Found this little guy waiting for bush frogs among Crape Ginger plants. Size: 1 feet approx
Found these shield bug nymphs under a Sapodilla leaf at a height of approx 7 feet above the ground.
This beautiful Tiger beetle landed on a leaf near me and stayed there for a minute or so before taking off. Couldn't get a top shot as he was perched at my eye level.
Size: 1.5cm approx
This spider was on my wish list for a long time. I found her yesterday deep inside the foliage of a broad leaved plant. Frontal or top shot was impossible because of the thick foliage.
She was 2.5 feet above the ground.
Spider Size: 2cm approx
A pretty large Robber fly feeding on a Beetle. Perched on a lemon plant approx 2.5 feet above the ground.
Size: 1 inch approx
Indian Tree Frog vocalising..Its only been a couple of days since the rains have kicked in,the frogs have already arrived!Augurs well for the season ahead :)
Close-up: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vipinbaliga/8898335770/
These tiny female phorid flies (size: 1mm approx) have developed a bizarre reproductive strategy: They hover over ants, then inject their eggs into the ants with a needle-like appendage.
As phorids fly hovers above ants looking for victims, the ants respond by hiding, piling on top of one another, retreating into the nest, and posturing in various odd ways as seen in the image.This fly harassment disrupts the economy of provisioning the nest with food and protecting home and territory. Native ant species can then take advantage of this distraction and reclaim lost territory. This more indirect and subtle effect has been identified as the bio-control mechanism by which phorids might reduce the impact of non-native ant : web.biosci.utexas.edu/fireant/FAQ%20Answers.html
The egg grows and the resulting larva generally migrates to the ant's head. The larva lives there for weeks--slurping up the brain and turning the ant into a "zombie," in some cases compelling the ant to march 55 yards (50 meters) away from its colony to avoid attack by other fire ants.
Finally, the baby fly decapitates its host and hatches, exiting through the ant's head : news.nationalgeographic.co.in/news/2009/05/photogalleries...
Fly Size: 1mm approx,
Ant Size: 0.8mm approx,
These tiny female phorid flies have developed a bizarre reproductive strategy: They hover over ants, then inject their eggs into the ants with a needle-like appendage.
As phorids fly hovers above ants looking for victims, the ants respond by hiding, piling on top of one another, retreating into the nest, and posturing in various odd ways as seen in the image.This fly harassment disrupts the economy of provisioning the nest with food and protecting home and territory. Native ant species can then take advantage of this distraction and reclaim lost territory. This more indirect and subtle effect has been identified as the bio-control mechanism by which phorids might reduce the impact of non-native ant : http://web.biosci.utexas.edu/fireant/FAQ%20Answers.html
The egg grows and the resulting larva generally migrates to the ant's head. The larva lives there for weeks--slurping up the brain and turning the ant into a "zombie," in some cases compelling the ant to march 55 yards (50 meters) away from its colony to avoid attack by other fire ants.
Finally, the baby fly decapitates its host and hatches, exiting through the ant's head : http://news.nationalgeographic.co.in/news/2009/05/photogalleries/zombie-ants/#/zombie-ants-phorid-flies-larva-hatches_4283_600x450.jpg
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/
If not for the eyes almost impossible to locate this!
The blue-eyed bush frog (Philautus neelanethrus) is a small, distinctive frog which gains its common name from the bright blue ring running around the edge of its protruding, golden eyes. Its scientific name, neelanthrus, means ‘blue eyes’ in Sanskrit, a historical local dialect (2).
The skin of the blue-eyed bush frog varies between yellow and cream and there are brown dots and blotches on the upperside of the body, indicating areas of granulation which can differ in intensity between individuals. The skin on the underside of the body has round, white blotches and is also granulated. The skin on the wide head of the blue-eyed bush frog features circular brown spots, and the snout is pointed and protrudes forward beyond the mouth (2).
The colouration of the male blue-eyed bush frog becomes more yellow and vivid during the breeding season. The female blue-eyed bush frog is likely to be slightly larger than the male (2).
Vocalisations are made by the blue-eyed bush frog during the breeding season, using the unpigmented vocal sac in the throat. Calls usually begin as a shrill ‘treek’ and are followed by a recurring ‘tink’ note (2).
True to its name,this froggy proved tricky to ID..The female is a brilliant green with little resemblance to the male.. Listed as Vulnerable because its extent of occurrence is estimated to be 7,204 km2, it is known from three threat-defined locations and its population is considered to be severely fragmented, and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat in the Western Ghats of India Thanks Vipin Baliga for the ID :-)
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
