing animals, to be frank. Carrion flies are attracted to larger carcasses because they give off more scent and will probably still be decomposing when their eggs hatch. Scientists believe this may be a possible explanation for the large size of rafflesias. They are offering carrion flies the entire package. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that other plants pollinated by carrion flies such as the skunk cabbage in New England and the Stapelias of South Africa, are also large flower plants.  One last attribute of rafflesia may also be related to the carrion fly. Rafflesia blooms emanate heat as they grow. The skunk cabbage also does this and is able to raise its temperature nearly 30 degrees. Originally scientists thought this thermogenesis was an adaptation that allowed flowers to bloom earlier at the end of winter by melting snow, but this doesn't apply to rafflesia because they are all found in tropical habitats.  Another explanation is that the heat allows rafflesia to more easily volatilize the odors they produce. The better to attract the carrion fly. The heat also allows the carrion fly to function at a lower energy cost while looking for a cozy place to lay her eggs, so she spends more time inside the flower. Every time I write a new episode about this flower I cannot believe what amazing adaptations it has. The smell that rafflesia produces is my fourth favorite thing about them.    If you're enjoying this podcast please recommend me to friends and family and take a moment to give me a rating on whatever platform your listening. It will help me reach more listeners and give the animals I talk about an even better chance at change.    So join me next week for another episode about Rafflesia.       (Piano Music plays)  This has been an episode of Ten Things I like About with Kiersten and Company. Original music written and performed by Katherine Camp, piano extraordinaire.

By any description, Randall Bramblett can claim a varied career. Aside from the fact that he's released no fewer than 15 solo albums, as a solo artist, he's also been a much in-demand session player, having worked with Gregg Allman, Bonnie Raitt, Robbie Robertson, Elvin Bishop, Steve Winwood, Widespread Panic, and any number of others. That's hardly surprising considering the fact that he's a multi-instrumentalist who's adept on keyboards, saxophones, flute, guitar, mandolin, and harmonica.Bramblett's career dates back to the early ‘70s when he played a major role in the band Sea Level, a jazzy spin-off from the Allman Brothers Band. In the years since, he's continued to pursue a decidedly varied array of genres, including rock, jazz, blues and R&B. With his new album, Paradise Breakdown, he shares a similar set of sounds, making it an ideal showcase for his verve and versatility. Learn more about Randall at https://randallbramblett.comPodcast producer/cohost Billy Hubbard is an Americana Singer/Songwriter and former Regional Director of A&R for a Grammy winning company. Billy is a signed artist with Spectra Music Group and co-founder of the iconic venue "The Station" in East TN. Billy's new album was released by Spectra Records 10/2023. Learn more about Billy at http://www.BillyHubbard.com Host Lee Zimmerman is a freelance music writer whose articles have appeared in several leading music industry publications. Lee is a former promotions representative for ABC and Capital Records and director of communications for various CBS affiliated television stations. Lee recently authored the book "Thirty Years Behind The Glass" about legendary producer and engineer Jim Gains.Send us a textSupport the showIf you'd like to support My Backstage Pass you can make a donation to Billy & Lee's coffee fund at this link https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MyBackstagePassMy Backstage Pass is sponsored by The Alternate Root Magazine! Please subscribe to their newsletter, read the latest music reviews and check out their weekly Top Ten songs at this link http://www.thealternateroot.com

Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player.  Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Join our Premium Sleep for Women Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Sleep podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here --> https://bit.ly/sleepforwomen  Hey, I'm so glad you're taking the time to be with us today. My team and I are dedicated to making sure you have all the meditations you need throughout all the seasons of your life.  If there's a meditation you desire, but can't find, email us at Katie Krimitsos to make a request. We'd love to create what you want!  Namaste, Beautiful,

Links to recordings: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7999573--jan-levoslav-bella-piano-works; https://www.peterpazicky.com/j%C3%A1n-levoslav-bella-complete-piano-w

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Contemporary Piano Music Ep185 - Modern Classical - Ambient Neoclassical - Ethereal Instrumental mixhttps://www.youtube.com/@NewAgePianoMusicmixesMasakatsu Takagi - NiyodoAmy Lauren - North ShoreAbandoned Toys - A Soft Shadowed InnocenceAnthesteria - Nicholas 1914Jim Brickman - Nothing Left to SayHideyuki Hashimoto - NaoshimaPill-oh - NightstillYiruma - NocturnLuigi Rubino - NostalgiaLuke Howard - North

Contemporary Piano Music Ep184 - Modern Neoclassical - Ambient Classical - New Age mixhttps://www.youtube.com/@NewAgePianoMusicmixesJoe Bongiorno - MysticalSuzanne Ciani - Megan's DreamAbandoned Toys - Requiem for AnnissaRalph Zurmuhle - My Father's EyesRick Wakeman - LothlorienLuigi Rubino - Melancholic LisbonDavid Nevue - Mourning-rebirthMasakatsu Takagi - MikuraGary Girouard - MiraclesRikiya Yamashita - Misty Rain

Works include: Nocturne in E flat, Fantaisie Impromptu, minute Waltz, Grand Valse Brilliante and Etude Op 10 No. 3. Pianists include: Arthur Rubinstein. Alfred Cortot, Claudio Arrau, Margarete Long, Sergi Rachmanioff and William Kapell. 

Immerse yourself in this relaxing blend of 1 Hz delta wave binaural beats, gentle ambient piano music, and the soothing sounds of forest rain. Designed to guide you into a state of profound calm, our soundscape helps ease your mind, body, and spirit. Whether you're winding down after a long day or seeking a moment of peace, let the tranquil melodies and natural rhythms cradle you into a restorative slumber. Tune in, relax, and let the healing begin.

Contemporary Piano Music Ep183 - Modern Classical - Ethereal Instrumental - Ambient Neoclassical - New Age mixhttps://www.youtube.com/@NewAgePianoMusicmixesLuigi Rubino - Last DanceJean-Michel Blais - Le LacAbandoned Toys - Spiraling into the SunJean-Michel Blais - La FermeDaniel Robbins - Love ThemeYuhki Kuramoto - LovinglyRick Wakeman - LothlorienSophie Kazandjian - Lights AppearJim Brickman - Looking BackIsaac Shepard - Letting Go

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CREEPYPASTA STORY►by SirUlrichVonLichten: / why_my_father_was_terrified_of_piano_music Creepypastas are the campfire tales of the internet. Horror stories spread through Reddit r/nosleep, forums and blogs, rather than word of mouth. Whether you believe these scary stories to be true or not is left to your own discretion and imagination. LISTEN TO CREEPYPASTAS ON THE GO-SPOTIFY► https://open.spotify.com/show/7l0iRPd...iTUNES► https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast...SUGGESTED CREEPYPASTA PLAYLISTS-►"Good Places to Start"- • "I wasn't careful enough on the deep ... ►"Personal Favourites"- • "I sold my soul for a used dishwasher... ►"Written by me"- • "I've been Blind my Whole Life" Creep... ►"Long Stories"- • Long Stories FOLLOW ME ON-►Twitter: / creeps_mcpasta ►Instagram: / creepsmcpasta ►Twitch: / creepsmcpasta ►Facebook: / creepsmcpasta CREEPYPASTA MUSIC/ SFX- ►http://bit.ly/Audionic ♪►http://bit.ly/Myuusic ♪►http://bit.ly/incompt ♪►http://bit.ly/EpidemicM ♪This creepypasta is for entertainment purposes only