publications

We publish the following two series in our "Ecological Information" publications.

The research findings can be published online only, but publishing in print or adding an ISBN (International Standard Book Number), which is essential for scientific books, is expensive and difficult to recoup the costs.

However, I am taking this approach so that the results of my research will be preserved in the National Diet Library as an official publication and be of some use to future generations.

Although a large portion of the proceeds from your purchase goes to the publisher as a commission, I would be delighted if you would consider purchasing a copy if you find the content on this website interesting.

"A Photographic Guide to the Ecology of 53 Flower Species" (ISBN: 9784802080569)

Why do flowers bloom? Anyone with even a slight interest in science would answer, "To attract animals for pollination." But could you answer the question, "Which animals do different flowers prefer?"

Even when flipping through commercially available books about the ecology of flowers, there is a lot of information about cultural history, and hardly any mention of such aspects. This is especially true for cultivated varieties, where such information is almost nonexistent.

However, upon closer examination of academic papers, it becomes clear that researchers around the world have compiled the results of long-term, little-known efforts, gradually revealing the relationship between flowers, animals, and nature. Wouldn't it be more enjoyable to have more content on such natural history, in addition to cultural history?

Therefore, I have been sharing photos I have taken of both cultivated and wild flowers on Instagram, while also reading research papers and summarizing and explaining the ecology of those flowers in a way that is easy for the general public to understand. I would like to accumulate these results in the form of books on a regular basis.

I select flowers based on my personal preferences, such as color and shape, rather than classification, and then conduct research on them. Therefore, the content may not necessarily be lengthy or substantial, but it may also reflect the current state of human knowledge about these flowers. I hope you will keep this in mind as you read. I believe much of the content is not found in Japanese books.

While I couldn't fully explain some of the terminology, I aimed for a generally accessible writing style and included references for all content. I hope it will be useful for anyone interested in living things, as well as those who want to learn more. Although the printed version has its limitations, I believe it can also be enjoyed as a photo collection of flowers.

If many people enjoy this book, I think it will continue as a series. I also update my Instagram @planted_codon, so if you enjoyed this book, I would be happy if you would follow me there as well.

The PDF and Kindle versions are cheaper. The printed version has been deposited with the National Diet Library.

"A Photographic Guide to the Ecology of 53 Flower Species"

The original posts that inspired this book can be found on Instagram. The book version is more accurate as it has been revised and expanded.
https://www.instagram.com/planted_codon/

table of contents

1. Flowers of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and Hibiscus schizopetalus — Red flowers of unknown origin — (Malvaceae family) 11
2. Apricot blossoms (Prunus armeniaca var. ansu) – flowers that bloom between plum and cherry blossoms – (Rosaceae family) 14
3. The flowers of Lindera praecox – a flower that attracts beetles in early spring – (Lauraceae family) 16
4. Flower of Tricyrtis hirta (Tricyrtis hirta) – a fountain exclusively for bumblebees – (Liliaceae) 19
5. Flowers of the winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) - an edible blue flower of the legume family - (Fabaceae) 21
6. Flower heads of Cirsium brevicaule (white thistle) (Asteraceae family) 23
7. The flower of Erythrina x bidwillii (Coral Bellflower) – A red flower that travels the world – (Fabaceae family) 25
8. Edgeworthia chrysantha flower —If you want to make gold, prepare an insect with a long mouthpart — (Thymelaeaceae family) 27
9. Flowers of the Javan plum (Syzygium samarangense) – Sweet fruits produced by birds and bees – (Myrtaceae family) 30
10. Adenophora triphylla var. japonica flowers – nocturnal flowers – (Campanulaceae family) 33
11. Flowers of Exochorda racemosa (Rosaceae family) – Flowers with a distinctive green disc. 35
12. Autumn Salvia (Salvia japonica) flower - blue, hairy salvia - (Lamiaceae family) 37
13. The flowers of Bignonia capreolata – a flower that attracts birds to the garden – (Bignoniaceae family) 39
14. Bupleurum stenophyllum flowers – the flowers used to make medicine are shiny – (Apiaceae family) 41
15. Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) flower - a flower that produces false pollen - (Lythraceae family) 43
16. Flowers of Trachelospermum asiaticum and Trachelospermum jasminoides var. pubescens — flowers that look very similar but coexist — (Apocynaceae family) 46
17. Flowers of Amorpha fruitcosa – a contrast of black and yellow – (Fabaceae) 50
18. Flowers of Toxicodendron sylvestre - inconspicuous yellowish-green flowers - (Anacardiaceae family) 52
19. Plumbago auriculata flowers - the blue flowers of Africa - (Plumbaginaceae family) 54
20. Centaurium tenuiflorum flowers – a lovely introduced flower – (Gentianaceae family) 56
21. The flower of Ternstroemia gymnanthera (Japanese hollyhock) – A world of only males and hermaphrodites – (Ternstroemiaceae family) 58
22. The flower of Zephyranthes carinata (false saffron) – a pink flower favored by beetles – (Amaryllidaceae family) 61
23. Nymphoides peltatum flowers – a flower that blooms in all directions on the water's surface – (Menyanthaceae family) 63
24. Eggplant (Solanum melongena) flower - A flower that responds to the vibrations of a purple bee - (Solanaceae family) 65
25. The flower of Phalaenopsis aphrodite – a famous flower whose ecology is largely unknown – (Orchidaceae) 67
26. Autumn sow thistle (Lactuca indica) flower heads - cream-colored flowers that bloom in autumn - (Asteraceae family) 70
27. Spiraea thunbergii flowers – a garden tree that flies love – (Rosaceae family) 74
28. Lycium chinense flower – strangely, its shape is different from that of an eggplant flower – (Solanaceae family) 76
29. Ficus superba flower receptacles – one-to-one correspondence between flowers – (Moraceae family) 78
30. The flower of Nigella damascena – a flower that "advertises" – (Ranunculaceae family) 81
31. The flower of Tristellateia australasiae – a flower that is unusually "ordinary" – (Malpighiaceae family) 83
32. Flowers of Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum - Nutrient-deficient flowers - (Asparagaceae family) 86
33. Pomegranate (Punica granatum) flower – a red flower that bees love – (Lythraceae family) 90
34. Flowers of Tradescantia fluminensis - Flowers that deceive insects with white filaments - (Commelinaceae family) 92
35. Monotropastrum humile flowers – a haven in the shade – (Ericaceae family) 94
36. The flower of Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove) - a hardy flower even in America - (Plantaginaceae family) 96
37. Hibiscus mutabilis and Hibiscus makinoi flowers – flowers that seem different but aren't (Malvaceae family) 98
38. Flowers of Cayratia japonica (Japanese knotweed) – Are honeybees and wasps friends? – (Vitaceae family) 101
39. Flowers of Acalypha australis (Euphorbiaceae family) - flowers that fall off easily - 103
40. The flower of Arisaema limbatum - the flower of death - (Araceae family) 105
41. Flowers of Talinum paniculatum (a type of moss plant) – A flower that's somewhat useful – (Talinaceae family) 107
42. Flowers of wintersweet (Lindenera praecox) – a flower that blooms in the middle of winter for some reason – (Calycanthaceae family) 109
43. Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) flowers - flowers that bloom in the evening - (Caprifoliaceae family) 112
44. Flowers of Lavandula dentata (Lamiaceae family) – Unassuming flowers – 114
45. The flowers of Clerodendrum trichotomum – a flower whose pollination is surprisingly carried by butterflies (Verbenaceae family) 116
46. Epimedium grandiflorum var. thunbergianum f. violaceum flower - double-layered flower - (Berberidaceae) 118
47. Mustard (Brassica juncea) flowers – Even vegetables need insects – (Brassicaceae family) 120
48. The flower of Tropaeolum majus (Tropaeolaceae) – a resting place for beetles? – 122
49. Flowers of Ilex crenata var. crenata – A simple yet popular flower – (Aquifoliaceae family) 124
50. Macleaya cordata flower – a flower with petals replaced by stamens (Papaveraceae family) 126
    Bonus: Flower heads of Gamochaeta chinoesthes and Gamochaeta coarctata (Asteraceae family) 128

