A Gator in the Neighborhood’s Lake – Critter 21

I have talked about alligators in our state, Louisiana and in our neighborhood at several previous posts.

Fig 01- Young gator in the lake

You may read the previous posts:

- Have you Tasted Alligator Meat? - Part 1 - Sign 7 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Have you Tasted Alligator Meat? - Part 2 – Sgn 7 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Our Nearby Neighborhood was Visited by Alligators – Critters 4 | Tanza

Recently, our communities have seen an alligator swimming in the one of our neighbor lakes.

What is the problem?

Fig 02- A dog, seen play around the lake

The problem is that we saw the gator in the lake where we considered as a safe lake to play around.

Fig 03- Some gators are seen in this place

Sometimes, people let their dogs to swim in the lake. Hence, it is a warning to anyone who lets their dogs get in the “safe” lake.

Moreover, since gators are wild animals, the fines are huge for anyone who decides to get them.

Other problems concerning with wild alligators: there are more and more reported about their present in our lakes.

Unfortunately, the numbers of Wildlife and Fisheries employee and licensed alligator hunters are limited to remove gators from lakes, rivers or any sites.

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Do You Know that Your Cat Love you? - Part 1 - Critter 20

When I have several cats long long time ago, I love to watch their behaviors in responds to human being.

Fig 01- A kitten, black and white

Sure, there are many interesting signs of cats, however, I noticed several important signs that are:

- wagging their tail when they are approaching and following me

- curling their tails around my legs

- kissing or little biting on my finger's feet.

Fig 02- Cereus, blooming cacti

# You may read:

- A Little dog on the Street – Critters 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Squirrels Population in our Neighborhood – Critters 3 | Tanza Erlambang

Fig 03- A black domestic cat

As I read from some resources and search through Google that meaning of above 3 signs are:

- to love

- to attract attention

- and eager to make friendship with their owners.

Then, how do cats behaviors to show their love, attention and wish to make friendship with their owners (adopter)?

# To be continued to part 2

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Jersey Giant Roosters Look Like Hens – Critter 19

We have less than 10 of Jersey Giant breeding at our backyard, just for fun and for daily eggs supply.

Fig 01- Two Jersey Giant Roosters in yard

Then, we tried to add two more hens. By glance looking, we thought they are hens physically.

Unfortunately, after a while, we understand that they are not hens but roosters. Their age about 5 months old.

How do we know?

We have one rooster; this original rooster is not happy with two new roosters. He is chasing them constantly.

Fig 02- A black rooster

Fig 03- A brown rooster at yard

Fig 04- A rooster at fence

Since this happen every day, the original rooster and his hens are not happy, tend to stress.

Quite surprising for me that this stress condition leads to less and less egg production daily.

In case you don’t know, this breed is American domestic breed from state of New Jersey, one of the largest breeds in America. The breed may lay eggs until 200 eggs per year.

Have you known about Jersey Giant breed chicken?

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From Caterpillar to Monarch Butterfly – Critter 18

At our yards, I always see caterpillar eat our plant leaves “happily.” I noticed they disappear after a while.

Fig 01- Caterpillar on leaves.

Since they are never in great number, hence, our leaves and plants could “survive” very well.

In case you forget, just to remind all of us, the four stages of butterfly metamorphosis are:

1- eggs

2- caterpillar or larvae

3- pupae

4- butterfly

Fig 02- Butterfly on the flowers of a plant

Fig 03- Monarch butterfly, plant insides room

I took pictures just for fun. First photo, caterpillar crawling on the leave, may complete its cycle about 10 to 14 days.

Total four stages of Monarch butterfly life cycles take about 30 days. Then, the Monarch could live for about 9 months.

This kind of butterfly is common in our state of Louisiana. We may see them fly around in the park or garden during Spring to late Summer.

Unfortunately, Monarch population is decreasing, and enlisted as endangered species by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp in Our Neighborhood – Critter 17

I was stung by this insect when I visited a park long time ago. Unexpectedly, the insect was found on the ground (floor) near by our house recently.

