Discovery @ KNT & SBWR on 15 Dec 2007

Thirty eighth Discovery posting:

(Entry @ 17 Dec 2007: Correction of ID for both butterflies in this posting. Thanks to Commander for pointing out the mistake => Got the ID for second 'discovery' too, thanks, Ron!)

Just yesterday morning (15 Dec), together with a few members of Semakau and Naked Hermit Crab Guides, we went for a walk along Kranji Nature Trail (KNT) and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR).

As usual, our speed was a bit slow due to the fact that we were looking out for things along the way and photographing them whenever we spot anything. Anyway, the first 'discovery' of the day are two Dark Brand Bush Brown butterflies if i'm not wrong. (picture below)

Entry @ 17 Dec: The ID for first 'discovery' should be Nigger.
Discovery Note (Updated):
1. This is a common grassland butterfly from the same family as the Dark Brand Bush Brown.
2. The caterpillar of this butterfly is believed to feed on grasses, particularly, Lallang.

And not far away afterwards, i spotted an insect landing on a plant nearby. This is second 'discovery' but i am wondering what this insect is. Anyone can help me with the ID (picture below)?

Entry @ 17 Dec: This insect is the assassin bug.
Discovery Note:
1. Many assassin bugs have been known to bite humans when not handled carefully.
2. For some species the bite is known to be very painful, sometimes causing allergic reactions, and bites can become infected, as with any wound.

And nearby (again), someone spotted this beautiful spider. The ID of this spider might be the Mangrove Big-Jawed spider from the family of Tetragnathidae. Third 'discovery' (picture below).
Discovery Note:
1. When disturbed, it will run away from the web and lie motionless on a leaf or branch nearby.
2. Males are easily identified by their large and prominent jaws, thus their common name.

As we walked into the trail, we spotted a number of St. Andrew Cross Spiders, here's one of them (picture below) and this is fourth 'discovery'.
Discovery Note:
1. These spiders get their name for the way they hold their eight legs in pairs to form an X shape.
2. This X is called the St. Andrew's cross because it is believed that the saint was martyred on a cross of this shape.
3. Besides their standard orb-web, these spiders also build addition white opaque zig zag lines on their webs.

Click here to read more about the St. Andrew Cross Spider.

Fifth 'discovery' should be a grasshopper (picture below).
Discovery Note:
1. Those species that make easily heard noises usually do so by rubbing the hind femurs against the forewings or abdomen, or by snapping the wings in flight.

Sixth 'discovery' is a Cabbage White butterfly (picture below). Oh ya, sorry everyone, i kept saying this is White Cabbage =P. Anyway, i was following this butterfly for about 50 meters plus before i got this picture which you see.

Entry @ 17 Dec: ID for sixth 'discovery' should be Psyche.
Discovery Note (Updated):
1. The Psyche is a small and delicate butterlfy.
2. It is relatively common in Singapore.
3. Although it has a weak flight, it can go on flying for long periods of time without making a rest stop, no wonder it took me so long to get one photo of this.

When we reached the mangrove boardwalk of the SBWR, this Malayan Water Monitor Lizard was happily basking in the sun before our voices made it move to another quiet spot (picture below). Sorry.. oh, by the way, seventh 'discovery'.
Discovery Note:
1. Among the largest lizards in the world, Malayan Water Monitors can survive in habitats that wouldn't be able to support other large carnivores.
2. One is because they are cold blooded and thus doesn’t need to use energy to maintain their body temperature.
3. In addition, they eat anything that they can swallow. From tiny insects, to crabs, molluscs, snakes, eggs (of birds and crocodiles) and even other monitor lizards. They even eat rubbish, human faeces, and even dead bodies.
4. The Water Monitor's main hunting technique is to run after prey that it has spotted, rather than stalking and ambushing.
5. Water Monitor Lizards are highly mobile. They can swim, run faster than most of us can run and even climb trees.
6. Like snakes, they have a forked tongue that they stick in and out regularly to "smell" their prey and other tasty titbits.

