OLWEN HUNTING

LIZARDRY 2
03.2024
PREY

2024.. .so far… cold,damp,uninviting weather has kept the lizards in their winter quarters.just one appearance, an unidentified adult march 16, And only occasional sightings in other less shaded spots in the area.
By this time in 2023 there had been activity on 16 days,with Guinevere,Gladys,Angharad anna Gawain and claire appearing.
First appearance of 12 in march 2022 was on the eighth. With hector energized enough to mate with Gladys on the 25th.angharad, bronwen and Guinevere also seen.
PREY:Opening picture shows Hector ignoring a peacock butterfly for four minutes before snapping at it………..
Occasionally they take on Bigger prey.
Angharad spots a louse-eating spider “Dysdera Crocta” near the potting table, stalks it ……..


Juggles with it…….and swallows…

Gladys toys with a woodlouse, but leaves it….


Clarine tackles a slug ….

…. Head first down Gladys’ throat…
Gladys took five minutes to manoeuvre and swallow a Violet Carpenter Bee…


These bees are rare in Britain. Thanks to Gladys,they are now rarer.

The patio area of the garden was left to go wild.
Leaf and weed debris were left around the flowerpots to encourage insects and give the lizards hunting areas.




Olwen found a lacewing while gladys climbed…..


Note, Gladys has lost her tail and the blastema is beginning to swell…
BASKING

I noticed that Gwendolen like to bask in the evening sun on a bower of moss behind the big pots…………
………… There was a fat fuchsia nearby and I moved it near her and wondered what she might make of it…..

……She Investigated……


………….made herself comfortable …..and settled down for a few minutes

They don’t eat everything. They don’t like ants, which can be seen going very close to the lizards’ mouths and even crawling over limbs and torso. The ants must be aware they are safe, as is this blowfly who rested on Gladys for a full minute and was ignored….

PHOTOs cOPyrIGHT raymONd WErGaN
I find the academic method of identifying Lizard Prey by killing them and analysing stomach content disrespectful of intelligent creatures. All you have to do is watch. RW.
Lizardy Abroad Last month

Windhoek Namibia
– Paul E

Singapore, one metre long.
– Simon W

Lizard watch 3 “Contact” will appear at the end of April…..…..Rw