Dec 17 2025

Bibron’s Blind Snake

Family Typhlopidae

Afrotyphlops bibronii

On Tuesday 16 Dec 2025 I tested a newly acquired solar pond fountain in my fish pond. The idea is to use it in a new pond that is in the development stage.

That morning when I wanted to take it to the new pond, it was not spraying as high as it should. My first thought was that it was malfunctioning. When I reached out for it, I saw something yellowish on the side and thought it was a worm or slug of some kind. Just the day before I photographed a beautifully yellow banana slug.

I took it out and ‘the thing’ immediately disappeared to the underside. Mmm…

The solar fountain has to immediately turned over to protect the motor pump when out of the water. I slowly turned the fountain over and to my surprise saw that ‘the thing’ was actually a small snake curled up on the underside! Wow!

In a split second I dropped the fountain back into the water. My immediate thought was Stiletto! Knowing how those side-fanged sneaky snakes can harm you, I knew I had to be very careful to entice it to get out of my little fountain.

I fetched a bucket and scooped the fountain out to take it to the shade where I could get the snake out without harm to myself, the snake or the fountain.

Still weary of side-fangs, I eventually got it to get out of hiding. I managed to take a photo of the tail as it slid into the water.

It curled itself into a knot in the water and by that time I saw enough to at least know that it was not a Stiletto.

There was some kind of bug that crawled from the water onto its snout and I can’t say if it came from the water when I scooped the fountain with the bucket, or if it came from the snake. I couldn’t get a better picture of the bug.

It was interesting to see how it kept it’s head under water with only the nostrils sticking out. I could see the rhythm of its breathing… so, so cool!

By that time I could fetch my snake book to identify it properly.

Bibron’s Blind Snake. Harmless.

The typical nose shield is visible in the photo above.

They are burrowing snakes and feed on invertebrates like ants and termites and the eggs and larvae thereof, as well as other invertebrates.

They lay 2-14 small eggs that hatch within 5-6 days.

Eyes are black, very small and reduced. The pinkish tongue can be seen in the video.

This is a 2 liter ice-cream container to more or less see the length

I released it in a safe area close to the fish pond. It immediately burrowed into the soft loose soil… as if it was never there…

Click on this link for a video.

What a privilege it has been to observe such a magnificent creature!

For further reading:

ŉ Volledige gids tot die slange van Suider-Afrika. Johan Marais. Struik Nature. 2021

Oct 31 2025

African Thief Ant

FAMILY FORMICIDAE

Carebara vidua

I had shoulder surgery last week, but my legs can still walk. So… my walk was well planned to minimize any risk, just on the farm road, with a walking stick and my route communicated to my husband should I take too long. He laced up my shoes and off went the dogs and I.

We had good rain the last two days, not the first for the season, but the first good soaking rain. The soil is thoroughly wet, and everything is lush and green.

Not even around the first corner, I saw the biggest flying ants I have ever seen. We often see termites after good rains, but never in more than twenty years I have seen this. This was completely different, and I immediately phoned my husband to come and see it.

There were a few holes, and they just came out in abundance. Each hole had thousands and thousands of tiny worker ants crawling all over.

The workers are about 2 mm in length, males 18 mm and females 25 mm.

According to Andrew Schild on the Facebook group ‘Insects only – Southern Africa’, this is a queen alate, ready for her nuptial flight. A few of the light workers might be carried with the queen, but has apparently not been scientifically approved.

A “queen alate ant” refers to a young, winged, virgin female ant that is preparing to mate and start a new colony. An alate is the general term for any winged ant, male or female, that participates in a mating flight. The queen is a reproductive female ant, and the alate stage is her winged, reproductive youth. After mating, the queen ant will shed her wings to become a dealate queen, establishing a new colony.

Click on this link to see a video of the African Thief Ants.

Less than an hour later, all had flown off. A new generation has been set up with the best chances of survival.

