About Ground Beetles, of the Family Carabidae

About Ground Beetles, of the Family Carabidae Turn over a rock or log, and youll see dark, shiny beetles running for cover- ground beetles. This diverse group of predators are among the top 10 beneficial garden insects. Though hidden by day, at night the Carabids hunt and feed on some of our worst garden pests. Description The best way to get to know the ground beetles is to observe some up close. Since most are nocturnal, you can usually find them hiding under boards or stepping stones during the day. Try using a pitfall trap to collect a few, and check for the telltale Carabid characteristics. Most ground beetles are black and shiny, though some display metallic colors. In many Carabids, the elytra are grooved. Look at a ground beetles hind legs, and youll notice the first leg segments (the hips) extend backward  over the first abdominal segment. Threadlike antennae emerge from between the eyes and the jaws of the ground beetle. The pronotum is always wider than the area of the head where the eyes are present. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ArthropodaClass:  InsectaOrder:  ColeopteraFamily: Carabidae Diet Nearly all ground beetles prey on other invertebrates. Some Carabids are specialized predators, feeding exclusively on one type of prey. A few ground beetles feed on plants or seeds, and others are omnivores. Life Cycle Like all beetles, Carabids undergo complete metamorphosis with four stages of development: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The entire cycle, from egg to reaching reproductivity, takes a full year in most species. Ground beetles usually lay their eggs on the surface of the soil or cover their eggs with soil. In general, eggs take up to a week to hatch. Larvae go through 2-4 instars before reaching the pupal stage. Ground beetles which breed in the spring typically overwinter as adults. Carabids that breed during the summer months tend to overwinter as larvae, then finish their development to adults in the spring. Special Adaptations and Defenses Many ground beetles employ chemical defense systems to fend off attackers. When handled or threatened, they use abdominal glands to produce pungent odors. Some, like the bombardier beetles, can even make chemical compounds that burn on contact. Range and Distribution Ground beetles live in almost every terrestrial habitat on earth. Worldwide, about 40,000 species in the family Carabidae have been described and named. In North America, the ground beetles number well over 2,000.

Attribute Tags and Their Alternatives

Attribute Tags and Their Alternatives Attribute Tags and Their Alternatives Attribute Tags and Their Alternatives By Mark Nichol While reviewing an article or a story you or someone else has written, you notice a preponderance of iterations of what are often referred to as attribute tags phrases that identify a speaker, such as â€Å"he said† and â€Å"she said.† What do you do about this repetition? Several possibilities exist. The most obvious solution is to vary your attributions by using synonyms for said, and you can easily find such word sets online. But first, a couple of unconventional suggestions: First, consider leaving them as is. If you’re writing a news article or a similar piece of content in which you are quoting one or more people, you’re doing so to identify your sources and clarify who made each comment. That’s a basic journalistic principle, and even if your content is not strictly journalistic in nature, it’s not necessary to employ a wide array of variations of said. Note that reporters do not shy from repetition of functional attribute tags such as â€Å"Smith said† and â€Å"he said.† Skim a handful of news article, and you’ll see it’s true. That’s because journalists know that readers virtually ignore the repetitive verb in favor of keeping track of the shifting nouns or pronouns. Also, said is preferable to many of its synonyms in straightforward nonfiction because it doesn’t have the subjective bias that more colorful synonyms such as groaned or yammered do. Of course, feature articles and more extensive interviews are another matter. In those cases, judicious replacement of said from a small store of synonyms is reasonable, but know the difference between acknowledge and admit, for example, and understand that crowed or gasped or proclaimed are outsized alternatives that must fit the context. Often, you’ll find that it’s just as effective to delete attribution as it is to vary it or, at least, to reconstruct sentences so that you indirectly introduce a quotation rather than directly attribute it. This approach is applicable for narrative nonfiction or for fiction. Here is a range of alternatives for attributing a statement: â€Å"You’ll be hearing from me again,† he said. â€Å"You’ll be hearing from me again,† he hissed. â€Å"You’ll be hearing from me again,† he whispered menacingly. He turned to me and said, â€Å"You’ll be hearing from me again.† His reply was emphatic: â€Å"You’ll be hearing from me again.† He looked at me coldly, and his parting words haunted me: â€Å"You’ll be hearing from me again.† What about attribution in extended dialogue in fiction? Refer to the works of your favorite novelists to assure yourself that few attribute tags employing some variety from the choices displayed above are necessary, as in this hypothetical excerpt: â€Å"This is Bert’s initial statement,† Bert said. Ernie stared at him in disbelief. â€Å"This is Ernie’s response to the first statement.† â€Å"This is Bert’s reply to that response.† â€Å"Ernie uses Bert’s name in this question.† â€Å"Bert answers the question,† Bert replied as he lit a cigarette. â€Å"Then he elaborates on his reply.† â€Å"By now, it’s obvious that the two characters are trading brief comments, each in its own paragraph, so no attribution is necessary here.† â€Å"However, if the conversation becomes more complex to the point of multiparagraph speeches, a simple, single attribution within each paragraph will suffice to clarify who is speaking,† Bert insisted. â€Å"Or the writer can mention, for example, that Ernie shifts uncomfortably as Bert explains himself, or that Bert pauses deliberately for effect, or something like that.† As Ernie strode out of the room, Bert heard him say, â€Å"Just don’t ravage Roget in a strenuous effort to lace conversations with vivid but distracting alternatives to said.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Possessive of Proper Names Ending in S"Confused With" and "Confused About"12 Misunderstood and Misquoted Shakespearean Expressions

