The creepy crawly thread.....

[Vic Balshaw]

I accidently brought one home once, years ago, in my sleeping bag after a weekend over in the desert. Turned it over to Fish Game because I knew they were rare...the warden said I was lucky, since at the time they had very little anti-venom available for that particular species.

It was a good looking animal, about 3 foot and had a light coloring to him with a dusky shade of green and 4 buttons. Hated to let him go, but I wasn't wanting to keep a rattler around the place, especially one with such potent neurotoxin.

That's scary

Only posting these as I thought the colours were incredible, though they haven't come out as good as in the beetle in the bright sun.

 

[GrauGeist]

Those beetles are awesome...especially the Scarab...

I now that sometimes the photos doen't do the subject justice, but you did manage to capture the colors...great shots!

 

[A4K]

Beautiful! You can't tell me we're the ones in charge here when you even a beetle can have such beautiful colours!

 

[Wildcat]

I used to gross out my Sisters' by putting those things on my tongue when I was a kid!!

 

[B-17engineer]

That's completely normal Andy

 

[CrotalusKid]

Man, those Mojave Greens can really mess up your day if you get on thier bad side...

Is it possible to be on their good side? Just kidding, But yes, they have an extremely potent venom that can mess up a lot more than your day. It always amazes me that in many parts of the country, locals know their indigenous rattlesnakes simply as "rattlesnakes". But being in the Mojave desert for some time, locals knew that their most common rattlers were Mojave Greens, and that they were more dangerous than the average rattlesnake. They have almost a mythic reputation in many parts of their native range that is fascinating in my opinion. I even saw an auto shop between Palmdale and San Bernadino that was named after the snake!

You are indeed lucky that your hitch-hiker didn't get you! That would put an eerie feeling in my spine!

 

[Wayne Little]

Nicely done Vic!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Thanks Wayne, shame though the coloures didn't come with the same vibrancy

 

[Wildcat]

Here's some shots I took yesterday of the Eastern Bearded Dragon that hangs around my front yard.

 

[Wayne Little]

Nice friends you have Andy!

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Great shots Wildcat. I think those are neat creatures.

 

[Crimea_River]

Looks like me on weekends.

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Kinked tail and all?

 

[A4K]

Great shots Andy...there were alot of those round Sydney too...

 

[Gnomey]

Great shots.

 

[GrauGeist]

Bearded Dragons are cool...he looks to be almost a foot and a half long, perhaps?

Around here, we just have the typical lizards and stuff, though we had "Horned Toad" lizards where I grew up (locals called 'em Hornytoads) that are extremely rare now...

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Was working on my El Camino yesterday and found this little fart guarding it.

Frightening, isn't it.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

I don't know who's more frightened Aaron, him or you…………………

 

[A4K]

Dosen't look frightening to me... is it poisonous?

 

[Wayne Little]

Looks like it might be saying.....MINE !!