Once home, I immediately started researching this beautiful insect.

Biggest surprise… the females are edible, have medicinal value, and are apparently a delicacy. It can be eaten raw, but mostly, they are fried. In some African countries, they are considered endangered because people who know where a nest is, will wait for the ants to emerge and eat every single one that crawls out.

They nests in the walls of termite mounds. They are called thieves because the workers raid termite colonies to prey on eggs and brood.

I was just at the right spot, at the right time. What a privilege it has been to witness this once a year event!

Bibliography:

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Vitamin-content-of-whole-female-carebara-vidua-smith_tbl1_279544482

https://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Carebara_vidua

Field guide to Insects of South Africa. Picker, Griffiths and Weaving. Struik Pblishers. 2002

Oct 29 2025

Frogging at Aylestone Portion 8

My grandmother used to tell us that we will get warts if a frog urinates on our hands. That didn’t deter us from catching frogs, and we didn’t get warts at all. Something that I remember as a child was hundreds of baby frogs hopping around after good rain. If only I could experience that once again… Not only for the experience itself but to identify the species.

My childhood experience of frogs is basically restricted to Red Toads and Platanas.

The only time ever that I have seen a Giant bullfrog, was in an irrigation canal on my way home from the bus stop. The cement canals have fall structures to help the water flow. A canal fall or drop is an irrigation structure constructed across a canal to lower down its bed level to maintain the designed slope when there is a change of ground level to maintain the designed slope when there is change of ground level.

The bullfrog was caught in the whirlpool at the bottom of the fall structure and couldn’t escape. I can still recall the flashing images of yellow and green when the frog appeared and disappeared under the water. Me and the neighbours son ran home to fetch something to scoop the frog out. We thought it was dead, but it was alive. My mum was not impressed by the damage in the butterfly net she made for us, but understood our good intentions. The frog buried into the soil and remained in her rose garden for more than a week before it disappeared.

My mum was the one who lit the flame of curiosity in all her children… When we bought a portion of the farm Aylestone in Barberton, my curiosity exploded with the abundance of life. I love frogs and have accumulated hundreds of photos over the years.

Below is an account of all the frog species I have found so far on Aylestone 8. Only one or two photos are used here that is representative of the species.

Frogs are very variable Please click on the family name to see more photos, information and links to my videos of their behavior.

FAMILY BUFONIDAE

Schismaderma carens, Red Toad (Rooiskurwepadda)

Sclerophrys gutturalis, Guttural Toad (Gorrelskurwepadda)

FAMILY HYPEROLIIDAE

Hyperolius marmoratus taeniatus, Painted Reed Frog (Skilderbontrietpadda)

Hyperolius pusillus, Water Lily Frog (Waterleliepadda)

Hyperolius tuberilinguis, Tinker Reed Frog (Groenrietpadda)

Kassina senegalensis, Bubbling Kassina (Borrelvleipadda)

FAMILY MICROHYLIDAE

Phrynomantis affinis, Banded Rubber Frog (Gebande rubberpadda)

FAMILY PHRYNOBATRACHIDAE

Phrynobatrachus natalensis, Snoring Puddle Frog (Snorkmodderpadda)

FAMILY PTYCHADENIDAE

Ptychadena anchietae, Plain Grass Frog (Rooiruggraspadda)

FAMILY PIPIDAE

Xenopus laevis, Common platanna (Gewone platanna)

Xenopus muelleri, Muller’s Platanna (Geelpensplatanna)

FAMILY PYXICEPHALIDAE

Amieta delalandii, Common River Frog (Gewone rivierpadda)

Tomopterna natalensis, Natal Sand Frog (Natalse sandpadda)

FAMILY RHACOPHORIDAE

Chiromantis xerampelina, Southern Foam Nest Frog (Grootgrysskuimnespadda)

I have spent many evenings outside with my torch and cell phone to capture the information above. Unfortunately, it is not safe anymore to go frogging on my own. Our neighbor farms with crocodiles, and they escape to our dam. There are daytime photos, but those are in the minority. Scientific information comes from the sources mentioned below. The book by Louis du Preez and Vincent Carruthers is a MUST if you are interested in frogs.

