Photos, videos and docs of Janet Brien, with the keywords: "metamorphosis"

291/365: "Everyday holds the possibility of a miracle." ~ Elizabeth David

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 05:10:29 +0000

8 more pictures in notes above! :)

Hooray! Hooray!!! Sing to the high heavens, for Emerging Day has arrived!!! Miracles of all miracles, I can hardly believe my own two eyes!! I have had the distinct and awesome opportunity to successfully raise Clio Tiger Moths from eggs through all caterpillar stages, and through the month-long duration of their pupa stage as they transformed into adult moths, and now they are emerging in all of their incredible beauty for me to share with you!!

The entire event from start to finish is simply AMAZING to me. I have never tried to raise caterpillars before, and I thought I might end up killing them all, but I have somehow managed to do a good job, as they are now hatching as adults, one by one, with wet and wrinkled wings. I find them after they wiggle out of their cocoons and sit still, slowly pumping blood into their wings to inflate and flatten them over the course of many hours as they dry. At night time I am releasing them onto the white railings on our back deck where they can sit safely camouflaged and when they are ready, they fly away into the night! Each will "overwinter", clinging to the bark of a tree until the springtime, when they will come out of their hibernation state and feed before mating and beginning the cycle all over again! Isn't it an amazing miracle?!! WOW!!

I have a huge show to share tonight, with 7 different images of the moths and pupae about to hatch! I will make all of the images available for closer inspection but they will also be viewable here as insets on the picture above, which shows a newly emerged adult with rumpled wings! :)

Elizabeth David CBE (born Elizabeth Gwynne; 26 December 1913 – 22 May 1992) was a British cookery writer who, in the mid-20th century, strongly influenced the revitalisation of the art of home cookery with articles and books about European cuisines and traditional British dishes. Wikipedia: Elizabeth David

227/365: "Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success." ~ Swami Sivananda

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 02:58:37 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

6 more pictures in notes above! :)

I've been thinking about Lucky's Pond and Angel's pond lately, and feeling a little bummed that I didn't share more pictures of this unfolding event as the tadpoles I rescued turned into frogs and hopped away. Time flies and now it's mid-August! Unlike last year, all the tadpoles in Lucky's Pond turned into frogs and left that pond empty, so I've let it dry up. I want to clean it out so it's not such a mess next year. Most of the tadpoles have transformed in Angel's Pond too, but a few are still taking their time.

This morning I went over to take a look and it's almost like these guys knew I was feeling sad because just like that, a froglet hopped onto the dry spot and sat staring at me! I hadn't seen any froglets for WEEKS so I was amazed and delighted! I buzzed into the house and back out with my camera and happily the froglet was still there! I got a few pictures before he hopped behind a rock, but then I saw another one swimming on the far side of the pond, and went around to take pictures of that one too. They are SO CUTE, aren't they?!!

I was about to return to the house when I thought, "I wonder if this little guy would let me pick him up..." So I reached a finger under him and gently hoisted him up into the air...and he STAYED!!! YES!!! I took pictures one-handed and hoped I'd get at least one good picture--it's hard to keep the camera still with one hand, AND hard to keep my other hand still too...these shots are tough when BOTH hands are not rock-steady. Suddenly...*BOING*.... *SPLASH*, and my little buddy hopped back into the water and swam away. You can imagine my joy when I found that I got this picture, which turned out perfectly!! (The 8-10 others were either just a bit off to totally blurry!) Hooray for a brave little froglet!! :D I've been smiling all day thinking about this cutie pie! :) (In case you're interested, this is the story of Angel's Pond! )

Sivānanda Saraswati (September 8, 1887 – July 14, 1963) was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a proponent of Yoga and Vedanta. Sivānanda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He studied medicine and served in British Malaya as a physician for several years before taking up monasticism. He lived most part of his life near Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh. Wikipedia: Sivananda Saraswati

Explored on August 16, 2013. Highest placement, page 1 (#20).

