Lessons & Reflections from the National Butterfly Center

My grandmother had a hammock strung between two trees. Swinging and sleeping, or just staring up at the sky and daydreaming, were some of my favorite things to do when I went to visit. And every time I headed out to the hammock, from as early as I could remember, Nana always told me, “Don’t forget to look up before you lie down; snakes ‘ll fall from those trees.”

Well, nothing ever fell on me in that hammock, but dead tree limbs. Still, I’ve learned that just because it didn’t, doesn’t mean it won’t.

This weekend, two of our volunteers photographed one of our full grown Indigo snakes, about 20’ up in a Hackberry tree. Strangers to South Texas don’t know these snakes are a threatened species, and protected. The natural enemy of the rattlesnake, they are really great to have around.

If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, you may have seen other photos of these beauties on patrol, because we regularly encounter them in the gardens and on the trails. But this one, well, it was pretty high up, in a tree, eating a Wood Rat right out of its hole.

Fortunately, for all, the branches held and the Indigo did not fall; but, in life—as in the forest—slip happens.

Look up, before you lie down. I think it’s pretty sound advice. Do it daily to increase your appreciation for all the wonders, winged and otherwise, around you.

Photo © David & Jan Dauphin