Journal

The Peculiar Shaped Petai Flower

on
28 August 2013

We were doing our usual roaming, looking for interesting arthropods, when a heavy object dropped from the sky and hit my arm. It appeared to be a flower, and had a peculiar shape that drew the awkward laugh and smiles in the group. I asked around and found that it was the Petai Flower (Parkia speciosa). I hope you find it as interesting too…. 🙂

    Petai Flower (Parkia speciosa) -
  1. Petai Flower (Parkia speciosa)

    Chris sportingly held the flower while I took a picture with my mobile phone . Such a beauty isn’t it???? Included a closeup of the stamen in the inset image. It was actually quite solid and felt heavy.

  2. Petai Flower (Parkia speciosa) - DSC_3238
  3. Petai Flower (Parkia speciosa)

    Close up of the petai flower’s stamen

  4. Petai Flower (Parkia speciosa) - DSC_3237
  5. Petai Flower (Parkia speciosa)

    Close up of the whateveryoucallthatwhitethingy

  6. Jumping Spider (Salticidae) - DSC_3235
  7. Jumping Spider (Telamonia sp.)

    I was trying to shoot this Jumping Spider attacked by 2 mites when the flower hit me

  8. Jumping Spider (Salticidae) - DSC_3236
  9. Jumping Spider (Telamonia sp.)

    The mite seems to have sucked a lot from the jumping spider!

  10. Jumping Spider (Salticidae) - DSC_3243
  11. Jumping Spider (Salticidae)

    More Jumping Spiders, lots of them so I just took some record shots.

  12. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha) - DSC_3246
  13. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha)

    The area had a lot of different planthoppers. This one is often mistaken to be a cicada. Unfortunately it kept moving and flew off eventually before I could take a good photo

  14. Jumping Spider (Salticidae) - DSC_3247
  15. Jumping Spider (Salticidae)

    Yet another jumping spider!

  16. Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae) - DSC_3252
  17. Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae)

    Very cute Derbid Planthopper , but what’s that red thing on top? Another mite?!

  18. Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae) - DSC_3257
  19. Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae)

    Yup, looks like another big fat mite with a good harvest

  20. Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae) - DSC_3258
  21. Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae)

    The Derbid Planthopper was so cute that I had to take more shots. Many would notice the “cross-eyed” look.

  22. Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae) - DSC_3264
  23. Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae)

    View from the top

  24. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha) - DSC_3267
  25. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha)

    There were also many of these planthoppers with a long slender tail

  26. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha) - DSC_3269
  27. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha)

    View from above

  28. Lynx Spider (Hamataliwa sp.) - DSC_3275
  29. Lynx Spider (Hamataliwa sp.)

    Found this Lynx Spider guarding her egg sac

  30. Lynx Spider (Hamataliwa sp.) - DSC_3279
  31. Lynx Spider (Hamataliwa sp.)

    She remained motionless while I was fumbling around

  32. Lynx Spider (Hamataliwa sp.) - DSC_3288
  33. Lynx Spider (Hamataliwa sp.)

    Typical pattern of a Hamataliwa

  34. Long-Legged Velvet Mite (Erythraeidae) - DSC_3290
  35. Long-Legged Velvet Mite (Erythraeidae)

    Chris spotted this Long-Legged Velvet Mite , refused to stop moving!

  36. Long-Legged Velvet Mite (Erythraeidae) - DSC_3293
  37. Long-Legged Velvet Mite (Erythraeidae)

    Eventually tried to hide under the vine

  38. Thrips (Thysanoptera) - DSC_3300
  39. Thrips (Thysanoptera)

    There were also a bunch of Thrips on the branch – a black one seemed to be way different from the rest

  40. Leafhopper nymph (Selenocephalinae) - DSC_3302
  41. Leafhopper nymph (Selenocephalinae)

    Chris spotted this Leafhopper nymph , very thin and unique looking!

  42. Leafhopper nymph (Selenocephalinae) - DSC_3307
  43. Leafhopper nymph (Selenocephalinae)

    Dorsal view reveals a beautiful pattern and 2 lovely tails

  44. Comb-Footed Spider (Theridiidae) - DSC_3319
  45. Comb-Footed Spider (Janula sp.)

    A really tiny Comb-Footed Spider found hiding under a leaf

  46. Crested Lizard (Agamidae) - DSC_3326
  47. Crested Lizard (Agamidae)

    A little Crested Lizard ran up a stick behind me, and allowed us to shoot for over 10 minutes!