Froglet at the Side of Angel's Pond

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 02:55:47 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Here's the second froglet I found this morning, and he was swimming around the far side of the pool, so I walked around and took some pictures before I thought of my idea to pick him up! :)

Littlest Babiest Froglet, Only 1/4" in Size!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 02:58:35 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

After I took a few pictures, he was done with me and began to hop away. However, I managed to get this picture first, and you can see the tiny remnants of his tail back there!! Look at that cute little froggy butt! :D

Darling Froglet

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 02:55:49 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

When I ran into the house and returned with my camera, this is the picture I took first! Can you see that only his little nose is sticking out of the water?!! Soooooo adorable!!! :D

Angel's Pond: Froglet Contemplating Life

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:18:27 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

This morning I went over to see how the froglets were doing at Angel's Pond, and I found this adorable little fellow sitting on a rock, thinking about life. Perhaps he was wondering how he managed to get up so high? Or, maybe he was looking at the pile o' froglets below and wondered if they would appreciate him leaping on top of them all with a resounding, "CANNONBALLLLLL!!!" Anyway, he's really cute, no matter what he was thinking about!! :D

Angel's Pond: Pile o' Kids

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 03:45:17 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Would you just LOOK at these adorable little guys?!! Can you believe how many there are?!! When I first noticed them all piled up like this, I got a bunch of rocks to create more room for them to spread out, but as I suspected, they enjoy being in a frogpile! :D It must be for warmth, but it might also be for companionship. I do know that at some point they untangle themselves from the masses and climb up the side of the pool where they sit for a while and then hop out into the grass to find their way in the world.

Angel's Pond: Emergence

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 04:20:38 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

One of the coolest life experiences I've had has been the joy of watching tadpoles turn into frogs and then leave to find their way in the world. I was so happy last year when I made the decision to save the remaining tadpoles in our seasonal pond and I met Lucky. This year it's twice as much fun because there are two ponds now with the addition of Angel's Pond!

I spend a few minutes each day at each pool to see how everyone is doing, smiling and giggling at how adorable they all are. The tadpoles wiggle around, coming up to the surface for a bubble of air and then sinking back down to the bottom...or perhaps they will cruise around the surface for a few moments, soaking up the sunshine's warmth on their back. The froglets hang out in big piles where I have rocks placed so they can be out of the water. They've got lots of room to spread out, but nooooo, they like to stack up in a frogpile! And sometimes a froglet like the one above will hang out at the ramp I have which leads out of the pond, and to me, it looks so much like the icon of evolution.

The change from tadpole to frog is so amazing to think about. If you have a moment, stop what you're doing, close your eyes and try to imagine what it would be like to have a tail, live in the water and have gills, and then, over the course of several DAYS (some transform slower), to lose that tail and have legs pop out where your gills were (because you breathe air now), and more legs pop out at the base of your tail stump! You used to have rasps in your mouth to scrape off algae to eat, but your mouth has changed too, and now you have a large mouth to eat insects and other animals! It's incredible! All we do is get big once we're born...frogs go through a complete transformation!! Isn't nature fascinating?!! :)

159/365: "Each new generation born is in effect an invasion of civilization by little barbarians, who must be civilized before it is too late." ~ Thomas Sowell

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 21:51:39 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

The froglets and tadpoles are coming! The invasion is upon us! Hooray!! :D Our seasonal pond is quickly drying up and will be dust within about a week, so a few days ago I set up another kiddy pool under our oak tree in the front yard and began porting buckets full of tadpoles and froglets up to their new temporary home! They're so cute and naturally photogenic, I have to stop myself from taking a billion pictures of them! I'll be putting up more pictures in the days and weeks to come!

Thomas Sowell (born June 30, 1930) is an American economist, social theorist, political philosopher, and author. He is currently the Rose and Milton Friedman Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. According to Larry D. Nachman in Commentary magazine, he is considered a leading representative of the Chicago school of economics. Wikipedia: Thomas Sowell

Lucky's Pond: Growing Up is a Dangerous Business!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 05:03:15 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Although most of the tadpoles have now grown up and hopped away, Lucky's Pond still has plenty of polliwogs changing into froglets for me to adore. It's hard to find froglets on my daily visits now and there are usually only one or two hiding under a rock's edge or at the side of the pool, but I still see many tadpoles in the water. (HAPPY NOTE!! I just went out for a late night visit and found a half-grown froglet visiting, sitting in the place that many of them lined up for pictures...he looks like he's saying, "HEY! THIS ROCK SHRUNK! :D :D Totally adorable, what a fun discovery!!)