Employee Turnover Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Employee Turnover - Essay Example Galvin (2004) asserts that turnover is "a modern business dilemma that is costing companies billions of dollars annually, yet surprisingly little is done about it." For businesses seeking to optimize their bottom line, particularly in the retail industry, getting this problem under control can translate into dramatic improvement in profitability and competitiveness. Understanding the particular costs of turnover to each business is an essential first step in determining the extent to which it is even a problem that needs to be addressed, and if so what is the appropriate approach to addressing the problem. This paper examines the reasons for higher rates of turnover in retail generally as compared to many other industries. It goes on to propose solutions and strategies retailers can adopt to decrease employee turnover and improve their bottom line. The direct costs of turnover are easy to quantify, according to Galvin. These are recruitment expenses such as classified ads and headhunter fees, training expenses, "travel or relocation expenses, interviewing, overtime for employees who take on departing employees' tasks, and all the related administrative functions that go into the grand exit and entrance." These costs are merely the "tip of the iceberg," however, as there are numerous indirect costs that are often not even considered. These include lost business from unhappy customers who are driven away by compromised service quantity and quality, resulting in lost business. Also, there is usually some lost productivity resulting from the need for other employees to pick up the slack in addition to their own jobs. Finally, the diversion of management attention from strategic planning to devising ways to make up the shortfall left by departing workers yields an opportunity cost for the business (Galvin, 2004). What strategic and competitive strides could have been made had management not been preoccupied with filling gaps from employee turnover An additional indirect cost of turnover in a retail environment is missed sales due to inexperience of new staff or due to the lack of adequate available staff to take care of all customers efficiently. Kal Lifson (1996) asserts that an "inexperienced sales associate loses 10% of the sales dollars that a veteran associate would have made." That is an enormous impact that is often not even accounted for by companies concerned with the financial impact of turnover. "Turnover takes a huge bite from the bottom line. Large merchants spend an average of $77 million a year in severance and other departure related costs, and lose another $161 million in potential revenue due to such factors as new employee mistakes," maintains Leigh Dyer (2002). The story on turnover is not all bad. Businesses arguably need some fresh blood in order to remain dynamic. New people bring fresh ideas and approaches to the business. Companies with zero turnover risk being stagnant and stodgy in a very competitive industry that is largely based on a clientele attracted to the young, the hip and the trendy. "New employees do bring in new ideas and keep the organization fresh and current" (Zografos, 2006). In addition, some level of turnover helps businesses to understand the driving factors behind employee retention, enabling them to respond more effectively when the inevitable departure does take place. Low-turnover businesses can "focus on why employees

