Imaging Brazil 356: Green Bullfrog, VITÓRIA (ES)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

356: Bullfrog

This frog appears to be tiny and harmless, but this species is a bullfrog. Native to the United States and Canada, the bullfrog has been introduced all over the Americas. They are harvested for food: also in Brazil,  you may see A4-sized announcements anywhere, in which ‘carne de rã’ is offered. This bullfrog can become 20 centimeters lang and weigh over one kilo. The bullfrogs have the reputation to be noisy and aggressive. When I was in Vitória, I visited the Palácio Anchieta, seat of the state government. There was a small but interesting exhibition, and this bullfrog was there in a large terrarium. He was immoved by the presence of many tourists, and kept his large, bright green upper lip tight on his pale lower lip.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2012, 2017

Imaging Brazil 350: Old Cicada Skin on a Jackfruit in Belo Horizonte, MG (2011)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

350: Cicada exoskeleton

When the long and dry winter is over in Belo Horizonte, you will hear shrill sounds that welcome the spring. Sounds that can be very loud, but they are caused by insects: the cicadas. The male cicades that had buried themselves in order to survive the winter, will appear again when they receive some signal  that spring has come. They then climb the trees and produce the sound by moving  their paws to a specific organ that serves as a percussion instrument. The males compete for the females, sometimes they aggregate and call them in chorus. The young cicadas will change  their skins, and leave their exoskeleton (a so-called exuvia) on the plant, tree, or fruit, where the skinchange has occurred. The exoskeleton in the picture was left on a jackfruit.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2011, 2017

Imaging Brazil 328: Discover the Gecko in Belo Horizonte, MG (2011)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

328: Discover the gecko

Gekko’s are common in Brazil. Many Brazilian houses are inhabited by one or more geckos. One may consider the gecko is a symbol of luck, while the other wants to get rid of them as soon as possible. Because the gecko chases mostly on insects, most Brazilians leave their uninvited housemate in peace. For me, a gecko is a welcome guest, given his love for mosquitoes and cockroaches. It has not happened to me that a gecko tried to approach me. In fact, we respect each other. The gecko on the picture was found on a paved square. Because this animal had adapted itself to the tile pattern, it was hardly possible to discover this little reptile ….

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2011, 2017

Imaging Brazil 317: Lizard on the Wall in Belo Horizonte, MG (2011)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

317: Lizard on the wall

In a tropical country like Brazil, you regularly encounter cold-blooded animals in your home. Frogs and toads accidentally jump over your threshold, while geckos and little lizards hunt down the walls for insects in your living room. They are therefore useful animals, although not everyone is happy with their presence; many are even afraid of them. At least it’s a little shock to find such a reptile on an inner wall. Most Brazilians leave them in peace; the reptiles go away spontaneously, searching for their prey, possibly in another house.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2011, 2017

Imaging Brazil 285: Gorilla Relaxing in Belo Horizonte, MG (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

285: Gorilla Idi Amin

Undoubtedly, the gorilla was one of the principal attractions in Belo Horizonte’s Zoo. This huge gorilla, named Idi Amin, came from France in 1975. At that time he was accompanied by a female gorilla, but when she and her successor had died, Idi lived for only 27 years in his mini jungle. In 2011, at the age of 38, he received a company of two females, but he died in the following year. Not much later, the jungle was populated by three other gorillas and even a gorilla was born.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 245: Crab Couple in Paripueira, AL (2009)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

245: Crab couple

Paripueira is a small beach resort at about 25 km north of Maceió, State of Alagoas. The town, accessible by a bus, hosts a handful of restaurants, bars and shops, but is more famous for the beaches. One of these beaches is Sonho Verde, the Green Dream. And indeed, you find yourself in a dream at this beach: rows of swaying palms, pale yellow beach, calm, clear, warm sea water. There were hardly any tourists, which was mainly due to the lack of restaurants and bars along the beach. During my beach walks, I discovered this phenomenon: four eyes looked at me intently. Two pairs of eyes. What kind of animal was that? Soon I found out that this was a crab couple, in an intimate embrace.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2009, 2017

Imaging Brazil 105: Cicada in Vitória, ES (2007)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

105. Cicada

AUGUST 2007: Cicada

The start of the Brazilian spring is announced with a lot of noise. A penetrating noise, as if someone had activated the alarm system in a factory. Surprisingly, this sound is produced by an insect: a cicada. Brazilians call it a cigarra. The cicadas live in trees. The sound they produce is developed by a special organ at their anterior abdominal region. The first days are used to test and to optimize the sound quality. Then they please their neighbors with serenades from dawn to dusk. The cicadas are not fixed to one tree, but they move on, until they have found their female counterpart. When I was in Vitória, it was obvious to me that the cicadas already had started their noisy serenades, while in Belo Horizonte – about 600 km away – the cicadas hadn’t appeared yet. The cicada on the photograph apparently got lost, and landed on a safety net on the sixth floor. Like a professional artist, it posed in front of my lens.

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© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2014