A HALLOWEEN HAWK MOTH.
This time last year, in southern spain, l was watering my garden,
by the little pond. Here grows a rather lovely winter jasmine,
which had been cultivated from a cutting. l had recently noticed
that several branches had been stripped of leaves! I carried on
spraying it from a distance, when l noticed, what l thought was a
large plastic toy hanging from a twig. l sprayed some more, trying
to knock it off. But no it hung on. l put the hose down and went in
for a closer look and to my amazement saw a spectacular
caterpillar. I took some good photos, but can't get them up on this
tablet!
It was a vivid green, with diagonal stripes along it's sides. lt was
the length of my hand, and had a little tail. When l disturbed it, it
hung it's head down, imitating a twig branching off. l looked deeper
into the bush and saw another, but this one was brown apart from
its head, which was white, almost in the design of a skull! Ahha a
deaths head hawk moth.
Yes, l did a bit of investigation and sure enough they were. The
brown one was ready to drop to the ground where it would bury itself
and pupate. Normally these beautiful creatures feed on members
of the solanacea family of plants. Now l understood why my plant
had been stripped of leaves! They are also said, as adult moths, to feed
on the honey from bee hives. There are plenty of those up on the
mountains. l visited them for several days to watch them feed, they
did day and night. Till eventually l saw them no more. First the brown
one disapeared, then the green one turned brown and did the same.
Saturday 31 October 2015
Thursday 22 October 2015
WELL I'll BE LYNXED.
Some time ago, after very heavy rain and the river running for sometime.
I went out for a tramp in the receding waters, where, under an outcrop of
rocks, resembling lion king, l came upon the footprints of many animals,
in the mud at the base. lt was an area of about 1 metre sqare. lt appeared
as if a battle of some sort had gone on.
l sat and stared at the muddy impressions. There were many, large and
small. Some looked to me like badger, they had six toes and visible claws.
The others looked like cat. Five toes and no claws. Some where large,
some small. l decided to make some casts of them. They turned out well.
l also searched for any other signs. The cane growing around was very
dense, but it had pathways through it. Between the site of the muddy battle
and the outcrop was a pool of water, that could only be crossed by
swimming or leaping. A freshly dug toilet revealed its delivery. Above in
thick undergrowth was a small cave.
Lynx came to mind. The footprints were certainly a good size. I decided to
show the casts to the local vets. One said no they can't be because they are
not found in this part of Spain, but the other took one look at them and
pointed to a poster of a Lynx and said "Lynx".
I have heard many stories of sightings, especially at dawn and dusk.
Running across roads and crying in the night. The best story was of
two large cat like animals seen on a mountain road in the early hours.
They said that they were definatly Lynx because they could see their
long tails !!!.
Some time ago, after very heavy rain and the river running for sometime.
I went out for a tramp in the receding waters, where, under an outcrop of
rocks, resembling lion king, l came upon the footprints of many animals,
in the mud at the base. lt was an area of about 1 metre sqare. lt appeared
as if a battle of some sort had gone on.
l sat and stared at the muddy impressions. There were many, large and
small. Some looked to me like badger, they had six toes and visible claws.
The others looked like cat. Five toes and no claws. Some where large,
some small. l decided to make some casts of them. They turned out well.
l also searched for any other signs. The cane growing around was very
dense, but it had pathways through it. Between the site of the muddy battle
and the outcrop was a pool of water, that could only be crossed by
swimming or leaping. A freshly dug toilet revealed its delivery. Above in
thick undergrowth was a small cave.
Lynx came to mind. The footprints were certainly a good size. I decided to
show the casts to the local vets. One said no they can't be because they are
not found in this part of Spain, but the other took one look at them and
pointed to a poster of a Lynx and said "Lynx".
I have heard many stories of sightings, especially at dawn and dusk.
Running across roads and crying in the night. The best story was of
two large cat like animals seen on a mountain road in the early hours.
They said that they were definatly Lynx because they could see their
long tails !!!.
Sunday 11 October 2015
Saturday 10 October 2015
HOTEL AZANA Tangers 2009.
Never mind the smell,
I think I will stay in this hotel.
It's very cheap,
this is where I am going to sleep.
But as I opened up the door,
something ran across the floor.
I tried to ignore it,
but I knew that I saw it.
There was no sheet
upon the bed.
There was no pillow
for my head.
Then l pulled back the cover,
only to discover,
dreadfull a
bedfull
of
cockroches.!
It was quite appauling
the whole place was crawling.
lt really was not my imagination,
it had to be an infestation.