Interview on play development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Interview on play development - Essay Example I also did not go to school, but at age 5 and 6 I played many games, such as the Hunter (similar to hide and seek), Carrom (similar to snooker), marbles, and hopscotch. Because I did not go to school, I could only play games with the neighborhood kids. At home my sisters and my cousins all liked to play the Hunter game. But in the neighborhood, most kids either played marbles or hopscotch. I mostly liked playing with marbles. Also, the Carrom game was fun to play with the board. During my free time I would just help out around my home with any chores that needed doing. At home I would play with my sisters and cousins, but outside I would just play with the neighborhood kids. I was able to develop strong relationships with my relatives and also neighborhood kids because of playing these games with them. I think that the fun that I had contributed to the good relationships I had with many kids. Adults had no say in what we played because mostly the kids just came up with new ideas abou t what games to play. When I got married and moved to Egypt at the age of 14, I did not play as much as I used to when I was a child. Simple activities such as washing clothes and sweeping the house became normal to me. I think that children play much differently today than when I was a child. Now there is more technology so kids don’t have to think too much about what games they can play. One bad thing about this is that it can cause tension among kids, which reduces friendships. Kids these days don’t talk as much when they play because they are always looking at a screen. When I was young, talking and telling stories was an important part of play. I wish that children these days would be required to use their brains more when it comes to play. Too many people have tried to make things easier for kids by not making them think first. I am proud of the games that I

Memorial Park Essay Example for Free

Memorial Park Essay El Paso Texas has many tourism places for its society. Many of these historical places are more than 100 years old. And learn about their society as well. As an illustration the San Jacinto Plaza has been their for many years, but its famous for its alligators, and also known as Plaza de Los Lagartos. Plaza de Los Lagartos is use for touristic attraction amusements, and parades. Back in the 1880s through 1960s downtown El Paso featured an amusement in the center of the plaza, a pond filled with live alligators. That attract many people from El Paso. But they had to move the alligators, because they cant survive the cold weather nights. they didnt remove them completely, citizen work to put a sculpture made by Luis A. Jimenez. The alligators sculpture it what makes today history in The San Jacinto Plaza. The San Jacinto makes a tourism illustration that us the society still have history alive. Todays sculpture is used to remember the alligators as a tourist attraction. San Jacinto plaza Amusement Park has been used by many artists in the 1960s. The live alligators attracted people from all counties and was a main reason to come visit El Paso. There was 3 alligators and the amusement park showings were daily from morning to night. Also for example the San Jacinto plaza has been use for bus stops. People use it to rest and wait for the next bus. It also known as an amusement park because all the old buildings around the plaza. And back in the 80s people use it only to hangout and see the alligators. San Jacinto plaza has been known more for its colorful night parades on Christmas. People from El Paso decorate the plaza with colorful lights, and they also put an Christmas tree big enough so everybody can see. People make an long parade, this parade its only on nights, because they have surtain amount of light. The parades has an Santa clause, elfs, candies, deers, and much more stuff. And at the end of this parade they all end up in the Plaza de Los Lagartos where people can enjoy the shows, singing, food and Santa. And at the end of this show they throw fireworks to amaze the children. This parades are only on Christmas. PlazaSan Jacinto has been a pretty historical place for many people. Sometimes I wish I could live back in the 1880 to inform myself Why was the reason the government decided to put alive alligators? This place had cause many happiest especially on children in Christmas days. have experienced the live alligators because personally I have never seen one up close and it would be a great experience to watch them eat and roam around their habitat. However the parade is a very nice touch and makes for a great attraction to .

