Central Catchment Reserve
Central, Singapore
October 2014
The Central Catch Reserve is always full of surprises. On a Sunday morning, these were the surprising finds in the northern part of the Reserve...
Oriental Whip Snake
If there is a favourite snake category, this will be one of Merlion Wayfarer's favourite snakes, for its sheer elegance and beautiful eyes.The Ahaetulla prasina (Oriental Whip Snake) is arboreal and lives in bushes and trees.
Normally shy creatures, they are not that easily spotted, as they blend well with the environment, with their vine-like body, are usually found above or below eye level, and do not stay still long. They can climb extremely fast up a tree, or across branches.
Little Surprises
An adorable little grasshopper...
It was the season for pondskaters (Gerridae). They were there by the thousands...
The melodious call of a male Dicrurus paradiseus (Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo).
Survival here must be tough; half its tail feathers were missing...
Survival here must be tough; half its tail feathers were missing...
Butterflies & Moths
Pausing on a leave, a male Tanaecia iapis puseda (Horsfield's Baron) shows off its velvety black upperside with a broad bright blue marginal border on its hindwings...
A caterpillar caught in a web that it spins, ready for pupating...
A colourful little caterpillar looking lost...
Dragons
A male Tyriobapta torrida (Treehugger) Dragonfly resting on, what else, a tree...
A male Trithemis aurora (Crimson Dropwing) Dragonfly lands and assumes the obelisk position to exposure to the weather on a hot day...
Froghopper / Spittlebug
Seeing the spit-like foam is an indication that there are spittle bugs around. The foam is where young spittlebugs live. These insects are protected by the foam. They usually do not do much harm to the plants.
The space inside the foam is moist to keep the bugs’ soft bodies from drying out. And the foam tastes bad, so it keeps away most animals that would eat the bugs.
Looking a puddle of foam are spittle bug eggs....
Spiders
Clasping a thin blade of grass with four of its legs,
this Tylorida striata (Striated Tylorida) rests almost hidden...
this Tylorida striata (Striated Tylorida) rests almost hidden...
A playful male Phintella vittata (Banded Phintella) Spider hops about from leaf to leaf, brilliant against the light in its shimmering colours...
The Flying Lemur was sighted too!
Sources
- "Oriental whip snake" (February 2014). Wild Fact Sheets, Wild Singapore. Retrieved from http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/vertebrates/snakes/prasina.htm.
- "Oriental Whip Snake - Venomous - Not Dangerous" by Vern (16 October 2010). Thailand Snakes!. Retrieved from http://www.thailandsnakes.com/venomous/rear-fanged/oriental-whip-snake-venomous-not-dangerous/.
