Fun Fact: Black garden ants build intricate underground tunnels and chambers extending several meters. Their tunnels house their colonies, store food, and protect them from predators.
The black garden ant commonly lives in European grasslands. These black ants have glossy ebony bodies that span only 3 to 5 millimeters, blending well with the undergrowth. Despite their size, their colonies can house 15,000 individuals, each with a role in their complex societal structure.
Regarding their diet, you'll find these ants foraging for fruit, other insects, and nectar. However, they have formed a unique relationship with aphids, "farming" them for their sweet honeydew secretions, similar to how humans rear cattle. This practice helps regulate aphid populations (similar to the ladybug who loves aphids, too).
Their worker ants also create nests in the soil, often under stones or grassy areas. These nesting ants shelter the ants and aerate the soil as they build.
One interesting fact about ladybugs is that not all are red with black spots. There are about 6,000 species of ladybugs worldwide, spread across various areas.
Generally, the most common ladybug or lady beetle is the one with red and black hues. This is the seven-spotted ladybug, a native species to Europe. Apart from the seven spotted ladybugs and seven spotted lady beetle, you'll also find ladybugs in nearly all bright colors of the rainbow. We have red and black beetles and some ladybugs in pink, orange, brown, yellow, and black hues.
The ladybug’s body can also be an ashy gray or dull brown color. Apart from differences in ladybug hues, their patterns also vary. Spotted ladybugs tend to be the most popular. However, some of these insects have stripes, while others have no pattern at all.
Though confusing, the names of white and black rhinos don't reflect their actual color. The 'White Rhino' name resulted from a quirky misunderstanding by early English settlers in South Africa. They misheard the Afrikaans' wyd' (meaning 'wide') as 'white' when referring to the animal. However, 'wyd' actually referred to the rhino's wide, flat mouth.
Meanwhile, the 'Black Rhino' received its name as a simple contrast to the 'White Rhino,' not because of color differences. Some speculate that this may be due to their tendency to roll in mineral-rich mud, making their skin appear darker.
I was going to end with the greatest football (soccer) rivalry, but I’m at a loss. Real Madrid–FC Barcelona? Celtic-Rangers? AC Milan–Inter Milan? Boca Juniors–River Plate? Manchester United–Liverpool? Too many choices. Instead, I’ll go the rugby route: South Africa’s Springboks versus New Zealand’s All Blacks (a nickname derived from their uniforms, though several New Zealand players had to be declared “honorary whites” in order to be able to play in apartheid-era South Africa in 1970). With few exceptions, year in and year out, South Africa and New Zealand have dominated international rugby. Since their first official meeting in 1921, neither has fared well on the other’s home turf, but New Zealand became dangerous for the Springboks in other ways in 1981, when local outrage at South Africa’s apartheid policy led to widespread protests and street battles with police. South Africa was prohibited from competing in the first World Cup competitions in 1987 and 1991. In 1995 apartheid was history (at least on paper), and long-imprisoned Black activist Nelson Mandela was the president of South Africa when it returned to the World Cup and won it by beating New Zealand in the championship game (a story told in the movie Invictus).
Outside of a fantasy world, you’re never going to find an all-black rose in the wild. Many of the black roses on sale are actually dark shades of red, purple or maroon. These dark roses are placed in water mixed with black ink to further darken their colour. Although they’re certainly not to everyone’s taste, for fans of the macabre, our dramatic Rose Noir is a true statement from the heart. A single, alluring black rose arrives in a boxed presentation with accents of emu grass to enchant and captivate your special recipient.
I had long assumed that the God of Crossroads was some lesser, unknown deity within the pantheon of Greek or Nordic mythologies, but that was before I delved deep into the world of black fantasy art.
A portrait of a youthful, confident woman with curly black hair. She has a dynamic, engaging expression on her face. She is wearing exertive attire, which includes a burgundy sports bra and black leggings. In the background, there is a sleek, well-lit gym with various exercise equipment.
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