LEAFCUTTER ANTS WORKING!

I just got photos of Leafcutter ants working at today morning! I found a cranny in the corner of my porch, surrounded by many leaves. You can see the "door" of their nest inside the ground and the Leafcutter ants carrying green leaves to indoors!
Click to enlarge and view details.

Leafcutter ants loves this shrubs, named Duranta repens 'Aurea', which common name is golden dewdrop, "pingo de ouro" in Portuguese.

You can see the damage on the bare branch's shrubs!

Photos by Sonia A. Mascaro

Car Insurance For Women Can Work Out Cheaper

Car insurance for women can work out a lot cheaper and this can be especially so if you go with a specialist broker and allow them to make comparisons with some of the top UK insurance providers. By doing so it means that you will get a through search made on your behalf and be assured of getting the best deal possible.

While many insurance providers have now turned to offering cheaper insurance for lady drivers because they were claimed to have been better drivers than men, this was still hotly contested. However in October 2001 women drivers did indeed win the right to be called better motorists after the Advertising Standards Agency were called in after complaints regarding the advertising of women's car insurance on TV. The ASA regulate advertising and investigated claims of women actually being the better driver. Following the investigation it was proved that women were overall better drivers than their male counterparts and the regulating body ruled that the claims were accurate and fair.

From here women's specialist car insurance firms sprang up even more and went from strength to strength, although it has to be said that the reason women were deemed as being better drivers was based on the fact that women make far fewer claims, drive smaller more sedate cars and are seen as more careful drivers. Men on the other hand were proven in a study to take more risks than women drivers, drive faster and break the law more often.

It is essential when looking for cheap car insurance for women that you do get the cover you need, when it comes to taking out insurance there are three main types, fully comprehensive which is the dearest type of cover, third party fire and theft and third party only which is the cheapest type of cover. If you need information on which type of car insurance would be most suitable for your needs then again the specialist broker's website will have all the information needed for you to be able to make the right choice. A good specialist broker's website will offer articles, tips and advice on all aspects of car insurance including safety tips for women drivers along with additional insurance that could be beneficial to women drivers.

However whether women drivers do make the better drivers is still going to be considered for some time and the argument will continue, the fact is that women drivers can get the better deals when it comes to taking out car insurance for women.

Along with getting cheaper premiums for the cover there are many extras which can be used as an enticement to take out the cover, handbag and breakdown cover are two of the most common used. If you want the cheapest deals and premiums on lady drivers then do not look around for yourself but take the advice and experience that a specialist broker can offer and allow them to shop around on your behalf and deliver quotes to you.

LEAFCUTTER ANTS

Atualizei este post para participar do Ecological Day hospedado pelo Caliandra do Cerrado
I update this post to participate on Ecological Day hostes by Caliandra do Cerrado

You can see the trails made by Leafcutter Ants on my garden.

Leafcutter ants are social insects found in warmer regions of Central and South America. The ants get their name from the way they cut leaves from trees, which they then haul back to their nest. The Leafcutter don't eat the leaves, they are species of ants that are fungus farmers, they cultivate (grow) their own food, a type of fungus, in underground gardens. Leafcutter ants comprise two genera — Atta and Acromyrmex — with a total of 39 species, some of which are major agricultural pests. For example, some Atta species are capable of defoliating an entire citrus tree in less than 24 hours.

Trail pheromones: Leafcutter ants lay down an initial trail of pheromones as they return to the nest with food. This trail attracts other ants and serves as a guide. As long as the food source remains, the pheromone trail will be continually renewed.




Did you know? Leaf-cutting ants harvest more greenery in South American forests than any other animal. In fact, within the rain forest, leaf-cutter ants consume almost 20% of the annual vegetation growth! In its lifetime, a colony of these ants may move over 20 tons of soil. You can learn more about Leafcutter ants here, here and here.

