Red Crabs

Most people tend to associate crabs with the sea or swampy mangrove type areas, and Barbados is no exception. We have crabs that live on rocks by the sea (we call them “shaggas”), ghost crabs that live in the sand on the beach, myriad crabs that live in the water that we rarely see, and we have assorted land crabs.

The land crabs here in Barbados are mainly small hermit crabs, large swampys (these are the ones that people eat) and red crabs. Hermit crabs are usually found in close proximity to the coast, swampys are found in or near small streams and swamp/mangrove areas, and red crabs are found near to the sea.

Red crabs tend to grow to be about six inches from toe to toe, and they really are quite pretty with the back or carapace being a deep almost wine red to brown colour, and the legs being a bright red (will add some photos when I can capture some of these elusive creatures). And the little youngsters are very cute, but boy are they a nuisance.

They seem to multiply rapidly and each one will dig its own hole in your garden, and fast as you fill the holes back in, they dig them out again. If you’re unlucky enough to have red crabs in your garden, it is near impossible to have a nice lawn as it will be full of crab holes. If you have any gravel or sand around, they will take over that area too. They can’t penetrate concrete, but they will dig holes down the side of the slab and continue the holes under the concreted area. They really are a nuisance.

I was recently doing some work on the south-east coast of the island at a property that has hundreds of red crabs, and I think one hitched a ride with me one day - it must have been under the wheel housing or in the engine, I don’t know, but what I do know is that I keep seeing a hole appear in my front yard now that looks very much like a crab hole.

I haven’t seen the culprit ... yet, but I will. I’ve tried filling in the hole but it reappears. I don’t really want to kill the crab but I definitely don’t want it setting up house in my yard, especially if it’s a female carrying eggs - that would be a disaster. If it’s a lone male it won’t be so bad as it will eventually die. I keep hoping that it will move to a neighbour’s yard that is more attractive to crabs.

I live nowhere near the sea, so if a salty environment is necessary for it to survive, it won’t do well by me. I’ll have to wait and see what happens.

If you’d like to read more about Barbados, please visit my other blog, Things Barbados.

The Stunning Colours of Frangipani

Here are some pics of the absolutely amazing colors of the Frangipani Tree. The striking colors combined with the lovely scent make this a tree worth having in your garden.

If you'd like to read more about Barbados, please take a look at my other blog, Things Barbados.

The Dry Season is Upon Us

Yes, that’s right, even though it’s only November, the dry season is very much upon us. Bushy areas have started to thin out (which is a good thing) and trees have started to lose their leaves.

This is at least a month earlier than usual so quite noticeable. I wonder what effect it will have on things like poinsettia and snow-on-the-mountain that usually turn colour for Christmas. Though I realise that the colour change is mainly dependent upon the number of daylight hours, I have to wonder what difference it will make with less water for our vegetation.

Dry season also means that mice will be more inclined to come out the fields and into homes looking for food and water, ants and other insects will also find their way indoors in their search for sustenance.

The nice part is that the breeze is usually stronger (as it is now - also earlier than usual) and therefore the days are cooler. The flora and fauna of the island change - plants tend to flower, many lose their leaves and animals come closer to homes in their search for food and water. Another part of the annual cycle.

If you’d like to read more about Barbados, please visit my other blog, Things Barbados.

Christmas Worms

Christmas Worms aren’t actually worms. They are a member of the millipede family and, as the name suggests, they tend to be most visible around the end of the year when the nights are longer and cooler, and the days shorter and drier.

Adult Christmas Worms are just about an inch long and the body is about 1 mm wide, 2 mm including the legs. So they are quite tiny and more of a nuisance than anything else. Never mind how air tight you think your house might be, they will find a way in as they are so tiny.

If you sweep them away or step on one by mistake, they give off an unmistakeable, pungent and unpleasant odour. They don’t bite, they’re just a nuisance. They collect in little armies in corners and when they start to move, they go in all different directions, so one is bound to find it’s way inside.

When they get inside, I just try to sweep them gently onto a dustpan and toss them outside where they belong without having them give off that offensive smell. I know they serve a valuable purpose on this earth, I just don’t know what it is, and they are too small for my camera to get a decent pic ... sorry.

If you’d like to read more about Barbados, please visit my other blog, Things Barbados.