Click here to read more about the Malayan Water Monitor Lizard.

And along the sides of the boardwalk were some very beautiful flowers from the torch ginger (picture below). Eighth 'discovery'.Discovery Posting:
1. This is also called the Sceptre of the emperor, maybe due to the beautiful flower?
2. The showy pink flowers of a tall perennial look almost too pretty to eat but their flavour is an essential ingredient in some dishes.
3. But its flowers are only used for food before it blooms. Think rojak.

As we walked on the boardwalk, we spotted an Atlas moth resting on a leave just next to the boardwalk (picture below). Wow! This is my first time seeing a real Atlas moth. Ninth 'discovery'!Discovery Posting:
1. The Atlas Moth has the largest wing surface area of all moths.
2. It is so named because its wing patterns resemble maps.
3. The Atlas Moth's wings have triangular transparent "windows" whose purpose which no one knows yet.
4. The wing tips are hooked and some say resemble a snake's head complete with eye, to scare off predators.
5. Atlas Moths are found only in Southeast Asia and they are common in Singapore, especially from November-January.

Click here to read more about the Atlas moth.

The last feature, tenth 'discovery' is a spider which i don't know which species it belongs to. But according to the others, the white thing is its eggs. Interesting! There are many other things which we saw, like jumping spiders which jumped from one camera to another and Siyang's back, many other spiders, misc insects and of course Homo sapiens. =)
Read these on,
Manta's blog, Tidechaser's blog, Urban Forest and on Colourful Clouds.

Finally, it was really a wonderful outing due to the company and weather. So thanks to everyone and the weather. =)

Discovery @ Kranji Nature Trail on 9 June 2007

Tenth Discovery Posting:

Kranji Nature Trail, how many of us have heard of this place which is actually located just adjacent to Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve?

Looking at one of the two 'low-key' entry points to Kranji Nature Trail (picture below) . Who would have thought that this was a entry point to a Nature Trail. But that is the beauty of things at times. Would a Disney-like theme park entrance or such a natural walkway with trees and shrubs aligning the sides be more fitting to a nature trail like this?

I'll take the latter anytime for a nature trail.
As the morning sun rise up in the sky, the life in the forest began their day. Here's a lady beetle or lady bird (picture below) as a first 'discovery'.
Discovery Note:
1. Commonly called as lady birds or lady bugs, but scientists prefer to call them lady beetle. As they are bettles.
2. They are generally considered useful insects as many species of lady beetles feed on pests in gardens, agricultural fields, orchards, and similar places.
3. A few species of lady beetles are pests though, but they are founding North America and Europe.
4. Some people consider seeing them or having them land on one’s body to be a sign of good luck to come, and killing them presages bad luck.

This morning, together with a group of nature lovers, we were exploring the flora and fauna along the Kranji Nature Trail. Second 'discovery' of the day were number of Simpoh Ayer plants were seen along the trail.

Flower of the Simpoh Ayer(picture below)
Leaves of the Simpoh Ayer (picture below)
Discovery Note:
1. This shrub can grow up to 7 meters tall.
2. The large robust leaves were commonly used before the days of plastic and styrofoam as disposable platters and wrappers to warp ‘tempak’ and ‘rojak’.

As we explored the Simpoh Ayer-s along the trail, we came across one of the leaves to look folded (picture below). What was going on?
A closer look reveal the answer. Weaver ants were making a nest out of the leaf (picture below). Third 'discovery'.
Discovery Note:
1. Weaver Ants' nests are among the most complex ants' nests.
2. These ants choose living leaves to build nests as it provides well camouflaged protection from predators and the elements.
3. The weaver ants do not have a stinger, but inflict a painful bite which is aggravated by irritating chemicals secreted from their abdomen.

Note:
For more information on Weaver Ants and how they weave their nests, click on this.