As formigas cortadeiras são insetos sociais encontrados exclusivamente nas regiões tropicais e subtropicais das Américas. As formigas cortadeiras compreendem 2 gêneros de formigas cultivadoras de fungos, Atta e Acromyrmex, com um total de cerca de 40 espécies, alguns dos quais são sérias pragas agrícolas. As formigas cortadeiras são insetos desfolhadores e são capazes de desfolhar uma laranjeira inteira em menos de 24 horas. No Brasil, as formigas do gênero Atta são conhecidas popularmente como saúvas e as Acromyrmex como quenquéns. A população de um ninho adulto pode conter até vários milhões de formigas. As formigas cortadeiras não comem as plantas, mas cortam os vegetais e transportam os pedaços para o formigueiro onde esse material é utilizado para o cultivo de um fungo do qual se alimentam.

Trilha de feromônios: As formigas andam em filas, deixando no chão rastros químicos, os feromônios, que carregam odores com o cheiro da colônia a que pertencem, para que elas não se percam. Esses rastros são sua forma de comunicação.

Here you can see the hole of their nests. A mature leafcutter colony can contain more than 8 million ants, mostly sterile female workers. Leafcutter ants build huge nests, sometimes 30 feet across and 20 feet deep, which have several entrances, perhaps hundreds of yards apart. The colony is ruled by a single queen, an ant about the size of a baby mouse. She is 800 times heavier than her smallest worker! The queen may live for up to 20 years. After her death, the colony will fall in to a state of chaos and die along with her.

Photos by Sonia A. Mascaro

As I could not to take photos of the ants, here are some photos I founded on the web.

Photo by Best of un!art Fotos 2006

Photo by National Geographic


Photo by Wikipedia



Photo by The Flying Kiwi, Richard Seaman

Click on photos to enlarge

BMW Cars Series

German automaker BMW has recently announced the details and features of the new 2008 6 Series Coupe and Convertible models. For 2008, the company gave the 6 Series a wide array of new features and equipments. Only one model variant will be offered in the U.S. market - the BMW 650i.
The BMW 650i Coupe and Convertible offers luxurious and elegant driving experience with a host of new features inside and out. Outside, the BMW 650i is equipped with reconfigured optical headlight lenses, new front air dam with larger opening, amber DOT reflectors, LED design taillights, reshaped trunklid, and taller spoiler.


New features for 2008 are extended on the interior, which include brushed aluminum radio knobs, brushed aluminum iDrive controller, leather-wrapped center console, seats with Sun Reflective Technology, standard and optional seats with Active Head Restraints, LED brake and turnsignal lights, and wider trunklid-mounted third brake light. Other new features include Active Cruise Control Stop & Go, Lane Departure Warning system, and USB adaptor for iPods and other MP3 players.


Under the hood of this luxury-inspired model comes a 4।8-liter Valvetronic V-8 engine that offers up rated horsepower and torque output. The engine now pumps put 360 hp and pulls out higher torque peak output of 360 lb-ft. rotating at 3,400 rpm. This power unit will be combined with a 6-speed manual or Sport Automatic gearbox. BMW comented on the new Sport Automatic, "this new transmission boasts quicker shift response in "Sport" mode, as well as standard shifter paddles on the steering wheel."
Furthermore, the BMW 6 Series Coupe and Convertible models are equipped with front suspension system with double-pivot front system. This features stronger self-centering feel in steering, lower ride height, and firmer springs and shock absorbers. Meanwhile, the rear suspension comes with multi-link layout called Integral Link that controls rear-wheel angles very precisely. Other technical features found on the 2008 BMW 6 Series include Active Roll Stabilization, rack-and-pinion steering with Servotronic power assist, and innovative brakes.
Aside from the new exterior features mentioned above, other exterior features include luminescent rings around the high beams, redesigned turn indicators, standard foglights with restyled lenses, front flanks, recurved spoiler, reconfigured rear lamps, reshaped lower tail lamps, rear diffuser, and dual exhaust. The 6 Series models are also equipped with new side sills and all aluminum front-end structure. A choice of either 18 or 19-inch wheels and run-flat tires standard completes the exterior package.
Inside, the 2008 BMW 6 Series offers a comfortable, sporty, convenient, and luxurious interior environment. Interior highlights include redesigned instrument cluster, LED ground lighting, illuminated doorsill logos, illumination of interior door handles, 1-touch open/close door windows, retractable rear window, GPS Navigation with DVD database and Real Time Traffic Information, Voice Command System, and standard AM/FM/CD system with eight speakers. A 12-way power adjustable seats including 4-way power lumbar support is also included, plus a wide range of active and passive safety equipments. The BMW 6 Series really stands out compared to the 5 Series models like the BMW 528i with quality BMW 528i parts।

