Life Wonderings of a Nature Lover: November 2018 Sitamani Country Diary

We experienced mainly hot dry spells with a few overcast days and some thunderstorms during November.

We measured only 53.5mm of rain, almost half of October’s rainfall. The Maximum temperature during the month was 30 C and the coldest a Minimum of 5 C during the early hours of 1 November. Our well water has dropped way down again!

 

Growth has slowed down, flowers are not as prolific as usual and there are still open patches of soil in between the grass.

 

The highlight was finding a

Common or Rhombic night adder

on a morning walk. It didn’t move off, merely flattened it’s body and allowed me to take a series of photos. It was very camouflaged amongst the grass.

 

Some insects caught my eye,

this metallic coloured Blow fly sp. Family Calliphoridae;

 

a delightful small Hairy caterpillar;

 

a vibrantly striped caterpillar

 

and a small butterfly,

Wichgraf’s Brown, Stygionympha wichgrafi.

 

A female Common Duiker observed me from beyond the fence

 

and a most exciting find was fresh Eland droppings, probably the old, one horned male that is seen from time to time along the ridge.

 

Some of the flowers seen and photographed are:

Alepidea natalensis;

 

Aristea woodii;

 

Aspidonepsis diploglossa;

 

Berkheya macrocephala, such shining yellow, happy flowers;

 

Chlorophytum cooperi;

 

Cyanotis speciosa;

 

Cyperus rupestris;

 

Cyphia elata;

 

Delosperma hirtum;

 

Dipcadi viride;

 

Eriosema kraussianum;

 

Haemanthus humilis;

 

Harpochloa falx, Caterpillar Grass;

 

Indigofera hilaris;

 

Indigofera veluntina;

 

Kniphofia brachystachya flowers at the beginning of November

and fruits at the end of the month;

 

Kohautia amatymbica, Tremble Tops;

 

Leobordia (=Lotononis) corymbosa;

 

Schizocarphus (=Merwilla & =Scilla) nervosa;

 

only two Orchids,

Eulophia hians var hians;

 

Orthochilus foliosus;

 

at the beginning of the month the Pachycarpus natalensis buds had formed

and by the end of November they were in full bloom;

 

Pentanisia prunelloides;

 

Peucedanum caffrum, Wild Parsley fruits;

 

Raphionacme hirsuta;

 

Scabiosa columbaria;

 

Searsia (=Rhus) discolor has minute little flowers;

 

Stachys aethiopica;

 

Striga bilabiata

looks very similar to Stachys aethiopica of the Lamiaceae – Sage/Mint Family, but is of the Scrophulariaceae – Snapdragon Family and is a parasitic herb on grasses;

 

Thesium pallidum fruit, flowered in October;

 

Vernonia natalensis;

 

Vernonia sp.;

 

Wahlenbergia cuspidata;

 

Watsonia socium carpeted the hillside and

 

Xysmalobium parviflorum.

 

The Red-winged Starlings try to come into the kitchen to roost on top of the pantry cupboard on misty days, and are very indignant when chased out!