Unusual Visitors

Here in Africa we occasionally have our own zoo. For sure, of most we do not even know the name, and with others we wish they’d chosen a different home to stay.

Day before yesterday I discovered this spider near our house door. Could only find out that it is a kind of silk spider. Its body mesures about 3 cm in length and across the legs it measures 8 cm.

Derby’s Flower Beatle is 6 to 7 cm long and 4 cm in width. We found him one day in our garden behind the house. This species can be found all over Subsahara. Yet, in our city it is rather rare. I have seen it only once thereafter.

Bula is the boss of the zoo, and sometimes he clears the place more than he should. So, recently he disturbed the love life of two milipeds rudely.

Saurians he doesn’t like, either. Two of them he has sent to heaven already. And I have to see how to deal with his trophies. A third one was able to escape through the gap underneath the gate.

In December we had some African Barn Owls aroound the house. At night, of course. At first we thought the neighbour’s guard was asleep and breathing heavily. We had trouble finding sleep. Finally we discovered the owls in the trees, calling. Goodness, have they perseverance, calling through most of the night.

Meanwhile it has become calm again. We are waiting for our next “seasonal” guests.