Red Spotted Weevil - Series #3

This is the third series on red spotted weevil or a leave beetle (Chrysomelidae).


Red Spotted Weevil on a leave


Red Spotted Weevil on a grass blade


Red Spotted Weevil perched on my left thumb


Red Spotted Weevil on a balancing act

YouTube Red Spotted Weevil

Weevil Colony

Related posts:
*Red Weevil-like Insect - Series #1
* Tropical weevil - Leave bettle (Chrysomelidae) - Series #2

SEO: Gorgojo rojo manchado | Красный пятнами Долгоносик | 빨간 바구미 발견 | レッドゾウムシ発見 | Red Spotted Getreidekäfer | 红色斑点象 | رصدت السوسة الحمراء

Ixora Petal And Water Droplets

These photos are macro shot of Ixora coccinea's petal with tiny water droplets (from morning dew).

Ixora is also known as the Jungle Geranium, Flame of the Woods, and Jungle Flame.


Red Ixora petal with water droplets


Red Ixora petal with water droplets - part 2


X marked the spot. Red Ixora petal with water droplets - part 3

Related posts:
* Ixora coccinea flower, Flame of the Woods, Jungle Flame
* Black butterfly, Yellow Ixora

Wild Sex - Leave Beetle Mating

Another photo series on wild sex (or insect pornography). These are photo of flea beetles or leave beetles. Watch out for the couple circle in red. It was quite a challenging shot due to the fact that the beetle couple keep on moving !


Leave beetle couple


Closer shot: Leave beetle mating


Leave beetle mating


Zero macro: Leave beetle mating silhouette

Related insect-porn posts:
* Wild Sex - Photo Of Mating Green Bugs
* Wild sex - Mating moths photo
* Wild weevil sex
* Green tropical bugs mating
* Housefly Sex, Series #2
* Adventure of two flies (Fi and Fo)

Platycerium - Pokok Tanduk Rusa - Gold Fish Tail Plant

This post showcases a Platycerium plant from the fern species in the Polypod family, locally known as "Pokok Tanduk Rusa" or Deer's Horn (or Staghorn Fern) plant. In addition, Chinese called this plant as 金鱼尾巴厂 or Gold Fish Tail Plant.

This special plant is an air-plant, i.e. it does grow on the ground and it the wild, it can only be found on top of high trees. It squat on tree but it's not a parasitic plant. The interesting thing about this Platycerium sporophytes (adult plants) is that it have tufted roots growing from a short rhizome that bears two types of fronds, basal and fertile fronds. Basal fronds are sterile, shield or kidney shaped and laminate against the tree and protect the fern's roots from damage and desiccation.

In some Platycerium species the top margin of these fronds forms an open crown of lobes and thereby catches falling forest litter and water. Fertile fronds bear spores on their undersurface, are dichotomous or antler shaped (deer's horn) and jut out or hang from the rhizome (gold fish tail).


Water droplets dangling on the Deer's Horn (pokok tanduk rusa) plant.


See the tail? Gold Fish Tail plant. From Deer's Horn is grow into Gold Fish Tail.


Fresh Deer's Horn off-shoot emerging from the plant cluster.

Reference:
* Botany.com: Platycerium - Staghorn Fern


SEO: Staghorn Fern | Platycerium | Tanduk Rusa | Gold Fish Tail Plant

White Spider Lily - Hymenocallis Caroliniana

Hymenocallis means "beautiful membrane" which refers to the the corona that connects the stalks of the stamens for a portion of their length. This is a large spectacular flower that is exciting to find unexpectedly.

Similar Species: There are several species in other areas which may be distinguished by minor details, some by range. Shinners Spring Spiderlily, perhaps better known as Texan Spider Lily (Hymenocallis liriosme has a distinct yellow center). Alligator Lily (Hymenocallis palmeri) is found in southern Florida and has a yellow center. Crinum Lily has purplish/violet flower. Higanbana Lycoris radiata is the Red Spider Lily.


Photo of tropical White Spider Lily - Hymenocallis Caroliniana

Black Blister Beetle | Nemognatha Photo

Below are photos of tropical black blister beetle (Nemognatha), I think. On closer look, it purplish. Boy, the subject of photo is a tough and mobile creature. It was extremely difficult to take close up shot when it just won't stop moving. For a macro shot, the subject must be still. So what I did was to put it on a stick and let the beetle crawl from one end to the other. I positioned my lens at the end of the stick, hoping that the beetle will slow down to make a U-turn so that I can take the shot. Yup, the trick works. Black beetle turning at a dead-end It's Beetle Shit! Caught on camera. Zoom and see the things coming out from its end. Actual size of the black purplish beetle. No bigger than my nail. DID YOU KNOW: The photo above show a beetle crawling on my fingers. It's actually not. I pinched down it's legs using my left hand to keep it steady and my right for taking the shot. For more hi-resolution tropical beetle, check out my Flickr Gallery Beetle

Tropical Wild Mushroom, Fungi, Series 7

This is the 7th series on photos of tropical mushrooms (fungi). The mushrooms grow on a burned log. Life among the burned. Fungi colony. Close up shot. Related topics: * Tropical Wild Mushroom, Fungi, Series 1 * Tropical Wild Mushroom, Fungi, Series 2 * Tiny mushroom - Toad stool - Fungi, Series 3 * Tropical Wild Mushroom, Fungi, Series 4 * Tropical Wild Mushroom, Fungi, Series 5 * Tropical Wild Mushroom, Fungi, Series 6 * More pictures on Tropical Wild Mushroom - Gallery#1 * More pictures on Tropical Wild Mushroom - Gallery#2

Common Huntsman Spider - Series #2

Below is a photo collection of tropical Malaysian Common Huntsman spiders (Heteropoda sp.). Huntsmen do not build webs but forage for food - mostly insects and other invertebrates.

The photos are of a female Huntsman with a pouch (egg sac) full of little offspring (tiny baby spiders huh).


#1. Spider offspring dashing out from their mother's pouch


#2. Spider offspring dashing out from their mother's pouch


#3. Notice the tiny little spider (almost colourless) dangling on it's mother leg


#4. Little spider scramble to spin some tiny web.


About Huntsman Spider

Huntsman spiders are large, long-legged spiders, measuring up to 15 cm across the legs. They are mostly grey to brown, sometimes with banded legs. Many huntsman spiders, especially Delena (the flattest), and including Isopeda, Isopedella and Holconia, have rather flattened bodies adapted for living in narrow spaces under loose bark or rock crevices. This is aided by their legs which, instead of bending vertically in relation to the body, have the joints twisted so that they spread out forwards and laterally in crab-like fashion ("giant crab spiders"). Both Brown (Heteropoda) and Badge (Neosparassus) Huntsman spiders have less flattened bodies.

In general, Huntsman spiders are not regarded as dangerous, and can be considered beneficial because they feed on insects .

Related Posts:
* Wasp spider of Borneo - Argiope bruennichi (added Nov 18, 2008)
* Tropical spider - Series #1

Related Links:
* Factsheets on Huntsman Spiders

SEO: Arthropoda - Arachnida - Spider families (Araneae)