Savigny's Tree Frog

These tiny little frogs are remarkably noisy. It was just one of the many exciting species we found on our trip up to the Smygies Picnic site, which is situated between pine and juniper forest and a parched hillside of phrygana or garrigue, with a set of springs nearby. 

Lots more beautiful orchids, sun-roses galore and some other botanical specialties, including the tiny yellow Alyssum akamasicum, which grows nowhere else in the world. As well as the tree frogs, we found plenty of starred agamas scuttling up the tree trunks. And our invertebrate finds included termites, an endemic Cyprus scorpion, the Cyprus tarantula and, most surprising of all, a freshwater crab under a rock near the springs.

In the afternoon, after a dip in the pool, we all drove out to Drouteia, and walked around this typical and untouched village, which was full of ramshackle charm, not to mention lots of barking dogs.  Alex and Ben were interested to see a mandrake plant. According to the legend, when the root is dug up, it screams and kills all who hear it. Literature includes complex directions for harvesting a mandrake root in relative safety. 

For example Josephus (circa 37–100 AD) of Jerusalem gives the following directions for pulling it up:

A furrow must be dug around the root until its lower part is exposed, then a dog is tied to it, after which the person tying the dog must get away. The dog then endeavours to follow him, and so easily pulls up the root, but dies suddenly instead of his master. After this, the root can be handled without fear.

The village was surrounded by orchards of almond and carob, and in the lanes we found Giant Orchids, nearly 1m tall! We were still investigating the verges of the main road as dusk fell and we had to return home.