I know not everyone likes frogs, but I reckon they’re lovely creatures. I’m always glad to see them around my house and garden, it seems to be a sign that the environment is fairly healthy. But, don’t get me started on the introduced Cane Toads, what a disaster they have been!
This lovely fellow was clinging to the outside of one of my windows the other night. We’ve had a little bit of rain, and that often brings them out, from wherever they have been hiding.
I admire how they can cling to vertical surfaces, they seem to have specially adapted pads on their toes. (And yes, that is Cedric the Sissy car in the background.)
Hello World 
Interesting, Bert, thanks – I wonder where they hang out.
Yvonne, the Diamond Python sounds quite useful to have in your attic!
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How sweet! Made me think: I’ve never seen a frog in Venice, even on the outlying islands – I wonder why? Maybe they don’t live around brackish water? Or maybe it’s just me being unobservant.
Pythons!?! Are they native to Australia?
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You’re right, I’ve never seen/heard a frog in Venice. Another mystery!
Python’s (except for Monty), yes indeed, quite a number are native to the Land Down Under. I’ve heard many a tale of people hearing strange noises in the ceiling space, and finding they have been hosts to some mighty big pythons. (Hark, what is that rustle I hear??) Here’s one to read about, and make you grateful you live in Venice: http://tiny.cc/7oe45w
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Did you hear about the Brown Paper Kid? He was wanted for rustling. The agile frog (that’s its name, not merely a description), Rana dalmatina, can be found in the lagoon, apparently. I suppose you have to know where to look. There is, rather confusingly, another frog, the Italian agile frog, Rana latastei, which is an endangered species, also found around the Veneto region.
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Did you kiss it ? 😉
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How do you think this charming Prince, who suddenly showed up in my home, came about Ralph?? 🙂
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Haha ! 😆 Where DID you get my photo from ? 😉
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I found your charming photo very easily. And, I used your excellent tutorial to share it with the world (or, at least those who read the comments over here).
Isn’t it beauty sleep time over in your little world?? But, I guess you don’t need that. 🙂
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Oh. It is getting late. Midnight. Got to go …… to find whoever left this glass slipper lying around 😉 xox
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Better than the huge spider that was on my car every morning when I was in your area turned out after I found someone who knew what he was – he was harmless but there were a few days I was flipping him off with the pancake flipper
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It might have been a Huntsman, they look pretty darned scary, You were lucky he was on the outside of the car …
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Bill Bryson had some funny things to say about the native fauna of Australia. Something like it was all out to kill us.
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That must be In A Sunburned Country? He’s such a good writer.
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That’s the one, Yvonne. “It has more things that will kill you than anywhere else. Of the world’s ten most poisonous snakes, all are Australian. Five of its creatures – the funnel web spider, box jellyfish, blue-ringed octopus, paralysis tick and stonefish – are the most lethal of their type in the world.” And so on. The funnel web spider has 12 times the amount of venom required to kill a horse. You have to ask yourself, “Why?”
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Yes, it’s not as though the funnel web spider is going to tuck a serviette into its collar, pick up a knife and fork and get stuck into some equine flesh! Maybe, catering for a big wedding reception …
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I don’t know whether Australians will be glad or sad about this, but “In 2010, the Brazilian wandering spider was named in the Guinness World Records as the most venomous spider in the world.” The Sydney funnel-web spider comes in at number three on this list. Some of the Brazilian spiders turned up in some bananas from Columbia – I suppose that’s why they are called wandering spiders – in south-west London.
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Australians may rejoice, but Londoners, beware!
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Fascinating photos Y! What makes the cane toads so awful? Because they are poisonous?
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They’re big, they’re prolific, they’re spreading through more and more of Australia. They have faces only a mother could love, and even then she’d have to be very near-sighted …
Here, have a read and a look at them! http://australianmuseum.net.au/Cane-Toad
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They develop ‘nuptial pads’?? Sounds like a honeymoon suite.
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Yup, dim lighting, soft music, champagne on ice. Nothing but the best, Andrew!
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Your little friend reminds me of the little frog (about the size of my thumbnail) that liked to hang out in the dishdrainer in my kitchen when I lived in Grendada in the West Indies. I had to watch where I put the dishes so I didn’t crush it.
You can keep all your snakes though.
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That was a tiny frog, Michelle! Now, I’m wondering about the life-span of such little critters.
I agree about the snakes, they can keep to their territory, thanks.
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Crows are pretty intelligent birds, aren’t they!
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I’m a fan of frogs, they haven’t been out much lately (lack of rain) but I look forward to seeing them on the windows. The only trouble is the brown snakes love the frogs and we’ve had them slithering up the screen security doors to get them.
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There are pythons in my neighbourhood; I hope the frogs steer clear. The darn cane toads can stay put and make a meal for the pythons. Hmm, I wonder if the pythons are smart enough to avoid the cane toads?
Oh, wow. A flock (about 20) of brolgas just flew overhead.
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Pythons are okay, they might get cranky but they won’t kill you. Cane toads are a definite blight on the landscape. That must be quite a sight with the brolgas, don’t look up for too long. 🙂 I know the crows have found a way to tear out the poison glands in a cane toad, and they teach other crows how to do it..
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