Fig 01- Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp.

After searching through internet, the insect name is “Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp” with scientific name Sphecius speciosus.

Actually, the wasp comes from Eastern part of USA that why called as Eastern Wasps. They are abundant in the states such as:

- New Jersey

- Rhode Island

- Delaware

- and Connecticut

Fig 02- Wonder what happen to wasp

Fig 03- Wasp seems crawling on the floor

They migrate to Louisiana about at the end of summer (July to August). Since the insect is solitary, it is common to find this wasp fly alone.

Beneficial this predator to environment that it could control population of other insect called as cicadas.

Not because of its disturbing sound, but cicadas may cause plant damages in such ways:

- cicadas deposit their eggs, could be hundreds into weed’s or grass’s stems

- sap twigs of trees

Have you ever found this kind of wasp in nature?

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A Blonde Squirrel at Our Backyard – Critter 16

I never seen other than gray or “red brown” or brown squirrels at our backyard or neighborhoods. Commonly is brown fur.

Fig 01- A blonde squirrel climbs tree

In fact, there are only two species of squirrels in our city, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, they are:

- gray squirrel with scientific name Sciurus carolinensis.

- and fox squirrels, Sciurus niger.

Gray refers its color, gray or grey. Fox squirrel has “red brown” or brown fur. The brown might combine with white or black on nose and head.

So, what is species of blonde squirrel?

Fig 02- Myrtle trees at a corner

Fig 03- A fox squirrel at city park

I searched through internet, the result that this kind of “blonde” squirrel was found in some places such as in:

- North Central Austin, Texas

- Florida, Wisconsin and Michigan

Since our city, and even state has only two species of squirrel, so, blonde squirrel is not new species, no.

It is highly possibility that it is a new breed of mutant squirrel. The squirrels might be lack of some pigments.

Have you seen blonde or albino squirrels in nature?

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A Fox on the Box of Neighborhood – Critter 15

We know that foxes have our neighborhood as one of their habitats. Few years ago, they have been seen very rarely at our areas.

Fig 01- A fox sitting on the box

However, many neighbors have seen foxes wandering around, even with their babies sometimes.

I myself saw this critter running about the bushes, then he stopped, looked at me, and let me gush over how beautiful she is. Then she prissed off with that little bushy tail straight up in the air.

A neighbor saw a fox runs with a breakfast squirrel in her mouth one early morning recently. Another neighbor saw a rodent in its mouth other days.

Fig 02- Just a corner of our city

Fig 03- A fox on side street

Interesting to find out what are foxes (urban foxes) diets?

Based on internet search, since they eat “almost everything,” urban foxes are omnivorous. Some of their foods are:

- fruits

- hunting frogs, rabbits, rodents

- eating birds

- consume earthworms

At our neighborhood, foxes are found to scavenge for foods in trash can.

Have you seen foxes in nature?

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The Orb Weaver Spider in the Yard – Critter 14

We talked about abundance of banana spiders in our neighborhood at previous post: Banana Spiders in our Neighborhood - Gardening and Hobby 21 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- An Orb Weaver Spider

We just found Orb Weaver Spiders at our backyard recently, no, not abundant, a couple of spiders only.

I think that they make very beautiful webs to catch their foods. Strange things of this spider:

- Spider hang on the web with its head downward (please se the above photo)

- Orb Weaver Spider stays in the web during daylight.

- Spiders move their webs every week or so to be in fresh territory.

Are Orb Weaver Spiders poisonous?

Fig 02- The flower at yard, illustration

Fig 03- Another spider web

No, An orb weaver spider is not poisonous. I was bitten by this critter, and I feel just like bee’s sting.

Yes, I got pain, but the effect can be ignored. Sources from internet informed that spider bites might have lower venom.

Main diet of orb weaver spiders are insects, several of them are:

- mosquitoes

- bees

- wasps

- flies and small moths

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