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trafficon › New article
7 years ago

Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their role in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the European honey bee, for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently considered as a clade Anthophila. There are nearly 20,000 known species of bees in seven to nine recognized families,[1] though many are undescribed and the actual number is probably higher. They are found on every continent except Antarctica, in every habitat on the planet that contains insect-pollinated flowering plants.

Some species including honey bees, bumblebees, and stingless bees live socially in colonies. Bees are adapted for feeding on nectar and pollen, the former primarily as an energy source and the latter primarily for protein and other nutrients. Most pollen is used as food for larvae. Bee pollination is important both ecologically and commercially; the decline in wild bees has increased the value of pollination by commercially managed hives of honey bees.

Bees range in size from tiny stingless bee species whose workers are less than 2 millimetres (0.08 in) long, to Megachile pluto, the largest species of leafcutter bee, whose females can attain a length of 39 millimetres (1.54 in). The most common bees in the Northern Hemisphere are the Halictidae, or sweat bees, but they are small and often mistaken for wasps or flies. Vertebrate predators of bees include birds such as bee-eaters; insect predators include beewolves and dragonflies.

Human beekeeping or apiculture has been practised for millennia, since at least the times of Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece. Apart from honey and pollination, honey bees produce beeswax, royal jelly and propolis. Bees have appeared in mythology and folklore, again since ancient times, and they feature in works of literature as varied as Virgil's Georgics, Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse, and W. B. Yeats's poem The Lake Isle of Innisfree. Bee larvae are included in the Javanese dish botok tawon, where they are eaten steamed with shredded coconut.

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Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their role in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the European honey bee, for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently considered as a clade Anth... Read more

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7 years

Bilston › We need to care for them

7 years

trafficon › New article
7 years ago

Whether you’re writing content for your company website or dashing off the latest company blog post, you want it to be something good—something that offers value to your reader, and reflects well on your brand. At the same time, you want it to be something that’s search engine optimized. After all, great content isn’t very useful if nobody can find it.
This is a little bit of a false dichotomy, perhaps. Generally speaking, writing good, valuable content is the single best way to optimize it, and all the SEO tricks and gimmicks in the world can’t compete with the raw power of quality writing.

With that said, there is certainly a need to ensure that your content is as palatable for search algorithms as it is for human readers, and simply writing a good article is only the first step. As you seek to maximize your content’s SEO potential, here are five simple principles to keep in mind.

First and foremost, make sure that what you are writing stands on its own. Google doesn’t see any value in duplicate content, and as such it tends to penalize it. Regurgitating the exact same copy for each product page on your website, for instance, or simply copying text from the website to the company blog, will lead to diminished rankings. Take the time to ensure that every piece of content you write is phrased uniquely. Tools like Copyscape can help you ensure that you’re not plagiarizing yourself or others.

Readability Matters, Too

Google’s bots are more likely to favor articles that are readable to wide audiences—and that means using short sentences and paragraphs, limiting your ten-dollar words, and abstaining from the passive voice. Good, concise, punchy content—written in a way that makes it easy to read—will only help you as far as SEO rankings go.

Your Title Should Be Optimized

Writing a catchy headline is key. So is keeping the title to a Google-friendly length of 55-60 characters max. Finally, make sure your URL matches the title and contents of the page; a URL that’s just random numbers hampers your SEO efforts.

Be Structured

Your content should have a structure that makes it easy for readers—and search bots—to follow along and get the basic gist of what you’re saying, even just by skimming. The best way to do this is to structure your article with H1, H2, and H3 tags to break up different sections of content. Bullet points and numbered lists can also be helpful, when applicable.

Use Keywords—Judiciously

Though you want to avoid keyword stuffing, and shouldn’t sacrifice quality for keyword count, keywords can certainly be useful in demonstrating what your content is ultimately about. We’ve blogged about the importance of judicious keyword strategy before.

Write Content That Gets Discovered

With the right approach, you can write content that pleases people and search bots alike—no easy feat, but worth it in the long run.

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Whether you’re writing content for your company website or dashing off the latest company blog post, you want it to be something good—something that offers value to your reader, and reflects well on your brand. At the same time, you want it to be something that’s search engine optimized. After... Read more

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7 years

Flutterbydee › A good article... although it's about writing what about illustrations... are they covered by copyright?

7 years

trafficon › New article
7 years ago

There are over 440 different species of sharks on the planet and they each have unique style of mating habits. Some species of sharks lay eggs, while some give live birth. Some have complex mating dances, while others travel long distances to meet their mates. Some give birth to large litters, while others give birth to just a single pup.

Though there is a wide variety of mating habits among sharks, all sharks reproduce as a result of internal fertilization and some sharks are capable of asexual reproduction. With 100 million sharks killed every year, it is important we understand the mating habits of different species of sharks in order to promote effective conservation.