Feminism in Braided Lives :: Feminism Feminist Women Criticism

Feminism in Braided Lives Marge Piercy is well known for her feminist views and attitudes throughout her novels. Braided Lives is no exception. The novel follows Piercy's pattern of feminist writing. The characters in the novel are victims of society's crimes towards women. The protagonist, Jill, deals with many issues including rape and abortion. Due to her own experiences with these issues, it becomes her passion to help others in the same situation. Jill constantly strives to be in control of her own life; this struggle is another facet of the feminist movement. The goal of the novel is to "make its readers pay more attention to the current attack on legal abortion, and make them more eager to defend the imperiled gains of the women's movement" (Pollitt 378). Jill and her female companions encounter many difficult situations involving rape. At age 14, Jill is attacked by her boyfriend Freddie. This occurs at a time when Jill is first discovering her own sexuality and who she is. This experience has an effect on Jill into adulthood. In the novel, she speaks of this experience four years later, when she is preparing to leave for college. Jill recalls this event in vivid detail. I see his face hard and angry and I remember the terror that gripped me on the kitchen floor when I realized he wasn't going to listen to my firm loud nos that time. Terror twitched me violently... (30). Jill's cousin and roommate, Donna, is violently raped by a townie. Donna comes to Jill after the rape has taken place. She has been beaten both physically and emotionally. Piercy describes the rape and the aftermath of the rape in great detail. dedicating several pages to describing the horrific acts. Jill won't leave Donna's side and nurses her back to health. Jill takes it upon herself to defend and protect Donna against the man who raped her. This is just one of many times in which Jill defends and protects her female friends against society throughout Braided Lives. Fighting for a woman's right for an abortion becomes Jill's passion in life. This is a result of her own experiences and those of her friends. When Jill is a freshman in college she becomes pregnant by her boyfriend. Neither is ready for the responsibility of marriage or a child.

