We had one batch of trick-or-treaters tonight, the first Halloween in the new house – we’d been alerted that the neighborhood never saw too many, and we decided to forego the All Hallows Read thing this year because we didn’t feel like packing away the collected books. But once we decided that we weren’t likely to see any more costumed visitors, I went out front and glanced down to find this guy snoozing right alongside the walk.
It looks like I caught it clambering up this greenbrier plant, but no, it had been sleeping in exactly this position, only cracking open its eye as I leaned in closer with the headlamp to focus. This is the same plant seen earlier, but once the nights had gone colder it was abandoned as a sleeping perch and I figured I wouldn’t be seeing them on it anymore this year – I’d almost cut the plant out, since this and the swamp oak (also used as an anole hammock) are growing from a decorative patch of liriope and don’t need to be there, but I didn’t want to deprive the anoles of a sleeping spot until they were no longer using it. However, they seem to know when the night isn’t going to get too cold, because it wasn’t the only one I found snoozing under the stars.
This is the bracket for the same light fixture seen in that linked post above, right alongside the back door. I find it curious because the metal obviously loses its heat quickly overnight, but at least this one gets the very first light in the morning so the anole should warm up quickly at daybreak. On multiple occasions, we’ve found anoles sleeping in the gap above the storm door only centimeters from this light, and if we’re not careful in checking the door, they drop off as we open it and get into the house; so far The Boogs have never noticed this happening and so the rodeo isn’t half as hectic as it might be. Two mornings back, I opened the main door to see a little tail peeking down from the crack of the storm door, and rudely woke the owner up by tweaking it gently, but it prevented the anole from getting into the house at least.
And finally:
This one was found on the frame for a railing planter off of the back deck, first time I’ve found one sleeping there. It’s 19°c right now and I don’t think it’s supposed to drop below 16, so they might get a little chilled but nothing serious.
Even more anole pics will be along shortly – yeah, it’s a rut, but the property is absolutely covered with them and they’re active when other critters aren’t, so this is what we have right now. I’m trying to imagine the territorial battles come spring.