Coexisting together

Karan Gathani / undefined 09, 2025

Hello folks who wonder if the really rich and the really poor are similar in that they both eat just one meal a day,

We live in a news cycle that is filled with stories of gore and violence. So, when you come across a news story about something unexpectedly harmonious, it just makes you smile a little. Something that was unacceptable 100 years ago is now so common that people don't even flinch. 

Case in point: seeing people sitting at the same table where one person is eating a margherita pizza and the other person is happily consuming pineapple on their pizza—without anyone pointing a gun at each other.


OR here is another one. What if I told you about a short story about a Coyote and ground squirrel that is unlike one you have never heard.

In the golden foothills where sage meets sand, a most unusual friendship blossomed between Wiley the coyote and Pip the ground squirrel. What began as curious glances across the scrubland evolved into daily games of chase—never predatory, just playful—after they'd both finished their daily foraging. Pip would dart and dodge while Wiley followed, their movements a dance of joy rather than hunt, defying the ancient laws that should have made them enemies.

Humans leave behind enough waste for us to coexist


Their bond grew so deep that when Wiley began courting a sleek female coyote, he proudly introduced his tiny friend. Other coyotes raised their eyebrows, but Wiley didn't care. Through winter storms and summer droughts, they shared burrows and secrets, with Pip warning of approaching hawks and Wiley scaring away foxes that ventured too close to Pip's family.

I heard a lot about you from Wiley.

Then came the day when Wiley discovered the internet at a human campsite, scrolling through fitness forums on an abandoned phone. He read with growing conviction about the carnivore diet and its promises of strength and longevity. That evening, as Pip bounded toward him for their usual game, something shifted in Wiley's amber eyes. Without hesitation or ceremony, he snapped his jaws around his friend's tiny body, swallowing both Pip and years of friendship in a single, protein-rich gulp.

R.I.P Pip, you were a great friend. Wiley, get some counseling.

When I first saw a wasp and a cricket hugging it out, I had tears in my eyes. I started shouting, "If crickets and wasps can live in harmony, why can't we humans?"



After watching for a little longer, I realized that the predatory wasp had swiftly paralyzed the cricket with its ovipositor. It was now carrying the cricket back to its burrow, where it would lay an egg—giving its hatchling a fresh meal when it emerged.


I'm not sure if you know, but I'm a state-certified jumping coach....

...for jumping spiders.

Which simply means that whenever I come across one, I make it jump.



Here is the slow motion video of me training the ️heavy-bodied Jumping Spider.



If you've ever been brave enough to look a jumping spider directly in the eyes, you might have noticed a small, extra pair of appendages near its mouth. These are called pedipalps, and they serve several important purposes. Jumping spiders use their pedipalps to signal to potential mates, to sense their surroundings, and to hold onto prey while injecting venom. This close-up video illustrates how a jumping spider utilizes its pedipalps.




I observed something fascinating recently: just before a jumping spider leaped, it significantly increased how quickly it waved its pedipalps. This makes me wonder if rapid waving could help them assess wind conditions right before a jump, especially if they are jumping across a gap. Knowing the wind direction and strength might be crucial for a successful jump.

It appears to be engaging in a game of peekaboo with something... or perhaps even with me?

Compared to the familiar Western Honey Bee that we keep in hives, the Giant Honey Bee is a completely different story! These amazing bees are truly wild – humans haven't been able to domesticate them. One big reason is their nesting habit: Western Honey Bees prefer enclosed spaces, but Giant Honey Bees build their nests in the open air on tree branches. They also flourish in tropical heat and tend to be more aggressive. Seeing one of these impressive bees high in a tree was pretty exciting.


Initially, you might not realize how much is going on. From a distance, it doesn't seem like much. But that's because you need to get closer! Once I found a good vantage point, I could finally get a clear view of this colony and see them hard at work.


No comments:

Post a Comment

Did you learn something new in this post? Let us know in the comments below

Tags

acorns adventure adventures algae alligator american crow ant cricket ants aphids aquatic snails arachnids argentine ants bananas bark beetles barklice barnacles bats beaver bees beetle beetles bird lice birds black-tailed deer bloodworms bristletail bug bugs bumblebee butterflies calicoflower canada goose cardinal carpenter bees carrots caterpillars cats cave centipede cockroaches common murres coot corvids court case crabs crawfish crayfish cricket crickets crow crustaceans damselflies death deer diatoms dock dogs dragonflies earwigs eggs egrets elephant seals eucalyptus european starlings eyes farallon island ferns fig fingerprints fishes flea flies floods florida flowers fly freshwater snail frog frogs fundraiser fungus fungus-eating lady beetles galls gannet geckos geese goats goldfinch gophers grasshopper green dock beetle green heron green lacewing guest post gull gulls harvestmen hawks herons hike history honeybees house sparrows india insects isopods jumping bristletails jumping spiders juncos katydid kayak lacewing lady beetles land snails leaf miners leafhopper lice lichens lizard lizards lynx spider maggots Magpie mallow marsh megabats midges mildew millipede mites moles mosquito moths mouse spider nematodes nettles newt newts night nuthatches oaks owl paper wasps parasite part 2 pavement ants pelicans pigeons pill bugs plants pocket gophers pollen pollination pollinators poppy praying mantis pseudopupil puffins pupa quail rabbits rat roach roadkill rove beetles salamander salmon sandpiper scat scorpion Scorpions sea lions sea otters sea urchin seals seeds shorebird shrimp silverfish skunk snails snakes social media solifuges sparrows spider spiders springtails squirrel squirrels starlings stilts stinger sun spiders surf scoter swallows swifts talks tarantula termites thrips ticks towhees trees turkey turkey vulture turtle venom vernal pool vultures warblers wasp wasps water boatmen webspinners whales wildflower wolf spider woodpeckers Wren wrens yellow jackets youtube

Featured Post

The case of the missing grasshopper

Hello folks who wonder if crime does not pay well at least the benefits are hard to dismiss, This case is about Gregory , a band-winged Gras...