Even though I saved them from drying up, these little guys still have plenty to worry about. There are water boatsmen and backswimmer insects and a large water beetle that live in the pond too, and they eat tadpoles and froglets that aren't quick enough! Wasps that come to drink the water will also eat our little friends if they get the chance. If you can believe it, the tadpoles will eat one another too. Adult frogs are known to eat froglets and tadpoles, and they come every night to get wet, and probably to hunt as well.

Once the froglets hop out of the pond, they will need to rely on their instincts to survive. There is a garter snake whose home is right next to the pool and it surely eats some of the new hoppers who leave the pool. The environment is harsh and dry, and if their instincts don't tell every new froglet to seek the cool shade under bushes or in a safe hole during the day, they will succumb to the heat and dry conditions. There are ramps leading into the pond, and cool areas for them to easily hop to, but it's up to them to make it to safety. I know that most of them will die because that's just how it is, but if they're Lucky, they'll survive and will hopefully live to start a new family next spring! :)

More fun froggy facts tomorrow, along with another picture from Lucky's Pond! :)

Emerging Monarch! (Butterfly Metamorphosis, Part 2!)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:47:28 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

8 more pictures in notes above! Please view to watch the amazing show!! :D
(The last picture is clickable and shows a line of chrysalis'...you can click on the picture to visit the picture and read more about my visit to Butterfly Adventures and learn more about Monarch Butterflies!)

Sometimes everything works out perfectly!! Steve and I went to the Jackson County Fair a month ago, and when I found out there was a butterfly exhibit, I couldn't wait to see it! Little did I know we'd get to walk inside the exhibit!! WOO HOO!!! I was a little kid in a candy store!! When I saw the boxes with butterfly chrysalis' glued to the tops, I was fascinated and thrilled to see the cocoons, but I never thought I'd actually get to see a butterfly actually emerge! In fact, the owner told me that in the five years he's done this, he's always missed the emerging. So of course I didn't expect to get that lucky.

However, as I was taking pictures of a Painted Lady butterfly sitting on one of the boxes, I noticed some movement, and saw that it was a Monarch emerging from its chrysalis, literally right there in front of me!! I had that camera up and clicking instantly to record the show!! I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed this incredible experience!

Lucky's Pond: Froglet Pile

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 04:00:39 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(If you want to know about Lucky, please visit this picture and read the story! :) My Friend Lucky

When I took this picture, I thought I was looking at a froglet sitting on a rock, counting the evening stars in contented bliss. But when I looked at the picture on my computer, I laughed in glee when I discovered the truth! That little froglet isn't sitting on a rock, he's sitting on top of another froglet!! Best of all, they both look very comfortable and happy being in a froglet pile! Awwwwwwwwwwww!!!!! :D

Did you know that Pacific Tree Frogs are the only frogs that make the exact sound, "ribbit"? All other frogs make different sounds, not quite like the Pacific Tree Frog. Only male frogs can sing, and most frog species make their calls by forcing air into their vocal sac, which blows up into like a balloon! The air vibrates over the larynx and resonates inside the large, air-filled sac! (There are a few kinds of frogs who sing without vocal sacs) The song of the Pacific Tree Frog can be heard up to half a mile away on a quiet night! Last year Steve and I got a sound-capture of the frogs singing at the pond and you will love hearing them singing for love! If you would like to know more about frog vocal sacs, Wiki has a very nice page about it here: Wiki: Frog Vocal Sac

More fun froggy facts tomorrow, along with another picture from Lucky's Pond! :)

By the way, I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too!

Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :)

Lucky's Pond: King of the Island

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 05:09:25 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(If you want to know about Lucky, please visit this picture and read the story! :) My Friend Lucky

It's hard for me to resist taking pictures at Lucky's Pond all day long because these little guys are hopelessly adorable no matter what they're doing, but I'm afraid I'd fill my entire hard drive up with images! As it is, I've got lots and lots to share! Here's Lucky playing "King of the Island," and I'm sure that right before I got here he was shoving everyone off so he could retain his title! :D (By the way, everyone at Lucky's Pond is named Lucky! :D)

When tadpoles go through the final change into a frog, they stop eating while their mouths, jaws and face changes shape. While this is happening, they also begin to reabsorb their tail, and this is thought to give them energy while they aren't eating! That's really cool, and it's so cute to see their tails shrinking!! :D