Very soon, we came across this strange lump of 'bubbles' underneath a leaf. What was this? Soon, someone provided the answer. This was done by the spittle bug (picture below). Fourth 'discovery'.
Discovery Note:
1. There are about 23,000 species of spittle bugs, but you might not have ever seen one because of the unusual way that they protect themselves.
2. They actually produce a liquid that they whip up into a mass of bubbles, and then they hide in it!
3. This mass of bubbles is called "spittle" and is where the insect gets its name.
4. The spittle that the bug creates has several jobs,

• Protection from predators. It hides inside the mass of spittle and can't be seen.
• Thermal control. The bubbles insulate it from heat and cold.
• Protection from moisture loss. Without the mass of spittle surrounding it, these insects will quickly dry out and die.

The number of insects we spotted along the way was truly numerous, here's another one of them. My fifth 'discovery', a dragon fly (picture below).
Discovery Note (difference between a dragon fly and damselfly):
Dragon Fly:
1. Hind wings are usually shorter and broader than fore wings.
2. They are usually larger, strongly flying insects that can often be found flying well away from water.
3. When at rest, they hold their wings out from the body, often at right angles to it.
4. The eyes are very large and usually touch, at least at a point.

Damselfly:
1. All four wings are near enough equal in size and shape.
2. They are usually small, weakly flying insects that stay close to the water margins or water surface.
3. When at rest, most species hold their wings along the length of their abdomen.
4. The eyes are always separated, never touching.

Sixth 'discovery' was a St. Andrew Cross Spider along the side of the trail (picture below).
Discovery Note:
1. These spiders get their name for the way their hold their eight legs in pairs to form an X shape.
2. This X is called the St. Andrew's cross because it is believed that the saint was martyred on a cross of this shape.
3. Besides their standard orb-web, these spiders also build additional white opaque zig zag lines on their webs, which are called stabilimentum.

Note:
For more information on the St. Andrew Cross Spider, click here.

Walking on, an interesting plant attracted me due to the shape of its leaves. Luan Keng pointed out that this is the Sea Holly (picture below). Oh, seventh 'discovery'.
Discovery Note:
1. These plants have no relation whatsoever with the Christmas Holly, although they appear similar.
2. Sea Holly grows on mud near the hide tide mark or along river banks. But it grows especially well in areas with more freshwater input.
3. Unlike some mangrove plants, Sea Holly does not exclude salt at the root level. In fact, their sap is salty and excess salt is secreted through the leaves, to be removed by rain or wind.
4. Sometimes, the excess salt can be seen as a white crystalline layer on the upper surface on their leaves.

Note:
More information on the Sea Holly can be found here.

As we made our way across the bridge which links the trail to Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve. I took this photo (picture below) to document the mangrove shore line and the misty/hazy morning. Is the haze coming back again?
Very soon, we reached Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve for our well-deserved water and toilet break. And hearing that the toilet at the reserve had just been renovated. I was curious to find out how it looked like now. And oh my, it's so interesting now. Look at the three photos that follows to understand why...


Looking at our watches, we figured that we still have one more hour of time before the planned time to go for lunch. So we decided to go for some bird watching at the reserve. And here's one find. The milky stork, eighth 'discovery'!
Discovery Note:
1. They are white storks with thick, yellowish bill and blackish flight feathers.
2. They can grow to a length of 97 cm.
3. Both sexes look similar.
4. They have sensitive areas on their bills that can feel prey brushing against it.
5. Due to human disturbance of nesting colonies, habitat loss and destruction of mangroves, poaching, and rice- and fish-farming, the milky stork is an endangered species.

So with this sighting, all of us left the area satisfied with our finds and hungry in our stomachs. =).

But, no matter what, thanks to Luan Keng for planning the walk and everyone who came and helped me to ID the flora and fauna i didn't know.

Side Note:
Discoverers may visit these blogs to read more about what was seen on this trip,
1. Mountain and Cloud's Blog
2. Manta's Blog