The rains triggered termite activity two nights ago, and I’ve seen dozens of pillar-like termite mounds sprouting from ground. The rate at which these insects build their nests is extraordinary. After being covered in hundreds (not quite thousands though) of winged termites for several unsuccessful hours, I found a new frilly spot deeper into the forest. In just an hour I spotted three females followed by two males, the last of which was my largest frilly to date. He frilled up and put up a fight like the Godzilla frilly, though not as vigorously (video coming soon!). Here’s a shot of the smaller of the two males when I released him back into his home in the evening. Although it’s not the sharpest image, it really gives a sense of the rapidity of these dragons, kicking up particles of the termite mound as he leapt for freedom. Zoom in to see the texture of the motion blur.
