Did you know? (Random Fact time)

[SeashellnBubbles]

Naked mole rats (aside from being hideously awesome) have many unique characteristics. They don't suffer from parasites, their incisers grow through their lips so they can keep their moths closed to keep dirt out. They can chew through concrete, can run as fast backward as they can forward, and appear immune to cancer! They also live for incredibly long times...up to 35 years or longer!
They're one of the only known mammals to live collectively as bees and ants do, with a "queen" who uses pheromones to keep other females from becoming sexually mature. When a queen dies, females fight savagely and the winner actually grows extra vertebrae in her back to support her being able to give birth. Being a Queen isn't all birthing and lactating, though...when it's time for bed, she sleeps on top of all her naked friends!
In case you can't tell, I'm addicted to naked mole rat culture...

[Marigold]

The life cycle of a cicada lasts up to 17 years. That means every cicada you see is almost two decades old!

Well at least for the 17 year cicada. There are other species of cicadas with shorter life cycle spans. Some as short as two years. 

[Winter Bones]

The life cycle of a cicada lasts up to 17 years. That means every cicada you see is almost two decades old!

Well at least for the 17 year cicada. There are other species of cicadas with shorter life cycle spans. Some as short as two years.

Yeah, I was considering listing species names and exceptions and such but I didn't want to go Full Entomologist on this thread. Considering there's not much else to do at the moment, perhaps I shall. Have some more strange bug facts:

The femme fatale isn't exclusive to the silver screen, nature has many variations of the trope in its own right. Of course there are spiders and praying mantids who are known for reproductive cannibalism, or eating their own mates, but did you know that fireflies have a similar ace up their sleeve? Female Photuris fireflies mimic the light patterns of another species, Photinus, to attract their males and chow down on them.

But it goes deeper! Cornell researchers found that the blood of male Photinus fireflies contain defensive chemicals called lucibufagins, which keep the Phorturis fireflies who eat it safe from predators such as jumping spiders and birds. Talk about eat or be eaten, huh?

[Marigold]

I love entomology. Totally cool with me if you post about them!  Love the firefly info. 

[Corona]

Yeah, I was considering listing species names and exceptions and such but I didn't want to go Full Entomologist on this thread.

Can I help you go full entomologist? I'm a mere amateur though (almost went into entomology!)

Leafcutter Ants grow their own food! The leaves they cut and collect are used to grow a fungus the ants eat. This fungus is found nowhere else in the world.

[Winter Bones]

I love entomology. Totally cool with me if you post about them!  Love the firefly info.

Oh wow, okay. Strange Bug Facts have gotten me some strange looks at parties in the past so I usually try not to go too deep into them.

Yeah, I was considering listing species names and exceptions and such but I didn't want to go Full Entomologist on this thread.

Can I help you go full entomologist? I'm a mere amateur though (almost went into entomology!)

Leafcutter Ants grow their own food! The leaves they cut and collect are used to grow a fungus the ants eat. This fungus is found nowhere else in the world.

I'm actually not much of an entomologist offline either to be honest. Probably has something to do with the way I scream and flail like a little girl when approached by anything that flies and stings. Nope nope nope.

Not all fungi are used for good in the insect world, such as the parasitic Cordyceps fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, which infects ants and turns them into zombies. The ants then leave their colonies, clamp onto plant stems with their mandibles (which allows the fungus to maintain an ideal temperature and humidity), and die so that the Cordyceps can emerge and release as many spores as possible. Spooky.

That's like the third ant fact in this thread. Bless you, ants.

[clonecommander]

Did you know that the dinosaur called Brontosaurus was NOT actually a real species? It was finally realized in the 1980s that it was an Apatosaurus skeleton with a Camarasaurus skull! Only 2 Apatosaurus skulls have been found to date.

[Cate_Dartfinger]

Did you know that the dinosaur called Brontosaurus was NOT actually a real species? It was finally realized in the 1980s that it was an Apatosaurus skeleton with a Camarasaurus skull! Only 2 Apatosaurus skulls have been found to date.

My whole childhood was a lie! *shakes fist*

Did you guys know that the human heart creates enough pressure to squirt blood 30 feet!

[Diamond]

Did you know that the dinosaur called Brontosaurus was NOT actually a real species? It was finally realized in the 1980s that it was an Apatosaurus skeleton with a Camarasaurus skull! Only 2 Apatosaurus skulls have been found to date.

My whole childhood was a lie! *shakes fist*

Did you guys know that the human heart creates enough pressure to squirt blood 30 feet!

Sorry about that, she is a bit of a smart one.

Did you know that a woodpecker wraps it tongue  around it brain to keep it intact while pecking at trees looking for food or drilling out holes to live in.

[Marigold]

Did you know that the dinosaur called Brontosaurus was NOT actually a real species? It was finally realized in the 1980s that it was an Apatosaurus skeleton with a Camarasaurus skull! Only 2 Apatosaurus skulls have been found to date.

I knew that they were "renamed", but I didn't know why.  Makes sense now. 

[starrypawz]

Did you know, that the cat is able to rotate it's paw as you'd see when a cat rubs it face but the dog is not? The 'wrist' of a dog is fused.


The pelvis of a frog is able to slide up and down the spine when it jumps?


The term 'blood is thicker than water' is misinterpreted?

It is actually meant to mean 'the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb' which essentially means 'the friends/alliances you make are stronger than the ones you are born into'

[Beachball]

In the 80's, Jim Carrey badly wanted to voice Gumby.
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I reckon voicing Gumby is on his bucket list. Some year a Gumby film will come out and the green humanoid has Jim's voice. I learned about Jim wanting to voice Gumby from a two inch tall 40-page booklet with some history about Gumby I found at a thrift store. The booklet mentioned that and there was a quote by Jim attached that I shall never forget: "I want to be Gumby, damn it!"

[okamigirl64]

Did you know that a typical pencil can write up to 45,000 words or draw a line 35 miles long? (Thank you Cracker Jacks) 

[LordBlumiere]

Did you know you actually have far more senses than the '5 senses' you were taught about in elementary school? Your sense of balance, temperature, pain, and time are just a few others.

[SeashellnBubbles]

Did you know that the average My Little Pony enthusiasts know all about some pretty wacky stuff!?

Here's one...people once bought Narwhal teeth thinking they were unicorn horns, and as such had magical properties associated to them?? The front left incisor tooth is usually the one that grows straight from the face, and has temperature sensitive receptors in it! Make sure you don't brush a narwhal's tooth with Sensodyne