With no doubt, this is a flashy reptile. The Gold Dust Day Gecko, Phelsuma laticauda, is a Madagascan gecko introduced back in 1974 on Oahu. Primarly insectivorous, they love nectar and indeed anything sweet.

While looking for much smaller subjects to photograph, I ran across one of my favorite encounters on Kauai. My dear friends, Tom & Jerilyn Kloss have an amazing tropical garden including a collection of maybe 20 pots of these ornamental pineapple many of which were somewhat timidly visited by these nectar-loving geckos.

Nectar Addiction

Normally quite easily spooked, these colorful invasive Gold Dust Day Gecko is becoming increasingly resilient while engaged with one of their favorite activity; servicing freshly emerged blossoms. Here on a miniature ornamental pineapple, you can see this GDDG purple tongue exploring a freshing offering.

Reptilian Competition

During 30 years of either living or visiting Kauai, I have witnessed population and dominance struggles between the various introduced species of gecko and anole. At one point it was the Common house gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus that was prolific on the walls of Hawaiian homes. Once the GDDG’s made it to Kauai, they out competed the house geckos to become the dominant species but of late the Green and especially Brown Anole are vying for that position of dominance.