Frozen Brown Anole Lizard in Florida

Video: Frozen Brown Anole Lizard in Florida

Cold Lizard. Found this little Brown Anole Lizard (pronounced“uh – knol -ee”) hard asleep in one of my shoes that I left out on a recent night when it got cold enough to have a little ice in the birdbath. A tip – never put your shoes on without checking inside first when outdoors, especially in Florida – a lot worse things can seek shelter in your shoes! Invasive Brown Anoles are less cold tolerant than the native Green Anole  Lizards, but it hasn't been cold enough to really slow down the Brown Anoles  since the winter of 2011. This little cold snap didn't hurt them. When they are in a helpless state of torpor like this they depend on the kindness of strangers. I'll put her – I think – out in the sun to warm up. These lizards make up a good portion of the nesting Screech Owls diet.

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Video: Frozen Brown Anole Lizard in Florida

Lizard Shedding and Eating It's Skin

Video: Lizard Shedding and Eating It's Skin

Brown Anole Lizard molting (moulting) its skin by sitting and drying in the hot Florida winter sun and rubbing itself on wood to loosen the skin and then eating it which provides calcium and other nutrients. The whole process took about an hour - these are just the highlights. Oddly the lizard loses its grip and falls to the ground trying to eat the last bits of skin. Makes you want to reach for the skin lotion.

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 Video: Lizard Shedding and Eating It's Skin

 Video: Lizard Shedding and Eating It's Skin

Mediterranean Gecko in Florida

Video: Mediterranean Gecko in Florida

Mediterranean Gecko in Florida. There are no native nocturnal lizards in Florida - only the invasive Gecko's. This is the first time I've seen these little ones in the backyard although they are well-established in Florida. As invasive species go they are very timid and have no competition at night from other lizards, although I suspect the Cuban Tree Frogs might find these tasty.

Mediterranean Geckos are small, rough-scaled geckos, with large lidless eyes, broad sticky toe pads and a long tail. They reach a maximum length of 12 cm.

These geckos change color – at night they are light gray to white, during the day they become grayish with light pink and dark brown spots.  There have raised white spots on the back and sides.

As their name suggests, Mediterranean geckos are native to Europe, but they are highly successful colonizers and well established in Florida. There are no native nocturnal lizards in Florida, and geckos seem to have filled the niche. Geckos are ‘sit-and-wait’ predators, usually seen on walls and ceilings inside houses, or where ever there is an outdoor light.  They feed on moths, cockroaches and other insects and are rarely found far from houses and people.

Mediterranean geckos move and hunt at night. They are extremely vocal – if they are in or around the house you will hear them. Males have a squeaky high-pitched territorial call that sounds like a bird chirping.

More info: http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/reptiles/mediterranean-gecko/
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Video: Mediterranean Gecko in Florida

Anole Lizards Eating Deadly Fire Ants

Video: Anole Lizards Eating Deadly Fire Ants

Video: Anole Lizards Eating Deadly Fire Ants

 Five Brown Anole Lizards feeding voraciously on venomous Fire Ants in the backyard. I'm not sure this phenomena has ever been filmed before. Amazingly the common, but invasive, Brown Anole Lizards living in the backyard have evolved to enjoy a treat of invasive fire ants, probably because they have been around together for many years now. The YT videos of fire ants eating lizards are all staged for shock value with dead lizards that people have probably killed and thrown on the ants, and of course the ants eat all the lizards. But lizards can take care of themselves if left alone. I  Recently treated for fire ants which causes the colony to break up into little ones from the survivors - I picked up a palmetto branch and a small colony of fire ants with eggs and winged adults was hiding under the branch. I went to get some bug spray and by the time I came back a group of lizards were literally feasting on the eggs. I got my camera set up and they continued to feast on mostly the winged fire ants and stood right among them. This would normally be hard to see as the lizards almost blend in with the ground and this kind of action probably goes unnoticed. "Adventure is as near as the backyard"

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Video: Anole Lizards Eating Deadly Fire Ants

Video: Anole Lizards Eating Deadly Fire Ants

Brown Anole Lizard

Brown Anole Lizard

Brown Anole Lizard, sometimes called Cuban Anole Lizard has spread across much of Florida and competes with native Green Anole Lizards. The more aggressive Brown Anoles typically rule the ground and lower levels and the Green Anoles move higher.

