First Impressions: giant butterfly; baby snake & lizard; and tarantulas!

Giant butterfly

This butterfly came into our house and revisited us a few days later – looking somewhat storm-worn.

I’m not actually sure if it’s a butterfly or a moth. Please tell me what it is if you know!! Locals say if it comes into your house you are going to hear about a death. ??? !!!!

Baby snake & lizard

Some days later, in the same bathroom where the butterfly landed, a little snake, only 10 cm long, tied itself in knots wriggling and squirming across the slippery ceramic floor. Likewise, a very tiny lizard sought sanctuary below the sink. Both met a swift end when our housekeeper spotted them.

Tarantulas

Recently, we observed three of these massive, hairy, black tarantulas at close range near, at and in our house!! Each appeared to be at least 15 cm across and about 10 cm high. Here they are appropriately called ‘caranguejos’ (crabs).

I cannot find a photo exactly like the jet-black
ones we have seen but this one is similar.

It wasn't a pleasant experience to view this first thing in the morning, cowering in a corner under the bathroom sink, close to where I had been standing with bare feet a few minutes earlier!

I am told they are relatively harmless. The sting is similar to that of a bee. The hairs are used as the basis of itching powder. They don’t have a brain but instead have two clumps of neurones.

As they can move at a great speed, the most common method of disposal is to spray them with alcohol and set them on fire. Quite a cruel death – I think.

Ivonete’s advice is to always check below, behind and inside the toilet before you sit down!! She remembers one crawling out of the water…………. ………..!!!!

Enough said !!

It's a Hard Rain That's Goin' to Fall in the Sertão !!

This photo shows Ivonete and Sara overlooking the almost dry lake at Sitio Poço Mill which Ivonete's grandfather ran many years ago.

How lucky we are to be living in a part of Brasil which has sunshine all year round.

Well, that's what I thought when we arrived in this baker's oven, in the centre of the Sertão, five months ago. As temperatures ranged from 35 to 40 degrees Celsius you had to open the car doors and wait a few minutes. If you didn't, the hot air almost cauterised your throat!

By contrast, we are now in the midst of the loudest thunderstorms and heaviest downpours imaginable. The water floods the streets in minutes and all you can do is to wait until it stops.

People love the rainy season of course. Relief from the water shortage is apparent. Children shower excitedly in the street under roof drain water spouts. Frogs the size of dinner plates congregate in dozens on the door step braying like donkeys after a banquet of insects and beetles. Goats almost smile as they fill their bellies on the new lush grass. Farmers have waited many months for this precious rain to germinate their crops.

At the beginning of the year, in a small village called Extrema high up in the hills on the Pernambuco - Paraiba border, the old padre, having intimate knowledge of these things, told his flock to expect plenty rain this year. Previously, all years ending in seven had been very wet. Local knowledge is a wonderful thing.

So - it's a Hard Rain That's Goin' to Fall in the Sertão. Perhaps we'll wait a little longer to replace our leaky roof!