Pazdziernik Archive

Man’s Best Friend

[Archive August 20, 2005]

Contrary to conventional wisdom, man’s best friends are not dogs (or cats). They are dragonflies! Dragonflies won’t bite or sting humans and they love to feed on mosquitoes, small flies, and bees. Some can even be held in one’s hand.

Dragonflies are a sub-order of the insect order Odonta (“tooth jaw”). Damselflies are also another sub-order. They are often confused with dragonflies because they look similar. Dragonflies come in nearly all colors of the rainbow. Their eyes have 30,000 facets which give them nearly a 360° field of view. The largest living dragonflies are found in Central America where their wingspans can reach up to 19cm! From egg to adult is typically 6 months. They live in their flying stage for about 4 months, although the larger ones can live for up to 7 years!

If you want to learn more about “man’s best friend” visit:British Dragonfly Society

Photo: Dragonfly ©Maciej Piatek

Zebra Finches

[Archive July 11, 2005]

Australian Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata castanotis) make great pets. They are easy to care for but don't like to be handled. They won't sit on your finger like a canary or other types of pet birds. The male is the singer. The female makes calls but does not sing. There are many varities, types and mutations. (Some hybrids can be found as well). A smaller sub-species is the Timor Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata guttata). The Timor male has a higher pitched sound than the Australian male from what I've read. I'm familiar with the Australians but not with the Timor types. A pet store will sell a pair of Australian Grays for around $25-40 USD. Breeders may charge more. Here's a pretty good web site if you want to learn more about the different types of Zebra Finches and their care: eFinch.com

Photo: Gray pair (female left, male right) ©Roy Beckham