Tuesday 14 February 2012

Wet Season Denizens


Creek has good flow.

A few mornings ago I thought, oh no, when I found a giant centipede trapped in the bottom of the kitchen sink. Luckily, I have another rainwater tap in the laundry and was able to fill the tea kettle without venturing near the centipede.


Giant Centipede
A neighbour doesn't mind handling centipedes. They're just looking for food, he said, and they won't hurt you as long as you don't panic and squeeze them too hard. As he talked, he juggled a centipede from one hand to the other as he waited for me to bring a jar.

I have seen a giant centipede disputing ownership of a bone and the dog's outraged barking did nothing to deter the centipede. Centipedes have too many legs for my liking. J usually has the chore of removing them from the house. We encounter at least one during each Wet Season.

Green Tree Frog

Another denizen of the Wet Season: green tree frog. This one likes the toilet bowl. We thought something had gone wrong with the flush mechanism. The fresh water wasn't flowing properly. Then we glimpsed frog legs frantically moving below the rim. He seems to prefer to hide in the exact spot where the water pours in when the flush button is pressed. Recently, I found him floating contentedly in the toilet bowl, thus throwing my plans awry. I encouraged him to leave by gentle application of bowl brush. He leaped to the floor and looked at me with an accusing expression. By the time I finished my business, he had climbed back up the outside of the bowl and was headed for his hiding spot.

Such is life in the Wet Season.

Photos and post by M in JaM
Frog photo by J in JaM

1 comment:

Diana Troldahl said...

I'm right with you on the centipedes, although ours are a little smaller here in Michigan.
Funnily enough, the insect/critter I most fear is the slug. Totally irrational, it isn't just disgust, but actual terror I feel if I come across one unexpectedly.
Bees, hornets, wasps, snakes don't bother me at all.