For more information:

1. Frogs Of Southern Africa, A Complete Guide, Louis du Preez & Vincent Carruthers. Struik Nature 2017

Oct 29 2025

FAMILY PHRYNOBRATRACHIDAE – Puddle frogs

Phrynobatrachus natalensis, Snoring Puddle Frog (Snorkmodderpadda)

A range of colour variations is present in this species. Maximum size 40 mm.

I have not succeeded yet in capturing their mating call, but managed to get on e to show some behavior.

TERMINOLOGY:

Tympanum: The tympanic membrane is a thin membrane that separates the frog’s outer and inner ear. It is located behind the eyes. It allows it to hear both in the air and below the water.

Please contact me should you find a species that I have misidentified.

For more information:

1. Frogs Of Southern Africa, A Complete Guide, Louis du Preez & Vincent Carruthers. Struik Nature 2017

Oct 29 2025

FAMILY BUFONIDAE – Toads

Schismaderma carens

Sclerophrys gutturalis

Schismaderma carens, Red Toad (Rooiskurwepadda)

I have found pale ones, greenish ones and red ones. For me, they are one of the most difficult to photograph. They just don’t want to sit still, only hop… hop… hop!

Red toads often come into my house. I had one that used to hide during daytime in a ‘farm’ shoe that remained outside on the veranda. I could shake it out, wear the shoe in the veldt, and the next morning, the frog would be in the shoe again.

Large eyes with horizontal pupils. Dark glandular ridge stretches from tympanum* to the hindleg. Tympanum as large as the eye

The mating call of Schismaderma carens can become overwhelming if you are sound sensitive.

Sclerophrys gutturalis, Guttural Toad (Gorrelskurwepadda)

Their hearing or detection of vibrations must be very well developed. They will stop calling when I approach them when I’m about 50-75 meters away.

I have observed the same frogs in the same area, many a night. A few hangs out in the vicinity of a garden light that attracts insects that are easy meals. It was difficult to choose only a few photos. I love guttural toads.

Dark patches on the snout and behind each eye form a cross on the head. They have prominent parotoid glands on the neck behind the eyes.

Red infusions on the thighs is a characteristic of this species

The distinctive cross on the head and red thighs are clearly seen in this photo

I have seen Guttoral toads hanging in the water for a while, like in the picture above, and then climb out and go on searching for food. They regulate moisture levels by absorbing water by osmosis through the semi-permeable skin.

My husband can’t stand the mating call of Sclerophrys gutturalis. We have a pond very close to our bedroom, and he will get up in the middle of night and relocate them to an animal waterhole nearby.

TERMINOLOGY:

Amplexus is a term used to define mating in frogs. It is a reproductive position used by frogs to replicate externally. The male frog will clasp the female from the back, stimulating the release of eggs. After the egg has been released, the male frog fertilizes each egg with the sperm cells.

Tympanum: The tympanic membrane is a thin membrane that separates the frog’s outer and inner ear. It is located behind the eyes. It allows it to hear both in the air and below the water.

Please contact me should you find a species that I have misidentified.

For more information:

1. Frogs Of Southern Africa, A Complete Guide, Louis du Preez & Vincent Carruthers. Struik Nature 2017

Oct 29 2025

FAMILY MICROHYLIDAE -Rubber Frogs

Phrynomantis affinis, Banded Rubber Frog (Gebande rubberpadda)

It is difficult to captured the true colour of the Banded Rubber Frog. It is more red and black than pink or orange and black.

The skin contains high concentrations of cardiotoxins that may kill other frogs.

The mating call of Phrynomantis bifasciatus is a shrill prrrrrrr sound.

