Via Flickr:
Stink bug nymph (Pentatomidae), Perak, Malaysia.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
Golden Silk Orb Weaver, Nephila sp.
I have moved to http://keicmacro.blogspot.com/
There are over 150 species of golden silk orb-weavers world wide. I found one that has a unique visual feature on the ventral view.
There are over 150 species of golden silk orb-weavers world wide. I found one that has a unique visual feature on the ventral view.
If you look carefully, there appear a human-like face and a rib-cage.
This spider was found among tall grass and bushes in the rain forest, Pahang, Malaysia, at 1000 m above sea level.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Neoscona Punctigera (Ghost spider)
see also http://keicmacro.blogspot.com/
Ghost spider
The Neoscona punctigera has a nickname, ghost spider. As the name suggests, it is active during the night hunting and rest during the day. At night, it constructs spiraling web to trap prey. Unlike other spider which leave the web as it is, the ghost spider takes down the web during the day. It does so by eating the web and will be recycled. They are mostly found resting on leaves, branches, or rocks.
It is also called "monkey spider" by some people. The name is a result of its appearance when it is resting (dorsal view: see photograph)
Better photograph quality at: https://flic.kr/p/e7dSfN
Ghost spider
The Neoscona punctigera has a nickname, ghost spider. As the name suggests, it is active during the night hunting and rest during the day. At night, it constructs spiraling web to trap prey. Unlike other spider which leave the web as it is, the ghost spider takes down the web during the day. It does so by eating the web and will be recycled. They are mostly found resting on leaves, branches, or rocks.
It is also called "monkey spider" by some people. The name is a result of its appearance when it is resting (dorsal view: see photograph)
Better photograph quality at: https://flic.kr/p/e7dSfN
The abdomen looks like there are eyes there. When at rest, the legs are folded such that it looks like a smiling monkey with hands touching the head (imagine the abdomen is the monkey head).
These photographs were taken in Selangor, Malaysia.
These photographs were taken in Selangor, Malaysia.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Asarkina ericetorum (Fabricius, 1781)
I have moved to http://keicmacro.blogspot.com/
The size of the above specimen is about 10 mm in length, has orange-yellow abdomen with four narrow black bands, orange scutellum, black metallic thorax, large maroon compound eyes, metallic-blue frontal vitta, has golden-orange hairs on the thorax, abdomen, scutellum, legs and the face.
The flight pattern is quite interesting. It has the capability to hover at one spot during flight. It also hovers from spot to spot before resting on a leaf or flower. Due to the shape and colour, it is often mistaken as wasp by some people.
It is a beneficial insect where its larvae prey on aphids, and adults pollinate flowers. The adult hoverfly feeds on dew or nectar.
Diptera.Syrphidae.Syrphinae.Syrphini
Reference site:
http://www.diptera.info/photogallery.php?photo_id=9808
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Orange_striped_hover_fly_(5693863789).jpg
The size of the above specimen is about 10 mm in length, has orange-yellow abdomen with four narrow black bands, orange scutellum, black metallic thorax, large maroon compound eyes, metallic-blue frontal vitta, has golden-orange hairs on the thorax, abdomen, scutellum, legs and the face.
The flight pattern is quite interesting. It has the capability to hover at one spot during flight. It also hovers from spot to spot before resting on a leaf or flower. Due to the shape and colour, it is often mistaken as wasp by some people.
It is a beneficial insect where its larvae prey on aphids, and adults pollinate flowers. The adult hoverfly feeds on dew or nectar.
Diptera.Syrphidae.Syrphinae.Syrphini
Reference site:
http://www.diptera.info/photogallery.php?photo_id=9808
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Orange_striped_hover_fly_(5693863789).jpg
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Brachyplatys
I have moved to http://keicmacro.blogspot.com/
I do not have any other shots of this shield bug. It flew away after the first shot; at a garden in Bandar Puteri Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia. The size of this bug is roughly 4 mm long.
I do not have any other shots of this shield bug. It flew away after the first shot; at a garden in Bandar Puteri Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia. The size of this bug is roughly 4 mm long.
Thanks to Paride Dioli for helping me identify this bug.
Family: Plataspididae (often misspelled Plataspidae) are a family of shield bugs native to the Eastern Hemisphere: shining, oval hempteran insects in the superfamily Pentatomoidea - Paride Dioli
Further search found that this shield bug falls under the genus Brachyplatys, species Brachyplatys cf. subaenus. The head of the male and female are similar, black glossy body, with yellow sides at the leading edge and the side edge of the head and pronotum but may differ from individual to individual, some individuals are all black.
[Edit:]
I returned to the same site and spotted it again (picture below).
Friday, August 17, 2012
Tachinidae
I have moved to http://keicmacro.blogspot.com/
This photography was taken at the foot hill of Bukit Larut (Maxwell Hill), Taiping, Perak, Malaysia in the late evening.
Despite the dim environment, the fly seemed sensitive to my movement. The abdomen is slightly transparent. According to Chris Raper, this looks like subfamily dexiinae.
This photography was taken at the foot hill of Bukit Larut (Maxwell Hill), Taiping, Perak, Malaysia in the late evening.
Despite the dim environment, the fly seemed sensitive to my movement. The abdomen is slightly transparent. According to Chris Raper, this looks like subfamily dexiinae.
Monday, July 16, 2012
The Crazy Black Ant (Paratrechina longicornis)
I have moved to http://keicmacro.blogspot.com/
They are called crazy ants due to their erratic but quick movements, like we call somebody crazy when he is driving with speed with unpredictable directions. I personally find this type of ant extremely difficult to photograph because it doesn't stay put, unless when they're eating. I noticed when the ant is surveying an area, it often return to the some spots for a short duration. I make use of this pattern by pre-focusing on that spot and snap it when it stops there. Here's the shot:
The crazy black ant is not entirely black, but with bluish patches. Their quick reflex and response to objects around them is astonishing!
They are called crazy ants due to their erratic but quick movements, like we call somebody crazy when he is driving with speed with unpredictable directions. I personally find this type of ant extremely difficult to photograph because it doesn't stay put, unless when they're eating. I noticed when the ant is surveying an area, it often return to the some spots for a short duration. I make use of this pattern by pre-focusing on that spot and snap it when it stops there. Here's the shot:
The crazy black ant is not entirely black, but with bluish patches. Their quick reflex and response to objects around them is astonishing!
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