A Crash, a Wreck and Car Bike Racks

A few days ago I was driving with my little brother Jan to a town called Hallodays. We had no clue where we were exactly, but at least we knew the name of the town. It was somewhere in Colorado, a state that usually implies snow, great mountains or parties after skiing the whole day. But his place was different. It had nothing in common with these attributes that sound like fun. This place was pretty much the opposite of a “fun place”. Hallodays was a town in the middle of nowhere: No snow, no greens and primarily no people.

Now you are probably wondering what I did there? The answer is the one that is common for trips like this: bike racks! Ok, not everyone is such a huge fan of bikes and all these kinds of bike accessories, but I recommend sharing this interest with me. No other passion lets you see places like Hallodays, where probably no tourist has ever been. Two hundred people are living over there and surely everyone knows each other. But as you can imagine, the weird town was not the actual reason why I traveled there with my brother. It was the area around. There is likely no other place in the world, where you can drive as fast as you want and check out the performance of your auto’s engine. But as I mentioned, driving my car just to check the engine’s performance did not bring me there.

My intention was to find out if the bike racks installed on my truck are able to hold the bikes my brother and I stored there. I am kind of extreme, so I had to make sure that my new bike rack is good enough for my beloved bikes. Of course, the advertisements promised all possible features of the racks, but who can trust the commercial in days like these where everyone wants to sell his stuff, no matter what lies it costs?

So I ended up there and started proving the truth of the commercials by driving 100 miles an hour. Fortunately the commercials did not lie and the bike racks worked so great that I could leave the middle of nowhere after an hour. Till now the story does not seem special, but this will change very soon. During my attempt to escape from this place, my right tire popped and I crashed against likely the only tree standing there. I did not remember everything due to this accident, but I know exactly how I felt after looking in the eyes of my brother. He was crying and his head was bleeding, but it was a huge relief when I saw that he moved his legs and arms. In comparison to him, my condition was pretty good. My head was hurting and my legs were bleeding, but this was it pretty much. So I considered helping my brother as soon as possible. I called the 911 and after about an hour they reached Hallodays. The emergency guys took him in the ambulance and I drove with them to the next hospital one hundred miles away. Remember, we were in the middle of nowhere, so I got more scared just because of the time we needed to get to our destination. After one and a half ours we arrived at the hospital and all the things that happened afterwards I just know from my brother. To make it short: After spending two days in the hospital he was able to leave. He just had a concussion and a couple of cuts.

What do you think we did after my brother got back home? Exactly, we returned to Hallodays to see, what happened with our car. And just as I thought, it was totally busted. There was just one thing that survived this horrible crash: the bike rack! So I learned my lesson from this experience. Trust the commercial and avoid the hell, at least as long as you can, bad boys.

Opel Flextreme Concept-2008

Opel's Flextreme concept car, which makes its premiere at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt (September 13 – 23, 2007), boasts the body of a dynamic monocab,as well as the completely new environmentally friendly E-Flex electric propulsion concept and a host of innovative details like-

* Exterior design: Dynamic design language in compact monocab form
* Interior: Futuristic and top technology
* Propulsion: Low-emission mobility with
Flex technology
* Plug-in: full capacity after three hours of charging at 220 volts
* Doors: Unconventional and practical


Opel Flextreme Concept Expected to Achieve Less Than 40 gm/km CO2 Emissions Plug-in electric Vehicle Features 55 Km of Emissions-Free Range






Engine Configuration
Model: Flextreme Concept
Cylinders: 3
Aspiration/Induction: TurboDiesel
Displacement: 1.30 L | 79.3 cu in. | 1299.7 cc.
Fuel Type: Diesel

Dimensions
Length: 4796.001 mm | 188.8 in.

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BRASÍLIA, CAPITAL OF BRAZIL

Brasília is the capital of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. It has a population of about 2,383,784 as of the 2006 census estimate, and is the seat of the federal government: the President (residing in the Palácio da Alvorada), the Brazilian supreme court and the Brazilian parliament. Brasília is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

These photos were taken by my son Fernando in June 2007

Catedral Metropolitana "Nossa Senhora Aparecida"

Brasília's Cathedral - Basilica of Our Lady Aparecida, by Oscar Niemeyer, Brazilian Architect, born 1907.

