Sunday, June 11th, More bugs and FROGS!.
Spider Photo Credit Melvin Grey
On our way to go frogging this evening, the group made quite a big deal over this, to some, yukky leech. Leave it to me, I find it stunningly beautiful!
People have similar reactions to spiders. My questions are: Will the leech eat the spider? Will the spider eat the leech? Will they keep a respectful distance? Or maybe become friends?
We found more lovely insects that night, including a green and yellow female mantis and her egg case and a green and yellow stick bug, in perfect artistic harmony with the leaf on which it is sitting.
Mantis Photo Credit Melvin Grey
It was more satisfying to me to see my froggy friends in situ. Without their being handled, I was much happier. However, if I hadn’t had plenty of assistance, I may not have seen any frogs. Thank goodness for STF! friends who want to share the joy of watching them. Here is a frog in a folded leaf, side and frong views, and a spotted glass frog
We were frogging on the trails by the river we had walked on earlier. Others were often able to spot things that I couldn’t, although I was the discoverer of a pretty green mantis on the ground (photo not available). Quickly I learned to hang out with certain people with more expertise than me, one of whom is Katie O’Donnell.
Katie, after studying Ecology & Conservation Biology in Missouri, is doing a Post Doctoral Program at USGS, in Gainesville, where she met and became friends with Michael. Katie pronounces her name “AW-sum PER-sun.” She also is serious wildlife photographer. This is Katie’s second Save the Frogs! trip this year, as she traveled with Chelsea’s Ecotour to Peru. It would not surprise me to see Katie co-leading Save the Frogs! Ecotour herself in the future.
Victor was another great person to hang out with. Victor found this colony of frogs, which generally are solitary creatures. I couldn’t help but follow the most adventurous of them, starting a climb of 40 feet or higher from the bromeliad up the tree. Watch this guy go:
According to the time stamp on my photos, this climb took less than 3 minutes. The frog was headed to the top of the tree. S/he must have seen the way up as much higher than the Ceibo tree on Day 2 looked to us. And yet they make the ascent many times every day.
The most recent SAVE THE FROGS! newsletter is offering a LAST CHANCE for a discounted price on the Costa Rica and Ecuador ecotours, to which you can add the additional $200 discount for hearing of it from me with the code fass200. The best way to not miss a single story or special offer is to sign up for the electronic newsletter itself; it is always worth reading. Go to electronic newsletter