Garden Beasties

I suppose one of the best things, for me, here in Yangon is the wildlife in our garden. Some of it is very welcome (like the flowers, the butterflies and the birds). Some of it is a bit less welcome (like the snakes, the massive flying cockroaches, the rat). Some of it is just weird (like the jumping frogs with sticky toes, the insect that dug a hole). But, be it strange, crazy or just beautiful, it's all a part of the incredible ecosystem of our little patch of land. Considering that we live in a residential area, it just makes you wonder what might be out there, in the true wilderness of Burma.

Anyway, here are a few photos of the beasties I see when I walk in my garden:

(Not pictured: the geckos, the millipedes, the two stray cats who wander through every night, the stray dogs outside)

I spotted this bug when I was watering the garden one evening. He was walking out of his hole, backwards, with a bunch of dirt and sand to throw on the pile. It's about 3 inches long.

 Look closely: it's a toad, yes, but it's in the jaws of a small (relatively -- the snake was about 2.5 feet long) snake. The snake eventually managed to rotate the toad around and swallow him. Apparently, these toads do secrete something poisonous, so this might have been this little snakey's last meal. Oh, and this was all shot in the flowerbed outside the kitchen window.

Butterflies, butterflies, butterflies... they are everywhere in our garden, although not all are as big and beautiful as these guys (swallowtails?). But really... can anyone recommend a book on "How to identify the things that wander through your garden in Yangon"?

We came home the other night, and found this guy on our gate. We've seen his bigger cousin in the garage a few times, stuck to a wall.

Our papaya tree, with an iguana-thing (look down the trunk). Don't steal our papayas!!!

Our gardener, who we have dubbed "Smeagol" because nobody can seem to tell us what his name is. He's awesome, and he loves the cats.  

This is a rare species known as the Koreanstreetcattus Ingratious.

Finally, the orchids! Bought for $5 at the grocery store, they have decided to bloom again!