Our Lady of Aparecida is the patron saint of Brazil, represented by a statue of the Virgin Mary.

A Catedral, o Congresso Nacional e a Esplanada dos Ministérios

The Catedral, National Congress and Ministries Esplanade

Fernando in front the Ministries Esplanades at left and the Catedral at right

Palácio do Itamaraty

Itamaraty Palace

Palácio do Itamaraty. Em primeiro plano a escultura "Meteoro", do escultor Bruno Giorgi.

Itamaraty Palace is the name of the building of the head office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Itamaraty is one of Niemeyer's most radiant buildings. The bridge over an enormous ornamental pool dotted with islands of tropical plants leads to one of the largest public art collections in Brazil. The Brazilian artist Bruno Giorgi (1905 - 1993) (the same artist who created the Hanging Angels in the Brasilia Cathedral) carved the sculpture "Meteoro" from a single four-ton block of Carrar marble, which has been exposed in the water garden in front of the Palace since 1967.

Palácio do Planalto

The Palácio do Planalto is the official workplace of the President of Brazil. It is located at the Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília.

O Palácio da Alvorada, residência oficial do Presidente da República

The Palace of the Dawn is the official residence of the Presidente of Brazil. The palace was designed, along the rest of the city of Brasília, by Oscar Niemeyer and inaugurated in 1958

Congresso Nacional

National Congress

Brazil's bicameral National Congress, consists of Senate of Brazil (the upper house) and and the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil (the lower house)

National Congress

Museu Nacional, Complexo Cultural da República
Cultural Complex of the Republic

View from the interior of the Cultural Complex of the Republic

Procuradoria Geral da República

Federal Prosecutors' Office is another project by Oscar Niemeyer

The Juscelino Kubitschek bridge, also known as the 'President JK Bridge' or the 'JK Bridge', crosses Lake Paranoá in Brasília. It is named afterJuscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, former President of Brazil. It was designed by architect Alexandre Chan and structural engineer Mário Vila Verde.

Ponte Juscelino Kubitschek, também conhecida como "Ponte JK", foi inaugurada em dezembro de 2002.

Photos by Fernando de A. Mascaro

Click on photos to enlarge

Mitsubishi Concept-ZT-2008

Year: 2008
Model: Concept-ZT
Drive Type: AWD
Body Material: Aluminum space frame

Engine Configuration
Cylinders: 4
Aspiration/Induction: TurboDiesel
Displacement: 2.20 L | 134.2 cu in. | 2199.5 cc.
Valves: 16 valves.
Valvetrain: DOHC
Horsepower: 140.00 kw (190.3 HP)
Torque: 400.00 NM (294.9 Ft-Lbs)
Fuel Type: Diesel
Fuel Feed: Fuel Injected
Transmission: Manual

Dimensions
Seating Capacity: 5
Doors: 4

Mercury Grand Marquis-2008

Engine Configuration
Cylinders: 8
Aspiration/Induction: Normal
Displacement: 4.60 L | 280.7 cu in. | 4600.7 cc.
Valves: 16 valves.
Horsepower: 224.00 HP (164.9 KW) @ 4800.00 RPM
Torque: 272.00 Ft-Lbs (368.8 NM) @ 4000.00 RPM
HP to Weight Ratio: 18.5 LB / HP (Vehicles with similar ratio)
HP / Liter 48.7 BHP / Liter
Compression Ratio: 9.4:1
Gears: 4
Final Drive: 2.73:1

Dimensions
Cargo Volume: 20.60
Passenger Volume: 107.40
Towing Capacity: 1500.001 lbs
Fuel Capacity: 19.0 Gal
Seating Capacity: 5
Doors: 4


Brakes
Front Brake Size: 12.001 in | 304.8 mm.
Rear Brake Size: 12.001 in | 304.8 mm.

Tires / Wheels
Tires: P225/60R16
Wheels: 16-in steel

CLOUDS

Photos taken by my son Fernando


Click on photos to enlarge