Sun 30 Jul 2006
In English we call this kind of longhorn a “wasp beetle,” but in Japanese they are called “tiger longhorn beetles” (torakamikiri). This one was on a tree in fureiai-no-mori and we were very excited to find it.
Coleoptera: Cerambycidae
Chlorophorus quinquefasciatus: yotsusuji torakamikiri
Tue 18 Jul 2006
Managed to catch another huge bullfrog (ushigaeru ) on the way home last night. It seemed to be dazzled by my headlights and wasn’t too difficult to catch. I showed it to the kids and then took it to a rice paddy in the morning to release it. Took some pictures first and had to keep grabbing it when it tried to escape. Finally I put it in the rice paddy water and only managed to get one photo before it took off in giant leaps through the field!
Amphibia: Ranidae:
Bullfrog = ushigaeru = Rana catesbeiana
Mon 17 Jul 2006
We found this oriental mole cricket (kera) under an advertising signboard at night. Mole crickets don’t just look like moles, with their spade-like front legs, they also behave like moles, living in underground tunnels and eating worms and grubs (as well as roots). They are nocturnal and live underground so it’s not that common to see them, but they are obviously attracted to light (at night) so we can see them in places like this.
Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae:
Gryllotalpa fossor: Oriental mole cricket (kera)
Mon 17 Jul 2006
We often see geckos (yamori) on our windows and doors at night – waiting to snap up any insects that are attracted to the light. They also sometimes come into the house, which makes us happy because everyone agrees that they are very cute. This one was on the front door and, unusually, was extremely cooperative about having its photo taken!
Gekkonidae: Gekko japonicus: Nihon yamori