Love Bugs

Ok...how do I put this? Meh... Today I'm going to be talking about one of the most annoying bugs I have ever met: The Love Bug. Love Bugs are one of the most annoying (non poisonous) bugs in North America. Don't get me wrong! I love bugs, just not LOVE BUGS. I mean, they only come out for a few months of the year but when they do its not very fun. They get everywhere. A few days ago I went to a waterpark known as Water Works and it was just nasty. The rides where good, but the food stands.. They were completely infested by love bugs. No one was even there it was so bad! Love Bug season is one of the only things I don't like about living down south (that, blackbirds and hurricane season). Even the rides where covered in them! You couldn't even stand in line without being covered. And whatever you do, do NOT go out in the country during love bug season. Between them and walnut sized horse flies, you'll be having your hands full...with bugs. Ok, now that I'm done giving my opinion, time to get on with the scientific info. Love bugs are a member of the march fly family. A large rumor is that the University of Florida made love bugs to get rid of some of the mosquito. If that's true that is just messed up. Making a new species in my opinion is like playing God. And besides, even if their goal was to get rid of mosquito's it didn't work. They feed on pollen instead, which isn't a bad thing. They also have this acid in their body that, if splattered by a car, corrodes the paint of your car! We might have that problem because our car is tan, but trust me. I haven't yet seen a car with more love bugs on it then ours. On the good side, there are some insects who actually feed on them. Spiders (which isn't actually an insect), centipedes, beetle larvae, and earwigs all are predators of the love bug. Me and my dad are predators too! Except we don't eat em (bleh) we just swat em. That's my report on the love bug. I got the info from www.Wikipedia.org and the photo from www.Google.com Thanks for reading. The End.

The 12 Days of Biscmus

This is my creative writing assignment for today editing The 12 Days of Christmas with my dogs name Bisciut in the front. Enjoy.

On the first day of Biscmus my Bisciut gave to me, a bacon scented dog treat.

On the 2nd day of Biscmus my Bisciut gave to me, 2 squeeky toys and a bacon scented dog treat.

On the 3rd day of Biscmus my Bisciut gave to me, 3 red balls, 2 squeeky toys, and a bacon scented dog treat.

On the 4th day of Biscmus my Bisciut gave to me, 4 dog leashes, 3 red balls, 2 squeeky toys, and a bacon scented dog treat.

On the 5th day of Biscmus my Bisciut gave to me,
5 pieces of beef;
4 dog leashes,
3 red balls,
2 squeeky toys,
and a bacon scented dog treat.

On the 6th day of Biscmus my Bisciut gave to me,

6 doggie kisses,
5 pieces of beef;
4 dog leashes,
3 red balls,
2 squeeky toys,
and a bacon scented dog treat.

On the 7th day of Biscmus my Bisciut gave to me,
7 yummy meatballs,
6 doggie kisses,
5 pieces of beef;
4 dog leashes,
3 red balls,
2 squeeky toys,
and a bacon scented dog treat.

On the 8th day of Biscmus my Bisciut gave to me,
8 cat recipes,
7 yummy meatballs,
6 doggie kisses,
5 pieces of beef;
4 dog leashes,
3 red balls,
2 squeeky toys,
and a bacon scented dog treat.

On the 9th day of Biscmuf my Bisciut gave to me,
9 stuffed cats,
8 cat recipes,
7 yummy meatballs,
6 doggie kisses,
5 pieces of beef;
4 dog leashes,
3 red balls,
2 squeeky toys,
and a bacon scented dog treat.

On the 10th day of Biscmus my Bisciut gave to me,

10 blue frisbees,
9 stuffed cats,
8 cat recipes,
7 yummy meatballs,
6 doggie kisses,
5 pieces of beef;
4 dog leashes,
3 red balls,
2 squeeky toys,
and a bacon scented dog treat.

