May 8, 2014
I keep chiding myself to keep a camera at hand, battery charged, …
Why?
How many times in your life have you gone to sit on the potty, to find a brilliant iridescent green iguana leaping (terrified) at your kiester?
The poor thing was frantic:
leaping and scrambling to try to escape his porcelain prison.
My sole focus was to rescue him, quickly, … and release him in friendlier surroundings (our back garden).
… another great foto-op missed.
An hour later, I realized what a great little gem that foto would have been as a part of an ongoing series of (future) Short Stories from the Tropics. Being a good German(-American), I have no shortage of resolve or patience – and have kept the camera at the ready:
Recognize this location?
It’s our kitchen sink.
and
a great example of what each of us see.
I saw this (coiled to strike) =>
Fry-Home Fun
<== Maria Alba saw this …
Clever readers might have noticed that these 2 images are just … the right-side of our kitchen sink versus … the left side of our kitchen sink.
My eye was enamored with the moving scorpion on the right side, while Maria Alba only saw the immobilized cucarachon on the left side. – with 100’s of ants doing “disposal”. (Neither of us saw both.)
I commented about how unusual it was to see “one of these” in our kitchen, as Maria Alba quizzically replied “… we see one almost once a month… ?? ”
Steve: “I haven’t seen one since last month, in our upstairs bedroom …. and that one had been the first in 8 years”.
Maria Alba: “What are you talking about….?”
I scooped the scorpion into a clear plastic cup (w/lid) and showed her. Her eyes popped…
While scooping ~ a second look ~ revealed the big roach. (and ant-disposal crew)
Maria Alba explained that the cucarachon – now not moving – had ~ attracted ~ the scorpion….
How many of you noticed ….
what I then pointed out to Maria Alba? ….
The cucarachon has … no head… and no abdomen…
Another casualty of war.
“Night of the Scorpion”
…
“Kitchen Wars:
Cuca v. Scorpio ”
…
“Another good reason to not kill scorpions?”
…
“Our little hunting friends …”
… What other things go on in our homes, unseen and unknown ???
* * * * * * *
Feel free to copy while giving proper attribution: YucaLandia/Surviving Yucatan.
© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
Surviving Yucatan 
My fear factor are Tarantulas. I take a pic prior to eviction. Wish I could post the pic of the one that I thought was my computer mouse.
Tarantula = computer mouse ?
Shocking…
I could post the pic, if you send it to me in an email….
Fortunately, tarantulas see us as big hot blobs – not a threat – versus seeing us as tasty small rodents.
Glad you are OK.
steve
Gee, Steve, I really wanted to believe that you were showing us lobster spilled to the side of a plate. But you had to spoil it by naming it! We’ve not seen one of these yet, but I’m assured by a local biology teacher in a language school where I volunteer, that they are minor in the sting department – certainly not deadly. As for the Green Guy, maybe you could have started an ad campaign with him staring as sales spokes-guy.
Jajjjajajjaajaaaaaaa!
Yes, our black and dark brown ones only give a sting that is painful** with localized swelling – and causes our tongues to go numb (really, no shit). The blonde-colored ones (as true for many species) are the dangerous ones.
Lunch? or coffee?
steve
**Not dangerous to typical adult humans, unless you are allergic to the venom. As always, Yucalandia’s information is ONLY for informational and entertainment purposes. Definitely see a qualified professional when “stung”, especially if you have difficulty breathing, go into anaphylaxis, shock etc. with symptoms including: an itchy rash, throat swelling, tongue swelling or low blood pressure.
I have to watch my dish sponge for “ghost” scorpions. Stung about 5 times.My reaction is painful muscle spasms. For tarantulas that are high up, I use a squirt gun to wrangle them down to long tong level. We had had one boa get into the house though a hole in the screen. It’s just another night time adventure. But, not one mouse in the house in 12 years!!!!!
wow…
Always interesting where the scorpions pop up and usually in my kitchen and discovered when turning on the light. My favorite has been a large rat that came up in the small bathtub/shower some years back. When I tried to catch him with tongs I couldn’t imagine how small he made himself to go back down the drain. Took me about 3 weeks to get him, but I did, and then I got the new drain cover. ha ha
Tarantulas are usually in the TV room walking along the wall on the floor.
I always check the bowl before sitting as a friend of mine had a rat in hers in San Miguel years ago. Cameras ready everyone !
You sure are one brave (and persistent) soul. *grin*
Think I am grateful for my “night life adventures”…don’t do rats! Why would somebody have rats in THEIR HOUSE????
Ugh! Scorpions! I’ve been stung five times by those little clear ones (bark scorpions) and the fifth sent me to the emergency room. No treatment here in the states. The doc simply advised me to not get stung again – like I somehow chose to be stung!