Little is known about the mating rituals of sharks, as they are difficult to observe. Most sharks have long gestation (pregnancy) periods, some species like Basking Sharks and Frilled sharks have a gestation period of three years. So frequency of mating varies among species. Since most sharks are solitary hunters, they travel great distances to mate. Species like Great White Sharks and Whale Sharks will travel thousands of miles to find an ideal mate. Most shark breeding grounds are found around coastlines, estuaries, and seamounts because these areas have shallow, warm waters and plentiful food sources, so they are more ideal to give shark pups a good start to life.
Shark mating begins when the female shark releases chemicals into the water to stimulate the interest of a male. Some sharks like Hammerheads and Great White Sharks have complex mating rituals that include shows of strength and possibly dancing.

All sharks tend to practice biting as a way to get the attention of the female. Female sharks tend to have bite marks across their bodies after mating, though these bites are not as ferocious as feeding bites.

Female Blue Sharks, Bull Sharks, and Tiger Sharks have all adapted to this mating ritual and have skin two to three times as thick as their male counterparts.

Some species like the Whitetip Reef Sharks will bite the fins of the prospective female. Once the male has gotten the attention of the female, the female may practice rejection behavior.

Nurse Sharks, in particular, have been observed refusing, avoiding, and blocking males they are not interested in. If a female shark does decide a male is an adequate mating partner, they will flare and cup their pelvic fins. Some species of shark like Nurse Sharks and Lemon Sharks will choose more than one mate.

Once a mate has been selected, sharks begin copulation. All sharks practice internal fertilization. Male sharks have paired reproductive organs called a claspers, and female sharks have an opening called a cloaca. Fertilization occurs when a clasper is inserted into the cloaca and sperm is injected into the female.

When mating begins, a male shark will mount a female shark, either swimming beside or underneath. Often the male will bite onto the female to hold themselves during mating. This can be a difficult process with both sharks often ending up with wounds.

Once mounted, the male inserts the clasper which hold inside the cloaca with a hook until the sperm is released. Most species of shark only use one clasper, species like Hammerhead Sharks and Requiem Sharks tend to only use the right clasper. Only the Spiny Catshark has ever been observed using both claspers. Once the sperm is injected, the sharks part ways. Usually fertilization happens immediately, though some species like the Small Spotted Catshark can hold the sperm for two years.

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There are over 440 different species of sharks on the planet and they each have unique style of mating habits. Some species of sharks lay eggs, while some give live birth. Some have complex mating dances, while others travel long distances to meet their mates. Some give birth to large litters, while... Read more

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7 years

Flutterbydee › Very interesting, Sharks are very similar to people. I didn't realize this before. Thank you for writing about it.

7 years

trafficon › Your welcome

7 years

Lehla1707 › Absolutely love sharks, hope to work or at least swim with them one day?

7 years

6 years

indexer › There is some very interesting information here.

6 years

trafficon › New article
7 years ago

Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimorpha (or Selachii) and are the sister group to the rays. Howe... Read more

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7 years

Flutterbydee › A bit too technical for me but still very interesting.

7 years

trafficon › Sharks are very big and beautiful. I love em and very fascinated by them.

7 years

trafficon › New article
7 years ago

The ball python (Python regius), also known as the royal python,[2] is a python species found in sub-Saharan Africa. Like all other pythons, it is a non-venomous constrictor. This is the smallest of the African pythons and is popular in the pet trade, largely due to its small size and typically doci... Read more

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trafficon › New article
7 years ago

Depression is a genuine illness. It is far better to seek appropriate help than just to be miserable. There are many different types of treatment available, which can be tailored to the type and severity of the illness. Here is a guide to the main types of treatments available for depression. If you want to know more about anti-depressants or any of the latest breakthroughs in this field of medicine click on the link at the bottom of the page for our complete guide.
Can I help myself? Recognising that you are depressed and wanting to do something about it is an essential first step in fighting depression. Simply changing your lifestyle can often help. Take time to relax. Even though you may feel exhausted, take regular exercise, every day if possible. Avoid snacking on sweet foods and cut down on coffee and alcohol. Eat a well-balanced diet, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and a reasonable amount of protein. Eat regular meals, and have a milky, noncaffeinated drink at bedtime - it can help you get a good night's sleep. Aromatherapy massage with essential oils of bergamot, lavender, rose, clary sage or ylang ylang can aid relaxation and lift mood. Homeopathic remedies that may help to lift mood include Ignatia, Pulsatilla, Natrum mur and Sulphur.

Is there an alternative to taking drugs? There is good evidence that St John's Wort can be a very effective remedy for mild to moderate depression. It takes about two weeks to work. Many doctors recommend it, but they cannot prescribe it, so you will have to buy it from either a chemist or a health food shop. If you are on other medication, ask the pharmacist or your doctor for advice. Unless advised by a doctor, pregnant women should not take St John's Wort. St John's Wort is a good first choice remedy for mild depression, but if it does not appear to be working after a couple of weeks see your doctor.

