Category Archives: Animals

A day on the tiles

I saw this mourning gecko on the lanai tiles of my neighbor’s now empty house. Mourning geckos are mostly nocturnal, but are sometimes seen during the day, though usually not in such an exposed location. This one is a female. I say that with some confidence because almost all mourning geckos are females. They reproduce by parthenogenesis, which is where an egg or sperm doesn’t have to combine with another egg or sperm for an embryo to develop.

Posted for Bushboy’s Last on the Card photo challenge. See more responses here.

Achaea Janata moth

Many of the moths I see look like they’ve been in the wars, but this Achaea Janata moth was in excellent condition. It has some quite nice markings, but refused to spread its wings to reveal the striking black and white patterns below.

Peek-a-boo moo

In this modern society, it seems like we’re always liable to be tracked or watched. On a recent walk at Upolu, this cow kept a close eye on me as I walked by.

Ground Beetle

I used to see Ground Beetles all the time on my walks at Upolu, but this one was the first I’d seen in ages. I don’t think it’s because I’m becoming less observant. I think the numbers are down, for whatever reason.

Praying Mantis waiting

This Praying Mantis spent several days on this Agave Attenuata, waiting patiently for food. There were bees all over the flowers and I think the mantis got some of them, as well as other insects.

I presumed the mantis was a female as it seemed to be getting bigger. A couple of days after taking these photos, the mantis disappeared but I saw an egg sac on a nearby tree, so maybe there will be more on the way!

What the katydid did

I noticed this katydid on one of the window screens and took a few photos, trying to capture a ‘life-behind-bars’ feeling. Little did I know how this would pan out.

The gecko appeared from above and slowly edged towards its prey. Then it reached down and …. licked the katydid. The katydid immediately hurled itself into space and wasn’t seen again. The gecko wandered off. Apparently, life can get very weird behind bars.

Favorites from 2022

Surf crashes ashore on the North Kohala coast in Hawaii — January: High surf crashes ashore in North Kohala. (link)

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Your 2022 Year-in-Review.’ See more responses here. Like last year, I’ve gone with a favorite photo from each month of 2021, with a caption and link to the post the photo first appeared in.

A Common Waxbill feeds on cane grass seeds — February: A Common Waxbill grabs a mouthful of seeds. (link)

A Monarch butterfly on purple bougainvillea flowers — March: A Monarch Butterfly on a bougainvillea. (link)

A Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle swims by — April: A Green Turtle swims by. (link)

Three cats resting in Hawaii — May: A trio of cats hard at work! (link)

A photo of an owl in a car wing mirror — June: How to keep birds off your car. (link)

A view of Green sand beach (Papakōlea) on the Big Island, Hawaii — July: The green sand beach near South Point. (link)

A white-tailed tropicbird flying over North Kohala, Hawaii — August: A White-tailed Tropicbird glides by. (link)

A Black-crowned night heron struggles o get out of an algae covered pond — September: A Black-crowned Night Heron struggles to get out of a pond. (link)

A Spinner dolphin leaps from the waters off Hawaii — October: A Spinner Dolphin leaps from the water off North Kohala. (link)

Two manta rays in the waters off Hawaii — November: A pair of Manta Rays swims toward me. (link)

A cloud forms over the site of the eruption on Mauna Loa , Hawaii — December: Mauna Loa erupted for the first time in 40 years, capturing attention and changing the weather. (link)

Black Witch Moth

This Black Witch Moth spent the day resting under the eaves of the house. The wingspan is a good six inches and it was in perfect condition, not like some of the battered individuals I’ve seen before.

Graham's Island

Life on the Big Island of Hawaii