Anoles, where did they go?
 

I am curious. Has anyone else noticed a steep drop in the number of
anoles around their place? Last summer it seemed like every fence
post, net, and bamboo stick had an anole. And there are always one or
two who colonize my greenhouse. Year to date, I have not seen one,
any, (1) in my yard. (west of MoPac around 4500). I still have large
numbers of the gray, (mixed black and white) rough skinned lizards,
though most of them appear to be adults. Also have not seen a single
gecko so far this year.

While not an organic purist, I haven't used anything stronger than
Safer's Soap and Neem oil outdoors in 10-15 years, so I don't think
that the drop was my doing.

Any thoughts? I like the little guys and wonder what happened.

B.Server wrote:
I am curious. Has anyone else noticed a steep drop in the number of
anoles around their place? Last summer it seemed like every fence
post, net, and bamboo stick had an anole. And there are always one or
two who colonize my greenhouse. Year to date, I have not seen one,
any, (1) in my yard. (west of MoPac around 4500). I still have large
numbers of the gray, (mixed black and white) rough skinned lizards,
though most of them appear to be adults. Also have not seen a single
gecko so far this year.

I have wayyyyy more anoles than last year, fewer geckos and never have seen
any rough skinned lizards. Only one blue-tailed skink so far, and several
DeKay's snakes. Oh, and box turtles up the yin-yang. :) I'm just north of
Houston.

Cindy

Absolutely! I was wondering the same thing all winter up to today.
They were all over the place. I had babies on every branch or leaf of
everything for the last several years. Maybe all the rain we had last
year (61 inches which is double normal) decreased the populations of
grasshoppers so much it put them into a decline.

On the other hand, I have skinks this year and gecko's. We also have
a rabbit living out back, and a fox with her two pups living under the
shed. So, this is definitely a different year.

Victoria

On Sun, 03 Jul 2005 20:04:44 GMT, B.Server
wrote:

I am curious. Has anyone else noticed a steep drop in the number of
anoles around their place? Last summer it seemed like every fence
post, net, and bamboo stick had an anole. And there are always one or
two who colonize my greenhouse. Year to date, I have not seen one,
any, (1) in my yard. (west of MoPac around 4500). I still have large
numbers of the gray, (mixed black and white) rough skinned lizards,
though most of them appear to be adults. Also have not seen a single
gecko so far this year.

While not an organic purist, I haven't used anything stronger than
Safer's Soap and Neem oil outdoors in 10-15 years, so I don't think
that the drop was my doing.

Any thoughts? I like the little guys and wonder what happened.

On Sun, 03 Jul 2005 20:04:44 GMT, B.Server
wrote:

I am curious. Has anyone else noticed a steep drop in the number of
anoles around their place?

Yes. In SW Austin, I have seen a total of one anole and no geckos at
all. On the other hand, I have seen two black collared garter snakes
(or maybe I saw the same one twice). I think the long, hot, dry spell
we are having since the first of June has caused many population
shifts.

Elliot Richmond
PhD Candidate in Science Education
UT Austin

In article , B.Server
wrote:

I am curious. Has anyone else noticed a steep drop in the number of
anoles around their place? Last summer it seemed like every fence
post, net, and bamboo stick had an anole. And there are always one or
two who colonize my greenhouse. Year to date, I have not seen one,
any, (1) in my yard. (west of MoPac around 4500). I still have large
numbers of the gray, (mixed black and white) rough skinned lizards,
though most of them appear to be adults. Also have not seen a single
gecko so far this year.

I'm near Spicewood Springs and Mopac in Balcones Woods. Our anole and
skink population is about the same this year. The former small (one
sighting every week or so) and the latter moderate (see a few scurrying
every time I mow the lawn, which hasn't been for three weeks). Geckos are
more than moderate but less than common.

Two or three years ago we had geckos everywhere. Our cat was bringing in
two or three a night (alive, she was never taught how to kill, but has an
instinctive desire to hunt).

We also had a horny toad in our yard for a while two or three years
ago--about 4 - 5" long not counting tail. I thought they were gone.

--
A friend will help you move. A real friend will help you move a body.

I noticed the same thing, but I recently got a new male cat, and he
hunts everything (including my toes), so I assumed he'd gotten after
them.