Will talking about depression help? Medication can help with the symptoms of depression but it does not tackle all the underlying problems. In general, the most effective types of therapy for depression are ones that focus on the 'here and now' (rather than the past) and on specific problems. Cognitive behaviour therapy aims to change the way you think. CBT teaches you to recognise negative thoughts, and change them into more positive, realistic ones.

It can be very successful in treating depression and can help to prevent it recurring. It can be used either on its own or together with antidepressants.

CBT is usually provided on a one-to-one basis by a trained psychotherapist. It is also newly available via a special computer programme. CBT is widely available on the NHS, but waiting lists tend to be long.

Could drugs help? Depression is associated with chemical changes in the brain. In particular, the brain responds less to the natural mood-enhancing chemicals serotonin and noradrenaline. Antidepressant drugs increase the activity of these chemicals.

Unlike tranquillisers, such as Valium, antidepressants are not addictive. In general, only one type of antidepressant should be taken at a time, but they can be used in conjunction with natural remedies or talking therapies. Your doctor will probably prescribe a course of drugs from one of the following three groups.

SSRIs: This group of drugs, the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, includes fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Seroxat) and sertraline (Lustral). They are very effective at treating depression, and can also help relieve anxiety and panic attacks. Side-effects can include an increase in anxiety during the first week of treatment, nausea, and, less commonly, feeling sleepy for a few hours after taking the tablet. They can also affect sexual function, making it hard to reach orgasm. However, in general, side-effects are rare, and they are safer than other tri-cyclics if an overdose is taken. Some people feel dizzy if they stop SSRIs suddenly, so cut down slowly.

Tri-Cyclics: These include amitriptyline (Tryptizol), dothiepin (Prothiaden) and lofepramine (Gamanil). They are effective, and cheap, but usually take about three weeks to work. Side-effects, such as a dry mouth, drowsiness and constipation are common. They can be dangerous if taken in overdose, and must be used carefully by people with certain medical conditions, such as epilepsy or some heart complaints. However, they can be a good choice for people who have sleep problems or who are depressed because of chronic pain.

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Depression is a genuine illness. It is far better to seek appropriate help than just to be miserable. There are many different types of treatment available, which can be tailored to the type and severity of the illness. Here is a guide to the main types of treatments available for depression. If you... Read more

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7 years

Bilston › In many cases, depression is the result of considerable and continuous stress.

7 years

trafficon › Agreed

7 years

trafficon › New article
7 years ago

Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines (or Chelonii[3]) characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs and acting as a shield.[4] "Turtle" may refer to the order as a whole (American English) or to fresh-water and sea-dwelling testudines (British English).[5] ... Read more

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7 years

Flutterbydee › Thanks for this information. I set quizzes so I was interested to learn the proper word for cold-blooded. That will make a good question. I love the pic too. Was it photo-shopped?

7 years

trafficon › Yes. I love turtles. They are so graceful

7 years

Flutterbydee › I grew up with tortoises, land based relatives of the turtle. Tortoises can recognize people and like to be stroked under the chin if they like you. They also recognize the colour red. They rush over to eat tomatoes :)

7 years

trafficon › Awww that's cute

7 years

trafficon › :)

7 years

Flutterbydee › How do I publish an article on this site please?

7 years

trafficon › Click article then fill it in and then click publish

7 years

Flutterbydee › Thank you

7 years

trafficon › Happy to help

7 years

6 years

Shavkat › It is nice to explore the underworld kingdom.

6 years

trafficon › New article
7 years ago

Immigration is the international movement of people into a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle or reside there, especially as permanent residents or naturalized citizens, or to take-up employment as a migrant worker or tempora... Read more

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7 years

Bilston › I completejy disagree. Sorry.

7 years

trafficon › Well everyone is entitled to there opinion, thanks for your honesty

7 years

Flutterbydee › As a citizen of the world I agree that immigration is beneficial. I think it should be welcomed by all countries because it is a step towards world unity. I believe in worldwide freedom of movement.

Why are people so territorial? Just because you are born at a certain location, an event over which you have no control, many people feel lifelong ownership of that location to the exclusion of others.

To me this stinks of prejudice, selfishness and bigotry... not very attractive or considered qualities of character!

What do you think?

7 years

trafficon › You have a valid point, I can see that.

7 years

trafficon › New article
7 years ago

Gorillas are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. The eponymous genus Gorilla is divided into two species: the eastern gorillas and the western gorillas (both critically endangered), and either four or five subspecies. They are the largest livin... Read more

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7 years

trafficon › Such a beautiful thing

7 years

trafficon › New article
7 years ago

The American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus or Rana catesbeiana), often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is an amphibious frog, a member of the family Ranidae, or “true frogs”. This frog has an olive green back and sides blotched with brownish markings and a whiti... Read more

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7 years

trafficon › Love em

7 years

Borderline › I love animals

7 years

trafficon

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