TheTerritorial Force was a part-time volunteer auxiliary created in 1908. It was designed to reinforce theBritish Army overseas during war without resorting toconscription, but for political reasons it wasconstituted as a home defence force in which foreign service was voluntary. It was not well regarded by the military authorities. On the outbreak of the First World War, the regular army was expanded by raising theNew Army from scratch rather than relying on the Territorial Force. Territorials volunteered for foreign service in large numbers, and territorialdivisions filled the gap between the near destruction of the regular army during theGerman offensive of 1914 and the arrival of the New Army in 1915. The force also provided the bulk of the British contingent in theSinai and Palestine campaign. The territorial identity was eroded by the introduction of conscription in 1916, and by the war's end there was little to distinguish between regular, territorial and New Army formations. (Full article...)
_female_with_prey_Carniolan_honey_bee_(Apis_melifera_carnica).jpg) | Xysticus cristatus, the common crab spider, is a species in the familyThomisidae. It has aPalearctic distribution, being found throughout Europe (including Iceland) and east through Asia to Siberia, China, Korea and Japan. It has been introduced to Canada and the United States. The species is usually found in low vegetation and avoids woodland and closed canopy habitats, but is otherwise found in almost every habitat type. The female has a body length of about 6 to 8 millimetres (0.24 to 0.31 inches), and the male about 3 to 5 millimetres (0.12 to 0.20 inches), with coloration varying from light cream, dark brown to greyish.X. cristatus is anambush hunter that spends much time sitting still with its forelegs spread wide, waiting for insects to blunder into them. During reproduction, the female builds a flat white ovisac containing developing eggs, usually fixed on plants. The female sits on it to protect it, until myriad little spiders are released. This femaleX. cristatus spider with its prey, aCarniolan honey bee, was photographed inBled, Slovenia. The photograph wasfocus-stacked from seven separate images. Photograph credit:Charles J. Sharp Recently featured: |
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