Reptiles
Salamanders
Photo by xenia kardia
Salamanders and Geckos are not dangerous. Colours vary slightly, mainly sandy with brown blotches. A family of them lives behind the pictures in "Ithaka", the summer house. They reputedly bring good luck - maybe because they feed on insects. They are nocturnal, and when I switched on a torch at night I'd see them scurrying across the walls for cover. Be careful not to knock their tails- the tail falls off and, though a new one grows, the little creatures don't look so good with just a stump.
Tortoises and Lizards
Tortoises still live in the area, wandering freely, though not often seen. In 2001 we were lucky
to see one at the Lemon Grove, feeeding on vegetation under the trees.
Green lizards were more often seen on the dry, sunny, bank above the Triangle (Trigono). Unfortunately, traffic has increased considerably in that region and will have scared many creatures away.
Arachnids
Spiders and Scorpions
The photo shows a garden spider. Scorpions are related to Spiders ( Arachnida). Yellow scorpions were a common sight at the
Lemon Grove summer House in 2000-2001. They would cling to the bathroom ceiling,
and when approached would put their tails up ready to sting. They rely more on touch
and hearing than on sight.
The main danger with scorpions, as with snakes, is that you will accidentally contact them.
Be vigilant, check shoes by tapping them on the floor before putting them on,
check seats before you sit, remember they may have crept under pots and pans,
and never lift stones or flower pots without gloves, or- better, using a tool.