Cars in the Park - Part 3

A boring day at the office

....or is it? They day started off dreary with heavy clouds coming up, the wind blowing and cold temperatures. One would not think that it has been so hot here these past few weeks.

I was no sooner in my office when one of my fellow works said "Did you see this?". And there amongst was this centipede of about 4 inches in length.
It was not long after that another worker called and asked "Have you seen this?" pointing to the ground. There was the tiniest little gecko laying almost frozen solid on the ground. If it had not been so cold, I would never have been able to pick him up like this. So I took some pictures, put him where he was out of the wind and when I last checked, he was gone. Hopefully it was not a bird which got him.

Then another worker walked in and said "I have a present for you" and promply handed me this huge snail. I kidded him about bringing another couple then I could have had a decent meal and he just laughted.

All this before 10am, will my day continue to be "boring"?? What do you think? :)

Scorpions in South Africa

This is a small scorpion, Pseudolychas ochraceus, of about 2 inches in body length I found outside. Our scorpion expert Jonathan Leeming has this to say about them:

“With over 160 species of scorpion, South Africa is truly a cool place to live! I know that many people would not agree with me but let me share a few secrets with you that may change your mind.
Out of all our scorpions, only 3 have even caused human fatalities. On average 8 to 12 people die from scorpion stings annually. Their strong neurotoxic venom affects the nervous system and causes heart palpitations, respiratory problems and slurred speech, intense pain and hyper sensitivity. We also have the world least venomous scorpion and coincidently the world longest. These giants attain lengths of over 21cm but their venom causes no more than a pin prick. South Africa’s good medical facilities ensure effective and prompt medical attention. Antivenom is available at most major centers especially where highly venomous scorpion abound.

Not only found in deserts and arid environments, they can be found in just about every terrestrial habitat in southern Africa. These amazing creatures can be found sheltering under rocks, logs, they make burrows and even live in trees. Their secretive nature and behaviour means that you probably do not know that there are scorpions around you, but they are there.

Some species can live without food or water for more than a year. During harsh times they simply wait it out. When the good times return, they emerge and make the most of it.”

Spring colors

Spring is in full swing and these yellow and orange Clivias are making a beautiful show.

White and pink blossoms cover the trees.

White and purple Petrea (Queens wreath) has masses of flowers on them. They are a vine and belong to the Verbena family. Everygreen, they can reach up to 40 feet in height but are easy to trim.

They enjoy a lot of sunlight and grow best in moist, well drained soil. They are also know as a Sandpaper Vine because of the texture of the leaves which are a mat green.

Reflection - Part 2

Not knowing what to write with this post, I decided to Google the word 'reflections' and see what I came up with. It ended up being the lyrics of the songs and so I will add some of them here.

Reflections - Dianna Ross
After all the nights
I sat alone and wept
Just a handful of promisses
Are all that's left of loving you
Reflections of
The way life used to be
Reflections of
The love you took from me
In you I put
All my faith and trust
Right before my eyes
My world has turned to dust...

Reflection - Christina Aguilera
Look at me
You may think you see
Who I really am
But you'll never know me
Every day, is as if I play apart
Now I see
If I wear a maskI can fool the world
But I can not foolMy heart
Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?

Reflection - from the Disney film "Mulan"
Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me?
Why is my reflection someone I don't know?
Somehow I cannot hide
Who I am Though I've tried
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?

Green Metalic Beetle

Does this one not look sinister? He was looking at me and thinking "Lunch!!"

Luckily he was very, very small as you can see when compared to the ant. LOL!!

Saturday's walk around the nursery - Part 3

Now days, they make the loveliest ornament for gardens and cater for all tastes.
I am not sure I want this big dog in mine........

...but will take the cheetah and the lion cubs anytime.

Then there are these cute little fellows.......

This family of warhogs would look just great under a tree.......

...and I can this eagle decorating the patio.

A visit to the zoo - Part 7

Southern Bald Ibis (Geronticus calvus) . It is a monogamous bird which means that the bird finds and breeds with one partner for the rest of its life. The bird lays between 1 to 3 eggs and they are coloured blue. This bird eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten.

A wild flower growing on a bush.

The Cape eagle-owl (Bubo capensis)can be seen in many parts of southern Africa, but nowhere is it common. It lives in rocky, sometimes mountainous areas, in various vegetation types. Most of its diet consists of mammals, but it also feeds on birds and invertebrates. Amazingly, it can carry prey that is 4,5 kg, or 4 times its weight! It nests in scrapes in the ground, often on ledges or between cliffs.

It lays 1-3 eggs, and incubation lasts for 34-38 days, the female doing most of it, with the male sometimes taking over while the female feeds. After fledging, juveniles stay dependent on their parents for 2-3 months, before leaving completely.

African barred owlet, Barred owl (Glaucidium capense) is uncommon in most areas of its range, being most prolific in the Miombo woodlands of Zimbabwe, and northern Botswana. It prefers open woodland, with sparse undergrowth and a stream or river nearby.

It eats mainly invertebrates, due to its small size, but it can eat dormice, small birds and reptiles. It nests in natural tree hollows, sometimes 6 metres above ground, laying 2-3 eggs, which are presumed to be incubated by the female. The chicks stay in the nest 32-33 days, after which they learn to fly. They usually can fly at 42 days old.

The young surricat (meerkat) was busy digging all over but not getting any reward for its eforts.

The Yellow-billed Duck/Teal is one of the more widespread duck species and is found everywhere, except in very dry areas. It is common on dams, pans, wetlands, sewage works, some rivers and estuaries. This species is usually found in pairs or small family groups but forms larger flocks when not breeding. Birds feed in the water, often up-ending so that only their tails, lower bellies and backs are visible - so that they can reach aquatic plants below the surface. Yellow-billed Ducks also often feed in agricultural lands.

The uniformly bright-red plumage of the Scarlet Ibis intensifies as the bird grows older. As with flamingos, the brilliant red color of the bird comes from pigments in the bodies of crustaceans on which it feeds. The long curved beak is used to probe for food in mud and shallow water, guided mostly by touch. It flies strongly with its neck extended, almost as if it were gliding. Like other birds, Scarlet Ibis fights with their beak, legs, and wings against enemies in order to protect themselves and their offspring.

Tis the season again...

Tailed Net-winged Beetle (lycus trabeatus).
Spring is marked with the finding of beetles and bugs in pairs. Tis the season to produce off-spring for the coming summer.

Net-wings feed on flowers and prefer a sub-tropical climate.

Interesting facts about Ladybugs - Part 2

Ladybugs make a chemical that smells and tastes terrible so that birds and other predators won't eat them.

If you squeeze a ladybug it will bite you, but the bite won't hurt.
The spots on a ladybug fade as the ladybug gets older.

Larvae.

Ladybugs won't fly if the temperature is below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

The ladybug is the official state insect of Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Tennessee. The male ladybug is usually smaller than the female.

The Asian Lady Beetle can live up to 2-3 years if the conditions are right.

During hibernation, ladybugs feed on their stored fat.