On the 11th day of Biscmus my Bisciut gave to me,
11 clumps of dog hair,
10 blue frisbees,
9 stuffed cats,
8 cat recipes,
7 yummy meatballs,
6 doggie kisses,
5 pieces of beef;
4 dog leashes,
3 red balls,
2 squeeky toys,
and a bacon scented dog treat.

On the 12th day of Biscmus my Bisciut gave to me,
12 cute little puppies,
11 clumps of dog hair,
10 blue frisbees,
9 stuffed cats,
8 cat recipes,
7 yummy meatballs,
6 doggie kisses,
5 copies of Old Yeller;
4 dog leashes,
3 red balls,
2 squeeky toys,
and a bacon scented dog treat.

And a bacon scented dog treat.

And a bacon scented dog treat.


Hope you enjoyed The 12 Days of Biscmus.
The End.

Fishy Friday: Bottlenose Dolphin.

Today for a special Fishy Friday,I'm going to tell you about the Bottlenose
Dolphin.


OK,first of all,a Dolphin is NOT a fish,they are aquatic mammals (Meaning they have hair,produce live young,and give milk like land mammals and humans.).

The Bottlenose Dolphin is a member of the toothed whale family,along with killer whales and the sperm whale,which is the largest of the species.There are currently 3 species of Bottlenose Dolphin: The Common Bottlenose Dolphin,the Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin,and the Burrunan Dolphin.All species live in large groups,from 10-25 individuals,which help fend off predators. They're dark to light gray,depending on the species,and males usually get longer and heavier than females. The only way to tell that a dolphin is a mammal (other than it giving live birth and being warm blooded) is when they're born they have a little strip of hair above their lip,otherwise there would be a constant vote on weather its a mammal or a fish! Like all dolphins,the Bottlenose uses Echolocation,a type of communication which results in clicking sounds and sending mind waves to another individual.Their main diet is squid,fish,and clams. My mom would not make a good dolphin.

That's my report on the Bottlenose Dolphin. Id like to thank my little sister for giving me this idea and I got the info and pics from www.wikipedia.com and Google. The End

My Funny Family Poem

Today I'm going to tell a poem about my family.

First up are my dogs,their names are Biscuit and Lucky,when they go out when it rains they get very mucky.
They like to play tug-o-war,they think its quite fun.Although my dad can't just wait till they're all done.
They get a lot of treats,they're very spoiled dogs. Sometimes when they eat I wonder if they're part hog.
But when they get a new bone,they don't like to share. Just try to take the bone,if you dare(MAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA).

Next up is my Dad,he thinks hes very funny. But if he keeps eating so much my mom says "Your gonna weigh a ton-ey!".
He likes this game called Rock Band,he plays it really loud.Sometimes I wonder if I could hear it high up in the clouds.
He also likes his glasses,they're a nice shade of blue.He likes to walk around in them when he has nothing better to do.
His favorite food is steak,he likes it a lot.But try to steal his steak and he'll put you in a deathlock.
And last but not least,he loves to take naps.He wouldn't wake up even if King Kong came in and clapped!

And then there's my sister,the screecher of the family,she can yell louder then 10 banshees in a canopy!
She likes these things called Cheese Puffs,I think they're just OK.She likes them so much she makes models out of clay.
She loves littlest pet shops,she thinks they'd look good in glitter. If you ask me I think they'd make good kitty litter.
She likes to go shopping,she can make moms dollar fall.The one place she NEVER goes is the local Gainesville Mall.
And she loves to harass me 24/7,one of these days shes gonna cast me into heaven.

Next up is me,some people think I'm a dork.Rarely because I'm not a big fan of pork.
Because down here in Florida,pork is a favorite food,especially at Arbys where "Its good mood food".
I really like Hotwheels,I think they're very cool.Although some people I know think they're rolling metal mules.
But I do like popsicles,they're perfect for the Summer.Though we rarely run out when we do its a big bummer.
And I really like my pool,I really,really do.Bu I don't like it when I scoop out bird poo.

