The small Flap-necked Chameleon I found earlier was getting thinner by the day as there were not many bugs around. For more pictures:
Chameleon 1 /
Chameleon 2
I put him in my tank and went out searching for some food for him and managed to find a few small grasshoppers.
Oh boy!! What a meal that was and I could see how much he enjoyed it. It is almost as if he was licking his lips at the delicious meal. :)
This is a VERY small Baobab Tree. They grow to over 3000 years old at a very slow rate of 1inch in diameter every 100 years one specimen being 8 metres/yards around!! They grow only in dry, hot areas of the northern part of SA. This is the tree which we get Crème of Tartar from and is derived from the seeds. There are many legends and superstitions surrounding these trees and authentic accounts of them bursting into flame by spontaneous combustion. They are protected here even though their seeds germinate fairy easily.
A Rock Monitor came past and gave me the beady eye so I grabbed my camera to see if I could get a few pictures of its tongue.
It disappeared fairly quickly into the bush….
And all I managed to get was this one shot which unfortunately does not show its fork. The tongue is used as a scent gland and is moved in and out of the mouth as it walks along searching for food.
Robber flies are predators and will kill and eat almost anything including its own kind.
I put him in my tank and went out searching for some food for him and managed to find a few small grasshoppers.
Oh boy!! What a meal that was and I could see how much he enjoyed it. It is almost as if he was licking his lips at the delicious meal. :)
This is a VERY small Baobab Tree. They grow to over 3000 years old at a very slow rate of 1inch in diameter every 100 years one specimen being 8 metres/yards around!! They grow only in dry, hot areas of the northern part of SA. This is the tree which we get Crème of Tartar from and is derived from the seeds. There are many legends and superstitions surrounding these trees and authentic accounts of them bursting into flame by spontaneous combustion. They are protected here even though their seeds germinate fairy easily.
A Rock Monitor came past and gave me the beady eye so I grabbed my camera to see if I could get a few pictures of its tongue.
It disappeared fairly quickly into the bush….
And all I managed to get was this one shot which unfortunately does not show its fork. The tongue is used as a scent gland and is moved in and out of the mouth as it walks along searching for food.
Sorry about the problem with my comment box, I have changed it according to your advice. Let me know if there is any trouble in the future. Thanks for visiting my blog.
ReplyDeleteNice serie.. I loved the tree and the chameleon. great pictures.. backslapping!
ReplyDeleteSaludos
Thanks so much Friend of HK. It normally sorts out the problem. :)
ReplyDeleteLove the Chameleon species. It's so beautiful. You got it very sharply.
ReplyDeletefirst of all, i want to say you take the MOST incredible wildlife photos i have ever seen. I love that sweet little flap neck, he is so cute and great you saved him. the tree is gorgous, and I have never heard of it and did not know cream of tartar comes from a tree. the last few photos you KNOW i love because i love all lizard life and this one is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHummm we may have to rethink that whole Bug Lady title... you feeding them to the reptiles is not a good marketing tool for you love of bugs! lol. poor lizard.
ReplyDeleteCraig
This chameleon looks even smaller than the one we saw in Kruger. Sure seems happy about that bug. (Which BTW Craig, is all about the cycle of life. Don't you watch the Discovery Channel?)
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have recognized that "little" Baobab Tree, especially with no leaves.
Does that Rock Monitor have blue eyes?
Have you been getting any very weird spam?
Oh Joan...how nice of you to find food for that little guy.....hugs.. Michelle
ReplyDeleteChamaleons!
ReplyDeleteYou don't imagine how I like these guys!
Their eyes most of all.
The diversity of the wildlife is fantastic. Oddly enough we do have those robber flies up here (Canada) too - but thats about it.
ReplyDeleteFeeding some critters out of season can be a problem. Mealworms are easy to breed and make a good source of food for various lizards - but not as an exclusive diet. ATB!
Thanks Dejemonos sorprender/ Chameleons and mantis have to me my favoutires. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Birdy. They are such interesting creatures and I had many as pets when I was young.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandra. It is very kind of you to say so. You have the Anole which is just as cute I think although it body is more lizard-like whereas the chameleon's is more stubby and fat. I could never let something like that starve so had to find a way of keeping it going even if it meant going out in the hot sun with the net looking for the right size ones for him. :)
ReplyDeleteLOL!! It is a fine line there Craig, but I reckoned a few bugs more or less would not make a difference. :)The bugs are plentiful and the chameleons are few.
ReplyDeleteThey were about the same size Gaelyn. Those trees do look different when they are bare like that.
ReplyDeleteNo, It is just a lighter circle of brown in its eyes.
Thanks for the warning on Lawrence my friend. I have taken measure to have him stopped. How unpleasant some people turn out to be!!!!!!
LOL!! I did not have much choice Michelle, I could never let one of them die. Besides you should know by now how I am always rescueing things. :)
ReplyDeleteMe too Andrea!! I wish I could find some of the different species of them we have here but they are mostly found down at the coast so guess where I am going on my next holiday. :)
ReplyDeleteI think it has to do with our lovely warm climate Rusty. I must admit that south of me it does get pretty cold with snow on the mountains but I am almost on the Tropic of Capricorn so it is perfect with lovely mild winters. :)
ReplyDeleteI am breeding mealworns now for all these strays I always seem to be finding. LOL!! Much easier than chasing after grasshoppers and moths in the heat. :)
I love the closeup shot of his head with the grasshopper in his mouth. We used to see so many of them when I was small, but these days they seem to be very scares.
ReplyDeleteI hope this dude hasn't put a smudge on the rest of us PE bloggers following your blog, cause I know there are a couple of us. Worse bit is that my surname is Fourie as well. Just want to say "Wasn't me"
It is amazing how fast their tongues are Jonker. As you say, there are not too many found in the gardens nowdays, too many pesticides.
ReplyDeleteNo Jonker, I do not classify you in the same category as this AH. It is hard to believe that people can turn out like this. I have had my blog for over three year now and have never had a problem like this before.
Just goes to show that one can never be too careful but I think that the people who have been with me for such a long time know me better than this and will not stay away from me.
I do not have a single clue as to what he is trying to achieve with all of this. If he has a problem with me, he should take it out on me. Shows how low-class and without morals he is!!
This is such a cute chameleon! The 'feeding time' is a great capture. Also like the monitor, I haven't seen any.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jose. The monitor is quite common up in Kruger and Mala Mala so I would have thought you had come across one.
ReplyDeleteWow, Joan what a lifesaver you are. That little guy owes you big time. So cute he is. Your pictures are fabulous!
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the Baobab tree. Never knew about it.
Good stuff here.
Stay safe Joan!
B.
I think that chameleon is so cute!
ReplyDeleteThanks Becky. The chameleons are much to scarce to let one die. Besides, he was so tiny and brought out that "mother' instinct in me. :)
ReplyDeleteMe too Mary. I should have kept it as a pet but I am always scared I wont find food for it and it will die on me then I will be heartbroken.
ReplyDeleteIt may be a bit hard to swallow but those are some good shots of the lizard eating the bug! LOL! Really like the details in those Joan. :o)
ReplyDeleteLOL!! Thats a good play on words Ken. :) Thank you. It was a great opportunity to get some pics.
ReplyDeleteKnowing that you are concerned over your depth of field, I would advise you not to worry to much, as your photos look fine. :o)
ReplyDeleteThanks Ken. Coming from you, this means a lot to me.
ReplyDelete