Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Alien Anolian

The frigid Florida winter of a few years back really put the whammy on tropical aliens like the brown anole, but they are slowly rebounding.

As alien invaders go, these seem almost trivial now that exotic pythons are devastating the Everglades.
The python invasion is a whole 'nother RANT  post, and some of you won't like it.

Our native Carolina Anoles can be brown or green depending on their need, but they are mostly a solid color without the banding and markings of the tropical browns. They are more arboreal too, while the browns are often seen skittering away on the ground as you walk a garden path.

These two species seem to be resource partitioning. They may both prey on insects, but they focus on different hunting grounds.
That's not to say they never interact, just that the predicted destruction of native anoles by this anole doesn't seem to have happened.




Close encounter.

10 comments:

threecollie said...

I would really like to hear your opinion on the python situation. We see a lot about it on the news up here and it looks pretty serious.

Miz S said...

What? There are pythons in my Everglades? I HATE PEOPLE.

Sayre said...

He's a rather handsome fellow. I'm glad they're able to share the same space without hurting each other.

jamiew1013 said...

I am partial to our native anoles, mainly because they are the ones falling on my head out of the oaks around my house! And the "little" cuban anoles are constantly under foot, making me wonder if they have kamikaze tendancies!

Kimberlee said...

I saw lots of the alien variety while visiting Florida last summer. I'd never seen them before. I grew up with the little green guys...they don't look quite so serious. :)

Thunder said...

We have both the greens and browns cohabitating at our place. They're pretty fun to watch and seem to keep the deck clear of any insect that lands.
I've also made friends out of several fence lizzards who seem to enjoy the wood piles!

lesle said ... said...

Robins! February 8. There were swarms of robins early this morning here in Tallahassee in a field about 6 blocks west of the Capitol building. A delightful sight. Probably not the ones in your January 3 post, but a later flight. When I first took notice in the late 1970s they came through downtown Tallahassee February 22-23. Climate change?

Anonymous said...

I'd like to see your rant..er post..on pythons, too. We also see a lot of news and documentaries, too, and it does seem serious! I am sad, and mad, about all the bad things interfering with, encroaching on and invading the Everglades.
Momadness

lisa said...

He is a pretty neat looking fellow.

Anonymous said...

It's been warm enough here this winter that I'm still seeing lizards coming out of their winter hiding places. Newts too. Love that! Your anoles are very cute.

What Miz S said...