30 June - The other day I was sprayed by the Domino Beetle, or the A. sexguttata. I was just done washing some laundry when I spotted a massive beetle crawling around with a pretty design on its back. I followed it and eventually poked it. I noticed there was some liquid on my fingers and realized it had sprayed me. Oh no! It sprayed highly concentrated acid on my finger and my arm was going numb. By the time Mark emerged from the laundry room it was a burning sensation and I told him what I had done. We rushed back to our rooms where I washed my finger and slowly the pain receded. It was an interesting experience and I updated the Wikipedia page on them with my field results. This is science!
I didn't have my camera on me so I didn't get a picture of the beetle but I will find one soon and post a picture of these impressive bugs.
Since I have begun my exploration of wild things, this blog article will become my journal on that subject. We will see how much pain the tiny bugs in India can cause me before this is over. I'm betting a lot.
1 July - Today I finally had my camera ready when I came across these two particular lizards that I often see. One occasionally rests on a garden wall and the other usually flits around the pathway near the guest house. I'm not sure about the guest house one but I'm fairly certain the garden wall one is the same that I usually see.
Also, today at the wine bar we saw a gecko like lizard in the ceiling light. Smart guy! He gets a heat bath and the bugs are attracted to him. He was gorging himself all night while we ate, until we turned the light off to stop the bugs flying into our food.
2 July - Maintenance workers have reported that the Naja Naja Cobra has been spotted near Antenna C3 and two leopards have been spotted within the last two months!
Tonight I'm planning my expedition to track the leopards and tomorrow I think I will take a walk over to the Cobra's nest. If I get bitten and can't get the polyvalent serum antidote then there is a local spice called zedoary which apparently is used as an antivenin. If the bite is minor I can cut circulation of to the limb and I can have up to 2 hours before paralysis sets in. Serious bites take effect within 15 minutes and can cause cardiac arrest. But this is all worse case scenario stuff.
The naja naja is usually around 1.9 meters long or six feet! As long as I maintain a proper distance and don't step on it I should be fine.
The leopards will be more challenging as I'll have to be really careful they don't smell or see me because I don't think I can outrun one.
8 July - I haven't been able to find a snake, leopard or adult domino beetle. I came across a baby beetle though.
Also I found a huge cockroach that was stuck on its back. Those things are disgusting! No pretty patterns like the domino beetle. It is however more likely to survive a nuclear war than me.
I'm sure that this guy is much smaller than some of its relatives. But it's the first big one I've seen.
Also today Mark was typing away when all of a sudden a baby lizard appears on his wrist! He didn't know how long it had been there but when we saw it, it climbed up his arm. Connie tried to catch it and ripped part of its tail off in the process! The tail stayed alive wriggling around on Mark's pants.
I didn't have my camera on me so I didn't get a picture of the beetle but I will find one soon and post a picture of these impressive bugs.
Since I have begun my exploration of wild things, this blog article will become my journal on that subject. We will see how much pain the tiny bugs in India can cause me before this is over. I'm betting a lot.
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| Scaled lizard on garden wall. |
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| Very fast lizard off path near guest house. |
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| Gecko Lizard in the lamp at wine bar on Canada Day night. |
2 July - Maintenance workers have reported that the Naja Naja Cobra has been spotted near Antenna C3 and two leopards have been spotted within the last two months!
Tonight I'm planning my expedition to track the leopards and tomorrow I think I will take a walk over to the Cobra's nest. If I get bitten and can't get the polyvalent serum antidote then there is a local spice called zedoary which apparently is used as an antivenin. If the bite is minor I can cut circulation of to the limb and I can have up to 2 hours before paralysis sets in. Serious bites take effect within 15 minutes and can cause cardiac arrest. But this is all worse case scenario stuff.
The naja naja is usually around 1.9 meters long or six feet! As long as I maintain a proper distance and don't step on it I should be fine.
The leopards will be more challenging as I'll have to be really careful they don't smell or see me because I don't think I can outrun one.
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| It's an immature Anthia sexguttata. |
Also I found a huge cockroach that was stuck on its back. Those things are disgusting! No pretty patterns like the domino beetle. It is however more likely to survive a nuclear war than me.
I'm sure that this guy is much smaller than some of its relatives. But it's the first big one I've seen.
 |
| A massive coachroach on its back. |
Also today Mark was typing away when all of a sudden a baby lizard appears on his wrist! He didn't know how long it had been there but when we saw it, it climbed up his arm. Connie tried to catch it and ripped part of its tail off in the process! The tail stayed alive wriggling around on Mark's pants.
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