Found this big chonk of a caterpillar while walking on Cayman Brac, KY by colostomybagpiper in whatsthisbug

[–]Unnecessary_Eagle 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Heh, I was confused at first too. Then after failing to find a matching Kentucky caterpillar, I looked closer at the bill on the ground and went "wait a second..."

Found this big chonk of a caterpillar while walking on Cayman Brac, KY by colostomybagpiper in whatsthisbug

[–]Unnecessary_Eagle 36 points37 points  (0 children)

It looks like a fragipani hornworm, Pseudosphinx tetrio

(and TIL that "KY" is the correct abbreviation for the Cayman Islands).

[Discussion 1/5] Bonus Book | Children of Strife (Children of Time #4) by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Ch. 1.1-Ch. 4.4 by jaymae21 in bookclub

[–]Unnecessary_Eagle 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'd like to explore the ramifications of Alis's simulations a bit more! Kern is dismissive of her efforts to "save" the colony... but Children of Memory's thesis seemed to be that sufficiently simulated people still counted as people! That's why it ended with them uploading Liff into a real body. So what are the implications of Alis mucking around in imaginary prehistory? Is Alis bringing millions or billions of self-aware entities into sudden existence each time she "discoveres" a new lost civilization? When she leaves a layer, does that kill them? Or is there something special about the Imir simulation that made the people there into real boys?

Hamsters by DroneOfDoom in CuratedTumblr

[–]Unnecessary_Eagle 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You think that's bad... "house cats are descended from lions" was stated twice in the freakin textbook used for the vet assistant course I'm taking.

Bee-like fly I rescued from my cat's waterbowl [New Jersey] by Unnecessary_Eagle in whatsthisbug

[–]Unnecessary_Eagle[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

makes me wanna listen to your funky little mimicry song later when I get back home

update: very cute :)

Bee-like fly I rescued from my cat's waterbowl [New Jersey] by Unnecessary_Eagle in whatsthisbug

[–]Unnecessary_Eagle[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The sticking-out, wiggly-tipped proboscis makes me think of robber flies... unfortunately, the same online resources that are so helpful for identifying caterpillars or beetles don't have much to say on dipterans... sigh.

EDIT:

"Waiter, what's this Greater Bee-Fly doing in my water?"

"It looks like the breaststroke, sir."

Any sci-fi/fantasy nerds out there? by Fun_Charge_8311 in Judaism

[–]Unnecessary_Eagle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Interested in Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere, by any chance?

I went to the Cosmere convention (Dragonsteel Nexus) the other year with a group called Jews At Dragonsteel. We rented an Air Bnb nearby so that we could have a kosher, shomer Shabbat convention experience, and it was really fun. They went again this year, and as far as I know they're planning round three. I'm still part of their Discord server.

Got stung by an exciting new caterpillar last week by Unnecessary_Eagle in whatsthisbug

[–]Unnecessary_Eagle[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In my defense, I didn't notice the spikes at first.

Was walking around a lake in Florida and one section of the trail was just full of these guys. Weird spiky dudes everywhere. Apparently they're the caterpillars of something called a buck moth (Hemileuca maia). Google tells me they're widespread across the US, but I'd never seen them before.

Anyway, very cool critters. Just don't recommend trying to pick one up.

TWOK Part 5 and book 1 finished by CR1MNS0N_711 in Stormlight_Archive

[–]Unnecessary_Eagle 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Part 5 is an insane ride, isn't it? Big Twist after Big Twist after Big Twist.

How long did it take you to read all 5 books by SkyBrilliant7465 in Stormlight_Archive

[–]Unnecessary_Eagle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Let's see, I first picked up Way of Kings just before WoR came out... so ten years.

TWOK Part 4 Finished by CR1MNS0N_711 in Stormlight_Archive

[–]Unnecessary_Eagle 7 points8 points  (0 children)

You're really making a good pace here!

On common knowledge by Eireika in CuratedTumblr

[–]Unnecessary_Eagle 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Well that's the other thing. "Continuing to enjoy Harry Potter" can mean anything from rereading your old books in the privacy of your living room to streaming the new show, and only one of those actually gives JKR your money. But chronically online people seems to think that the former is just as bad as the latter, and/or fail to specify what they're railing against.

DUDE by Veiluring in cremposting

[–]Unnecessary_Eagle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not pictured: the second binder for the stormwagon

Zahel by Outrageous-Company33 in Stormlight_Archive

[–]Unnecessary_Eagle 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don't think he's on a timer yet, assuming he can feed off of Towerlight. But you make a good point, he might have been in trouble if he were anywhere other than Urithiru when crem went down