Lucky's Pond: O Hai!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 05:34:20 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

--- Taking the day off, will be back tomorrow!! :D --

(If you want to know about Lucky, please visit this picture and read the story! :) My Friend Lucky

Can you say cute?!! I'm beginning to wonder if it's possible to take a bad picture of a developing frog! :D I've been having such fun with these little guys and I have lots and lots of pictures to share in the coming days! This one is another one of my favorites! :)

This morning when I went out to say hi to the tadpole kids, I was surprised to find a garter snake hanging out right next to the pool. It didn't disappear into the grass, but sat there for several moments looking at me curiously before finally going into a hole nearby. I have a feeling that it's been snacking on exuberant froglets who are probably hopping around the area. Oh well, the clever ones will make it and the really smart ones will stay in the pool until they're full-sized!

Did you know that tadpoles are herbivores and frogs are carnivores?! Tadpoles have completely different mouths with tooth-like projections in their small jaws. They scrape algae off rocks and also eat plant matter that they find. (They also love the fish food flakes that I feed them!) As they change from a tapole into a frog, their jaws will enlarge and they'll grow real teeth. (More fun facts, another update and a new picture tomorrow!

I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too!

Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :)

Lucky's Pond: The Change Begins

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 05:15:29 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(If you want to know about Lucky, please visit this picture and read the story! :) My Friend Lucky

I'd like to start of by saying that is is probably one of my all-time favorite pictures! I am a hopeless sucker for anything cute, and I adore frogs. What could be more adorable than this?!! Here is a tadpole that's turning into a frog and pushing itself up out of the water as it learns to breathe air and hold its body up! It's so tiny that most of its body isn't breaking the resistance of the water, which is forming a clear film "skirt" around it. And it still has a round tadpole face with such a funny expression! There's even a reflection. This picture makes me happy! :)

Tadpoles begin growing their hind legs first, and then their front legs begin to bulge where their gill pouches are. At the same time, the gills are being replaced by lungs; as the gills disappear, the arms pop out, elbows first! (I will be giving tidbits of information about the metamophosis of tadpole to frog with each picture, so stay tuned for the next part tomorrow!)

Lucky's Pond: Evolution

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 03:20:44 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(If you want to know about Lucky, please visit this picture and read the story! :) My Friend Lucky

This picture reminds me of illustrations of evolution that show prehistoric fish crawling onto land 400 million years ago. Those fish would eventually evolve into amphibeans 100 million years later! I can't even begin to get my mind around that number, can you? In any event, this little Lucky is doing a great job looking the part of Evolution! :) Every day there are more tadpoles crawling up onto the rocks, and there are a few without any tails now!! YAY!!

It takes 6-9 weeks for most tadpoles to transform into frogs, but some tadpoles delay this metamorphosis for at long as 6 months if it's too late in the year. The increasingly cold water triggers their body to overwinter as a tadpole, and finish their transformation when the water begins to warm up to the right temperature. Isn't that amazing?! The glucose (sugar) in their bloodstream acts like antifreeze, and in the case of most frog species, they are able to overwinter in ponds as long as the mud where they hibernate doesn't completely freeze. Unlike our Pacific Tree Frogs, the Wood Frog can become mostly frozen and its heart will actually stop beating! When the temperature warms up and they thaw out, its heart will begin beating again and it will be fine!! Incredible!

More fun froggy facts tomorrow, along with another picture from Lucky's Pond! :)

By the way, I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too!

Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :)

Lucky's Pond: Wonder

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 05:51:50 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(If you want to know about Lucky, please visit this picture and read the story! :) My Friend Lucky

The other night I went out with a flashlight to see how the gang was doing, and was surprised to find countless froglets sitting on the rocks and on the walls of the pool! I was so enchanted by their cuteness...and hoped they would forgive me because the next thing I knew, I ran inside, put our flash setup on my camera and went out again for some pictures! I love how this pair seem to be looking out in wonder, thinking about what will come next in their lives. :)

When tadpoles go through their final transformation into frogs, the following things happen over the course of 2-10 days:

• Their gills disappear and their lungs finish developing.

• The front legs pop out where the gill pouch was.

• Their small jaws and round mouth change into large jaws with a big mouth and real teeth.

• Their digestive tract changes from a long herbavore spiral gut to the short gut of a predator.

