Nesting behaviors are widespread and essential in the animal world, marking critical phases in reproduction for numerous species. These behaviors involve creating structures tailored to the unique needs of offspring and adapting to environmental factors. The experience of motherhood during the COVID-19 lockdown heightened awareness of these nesting patterns. The concept of nesting also reflects the need for comfort and security, as shown in the relationship between a mother and daughter, emphasizing the importance of providing safety and nurturing in both nature and familial contexts.
In the animal world, few behaviours are as widespread or as diverse as nesting. For many species, it marks a crucial phase in the reproductive cycle.
Even the most simple structures involve careful adaptations, tailored to the needs of a species' offspring, and tuned to what potentials and parameters exist at large in the environment.
To nest is to fit one object, or piece of information, inside another. A nest of tables. A nested text. It is about neatness and snugness.
My daughter had once fitted snugly inside me; now she pulled at my breasts and kicked at the loose flesh of my stomach, as though testing to see what I was made of.
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