Nature's Place

The eastern dwarf tree frog, resident in amongst the growth of the crucifix orchid. They come out most nights, unless it’s too cold – around 7C.

It’s a job sometimes, getting a clean background with so much foliage about. But they are getting used to me manipulating their platform/s for the shot.

Plenty of snails about too, and I encourage them with plenty of rotting leaf litter kept moist. They are often seen climbing about the orchid too, where frogs wait.

They have their ways, and their character. Calm and silent, alert and reserved. Lovely gentle creatures, to me. Even entertaining, one could say. Could, do … :-)

Holding on in the rain. I’ve built a frog hotel for them now too. Will picture it another time, too late here. Don’t know yet if they are using it, but they will, or something like it.

And from another time, sighted on the plant pot under the greenery. He or she, who knows or cares, except another huntsman. Magnificent creatures either way.

Once more about the crucifix orchid. Seen often enough to suspect a huntsman spider home being made hereabouts. And unusually bold, unfazed by a near miss of the diffuser.

And then, after all the recent spider activity – see previous frog posts – we can see who is the male and female. She came along and presented herself, hanging upside down. He approached gingerly from beneath, loosely enwrapped her and gently delivered his seed to her opening with his pedipalps. https://animals.howstuffworks.com/arachnids/spider8.htm

Hmmm, what’s this I see. Rather deadly to me. Better keep still a while or I might no longer be.

A huntsman spider, probably female, hanging motionless – swaying, apparently lifeless – above something dark beneath.

Ooh, that looks dangerous. I’ll just tuck in here a while. Hope my mates have the good sense to stay out of this one’s way.

Something tethered beneath, a last breath, a final struggle against the bonds of inevitability.

I see said the frog, who could probably see very well indeed. Well enough to know not to go that way, this time.

Yes, cockroach, caught out by her need to constantly move. Which at other times would serve her well, but the huntsman hunts by that very need – of others to move, across her carefully laid trip threads. She feels them …

The frog hunts differently, by sitting still enough to see in the dark with their big eyes anything that moves. Each hunter has its ways. The frog’s way is probably less dramatic but equally poised.

The ‘coup de grace’. Until this the spider was hanging there apparently lifeless, swaying in the breeze, maybe exhausted from the cold with little to eat, gathering her energy to extract the life from her prey.

And nobody noticed this snail, going about its grazing in the dead of night. No hunter this one.

Master of all he surveys, below.

Food foraging … As above, so …

Meetings along the byways on the orange crucifix orchid.

The observed observing … alert to sound and movement.

A place for everyone on these mighty orchids.

They do a lot of sitting and waiting, these frogs.

These beetles do a lot of eating, on the pink crucifix orchid.

At the ready, ready to jump for dinner.

Dinner … who knows. She lost a claw, and gained a headdress.

Careful now, examine, sense, taste, before diving in and calling out the house guard to join in.

Let the feast begin, with giants leaving space at the table for their tiny neighbour to take its place.

And once determined to be true let’s play ball, why not … what’s good for me is good for you.

One might even pray, for deliverance of such a bounty. Higher than can be seen, on any other day.

Kick, catch … Nah, this is mine and mine alone. Until I meet my kin and s/he can have the bone.

To be enjoyed, even delighted in, by the sumptuous appearance of the honeyed play of gods.

What else to call it, that this creature will only know once in its life. But play and pray … delightful day.

Content to pose a short while as I positioned myself for a few shots. Remarkably passive to my handling of it.

Flexible frog, all the better to get around while evading the predators – birds and snakes and lizards. Same colours as the leaves and stems too.

In the palm of my hand. Where we have nature in fact, and not doing so well with it – with our biblical dominion, surely means responsibility.

Hello little one. On my arm. … No sense of alarm or urgency, just frog being frog. Not calling out though, still absorbing the sense of the newness.

On an orange I have staked in the garden, for other creatures to call home. Fungus weevils live their lives here as it decays.

By the tree s/he calls home, taking position to jump into the big black darkness. About two feet through the air and it was home again. Home again …

Dancing with delight, on a hot summers day, on the edge of the birdbath filled with cool clear rainwater. … Why not …

Taking water up to bring back to the hive, instinctively. One of the functions of this form. With an invisible, but divinable, heart of gold that is the beauty behind.

Sustained by another form, a flower, serving its function. All for us to delight in, if we can. But what is de-light, the light. Could it be when the veil of shadows disappears …

Oh no, please don’t eat me too … and look at all the small hard bits to get stuck between your teeth.

I’m going to jump … ok, ok, I’ve got wings so that’s not going to work.

But really, let’s talk about this first. Or let’s not, let’s just forget all about it.

Look how fine a creature I am. Perfectly formed to function in my place, as an ant.

Not somebody’s dinner … I’ve got things to do on this earth too you know.

Apart from looking fine, and as if I know what I’m doing on top of this stick.

I know, I’ll just fly away, and forget we ever had this conversation. And you can do the same. … Right? Right?

Not sure any more who’s is who’s but this is one of Katie’s, I think. Thanks for the pix Katie. :-) … Birds loving the water on a sunny day.

The same kind of bird as last one, maybe even the same individual. Don’t know the names. I just see them obviously enjoying themselves.

Another kind, sharper because of the brighter light, checking out the quality of the water. Is it good enough?

“Mmm, I’ll have a go.” Lovely cool clean rainwater. Nothing like it to clear out the dust ‘n’ things.

And then there’s this wagtail, noisy little fellow, always announcing himself. Even brought a friend one day. Thoroughly enjoys the bath regularly.

As you can see, just about. They must feel vulnerable in the bath, in and out in the blink of an eye. Predators about perhaps. Kookaburra maybe … but not this time.

Gathering a little water for the hive. … The dark coloured dish heats up in the sunshine but the bees didn’t seem to notice or mind.

I had to work a little to capture one in a more photogenic posture and position or angle. A little sunlight breaking up on the eye.

Hot, hot, hot … but that’s the thing about these hive honey bees. Individuals are expendable – if that’s what’s happening regards the heat of that dish.

What nature provides in the aftermath, to those who adapt and can see.