Millipede

Millipede   © Denise Etienne

Yesterday I was weeding my garden and came upon an interesting pair of Millipedes. Perhaps they were mating? 

Millipedes do not bite and are harmless to humans. Usually they are found in damp or moist areas.The word Millipede means 1000 legs, but in reality they have a lot less. In fact, the more common ones usually have 200 to 400 legs on average, having two pairs of legs per body segment.

Their diet consists mainly of decaying plant matter, such as leaves, wood and rarely ever green leaves.

Serendipity...

Life sure is full of unexpected twists and turns,

Sometimes you wonder why things happen

At the time it all seems pointless

But when things eventually fall into place

Then it all begins to make sense

© Denise Etienne

Guava

Guava  © Denise Etienne

I consider the Guava fruit to be a powerhouse of nutrients. It is low in calorie and rich in dietary fiber, protein, potassium, vitamins A & C (it is know to contain over four times the amount of vitamin C than an orange) and lots more.

There are several species of Guavas. Usually they are green in color, but as they ripen they turn yellow.

The Guava has many health benefits including; helps with coughs and colds, helps to reduce blood pressure, the juice of the leaves cures tooth aches and swollen gums, helps with diarrhea and the list goes on.

© Denise Etienne

Naturalist Notes: Red-eared Slider

Red-eared Slider © Denise Etienne

Here are a few shots I took of the Red-eared Slider when I was last at the Emperor Valley Zoo. Their name is derived from the red skin around the ear region, and the fact that they are known to be extremely brisk creatures! They are fresh water turtles and excellent swimmers.

Red-eared Slider © Denise Etienne

These turtles are omnivores, some of their foods include; fruits, vegetables, fish, aquatic plants and insects.

As you can see they also enjoy basking in the sun!

© Denise Etienne

Ending...

Each ending is a beginning

A part of me dies with you

While the rest of me creeps onward

Trying to make myself whole

Once again

Naturalist Notes: Basil

Recently I added Basil to my garden, which is an aromatic plant belonging to the mint family. It is a popular herb with many varieties including lemon, anise, and cinnamon. Basil leaves are often found in several recipes, it can be used cooked or raw. It is also known to treat nervousness, reduce fevers, chewing leaves can cure mouth infections, headaches, and lots more. This is definitely one of my favorite plants!

© Denise Etienne

Naturalist Notes: Cashews

 Another fruit that’s also in season is the Cashew, but which part is really the fruit? Is it the soft fleshy pear-shaped part (which can be red, yellow, or orange) or the nut hanging on underside that looks like a comma? While the soft fleshy part which is sometimes known as the Cashew apple is eaten, the true fruit really is the nut on the underside.

The nuts are dried and then roasted, during this process it releases a dangerous toxin called Urushiol which is also found in Poison Ivy. So you need to be extremely careful when roasting these nuts because it can cause serious irritations. Afterwards they are cracked open and there you have the tasty Cashew seeds.

© Denise Etienne

Naturalist Notes: Mangoes

To all you Mango lovers out there, they are finally ripening!

Mangoes are originally from India. They belong to the Anacardiaceae family which also includes Cashew and Poison Ivy. There are many different varieties of Mangoes, just to name a few; Starch, Julie, Doduce, Graham, Calabash, Long, Rose, John, Vere, Turpentine, Buxton Spice and many more... If you think of any others feel free to add to the list!

© Denise Etienne

1st Time Authors Appreciation Programme

  

Last month Trinidad and Tobago National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS) held their Third annual First Time Authors Appreciation Programme which I attended. There were 58 new books written, including our “Birds of Trinidad” a collaboration  with my friend Beatrice Bork. It was interesting to see the wide range of topics printed. The Librarian who critiqued the books said ours was “magnificently done”, I felt honored to have our work on display. All of the Authors received a wonderful plaque. 


Denise Etienne

Naturalist Notes: Butterflies Vs Moths

Here are some basic points on how to tell Butterflies and Moths apart.  