• Their eyes change and move up higher on their head and get eyelids.

• They form skin glands and thicker skin.

• They develop eardrums.

Aren't you glad you don't have to go through metamorphosis?!!! WOW! Isn't that incredible?!!

More fun froggy facts tomorrow, along with another picture from Lucky's Pond! :)

By the way, I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too!

Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :)

Lucky's Pond: Three Amigos

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 04:59:40 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(If you want to know about Lucky, please visit this picture and read the story! :) My Friend Lucky

Every day, more and more tadpoles are maturing into froglets and hanging out on the rocks and on the side of the pool. Here are three happy buddies enjoying the warm afternoon and wondering what the strange black thing is which is coming closer and closer and is attached to an alien monster that's cooing at them! If you're a woman, take a look at your fingernail on your pinkie finger: that's about the size of each of these froglets!! Awwwwwww, so cute!!! :D (Guys, just imagine if your fingernail is a little smaller! :D)

Did you know that frogs breathe through their lungs AND their skin? Did you know that frogs can drown? If a frog is in the water and doesn't have access to air, it will respirate through its highly permeable skin, but if it's in a situation where it can't breathe air and not enough of its skin is wet, it will drown! (For instance, if it flips upside-down in a shallow puddle and cannot flip back over.)

More fun froggy facts tomorrow, along with another picture from Lucky's Pond! :)

By the way, I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too!

Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :)

Lucky's Pond: Froggy Camouflage

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 04:45:11 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(If you want to know about Lucky, please visit this picture and read the story! :) My Friend Lucky

Oh, liittle froglet...I seeeee youuuuu!!! Isn't it amazing how well this little guy blends in with the rock he's on? It doesn't hurt that his skin is very translucent--his toes are almost completely transparent!

Pacific Tree Frogs come in many shades of green and brown and have the ability to change their color over the course of hours, days or weeks. In fact, I have a fun story to share about this!

We have an upstairs deck outside our bedroom where we grow our tomato plants. Every year frogs find their way up to the deck where they have access to water, cool shade, and a steady stream of insects to eat which come to visit the plants.

A couple of nights ago it was really hot so we opened the door to cool off the bedroom. Later we went into our game room before bed and I was busy replying to comments when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I looked down to the floor and to my surprise, I saw a Pacific Tree Frog! It was the pale beige color of our carpet and looked very confused. I was amazed! This frog hopped through the back door, through the bedroom, down the hall, turned right and went down the hall, turned left and hopped into the game room, turned right and finally ended up in my field of view! I can hardly believe it!! This frog would have certainly died except that it travelled all that way, where I found it--or rather, it found Mama Frog! I scooped it up, brought it into the bathroom and washed off all the dog hair it managed to collect along the way and after it squirted out of my grasp a couple of times, I managed to get it downstairs and out into the cool foliage in our front yard. Wow, I wonder if that was Lucky's mom or dad?! That was one extremely lucky froggy!! :D

More fun froggy facts tomorrow, along with another picture from Lucky's Pond! :)

By the way, I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too!

Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :)

Lucky's Pond: This is the Life (Pond Update!)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 03:08:40 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Here are a couple of froglets relaxing on a rock and enjoying a lazy day in the pond. It's been 19 days now since I brought the crew up to the new pond under the Oak tree, and so much has happened. Dozens of tadpoles have turned into little froglets, slowly losing their tails and then climbing up the side of the pool and hopping off to seek their fortune! I water the area around the pool every couple of days so it's not quite as dry, but their froggy senses should direct them to the cool shade under the plants 20 feet away by the side of our house. There is a dripping faucet there and water for the animals that stop by. (There are also ramps to get back up to the pool.)

In the pond, there are still countless tadpoles, many of which still don't have any legs yet! A few froglets have stayed around and are growing larger with each passing day. I've found full-grown Pacific Tree Frogs visiting the pond at night, and lots of insects and spiders have been hanging around too. It's become quite an oasis for the little creatures in the area, but we do keep a screen over the top because a single thirsty deer could drain the entire pond, which would be a disaster. In short, Lucky's Pond is a total success! Steve and I are planning to make a permanent pond here so there will always be a sanctuary for the late tadpoles every year and a new place to live year-round! :)

More fun froggy facts tomorrow, along with another picture from Lucky's Pond! :)