The males will position themselves at the edge of the water, concealed in vegetation or under rocks.

Banded Rubber Frogs, don’t hop, they crawl and can do so at quite a pace.

TERMINOLOGY:

Tympanum: The tympanic membrane is a thin membrane that separates the frog’s outer and inner ear. It is located behind the eyes. It allows it to hear both in the air and below the water.

Please contact me should you find a species that I have misidentified.

For more information:

1. Frogs Of Southern Africa, A Complete Guide, Louis du Preez & Vincent Carruthers. Struik Nature 2017

Oct 29 2025

FAMILY PTYCHADENIDAE – Grass frogs

Ptychadena anchietae (Rooiruggraspadda)

Very prominent tympanum. The snout is paler than the rest of the body, forming a pale triangle

I have found the same individual at the same place night after night

Their hearing or detection of vibrations must be very well developed. They will stop calling when I approach them when I’m about 50-75 meters away.

These grass frogs can jump several meters at the slightest disturbance

Black markings on the back of the thighs tend to fuse to form bands on a yellowish background

Males have two vocal sacs, tucked into lateral pouches oblique to the jaw-line, clearly visible in this individual

The mating call of Ptychadena anchietae can go on and on through the night. The males have two vocal sacs that are tucked into pouches oblique to the jaw-line.

I have been lucky a few times to capture the calls. This is a view from the top, with both vocal sacs visible.

TERMINOLOGY:

Tympanum: The tympanic membrane is a thin membrane that separates the frog’s outer and inner ear. It is located behind the eyes. It allows it to hear both in the air and below the water.

Please contact me should you find a species that I have misidentified.

For more information:

1. Frogs Of Southern Africa, A Complete Guide, Louis du Preez & Vincent Carruthers. Struik Nature 2017

Oct 29 2025

FAMILY HYPEROLIIDAE – Reed frogs

Hyperolius marmoratus taeniatus

Hyperolius pusillus

Hyperolius tuberilinguis

Kassina senegalensis

For the Waterlily and Painted reedfrogs, I have to don my rubber boots to get to them in the dam. Our neighbors farm with crocodiles, and we often have escapees. This means I have to scout first during the day to check if I see any flat dogs, and then my husband must accompany me at night to make sure my toe nails don’t get knibbled off.

I have found quite a few painted Reed frogs far away from water while eradicating pom-pom weed and once in a tree while harvesting macadamia nuts.

The colour pattern of these frogs are so different that I sometimes doubt the identification, but when I take out my book and read the key identification points, then it is just the same species.

Hyperolius marmoratus taeniatus, Painted Reed Frog (Skilderbontrietpadda)

The mating calls of Hyperolius marmoratus taeniatus can create quite a chorus. The subgular sac has a covering disk to protect the disk when the frog is at rest.

Many frogs camouflage themselves by adjusting their colour or to regulate temperature. The photos below illustrate the use of regulating the chromatophores to adapt to the environment.

When found in high temperatures, the frogs are usually white when the chromatophores are withdrawn into a small zone of the cell. Then barely any pigment is evident..

*Hyperolius marmoratus taeniatus* juveniles

Hyperolius pusillus, Water Lily Frog (Waterleliepadda)

It is not an easy feat to find these small froggies. Once you see one, and you focus, then it becomes easier.

More information can be read in a prior blog post about finding this small fairy frog for the first time. They are very small, with a maximum size of 25 mm.

It has a paired subgular sac and the twin lobes only expand at the moment of the call. In the video the sounds of Painted Reed Frogs and Red Banded Rubber Frogs can also be heard.

The call of Hyperolius pusillus is a series of blurred, high-pitched chick-chick clicks. One has to listen very carefully to distinguish the sound. The Banded Rubber Frogs and Painted Reed Frog’s calls are quite overwhelming in the video above.

Hyperolius tuberilinguis, Tinker Reed Frog (Groenrietpadda)

I have only found this species once, the one in the photos below. Maximum size is 36 mm.

