Climbing to New Heights!

I have a volunteer Morning Primrose that came up in the garden early this spring. This plant has grown to be a lofty six foot tall and is covered with yellow flowers! It is a massive plant as far as wildflowers go..the base of the stalk is about as big around as a broom handle! Many folks would have called the Primrose a weed (which it is) and yanked it out of the ground but I sort of like the looks of the flowers so it stayed put. My primrose pretty much took over the small garden as it overpowered everything else. Now, I know why I left it and it was not for the flowers. A tiny green anole has claimed this towering plant as its home! It is my lizard tree!

The other day, I sat for quite some time just watching this tyke as it hunted for its dinner. The little reptile could not have been more than a few days old as it was only a little over three inches long. From the looks of things, it was obviously having a hard time catching prey. My friendly little reptile was quite skinny..its ribs were easily seen through its skin. I so wanted to catch it a good meal but had to be content in just watching it hunt. I knew if I tried to feed it, the lizard would scamper away.

It carefully scaled the tall Primrose plant, pausing occasionally to scan the area. If there was a tiny fruit fly or gnat in range, it would gulp it down. At this age, I doubt it could have handled anything much bigger. Most insects could have easily squirmed enough to make an escape from the tiny mouth. Still, he stuck with the challenge! This was one feisty lizard! Up..up..up he climbed. In proportion to his size, the Primrose must have seemed humongous!

I worried about the little lizard. There seemed to be so many obstacles..so many perils that would keep him from surviving! A bird could have easily snatched him off of the plant as could an adult lizard. As horrible as it sounds, if it was hungry enough, an adult lizard would eat this baby. Luckily for the little tyke, there were no adult anoles nor birds spying on him. He could hunt in peace......for the moment. He climbed higher and higher.

It took quite some time for the lizard to make his ascent to the top of the Primrose. He made his way in and about the leaves. At one point, he seemed to rejoice in the fact that he was doing so well. He swished his little tail back and forth in a most jubilant way! If ever a lizard could appear happy, this was the time!

Finally, I grew weary of sitting and staring at the lizard. Truth be known...I really had to get busy! There were many things that needed tending and watching a lizard climb to the tiptop of a Primrose bush was not getting any of those thing accomplished! I had already wasted enough of the day! Goodbye little anole! Happy hunting!