If you are interested in finding out information on the flora and fauna in and around Puerto Morelos you can’t go wrong in choosing Emilio “Emilio Taxi Service Puerto Morelos” Contact: Phone and Whatsapp at 998 147 0489.
Emilio
is fluent in the English language and is very knowledgeable of the plants,
trees, animals and birds of this area. He took us and friends on a Flora Fauna
excursion to Leona Vicario via the Cenote Road recently and here are a few of
the things he pointed out to us along the way.
Achiote is used as a culinary spice, food colorant, and commercial dye. The Mayan people were adding achiote to their dishes for flavor and color long before Europeans arrived. They also used it in cosmetics, as a fabric dye, body paint, sunscreen, and insect repellent.
We were introduced to the Chechén and Chacá trees, where one grows so does the other. By searching "The Mayan Legend of Chechen and Chaca" will provide you with information on the Mayan legend of these two trees and why one is poisonous and the other is the antidote. Very interesting. The poisonous tree on the right in the above photo has the outer layer of bark pealing, like a tourist on the beaches of the Caribbean. Lol
A Pepino/Cucumber Tree
Yaca Welleyu/Jackfruit is eaten raw and is a
good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and other important
vitamins and minerals. Also, research suggests that compounds in the
flesh, seeds, and other parts of the plant may potentially treat or prevent
several health conditions.
Above on the left is a Jicara fruit which is a gourd, when dried and hollowed out as in the photo on the right, it is used as a drinking cup or serving bowl.
This is a
MEMEY fruit, I added them to a fruit salad and they were delicious!
This is the Flor de Mayo/ May flower, they are beautiful and have a beautiful aroma.
These are the Gusanos De La Flor De Mayo/worms of the May Flower. These are considered a delicacy in some parts of Mexico. They are almost to pretty to be eaten.
African
Tulip Tree or Flame of the Forest is a tropical African tree
brought to Mexico in the 1960’s and has now become quite common.
The Burmese Fishtail Palm Tree
We found this beautiful Mot-Mot bird dead on the side of the road. Such a beautiful bird, we can only assume it was hit by a passing car. Search "Mot-Mot and its Mayan legend" , you will find the information very interesting.
Ruta De Los Centoes for a late lunch.
Chef Mauricio was at the wood fired grill cooking up his tasty meals.
After eating we took a jaunt down a winding road to see the Cenote “Cueva Del Jaguar” A few pictures below show the beauty of this spot. The Jaguar’s actually come to drink from the cenote when there are no people around.
There is also an Aluxe house at the edge of the cenote and it’s occupied!
Inside the house there is a gift left for the Aluxes, I don’t know what is in the bottle but it has to be something good to keep the Aluxes happy.
What is the Aluxe you ask. The Aluxes are small mythological creatures in the Yucatan peninsula that are generally invisible but are able to assume physical form as resembling miniature traditionally dressed Mayan people.
The little round holes or indentations in the ground inside the Aluxe house are made when insects called “huechitos” burrow into the ground.
These insects can be crushed and blended into a paste which is then applied to wounds of the flesh of humans for healing.
While driving through the jungle to the “Cueva Del Jaguar” we had the good fortune of seeing these two animals. Emilio gave us the names tidbits of information about them.
The Agouti or Sereque depending on the geographical location, is a rodent and is on the endangered species list due to the loss of its natural habitat. They weigh 2.4–6 kg (5.3–13.2 lb) and are 40.5–76 cm (15.9–29.9 in) in length, with short, hairless tails.
The Zorra or Grey Fox is known for being a
solitary hunter and has the ability to inhabit and adapt in different
ecosystems, from tropical to temperate, and has climbing habits, if you are
really quite going through the jungle you may find one sleeping in a tree. The
adult measures 60 cm/24 inches long and weighs 3.8 Kg or 8 pounds
An insect of interest that we did not see but Emilio provided us with information on is the “Hormiga Leon” or "Ant-Lion"
Information on this insect can be found on line too. Here is what I found:
Actually, the ant lion is not a real ant (or a lion). In their adult stage, they are very similar to dragonflies, but they fly in a much more unstable way (the wind can throw them), in addition to having more developed and longer antennae.
Specifically, we could say that the antlion has two different aspects:
- On the one hand, its larva form is quite curious , because it is also an ant. It is more of a body in two phases, a head and a robust and chubby trunk. On the part of the head it has quite large and sharp jaws that only appear on the surface when it senses that a victim is nearby, since it holds the animal with them.
- On the other hand, when they are developed, they can measure 1 centimeter in length and have very strong jaws. At that time, they go into the pupal phase (usually in spring) and shelter in a cocoon that they cover with sand. Thus, after a while, they are reborn as a dragonfly, with long transparent wings with many black specks, a stylized body and black antennae and eyes that are what most attract the animal's attention. At that time, they can easily reach 11 centimeters in length.
“Emilio Taxi Service Puerto Morelos”
Contact:
Phone and Whatsapp at 998
147 0489