Kassina senegalensis, Bubbling Kassina (Borrelvleipadda)

Because they start calling from concealed sites well away from water, it is sometimes difficult to find them.

This individual was sitting on the same spot, calling from sunset to late night, for weeks.

It seems as if the whole body inflates when the frog calls. The grey-brown gular discs of males are laterally oval.

The mating call of Kassina senegalensis is a ‘plop’ sound, almost as if a giant water drop is falling.

TERMINOLOGY:

Tympanum: The tympanic membrane is a thin membrane that separates the frog’s outer and inner ear. It is located behind the eyes. It allows it to hear both in the air and below the water.

Please contact me should you find a species that I have misidentified.

For more information:

1. Frogs Of Southern Africa, A Complete Guide, Louis du Preez & Vincent Carruthers. Struik Nature 2017

Oct 29 2025

FAMILY PIPIDAE – Platannas

Xenopus laevis

Xenopus muelleri

Something interesting is that platannas make their calls while fully submerged. Both males and females call.

They don’t have tympanums*, tongues or movable eyelids. Instead of ear structures, they have lateral lines* like fish to detect movement and vibrations under water.

Platannas were bred in their thousands in laboratories between 1940-1960. Lancelot Hogden, a zoologist from Brittian that moved to South Africa, discovered that if the urine of a pregnant woman is injected into a platanna, it induces spawning within a day. This method was used to verify pregnancies until the sixties when more sophisticated chemical methods were introduced.

Xenopus laevis, Common platanna (Gewone platanna)

Subocular tentacles* shorter than half the diameter of the eye

Xenopus muelleri, Muller’s Platanna (Geelpensplatanna)

Subocular tentacles* at least half as long as diameter of the eye. Maximum size is 90 mm, much smaller than the Common platanna.

This is a typical position in which I find Platannas, hanging in the water

The subocular tentacle* is easier observed when the frog is fully submerged.

Juvenile platanna that very recently absorbed its tail

TERMINOLOGY:

Lateral line: The lateral line is a collection of sense organs which are distributed over the skin or in sub-epidermal canals of the head and body of aquatic lower vertebrates.

Subocular tentacle: Flexible, sensory appendage found below or near the eyes of Platannas

Tympanum: The tympanic membrane is a thin membrane that separates the frog’s outer and inner ear. It is located behind the eyes. It allows it to hear both in the air and below the water.

Please contact me should you find a species that I have misidentified.

For more information:

1. Frogs Of Southern Africa, A Complete Guide, Louis du Preez & Vincent Carruthers. Struik Nature 2017

Oct 29 2025

FAMILY PYXICEPHALIDAE – African Common Frogs

Amieta delalandii

Tomopterna natalensis

Amieta delalandii, Common River Frog (Gewone rivierpadda)

The River frogs are extremely difficult to photograph. You only have to breath for them to jump a few meters away with those powerful legs.

Very large tympanum*.

Tomopterna natalensis, Natal Sand Frog (Natalse sandpadda)

This species is very variable in colour. The skin on the back may be smooth or slightly granular.

Tympanum* partially obscured to distinct

My cats find the Natal Sand Frog quite a delicatessen. They would not touch any other frog, but these are eaten without leaving anything behind.

Key identification points include include:
A. Continuous glandular ridge above the tympanum from the eye to the base of the arm
B. Dorsum with a pair of skin elevations in the middle of the back

I have only managed to make a sound clip of the Natal Sand Frog. They stop calling long before I am close.

TERMINOLOGY:

Tympanum: The tympanic membrane is a thin membrane that separates the frog’s outer and inner ear. It is located behind the eyes. It allows it to hear both in the air and below the water.

Please contact me should you find a species that I have misidentified.

For more information:

1. Frogs Of Southern Africa, A Complete Guide, Louis du Preez & Vincent Carruthers. Struik Nature 2017