The Flying Saucer At Sunset

Lenticular clouds (Altocumulus lenticularis) are stationary lens-shaped clouds with a smooth layered appearance that form in the troposphere, usually above mountain ranges. One was spotted in Singapore recently...

Ghost Spider - Happy Halloween!

Punggol Park Connector North-East, Singapore October 2012 Cloudy This Neoscona Punctigera (Ghost Spider) was spotted stationary on a leaf along the Punggol Park Connector. Belonging to the Orb-Weaver (Araneidae) family, it is from the Neoscona genus which has a characteristic longitudinal groove on the carapace which separates all species of Neoscona from species of Araneus (Wikipedia 2012).    Merlion Wayfarer has no idea...

The Ones That Leap & Fly

Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West North, Singapore August 2012 Callosciurus Notatus (Plantain Squirrel) : Scores of these were leaping from tree to tree, creating an exhilarating acrobatic spectacle... Moth [unidentified] : A gentle flying dustball rests near the shrubs in the sunlight... Eudynamys Scolopaceus (Asian Koel) : Two males attempt in their utmost to court the discerning tastes of a single female. A love triangle and cacophony...

Near The Water

North, Singapore August 2012 Cloudy Merlion Wayfarer spotted a few Argyrodes Flavescens (Red Silver Spider) in some old webs. These spiders are "food stealers", helping themselves to insects trapped in the web of the host, or prey stored by the host in the web, or a freshly-killed victim that is being consumed by the host. There was also an orb-weaver. These spiders spin circular webs and normally hide in a rolled leaf nearby in the day and...

The Hill Of The Golden Ants

Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West North, Singapore August 2012  Cloudy Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West seemed to have a huge number of golden ants. Here are a few of the more photogenic ones...   Polyrhachis Illaudata (Golden Ant) is a species of large ant found in Sri Lanka and India, and extending through Southeast Asia to the Philippines. The colonies have a single queen and nest within wood. Fascinatingly, this species uses its...

Half The Bloodsucker That It Was

Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West North, Singapore August 2012 Cloudy Calotes Versicolor (Changeable Lizard / Bloodsucker Lizard / Crested Tree Lizard / Garden Fence Lizard / Oriental Garden Lizard) are usually a dull brown, grey or olive with speckles or bands, but can can be seen in other colours such as bright green. These colour changes may reflect their moods. Merlion Wayfarer spotted this one along the staircase near Mayflower Primary School....

Thump! Splat! Smack!

Somewhere Out There Singapore October 2012 This morning Merlion Wayfarer was shocked out of her sleep by a loud THUMP! on her glass door. Thinking that it might be a broom or dustpan blown by the strong wind remaining from the rain last night, she ignored it. But curiousity got the better of her, especially since she opened the door and found no one there and all the items in place. A closer look revealed this interesting sight - SPLAT!...