Frog Evading Snake

Like most people here in Oz, we've spent the week sweltering in the unusually dry heat (by now, the rains have normally come ... but not yet ... it's just hot and sticky).

So like any sane person, I have taken to hiding in the pool with my beer safely ensconced in one of those kids' flotation arm band thingies ... Thus, just as I was beginning to relax following a day working on a hill in the bush vine scrub - I swear it was sent by God to punish people who don't exercise enough!, Jo called out "SNAKE!"

Nothing, and I mean nothing, is quite so likely to get me moving than hearing that word in that tone.

So, after nearly drowning - I managed to clamber out of the pool to see what all the fuss was about. And sure enough, there above my head was a Common Tree Snake, gliding through the trees searching for a froggy meal -

Dendrelaphis punctulata

And she nearly succeeded - but this time the frog saw her coming and leapt for its life ...

A swing and a miss ...

The little frog landed in the pool ... the snake watched it, with what seemed, to me, close interest ...

Orange-thighed tree frog Litoria xanthomera

I quickly followed the frog into the pool and snapped a few pics, the frog obviously decided that I made a suitable platform and promptly settled on my shoulder - Jo took a pic of me taking a pic of my new mate ...

Who says no man is an island?

The upshot being that the snake carried on its merry way - a little frustrated no doubt, but it looked healthy, and I have no doubt it secured a meal without too much trouble. The little frog was placed back in the shrubbery to carry on being all green and such.

Speaking of which - look at who we found being all green ... and yellow and blue ...

Someone really should name this the Dugong Caterpillar Dysphania fenestrata

An amazing little animal, don't ya think?

Later in the evening we had another scaly visitor ... our old friend the Night Tiger.

Boiga irregularis

Interestingly, we've noted that this snake uses our outside lights to enable it to hunt more effectively. In fact, we can almost guarantee her presence simply by leaving the light on - these two little guys had best be on their guard ...

House Geckos Hemidactylus frenatus

Funnily enough - there is a whole circle of life thing going on, as we spotted this beautiful moth the same evening:

Granny's Cloak Moth - look at the amazing bird like 'face' in the wing pattern

So as we all wait for the rain, the wildlife at our place continues to amaze and enthral me ...

The emergence of dozens of baby grasshopper's food for our other guests

All the critters in this post are, to one degree or another - reliant on each other. The loss of one group may mean the loss of all - and that's just in one garden ... makes ya think, eh?. Well, it makes me think anyway ...

Graceful Treefrog Litoria gracilentaPerhaps a grasshopper for starters eh?

As always - I hope you've enjoyed the post - take care :) Paul.