creatures from around the yard

[Smiling JOe]

More creatures from around the yard -- Eastern Glass Lizard -- that's right. I said, "lizard." I know you are wondering if the grasshoppers ate the lizard's legs, but they didn't. The Eastern Glass Lizard is legless, but still has eyelids and external ear openings like the other lizards. This one had one of those grasshoppers land on his eye -- talk about a stupid grasshopper -- "here's your sign."

 

[sunspotbaby]

SJ you really have a busy yard!

 

[Goddessgal]

Wow! Thanks, SJ - I have never seen one before now! How big are they, usually?

 

[Smiling JOe]

Judging by the brown color on the back of the one above, it is young. It never came out from the Dog Fennel plant any farther, but I'd guess this one was about 18" in length. Adults grow to about 3ft in length.

suspot, you have no idea how true your statement is. My yard is filled with all kinds of plants and animals. I should break out the old video camera with the night vision, and see what I can find during the night. I see raccoon tracks almost daily, occasionally deer tracks, saw a fox in the driveway a while back. Fiddler crabs, other snakes, skinks, plenty of birds, cats, other dogs, yellow jacket nest, ants, Ant Lions, Anoles, butterflies, beetles, Hooded Mergansers (ducks), Hawks, saw a Sora (bird) the other day, I could go on. Did I mention ants? There are ants everywhere -- fun to watch build their mounds. Wish I had a time lapse camera of the close up of that. I'm have enough that I am starting a blog about it.

 

[Goddessgal]

SJ, do you have a nature guide that you refer to to ID all of the critters? I have looked at several online, but perhaps you know of a particularly good one for the area? Thanks!

 

[Smiling JOe]

A good one for this area is the National Audubon Society -- Field Guide to Florida, which is available locally, at Sundog Books in Seaside.

 

[Goddessgal]

Thanks! I'm in Texas right now, but look forward to hopefully buying "local SoWal" when I (hopefully) move back to paradise. I love being able to document the critters.

 

[organicmama]

Thanks for the pics, SJ!

We had a legless lizard that our neighbors called a skank, sitting right in front of our front door. Of course, we (who are still fairly new) freaked out & thought it was a little snake. Thank goodness for the neighbors who set Mr. OM straight on that one, while having a good laugh at us!

 

[DD]

Thanks for posting, SJ. Interesting creature.
Does Florida have a "Backyard Wildlife Certification" Program? Sounds like to me your place would be a certification waiting to happen. My yard is certified, and I don't have near all the stuff going on that you do. It's just kind of a cool thing to have a little plaque that says your yard is a "Certified Backyard Wildlife Habitat". You don't get any special recognition or anything...except maybe from the critters.

 

[ShallowsNole]

SJ, that is so cool. I'm glad he was at your house, not mine, because I might have freaked. Very neat.

And don't get me started on lubber grasshoppers, aka "Georgia Thumpers." I could write a book. They will gnaw anything you have planted, especially young plants with tender shoots, right down to the roots.

One appropriate story...one of my brothers grew up to have a successful career in the USAF/NSA and has a second successful career in whatever it is he does (can't tell us or he would have to shoot us). As a young boy, he would sit cross-legged on the ground and talk to a snake. At the same time, he was absolutely terrified of the Georgia Thumpers, especially when they would hatch and totally cover tall weeds. He'd start crying "Overhoppers! Overhoppers!" and my mom would have to pick him up and carry him.

Thirty-something years later, the guys in the dark suits are interviewing all the family in preparation for my brother's security clearance, and my mother TELLS THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY that he is afraid of grasshoppers.