Green Tree Frog on My Window

This Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea) chose to wait out the hotter part of the day on my window. The first point of interest is how he attached himself to the glass (first two photos). Notice how his belly and legs form a seal, almost like a suction cup (although there is no actual suction apparently). This must help him conserve moisture. When the little guy began to move I witnessed a very interesting behavior. He repeatedly opened and closed his mouth as if he was yawning. Then I noticed he was actually eating the transparent membrane (mucus?) that had kept him sealed to the window. Waste not, want not!

Nocturnal Beauty – Luna Moth

After a very long delay due to weather, I recently returned to the Jacksonville airport around 2am. When I found my car in the brightly lit parking lot, there was a large Luna Moth lying on the pavement. It moved very little and appeared to be stunned or dying. So I put it in a plastic container and took it home to photograph. The next morning I found it fully revived and clinging to the window frame. <smile> I snapped a few pics while it posed there, then coaxed it back into the world.

This put me in mind of how much artificial light must affect such creatures, who evolved millions of years ago when the only bright light at night was the moon. Thinking back to my recent trip through the air, why in 2010 do we still have so much light pollution? Viewed from above those glittering towns and cities are a sign of tremendous waste! To be even more specific, why are ANY street lights visible from the sky? The picture below represents billions of watts dissipated with no benefit to anyone and demonstrable negative effects on the natural world. Not to mention the loss of Dark Skies (2) for human exploration and inspiration!