Last but not least,there's the chief of our family.Yes its my Mom,and do not call her Stanly.
She likes to make jewelry,most of its very pretty,and sometimes she uses these stones that are itty,bitty,bitty.
She really likes Pepsi,and lots and lots of chips.Sometimes I hear her yell "Can you please pass the dip?".
She use to be a nurse,in fact she still is.I think her nursing skills would do good in show biz.
And shes also our home school teacher,a good one too.She helps me out when I have no idea what to do.

That's it for my family,I hoped you enjoyed.Now I'm off to go play with some toys.
The End

Fishy Friday: Flame Hawkfish

Today for Fishy Friday I'm going to tell you about the Flame Hawkfish.

The Flame Hawkfish is a small bottom feeder found in the Pacific Ocean.It has a bright red body with a yellow tail and black back.If you look close enough,you can see that the fins look like bony fingers!Because it is a bottom feeder,it lies and waits for food to come by.This is called "Ambush Hunting."Its skin,or scale,color helps it hide among the red rocks and coral it calls home.Even a Great White Shark would have trouble finding one.Unlike most fish,this fish doesn't catch diseases.Meaning,they can live a long,happy life.IF they don't get eaten that is!They are found over by the Philippines.They are carnivores,like I said earlier,and normally feed on shrimp,snails,crabs,and small fish.

That's my report on the Flame Hawkfish.I got the info from www.saltaquarium.about.com and www.animal-world.com and the pictures from free Google images.The End.

More Pictures By DJ

This is DJ's mom, and I am getting these on his blog for him, so I can delete them from the hard drive. They take up a lot of space after all. DJ has one first and second place so far, for two different pictures in two different contests. I am a proud momma. I actually have more to add over the next few days. The pictures of the moths will be used for our Entomology curriculum next year.

Fishy Friday: Orange Shouldered Tang

Today for Fishy Friday,I'm going to tell you about the Orange Shouldered Tang.

The Orange Shouldered tang,Acanthurus olivaceus,is a good sized tang reaching sizes of 10-14 in.It sets its name from the orange line on the side of its body.They come in two colors: White,and bright yellow.The juveniles are usually yellow,and they develop their orange line as they get older.Found out by Australia and Japan,it is a popular fish to tourists.The adults are a creamy white color in the front,but more blue in the back(I don't know why.).The dorsal fin has a bluish tint to it at the end,same with the pectoral fin.Its amazing to see that this animal can go through such a color change in its lifetime.They are herbivores,mainly feeding on algae and something called detritus.They may live to 10 years old.

That's my report on the Orange Shouldered Tang.I got the info from www.animal-world.com and www.fishlore.com and the pics from free google images and www.fishlore.com.The End.

Fishy Friday: Purple Fire Fish

Today for Mondays Fishy Monday (I'm thinking about changing it to Fishy Friday,more catchy dontcha think?) I'm going to tell you about the Purple Firefish. The purple Firefish is a member of the goby family.I ranges in sizes of 3-4 inches when fully grown.The upper side of the fish is bright white,but as you go closer to the tail fin the body gets darker.It has purple and red fins all along its lower back and belly,but the tail is mainly purple.Depending on how you look at it,this fish can have different color hoods on its head.Its usually purple,but in the picture up top its a shiny bluish color.The eye is a yellowish color.It is found in the Indo-Pacific,usually hiding in between small rocks to hide from predators.Because its so small,it has to be on constant alert for predators like sharks and groupers.They are also constantly looking for food themselves.They feed on crustaceans and zooplankton.

That's my report on the Purple Firefish.I got the info from www.fishlore.com and the picture from free google images.The End.

The Writing Process

This is DJ's mom, and I am working on preparing his blog for the fifth grade. DJ will be expanding his writing skills this year beginning with learning the writing process some more. We started this last year but will definitely be expanded on this year. Over the next few days I will be adding some videos for him to watch as supplemental information that he learns. He likes these because they help to reinforce what he learned in a less boring way than me just talking about it. Fifth grade starts in just a few weeks, so be ready for another year of fun homeschool writing posts.