Wildlife December 2011

[Anthony Darby]

I thought, thanks to the NRA, there were plenty of 'predators'?

Here is a female Gray's gecko (Naultinus grayi). It is from the far north of New Zealand, so its other name is northland gecko. Can't work out if the smile is due to it have just eaten a fly (without disturbing the one on its back) or because I've just introduced a male into her cage?

[Lori S.]

I thought, thanks to the NRA, there were plenty of 'predators'?

One might think so, but even out here in the colonies, hunting isn't allowed in cities... 

[Lesley Cox]

Cars can be terrible predators too.

As for over-the-road's cats (3) they make themselve at home here now that Teddy is gone. I opened the door to find one asleep on the doorstep a couple of days ago, and another lying in the cool under my shade cloth where it is stretched over special pots.

[Anthony Darby]

Three cats! No wonder the kiwi population is halving every 10 years, and not because they're moving to Oz! I would try the rancid sardines trick!

[David Nicholson]

Three cats! No wonder the kiwi population is halving every 10 years, and not because they're moving to Oz! I would try the rancid sardines trick!

..... or a 2.2 rifle?

[Lesley Cox]

Well there are no kiwis within a hundred miles or more of here, except the human kind so these cats won't bother them. I have taken to carrying Roger's old shanghai about with me. I used to be good with it and killed a couple of cats in my younger days. I have also scooped up a quantity of you know what from my potting mix heap and in the garden and delivered it, in a shoe box with note, back to the cats' owner. No response.

Tell me about the rancid sardine trick please Anthony.

[ArnoldT]

Lori:

Right, no discharging of firearms within city limits.

[annew]

Tell me too . The problem is so bad here my husband has asked for a catapult for Christmas. I'm not sure if it's to fire things at the cats, or to actually eject the beasts with! Ah, what a delightful image....
They're not even helping with our field mouse problem. Twice in a week we had to get our local electrical repairer out to replace the hose on first our washing machine, then the dishwasher, because the wee mice had gnawed holes in them. Since then, we've been live-trapping them and filling in any holes we can find before marking and releasing them. Each time they return, we know we've another hole somewhere that needs blocking. It's been going on for two weeks now. Homer (our first capture) homed 3 times, then we thought we'd won, until Marge arrived. The following day, Homer was back with a little friend in the same trap. They were very pally and curled up together until let out. Now 2 days and no mice. Good job, because we've run out of holes.

[Lesley Cox]

Anne, I'll forward Anthony's reply which came as a private email. It is so horrid I think he was afraid to post it here.

[Lesley Cox]

You realize of course that if Homer and his little friend are "pally" they are ensuring there will be plenty more in a next generation. I think your overall battle is lost if you are actually NAMING the mice.

[annew]

Homer was back this morning. DOH!

[Anthony Darby]

Living up to his name, and I don't mean Mr Simpson!

[Anthony Darby]

This female small white butterfly (Artogeia rapae) visited my garden today. It was a rare sunny(ish) day - after yesterday, when the vicar of St. Mark's Anglican Church, Remuera regretted not including "In the bleak midwinter" in their Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. He feels it doesn't reflect a New Zealand Christmas. Seems I have brought Scottish Christmas weather to Auckland!

[Lesley Cox]

My mother, in her life of a little over 80 years, said, not long before she died that she had experienced 3 white Christmases in New Zealand. So don't assume you'll never have one Anthony.

[Anthony Darby]

We have better weather in Scotland in "June".