Some More Wild (and Not-So) Life
Here are 3 different insectivores from around town. Some creepy, some cute, but they all eat insects.
A very camouflaged chameleon hunting in the trees. Not only do they blend in with their color, they also blend in by moving very, very slowly. They even sway and wobble back and forth as they move like a leaf just blowing in the wind.
The are camouflaged from underneath too, but for a different reason. They are skinny to blend into the limbs. There are things out there that eat them too.
A little gecko that shares our porch. He's about the size of a nickel. Look at the big eyes for hunting and the camouflage to make sure his prey doesn't see him coming.
10 comments:
Littlebrook's fifth grade was excited to meet Weevy! Many of us had heard of a weevil but didn't realize they were insects. Thanks for sharing your pet.
We can't wait to hear more from you, Mr. Lebo. We miss you very much!
2/3/09
Hey Mr. Lebo,
I really, really, really, really miss you! I know you're awesome.
From,
Elizabeth F.
Avez-vous appris un peu de français?
Neven
Does the gecko bite? How much does a fly weigh? Audrey, K
Thank you for making us gingerbread. I like you, Mr. Lebo, and thank you for coming to our school. I can make you a snowman tomorrow. Can geckos swim in the water?
Jose, K
Do chameleons really change their colors? I really want you to send a message to me back.
Vendela, 1
Have you played with any lemurs yet? Are you ever going to have kids? Can you teach us a weird word in Malagasy?
Abigail, 5th
What's the population of Madagascar?
Chloe, 5th
Do you miss me?
Anonymous (Rachel, 5th)
When are you visiting New Jersey again?
Denali, 5th
What did you name the gecko?
Audrey, 4th
Sorry for not responding right away. My wife and I were at a research center for a week very far from the capital. It was in the lowland tropical rain forest near the Indian ocean. There was no electricity and certainly no internet. There's also a lot of political problems going on right now. Two people are fighting about who is the President. Some people have been hurt, so I can't go out at night to get to the internet at my wife's office.
LB 5th
One of the insects I really hope to see is the giraffe weevil. It has a very long neck and looks quite odd. The insects here are amazing. I really need a guidebook though, because most of them are endemic (they only live in Madagascar), so I have never seen them. That means the weevil in my kitchen is a weevil, but I have no idea what's specific name is.
I miss you all very much too. Take care.
Elizabeth F.
I really miss you too. It is hard not to see all of your smiles and see your brains and hands in action in the lab. I hope you enjoy all the animal photos.
Be well.
Neven
Oui, Je parle un peu de Francais.
Not much, but a little.
Keep quizzing me though. It helps.
Au revoir.
Audrey, K
A regular house fly weighs about 10 mg (milligrams) and a gecko would love to bite one of them, but not one of you. The whatever little insects they can fit inside their mouth. You're much too big.
Jose, K
Some geckos can swim and some can't. I don't know about this one. I do know they can climb walls better than Spiderman. And thank you for the snowman. It is quite hot here and I have to be careful not to get sunburned, so a snowman would be wonderful. I will be going to France in a few weeks and will get to climb some nice snowy mountains there.
Vendela, 1
Some chameleons can change colors, but most are just colored so that they blend in to one specific place. The one in the photos that looks like a leaf only looks like a leaf. If I put it on the tree bark, it would not turn brown. The chameleons that do change color use their different colors to talk to each other like sign language. Some colors mean I'm angry, some colors mean I want to get mate (get married, have babies).
Abigail, 5
I have not played with any lemurs yet. I have seen them at the zoo and that's it. Where we just were in the rain forest, the people eat the lemurs, so there were not a lot there. We didn't see a single one.
Right now, I have enough kids with all of you at Littlebrook and Community park. So no kids for now.
Here's a really useful word in Malagasy: Manahoana (say it like "man a oona" the "a" is a short a)
It means hello, good morning, good day, goodbye, good afternoon, goodnight.
Chloe, 5
There about 20 million people on the whole island. It's the fourth biggest island in the world, so it's actually not that crowded. My city is quite capital, but then again it is the capital. There are 36 separate tribes in the country as well.
Rachel, 5h
Yes, I do miss you. It's hard not to see everyone and plan some fun lessons. One of the best moments I had so far was playing hot potato with some children and helping them with their English counting.
Denali, 5
It may be a while. I hope to come and visit, in the fall, but you will graduated and onto middle school by then. The blog is the best I can do for now.
Audrey, 4
The gecko doesn't really have a name yet. We just call her the house gecko. Do you have any suggestions?
You should name the gecko President Barack Obama. It's a small gecko but it can make a big difference.
Audrey, 4th Mrs. W
i liked your toy poodle. Is it with you in Madagascar now?
Pridhvi
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