Journal "Ecological Notes" (ISSN: 2436-2506)

"Ecological Notes" (ISSN 2436-2506, deposited at the National Diet Library) is an ecological journal that publishes photographic records accumulated by Kenichi Ikeda, who has taken over 9,000 photographs of plants and animals during more than 15 years of fieldwork, and has examined hundreds of soil animal samples annually, including broad taxonomic groups such as myriapods, spiders, mites, and insects. The journal also includes reports on the domestic distribution of species and taxonomic studies. The publication schedule is irregular. While Ikeda has made efforts to collect literature for writing, he prioritizes timeliness. Although we aim to make the journal understandable not only to researchers but also to the general public, it is fundamentally a serious journal that also includes articles of academic value. We hope that by accumulating even small records, information will be gathered and contribute to ecosystem conservation.

Ecological Notes

No. 1 Table of Contents

• The Intent and About the Publication of "Ecological Notes" 1
• Record of visits by the striped soft bee to the Ixora plant in Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture ( Part 3)
• Five examples of nesting in decaying wood by the Japanese long-legged ant (Polygonum cuspidatum).
• First records of *Rubus parvifolius* gall in Nara Prefecture and Tokyo Prefecture 7
• Literature record of *Tenryu medaka dwarf ground beetle*, added to Ikeda and Watanabe (2019) 11
• Literature records of the small-toothed wasp in mainland Tokyo, added to Ikeda (2019b) 12
• Records of *Yamafujihafukure-fushi* in Hyogo Prefecture and 12 domestic distribution literature records
• First record of the hairy stink bug on Yakushima Island 14
• Records of *Psocidae* in Osaka Prefecture and 16 domestic distribution literature records
• Records of individuals resembling *Hikosanegiri* in Osaka Prefecture (18)
• In Kyoto Prefecture, woodlice preyed on a plasmodium of the genus *Dictyophora *.
• Articles published in other journals such as "Ecological Information" (2016-2020) 23

No.2 Table of Contents

• Record of a Tokara springtail-like species on Yakushima Island 1
• Additional records of *Lasius stubbendorfii* and *Lysimachia japonica* confirmed in 2016 at Sakuya Konohana Kan, Osaka Prefecture 1
• 3 examples of predation of the brown ant by the black ant in Tokyo.
• Regarding domestic literature records on the diet of harvestmen (5)
• A slug (11) resting on the fruiting body of a Boletus species.
• New records of Diptera from Nara, Japan 13
• New records of Hymenoptera from Nara, Japan 36
• New records of Collembola, Neuroptera, Coleoptera and Scolopendromorpha from Nara, Japan (Appendix: Literature records of terrestrial arthropods in Nara Prefecture) 51
• Silverfish (Scarabae japonica) in Nara Prefecture and domestic distribution literature records 76
• Three records of the order Psocidae (booklice) in Hyogo Prefecture and a partial summary of their domestic distribution. 79