Lizard Wrestling Moves

Video: Lizard Wrestling Moves

Slow motion clip of an Anole Lizard wrestling match. Only in slow motion can you appreciate the speed and strength of these lizards. Watch carefully and see that the lizard that is thrown is not the one that ends up pinned. The thrown lizard puts on an amazing twist move whipping its tail for leverage that results in the tables being turned! Shown at 1/8th normal speed. Actual time 16 seconds.

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Video: Lizard Wrestling Moves

Brown Anole Lizard Fight

Video: Brown Anole Lizard Fight

Epic Lizard battle for control of the backyard patio! These are the bad-boy invasive Brown Anole Lizards in central Florida which are obviously quite aggressive and have forced the mild-mannered native Green Anole Lizards up off the ground and into the trees were life is a little calmer. This dispute went on for over 30 minutes of posturing and brief, but very violent wrestling for  breeding and territory rights until at the end one of them retreats into the shadows conceding the prime territory. Wrestling technique and strategy is quite evident in their actions, in fact it kind of reminds me of a professional wrestling performance - a lot of show and bluster and a little violence.

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Video: Brown Anole Lizard Fight

Female Anole Lizard Dewlap Displays During Mating

Video: Female Anole Lizard Dewlap Displays During Mating

Female Green Anole Lizard (Anolis Carolinensis) bobs head and displays fairly large dewlap numerous times during mating - something usually done by the male prior to mating - in this case the male doesn't do it at all.  Female dewlaps in Anoles are understudied and new research has recently been presented at: http://www.anoleannals.org/2012/05/31/female-dewlaps/

This video contains the highlights of dewlap display from the 20 minute original video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGG-k_SUzrc

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Video: Female Anole Lizard Dewlap Displays During Mating

Blue Jay Catches Anole Lizard

Video: Blue Jay Catches Anole Lizard

A Blue Jay catches an Anole Lizard and stuffs it in the crevice of a tree branch to eat later as is their custom. Blue Jays may be common, but they are fascinating and intelligent birds and among the best hunters of the Backyard. No sound as I took this video through a window.

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Video: Blue Jay Catches Anole Lizard

Green Anole Lizards Mating and Changing Color

Video: Green Anole Lizards Mating and Changing Color

Lizard love is in the air. Mating between Native Green Anole Lizards takes a long time - on the order of 30 minutes. It took five minutes for the male to realize he was on a brown fence :-)  Watch him turn from bright green to dark brown! Green Anole Lizards are not chameleons, but they have the ability to change from brilliant green to darkest brown.  I have not seen this many Green Anole's around for many years - perhaps they are making a comeback against the invasive Brown Anole Lizards from the south! They are attractive little lizards with textured bright green and turquoise eyes! 

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Video: Green Anole Lizards Mating and Changing Color

Green Anole Lizard Surviving in the Trees

Video: Green Anole Lizard Surviving in the Trees

A rare sighting of a big native male Green Anole Lizard looking to mate in the Loquat trees in the Backyard. Agressive and invasive Brown Anole Lizards have pretty much taken over the patios, house, tree trunks and ground areas of the backyard. See for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO9urKRcmoM

But it is encouraging to see a few true native Green Anole Lizards surviving higher up in the trees. Hard to believe, but the classic green lizard of Florida is becoming a rare sight in residential areas. Hopefully this one will find a mate!

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Video: Green Anole Lizard Surviving in the Trees

Owl Nest Box is Not a Dream Home for a Gecko

This gave me a chuckle this afternoon. Getting the nest boxes ready for owl season and trimming some branches etc this afternoon I noticed this Gecko who had claimed a nest box as his new home. Trust me - this is going to end badly! Nobody told him that little lizards are Screech Owls number one food in Florida. All the more reason for the owls to move in this winter - Dinner is Waiting!!

Little Lizard thinks he's going to make a home here - not!