It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.
-- The Buddha
Cobras, kraits, etc. April
Definitely that time of the year. The fields around us are all under water and we are almost living on an island. The ants and rats have moved indoors first. I saw a couple of roadkill kraits. We are now listening carefully to hear what else moves into the attic. My concern is this year we have a bit more furniture. It isn't as easy to keep an eye out for snakes coiled up in quiet corners. Having seen two very husky cobras within 50 feet of the house this year, both over 10 feet, it will be living with due caution for the next few months. I personally like the cobras. The reptilian kingdoms revenge on cats. You know how cats love to go out and play with snakes before they maim them to death? A Meal, Ready to Eat, for the cobra. :) (Would a cat taking it's kittens out with it to harass the cobra be called just desserts?)
I'm not too enamored of kraits as their preferred meals are other snakes, frogs and toads. I really like the nightsnakes. They go up into the attic just for some peace and quiet and get really offended if anything disturbs them They are one of the most bite-happy snakes in the world. A rat just passing near a nightsnake often gets bit multiple times. Only mildly poisonous though.
We are still inundated in frogs and toads. The human idiots have been out in the rice fields catching them for weeks. It's impossible to tell them they are slaughtering the first line of defense against the mosquitos.