We've Got Ourselves a Stowaway!

A few days ago I prepared a fish bowl with a few rocks, some mud, a couple of plants and water for the pair of frogs I was planning to catch to show to the preschool aged children for this week's pond themed storytime program- Sprouts.

The idea was to walk along one of Cantigny's creek beds and scoop up a few hoppers into my handy dandy coffee can turned frog net. I would just keep the frogs for a day or two, to show the Sprouts.

Well, out with the frogs and in with the baby lizard! Yep- a lizard! And not one that I caught along Cantigny's creek beds. This tiny one rode to Cantigny in a philodendron plant and was delivered to our greenhouse. Luckily, he was spotted and after a game of chase, was captured in a jelly jar.

Knowing that I was preparing for frogs, the horticulture department called me up and offered me their stowaway.

My frog habitat is now home to the only and only, Phil. Named after the plant he got a free ride to Illinois on. And thanks to a bit of Internet sleuthing, I believe he (err..I guess, he could be a she?)is a Brown Anole. He is about two inches long from nose to tail and is a tanny brown color, although I think his skin is able to change colors a bit as it has been varied shades of brown.



Brown Anole's are common in Florida and, pretty much unheard of in Illinois. They eat mainly insects and can grow to be about 5-8 inches long.

For the time being, I have him in our fish bowl and am trying to tempt him with whatver little insects I can find, and catch. But, so far he has turned his nose up at the millipedes and worms I've offered.

So, I hate to admit it, but today I dropped the three remaining ants from my ant farm (see June's posts) in with Phil.

I expected a feeding frenzy, but actually, I think poor little Phil is actually scared of the ants! He runs away from them when they come near him and hides behind the plants. I hope to catch a few smaller ants and maybe a roly poly or two to get him through the weekend.

I'll post an update next week!