The Bee Eclipse

Hey Jammers! Looking at my blog right now, I know what you're probably thinking:

"Wow, this is really ugly"

And you are correct! It is hideous.

But for now you'll have to stare at it because I am not yet done with this blog's layout. I have graphics to make, HTML to figure out... all of it will take a few days to finish because even after 5 years I am still a n00b.

So grab your protective eyewear. Not only to shield your eyes from this layout, but also... from the Eclipse in Jamaa!!!

The lands of Jamaa Township and Appondale are clogged with Jammers admiring the lanterns and newly-revealed night sky, because today is the first day of Jamaa's 4-day eclipse celebration! And it's no wonder there's a celebration– a solar eclipse has not been visible across the USA since 1979. And AJ is based in the USA.

(On an unrelated note, do you see that green plaque by the lantern? Yeah, I do not remember that being there. O_O)

You might be wondering why only Jamaa Township and Appondale are under the spell of night. It isn't explicitly stated anywhere, but I think the eclipse is going to move across Jamaa in the next few days, so Kimbara Outback and The Lost Temple of Zios might be next.

A little touch I like is the glowing light sources. They make everything seem so sleepy and mysterious...

There are also fun facts scattered throughout the region for you to click on. They have cool pictures of eclipses:

The effect of the moon covering the sun looks really cool, like a hole is in the middle of the sun. Or the sun turning all black. Or, like the photo below, it can look like a bite was taken out of it: 

Not everyone in the USA will see a total eclipse (the moon making a hole in the sun) during these few days. Some will only see a partial solar eclipse. Still cool, though!

The above photo is of an annular solar eclipse! I looked it up B)

I thought those glasses were a weird blob across the sky for a second and I was confused. X)

If you believe you might get a chance to see the solar eclipse, local papers or online news sites might have some info about where and when to see the eclipse in your area. Times and dates may vary!

AJHQ also provided some useful information about eye-safety in this recent edition of the Jamaa Woodslab:

Don't go gazing at the sun without eye protection, or it will hurt really bad after a while, you will get an eye sunburn (those are real), and your vision will suffer for it. And regular sunglasses will probably not be enough, so I suggest you go to that NASA URL in the image above.

There are also a few themed items that come along with the eclipse:

And some others that may or may not be related:

If you're wondering about the bee stuff, it's National Honeybee Day in Jamaa again!!!

I kinda wish they celebrated the generic World Bee Day on May 20th because the honeybee is only one kind of bee. There are loads of cool bees in the world that don't get as much attention because they aren't held captive by humans for profit.

Additionally, while the honeybee is a wonderful pollinator who should be respected, they are not native to North America and have less of a positive environmental impact (in N. America) than native bees.

Here are some cool North American native bees:

This one is a (very) Fuzzy-legged Leafcutter Bee. Mothers make nests that look like tubes, with the baby eggs lined up within. Each baby tries to hatch in an order, from the entrance of the tube to the back– just a nice orderly way to make it easier to emerge.

Sometimes, though, a little baby egg "sleeps in" and hatches a wee bit late. In that case, the earlier hatchlings nip the baby gently so they know to hurry up on their way out into the world.

This precious native bee is the endangered Rusty Patched Bumblebee. The reason for their endangered status is a sickness brought over from Europe by humans that has reduced their numbers by 87%. Additionally, they have to put up with the struggle from human pesticides. 

If you can, don't use pesticides or buy food made with pesticides in order to help this bee survive. The ecosystem is counting on you!

This special bee is a male Cuckoo Bee! Male Cuckoo Bees and female Cuckoo Bees team up to hunt for food. The species that they eat do not regard males as a threat, so the male Cuckoo Bee disguises the female with his scent so she can hunt undercover. Cool, huh?

Is that bee at the beach? Did his friends bury him in the sand and leave him there while they went and got ice cream? What jerks...

Thankfully, this bee is not stuck, but he is on the lookout. He is a Lasioglossum Bee at the entrance of his underground home. He lives with a few male roommates and one female, and it's his turn right now to guard the nest from predators and make sure his friends are safe. Antennae fixed on the wind, he's doing a great job!

All these bees live in North America and are beautiful and extremely important for the ecosystem. If you're lucky enough to see one (or remember seeing one), comment and tell me! 

Some other AJ news:

There's a new free educational AJ app, pixel painting is accessible in the Art Studio, and all plushies can now explore the deep oceans!

Before I go, here's something interesting I heard about solar eclipses: other animals are amazed by them as well. I just read that around 15 years ago a scientist was observing a solar eclipse in Hawaii, all the birds loudly talking, but once totality came (when the moon completely covers the sun) the birds all went silent. 

Have you ever experienced something like that? I've personally never seen an eclipse of any kind in person. 

That's all for now, see you in Jamaa! :)