Honestly it was no hoax,
there were a million more than one cockroach.
I don't know how l stayed.
But I had already paid.
I slept the night,
curled up tight
and did not dare
turn out the light.
Whatever was l thinking!
The whole place was stinking.
Never mind the smell,
I think I will stay in this hotel.
It's very cheap,
this is where I am going to sleep.
But as I opened up the door,
something ran across the floor.
I tried to ignore it,
but I knew that I saw it.
There was no sheet
upon the bed.
There was no pillow
for my head.
Then l pulled back the cover,
only to discover,
dreadfull a
bedfull
of
cockroches.!
It was quite appauling
the whole place was crawling.
lt really was not my imagination,
it had to be an infestation.
Honestly it was no hoax,
there were a million more than one cockroach.
I don't know how l stayed.
But I had already paid.
I slept the night,
curled up tight
and did not dare
turn out the light.
Whatever was l thinking!
The whole place was stinking.
Friday 9 October 2015
THINGS THAT GO BUM IN THE NIGHT.
My sister came to stay with us in southern spain, with a view to buying an old property, had a glorious time untill her final night. She woke the household yelling "l've been pierced by a red hot needle". Next a centipede came pouring out from her sheets. This sent her into utter panic. She was running around the kitchen with my daughter throwing vinegar at the offended buttock. Poor sister she was howling like a Banshee! . Eventually we got her to a different bed with warm words and vodka.
The centipede (oryza barbarica) is north african, like so many creatures around here. Centipede would suggest one hundred legs, but in fact they. have twenty pairs. The. first pair are adapted for piercing and injecting venom. These two legs have been modified over time as poison claws. They are hollow and hold the venom which is made by the poison glands, to which they are connected .The body of this centipede is orange/yellow, each segment being black at the top. Indeed with.a dim eye they could be mistaken for a small serpent. Some reach sizes of up to 7 inches /18cms. l shudder!
The body covering of centipedes is not waterproof, they easily dry up and die. Like the one in the photo below which was swept out from under my bed. They are confined to humid surroundings such as compost heaps, under stones, behind sinks, in plug holes,bathroom floors, lurking in damp towels, and in your bed!
They are hunters, hunting in the cool of the night. Few will hunt them. I have witnessed a spider deftly tying a writhing one up in its web. In some parts of the world they are welcome visitors, eating flies, locusts and cockroaches, but also geckos and other noctural creatures. I once had a cecko who had taken up residence behind the door to my chicken house. Each morning l would carefully open up trying not to disturb it. l became rather fond of it. One day l found in its place a plump centipede.
My sister did indeed buy a cortijo next to me and left a note. (Thank you for every thing-it has been great fun, except for !..........!?
Then she left. On the way back through France she fell in a cesspit!.......
d
My sister came to stay with us in southern spain, with a view to buying an old property, had a glorious time untill her final night. She woke the household yelling "l've been pierced by a red hot needle". Next a centipede came pouring out from her sheets. This sent her into utter panic. She was running around the kitchen with my daughter throwing vinegar at the offended buttock. Poor sister she was howling like a Banshee! . Eventually we got her to a different bed with warm words and vodka.
The centipede (oryza barbarica) is north african, like so many creatures around here. Centipede would suggest one hundred legs, but in fact they. have twenty pairs. The. first pair are adapted for piercing and injecting venom. These two legs have been modified over time as poison claws. They are hollow and hold the venom which is made by the poison glands, to which they are connected .The body of this centipede is orange/yellow, each segment being black at the top. Indeed with.a dim eye they could be mistaken for a small serpent. Some reach sizes of up to 7 inches /18cms. l shudder!
The body covering of centipedes is not waterproof, they easily dry up and die. Like the one in the photo below which was swept out from under my bed. They are confined to humid surroundings such as compost heaps, under stones, behind sinks, in plug holes,bathroom floors, lurking in damp towels, and in your bed!
They are hunters, hunting in the cool of the night. Few will hunt them. I have witnessed a spider deftly tying a writhing one up in its web. In some parts of the world they are welcome visitors, eating flies, locusts and cockroaches, but also geckos and other noctural creatures. I once had a cecko who had taken up residence behind the door to my chicken house. Each morning l would carefully open up trying not to disturb it. l became rather fond of it. One day l found in its place a plump centipede.
My sister did indeed buy a cortijo next to me and left a note. (Thank you for every thing-it has been great fun, except for !..........!?
Then she left. On the way back through France she fell in a cesspit!.......
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