Elementary School Children Exercises Essay

The paper begins with introduction whereby it briefly describes elementary schools and whom it they serve. In this part the paper attempts to show the changes that take place throughout elementary school period. The paper further outlines behavioral experiences of 1st graders through to 5th graders. In so doing the paper takes into account behavioral observation both in class and in the playground. Experiences both in class and playground are taken into consideration throughout the grades. The paper concludes by observing the general circumstances in the elementary school set up and how they can be improved. Introduction In the United States, a child between the kindergarten level and the 8th grade attends elementary schools for her/his education. However, the most universal grade range is kindergarten through 12th grade. Elementary schools in this country are also referred to as ‘grade schools’. Throughout their elementary school years, children experience imperative developmental transformations. Their way of thinking becomes more coherent, their concentration gets more compliant, their perception taking grows more complicated, and their understanding and math dexterity flourish. With admission into recognized schooling, children expend more time away from their relatives. Repeatedly, this time embraces many hours spent in schools and out-of-school time programs. During elementary school, children commence to assimilate knowledge from their exchanges with teachers, peers, and families so as to create identities based on their understanding of what they are good at as well as capable of doing. Behavior of grade 1- 5 children I observed a boy child attending elementary school through grades 1 to 5 and found 6 that and found this is the most period when attachments to friends grow. The child showed interest with best friend while he showed a sign of shunning those children who were fond of bullying others. Much activity centered on how to stay with friends as well as identifying those who are not co-operative. Majority of the child’s friends were of his sex. While in the 1st grade the child shows a tendency of seeking or dependent behavior toward older rather than same-age or younger children. As the child advances to second grade, he depicts a kind of need for peer assistance as opposed to teacher help. As a mode of attracting the attention of adults, the child develops tattling behavior. Through grades 4 to 5 this child tries to attract the attention of his peers as well as teachers so as to gain cognition. He puts more effort so as to lead others or win in whatever they are doing. The child tries to boss around and he seems not to be happy upon being defeated. In the playground the child tries to be attached to an adult such as a teacher, club leader, and caregiver or neighborhood teenager. The child shows competing enthusiastically so as to win the attention of this adult. Advancing through the grades a positive self-concept continues to develop with successful experiences. The child becomes more sensitive to personal criticism and does not know how to accept failure. The child shows self-control as well as patience in addition sharing and respecting the rights of others while in the 5th grade. It is at this stage that the child develops sequencing and ordering skills, preparing the way for problem solving math skills. Summarily, while in grade one and two the child exhibits, high active behavior, while not being modest he dislikes to loose, he appears to be self centered while seeking to be the centre of attention among portraying other attitudes. In the playground the child becomes sensitive about being called names, but calls others names, often pairs up and has best friend; tends to enjoy leaving out a third child. He shows some interest in games with rules and action but lacks skill, on top of this the child enjoys rough-housing but does not know when to stop and ends up being hurt, upset or exhausted. The child appears to like to know rules in as well as complaining about unfair treatment by peer playmates. While in the fifth grade the child wants to do things right, he erases and tries again and again, he begins to enjoy reading as a pastime as there has been success learning this skill. The child starts to show politeness and consideration; less opinionated and stubborn, he shows friendship by sharing possessions, secrets and time together. The child appears to develop attitude towards opposite sex a combination of liking and hostility. Elementary school and the children Children in elementary schools encounter a number of problems orchestrated by their peers. This can be in form of including undirected anger, such as tantrums, and lashing out at others; ‘bullying’, which is targeting someone thought to be weaker; and ‘hate bullying’, which is oppressing someone of a different (and perceived to be inferior) gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation (U. S. Department of Education, 1999). Young children encounter an immense and mounting range of challenges as they try to build up pro-social competencies and a pacifying, peaceful approach to life. They not only suffer from a lack of closeness with adults, but also from an excess of coverage to explicit violence in the news and entertainment media and, progressively more, in their homes and communities. All these forces have an effect on the disposition of children, and each child conveys a distinctive set of responses to probably provocative conditions. One of the most acknowledged features in schools across America and the rest of the globe are bullying. Bullying is not only destructive in elementary school children, but also adolescents in high school. Studies carried out indicate that the most common locale for bullying is on the playground, closely followed in occurrence en route to and from school. These studies show that bullying that took place on a playground was observed by monitors as well as adult playground assistants. On the playground, the number of time assistants had to intervene was only 17% of the time, and monitors intervened in only 23% of the observed cases. Noting that bullying in bullying is common in elementary schools; action should be taken to make school playgrounds a safer place for all children. This can be achieved if administrators, teachers, staff, as well as other adult stakeholders work to sustain a stricter measure of management on the playground, particularly in areas that appear to be prone to harassment, in addition to these same persons endeavoring to build a more cooperative and engaging school environment. Playground affords recess to the elementary school children. Recess can be described as a break period, typically outdoors, for children. In comparison to the rest of the school day, recess is a time when children have more free will to decide what they want to do and with whom. Through a 1989 study carried out by National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) it was acknowledged that schools in 90% of school districts had at least one recess period during the day. It is however articulated via American Association for the Child’s Right to Play (IPA/USA), many school systems have done away with recess since 1989. Among the reasons for such decision are safety and liability concerns and fears that recess would interrupt work patterns. Eradication of recess among elementary schools is also associated with the requirement for more instructional time while in some instances m principals and teachers suggest that they feel pressured to pack more instruction into the school day because of new calls for accountability. Abolishing recess in elementary schools was detrimental to both the social development of the child as well the academic well being of the children. This is due to the fact that recess may be the only chance for some children to connect socially with other children. Many classrooms permit very little interaction. In addition, latchkey children, who lock themselves in at home after school glued in TV and computer games as cohorts, frequently have no peer exchanges once they leave school. A good deal of what children do during recess, counting the sharing of folk culture, making choices in addition to developing rules for play, has bearing on the development of social skills. During elementary school recess, it was observed that children manage their own games, choosing on the rules and formatting which team goes first or who is â€Å"it†. Even though game playing can take place in the classroom as well as on the playground; however recess offers a more â€Å"open setting† with freedom of withdrawal as opposed to the classroom where it is typically â€Å"closed setting† and children cannot withdraw from the game. Playgrounds afford the children with the ability to learn to resolve conflicts to keep the game going, resulting in low levels of aggression on the playground. The fact that recess is only time in the school day when there is free peer interaction it is a important time in which adults can examine children’s social behaviors, their predisposition to bully and fight, in addition to their leadership and pro-social behaviors. Seeing how their students cooperate socially can assist teachers and other playground supervisors intercede in situations involving hostility or social isolation. Reference U. S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights. (1999). Protecting students from harassment and hate crime: A guide for schools. Washington, DC: U. S.