Geckos in Hawaii...The Mo'o

Aloha...

I am posting shots I took of some of the geckos of Hawaii. I see the green on on the red ti leaf a lot more these days. It's called the Anole. This bright green gecko likes to sunbathe and is usually visible during the day doing "push ups" out in the sun. The males do this display to claim their territory. The Anole is a type of iguana.

The first geckos I met, and most enduring, were the "house gecko." They may startle a visitor, but these are our friends. They can eat up to 5 mosquitoes or termites a minute. I have seen them do battle with much larger insects as well. They actually will eat their young (yuk). The males are very aggressive with each other. I've heard that this type of gecko has been in the islands for 1500 years...they came in with the canoes. Their eggs are tolerant to salt water, and may have also floated in to land.

House Geckos chirp at night, so you know they are on the job. They like sugar water and honey, and they are a bit messy with their droppings. I have one who lives behind a painting that remains lit. I guess it is good pickings in that warm, lit area. I prefer them on the lanai where they can keep any other bugs from coming into the house....but...in the tropics, that is impossible unless you poison everything...and I don't. One or two house geckos is a good thing. They are considered good luck.

The Jackson chameleon is really wild looking. It looks like a mini triceratops with it's three horns. They use the horns for show and battle. While the males are showing off, the females are bearing young live, no eggs. They move very slowly and grab with their "thumbs" They blend so well, it is often difficult to see them. This Jackson is shedding it's skin.

The Mo'o (Hawaiian for Lizard) is an ancient mythological being that appears in the Hawaiian creation legend. It was considered sacred and was respected as a communicator to the gods. The Mo'o is depicted in a lot of art and tattoos of Hawaii.

It looks like a good garden day, so Aloha for now!!

Cherie