Butterflies	Moths
1.  Mostly diurnal	1. Mostly nocturnal
2. Antennas are thin and clubbed at the end	2. Antennas are extremely feathery
3. Bodies are quite slender	3. Bodies are plump and furry looking
4. Perch with their wings held above their bodies	4. Perch with their wings spread out flat

* Please note there are many exceptions to these rules.

© Denise Etienne

Naturalist Notes: Update/Correction - Tobacco Hornworm Caterpillar

In my last post I thought I had a Tomato Hornworm Caterpillar on my Tomato plant. However, after doing some more research I discovered in fact that it is actually a Tobacco Hornworm Caterpillar. They are very similar in appearances. One of the major differences between the two Caterpillars are along their bodies; the Tobacco Hornworm has 7 diagonal lines, while the Tomato Hornworm has 8 lateral “V” formations. In addition, the “horn-like tail” is pink in the Tobacco and black in the Tomato Caterpillar. Both plants, Tobacco and Tomato belong to the Solanaceae family.

Last week I was searching for the Caterpillar and I just couldn’t find it. Apparently, as they mature they drop off the plants and burrow into the soil to pupate (no wonder why it was invisible!). They emerge about 2 weeks later, and out comes an adult Sphinx, Hawk or Hummingbird Moth. I'll keep you posted if I am so lucky to see one!

© Denise Etienne

Naturalist Notes: Tomato Hornworm Caterpillar

Tomato Hornworm Caterpillar © Denise Etienne

Tomato Hornworm Caterpillar © Denise Etienne

A couple days ago I was outside admiring my lovely tomato plants, which has quite a few fruits on it, you can imaging I felt like a proud mother!

To my surprise, I discovered a creature who also thought highly of my plants! It is called a Tomato Hornworm Caterpillar. It is approx 3 ½ inches long, with a distinctive " horn" (hence the name) on it’s rear end and several diagonal stripes along the body. He was happily consuming the leaves and stems.

Today I went searching of him and it’s like he has totally just vanished! I must have spent over ½ hour looking to no avail. It’s either one of two things, i) he must have pupated or ii) he was lunch for the neighboring birds. Stay tuned, I’ll keep you posted...

© Denise Etienne

PS:  Thanks for your comments Timothy, I've tried countless times to reply to you but for whatever reason this page isn’t allowing me to respond anymore, its really weird? 
Take care,

Red-tailed Squirrel 

It has been quite a while since I last saw a Red-tailed Squirrel. Today we visited the Botanical Gardens and saw over seven different individuals.  They all seemed to be having a ball, jumping, sprinting and chasing. These small rodents mainly feed on fruits, twigs, flowers and insects.

© Denise Etienne

Pentas 

Pentas are these beautiful star-shaped flowers which attracts butterflies and occasionally hummingbirds. The come in a variety of colors including red, purple, pink and even white. They usually grow in clusters, and relish in sunlight.

© Denise Etienne

Naturalist Notes: Rain...

Mystically falling

Countless drops

Crystal clear

Cleansing washing

Making new

© Denise Etienne

Caribbean Flamingo   © Denise Etienne

You may remember that I recently took a trip to the Emperor Valley zoo. They have a beautiful exhibit of the Caribbean Flamingos, if you haven’t seen it as yet you should go check it out!

These birds are quite striking with their long legs and necks, with a height of approximately 3.5 to 4.5 feet tall. Occasionally because of their unique bright pink plumage, they are easily confused with the Scarlet Ibis, but as you can see they are much bigger birds.

© Denise Etienne

Naturalist Notes: Blooming Immortelles

Immortelles blooming   © Denise Etienne

Presently  in the northern range there are countless amounts of Immortelle trees in full bloom. Their bright orange flowers attract numerous species of birds including: hummingbirds, honeycreepers, orioles, one can even observe Parrots and Oropendolas feeding. This tree was especially grown to shade Cocoa and Coffee.

© Denise Etienne

Naturalist Notes: Ocelot

Ocelot at the Emperor Valley Zoo

Today we took a trip to the Zoo. It was my little nephew's first visit and his favorite animal was the baby Red Howler Monkey. For me, I always love seeing the Ocelots. I think they have a mysterious aura about them. They seem so quiet and reserved. This is also the only native wild cat found on the island.

© Denise Etienne