This stick insect was dangling from a leaf just like a twig.
Eventually she clambered up, assumed this posture, occasionally swaying with the breeze.
Size: 15 cm approx
Requesting the ID of this beautiful, well camouflaged moth :-)
Larger picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vipinbaliga/8562093394/sizes/k/in/photostream/
The long, needle-like structure called the Ovipositor is specially adapted to bore through wood in order to parasitise the wood boring larvae. The wasps seem to detect the presence of the larvae by smelling with it's antennae and maybe feeling the larvae's vibrations in the wood.
Picture 1 - The wasp has penetrated the dead tree in search of a beetle larva.She was probing continuously for approx 55 mins before locating the larva.
Picture 2,3,4,5 - Once located, she stabs the beetle grub with the giant ovipositor and lays an egg inside it. That egg hatches into the wasp larva which feeds on the beetle grub until it fully develops and pupates to become a wasp, and eventually killing the beetle in the process. Took her not more than 3mins to complete this task.
Picture 6,7 - Once the eggs are laid, she retracts the Ovipositor.
Picture 8 - The Ovipositor is seen in the normal position.
She turns around and inspects her work, repeats the procedure all over again in the same spot.
This process continues for more than 4 hours. After finishing she takes off.
Sources: philtorres.tumblr.com/post/41698277716/this-is-a-parasito...
ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/photo-contest/2011/entries...
A very tiny fellow.
Body length less than 1 cm
He has an incredibly beautiful crown which is visible in one of the pictures.
Requesting the ID of this beautiful creature.
A very tiny fellow.
Body length less than 1 cm
He has an incredibly beautiful crown which is visible in one of the pictures.
Requesting the ID of this beautiful creature.
We all know the female mosquitoes feed on blood. Both sexes typically Feed on NECTAR;, but in order to lay eggs, females need nutrients from a blood meal.
Once filled to the brim with blood, mosquitoes often excrete waste so they can fly away. This process, known as diuresis, happens with all species—though the type of waste product varies. Mosquitoes that can transmit malaria (anopheles) excrete plasma, while those that can transmit dengue and yellow fever (aedes) excrete urine.
Source: http://health.yahoo.net/articles/skin-conditions/8-things-you-didnt-know-about-mosquitoes
This Hersilia sp was feeding on a Caterpillar. Amazingly both the predator and the prey are well camouflaged here... :-D
The two-tail like structures are actually its over sized spinnerets. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hersilia_(spider)
This Hersilia sp was feeding on a Caterpillar. Amazingly both the predator and the prey are well camouflaged here... :-D
The two-tail like structures are actually its over sized spinnerets. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hersilia_(spider)
Another picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vipinbaliga/8423570114/in/photostream/
Very few pictures found on the internet, all from around Burma and Malay Peninsula.
Unlike other jumping spiders Phaeacius is unusually sedentary, generally resting in its unusual flattened pose for hours or days on logs, pieces of wood or any other solid surface, where it is very well camouflaged. Its preferred prey is moths and other insects, and jumping spiders.
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaeacius)
Size: 1.5cm (body only)
Found this frog resting on a leaf just 5 feet above the ground.
On closer inspection its deformed limb became apparent.
This frog is seen with a pale green dorsum as opposed to this( breeding season changes perhaps): http://www.flickr.com/photos/vipinbaliga/7423716926/in/set-72157625945175638
Listed as Vulnerable because its Extent of Occurrence is less than 20,000 km2, its distribution is severely fragmented, and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat. (Source: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/58847/0
Reproductive mode in the shrub frog Philautus glandulosus, an article here: http://www.iisc.ernet.in/currsci/feb102003/283.pdf
One of the largest Caterpillars around I guess... :-)
Here you can see the habitat and the sheer height he had attained, in search of sunlight perhaps.
Cropped from the original.
Found this guy high up a huge tree,more than 15m above the ground. He eventually climbed up to the branch on top and just basked.
When a Weaver Ant is infected by this parasitic fungus (Ophiocordyceps spp) the behavior of the ants is dramatically changed. They become erratic and zombie-like, and are manipulated by the fungus into dying at a spot that provides optimal conditions for fungal reproduction.
The growing fungus fills the ant's body and head causing muscles to atrophy and forcing muscle fibres apart. The fungus also affects the ant's central nervous system which force it to walk in a random manner, unable to find their way home.
The ant will eventually die as the fungus erupts out of its body, causing some pretty dramatic displays as above.
Entire colonies can be destroyed by this deadly fungus...
But here is good news: Ant colonies attacked by the zombie-ant fungus can survive with the help of a second parasite that castrates’ zombie-ant fungus thus keeping the infectious spores in check.(Source: www.futurity.org/top-stories/parasite-castrates-zombie-an...)
Sources: diorealskills.org/2012/09/20/social-parasites-are-as-old-...
www.biology-blog.com/blogs/permalinks/5-2011/zombie-ants-...
Initially I thought it was the spider (Cyclosa ssp?) which had the Robber fly in its grasp. But I was really surprised when I zoomed in on the photograph in my camera.
In the next few seconds the Robber fly took off and and the dead spider just dropped to the ground.
A juvenile Winged Gliding frog - male resting on a leaf.
The fly seen at the right was immediately consumed when it landed on the frog's snout.
Size: 2cm approx
Tail stub still present.
Because two males will readily fight each other, either in a natural setting, or if put together, they are commonly known as "fighting spider" in South-east Asia.
These spiders are commonly kept in matchboxes with a piece of green leaf and a spat of saliva for moisture.
A spider that wins fight after fight gets the status of "first king". A common belief is that the darkest males are most aggressive.
Stick insects can reproduce parthenogenetically, without the need for males.
Unmated females produce eggs that become more females.
When a male does manage to mate with a female, there's a 50/50 chance their offspring will be male.
A captive female stick insect can produce hundreds of all-female offspring without ever mating.
There are species of stick insects for which scientists have never found any males.
Stick insects hold the record for longest insects in the world.
Stick insects not only look like sticks, they act like them, too.... :-)
Source: http://insects.about.com/od/stickandleafinsects/a/10-facts-stick-insects.htm
I believe this picture shows how powerful and efficient hunters these Damselflies are.
This damselfly caught the cranefly mid air. Started devouring, head first... :-)
Requesting the ID of this Mantis.
Size: 4.5cm approx
At the first sight it appeared to be predation, but it was actually molting(?)
I have seen the Leafhoppers molt before, the shed skin didn't appear to be so drastically different in appearance as in this case.
The shed skin looks like this: http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84080
Requesting explanation from the Experts... :-)
