New insect species named after Lady Gaga

University of Illinois entomology grad student Brendan Morris named a new genus and species of treehoppers after Lady Gaga.

The newly discovered treehopper species, now known as Kaikaia gaga, is a member of an incredibly diverse group of insects found on every continent except Antarctica.

“If there is going to be a Lady Gaga bug, it’s going to be a treehopper, because they’ve got these crazy horns, they have this wacky fashion sense about them.”

K. gaga shares the distinctive horned thorax seen on many other treehoppers, but its unusual leg hairs make it clear it’s a separate species.

Lady Gaga has yet to respond to the news. Morris hopes she’ll take it as a compliment. The findings were published in the journal Zootaxa.

Spider drags goldfish with its fangs

A pet owner was left gobsmacked when he discovered a spider hauling it out of the pond in its teeth.

Terrifying photos show the giant nursery web spider with Cleo the goldfish — named after Geppetto’s pet in Pinocchio — dangling out of its jaws as it drags it from the water and carries it up the wall.

The rare moment was captured by tour guide Jérémy Schalkwijk who had taken his friend to see the fish in his pond in Barberton, South Africa. Jérémy watched the arachnid lowering itself into the pool while clinging onto the edge and then hauling its prey up the wall using a combination of its fangs and front legs.

Jérémy believes the fish was double the weight of the determined predator. As Jérémy rushed to show the shot to his friend, the pair went back outside to watch the spider’s next move, but the spider and its prey were ‘nowhere to be found’.

The tallest Great Dane

The owner of a 7ft tall Great Dane, Jenny Saccoccia says her pooch is constantly mistaken for a horse. However, that doesn’t stop Thunder — who weighs more than 15 stone — from trying to sit on her lap.

The colossal canine lives with his owner Jenny Saccoccia, and her husband Chris in their house in King City in Ontario, Canada. Despite his size, Jenny says he’s a gentle giant who is adored by children and smaller dogs alike.

“He’s so well-behaved, we can leave food out and he won’t touch it,” she says.

“If you yell at him, he’ll sit in the corner and turn his back to the wall.”

Thunder comes from a long line of colossal canines and his dad is a champion show dog.

Spongebob Squarepants’ real-life villa

Spongebob Squarepants famously lives in a pineapple under the sea, and now the beloved cartoon’s home has been transformed into a real-life villa!

It’s not actually under the sea, but it is pineapple-shaped, and it’s been decked out like the cartoon home.

The Pineapple Villa, at Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, stands out with its bright yellow pineapple structure. The living room is with brilliant effects that make you feel like you’re in the show. There’s even an appearance from Gary the Snail. But that’s not all. The pineapple villa leads to a spacious holiday rental that has heaps of luxurious offerings, with spacious bedrooms and a living room.

There are rooms for the kids who want to splash about, while parents can relax and soak up the sunshine from the sun loungers on the deck.

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 4th, 2020