  48. Crested Lizard (Agamidae) - DSC_3326b
  49. Crested Lizard (Agamidae)

    Close up on the eye. Some said that it looked like an eclipse ” target=”_blank”>Heroes?)

  50. Crested Lizard (Agamidae) - DSC_3328
  51. Crested Lizard (Agamidae)

    With full flash and a fast shutter, I would get the black, clean background

  52. Crested Lizard (Agamidae) - DSC_3331
  53. Crested Lizard (Agamidae)

    With a slower shutter and bigger aperture, I could get more colours in the background but with thinner depth of field

  54. Crested Lizard (Agamidae) - DSC_3358
  55. Crested Lizard (Agamidae)

    The Crested Lizard was really cute when it posed

  56. Crested Lizard (Agamidae) - DSC_3361
  57. Crested Lizard (Agamidae)

    When I finally got the exposure correct, the Crested Lizard started scrambling away

  58. Me shooting a crested lizard
  59. Me shooting a crested lizard”>

    How I looked with my setup when trying to shoot the lizard. Photo ©2013 Chris Ang.

  60. Jumping Spider (Salticidae) - DSC_3367
  61. Jumping Spider (Epeus sp.)

    Chris found this male Jumping Spider

  62. Jumping Spider (Salticidae) - DSC_3370
  63. Jumping Spider (Epeus sp.)

    Record shot of the dorsal view

  64. Jumping Spider (Salticidae) - DSC_3372
  65. Jumping Spider (Epeus sp.)

    Check out the eyes~~

  66. Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) - DSC_3382
  67. Wolf Spider (Ovia sp.)

    This Wolf Spider had been on my wish list for quite a while. Always near me but I managed to miss it each time the rest shot it. This time, I was the only one shooting it!!

  68. Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) - DSC_3385
  69. Wolf Spider (Ovia sp.)

    It had a pair of large, bulging eyes

  70. Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) - DSC_3389
  71. Wolf Spider (Ovia sp.)

    This little fella had a habit of running to the edge of the leaf and resting there

  72. Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) - DSC_3415
  73. Wolf Spider (Ovia sp.)

    Yup, just let your legs loose and relax

  74. Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) - DSC_3425
  75. Wolf Spider (Ovia sp.)

    Other than the bulging eyes, this Wolf Spider has a dark blue sheen on the carapace

  76. Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) - DSC_3442
  77. Wolf Spider (Ovia sp.)

    Highlighting the bulging eyes

  78. Long Horn Orb Weaver (Gasteracantha dalyi) - DSC_3458
  79. Long Horn Orb Weaver (Gasteracantha dalyi)

    The rest found this Long Horn Orb Weaver, not sure if it is a Gasteracantha dalyi

  80. Long Horn Orb Weaver (Gasteracantha dalyi) - DSC_3495
  81. Long Horn Orb Weaver (Gasteracantha dalyi)

    Originally thought that it was a juvenile Macracantha arcuata, but guess not!

  82. Minute Litter Spider (Mysmenidae) - DSC_3503
  83. Minute Litter Spider (cf. Mysmenidae)

    Tiny little Minute Litter Spider found on the leaf litter

  84. Minute Litter Spider (Mysmenidae) - DSC_3508
  85. Minute Litter Spider (cf. Mysmenidae)

    It was barely 2mm long!

  86. Litter Crab Spider (Borboropactus sp.) - DSC_3512
  87. Litter Crab Spider (Borboropactus sp.)

    Also found this Litter Crab Spider

  88. Litter Crab Spider (Borboropactus sp.) - DSC_3517
  89. Litter Crab Spider (Borboropactus sp.)

    Camouflages itself perfectly on branches

  90. Litter Crab Spider (Borboropactus sp.) - DSC_3520
  91. Litter Crab Spider (Borboropactus sp.)

    Close up on the eyes

The complete album can be viewed here.

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NICKY BAY
Singapore

Hi my name is Nicky Bay. I am a macro photographer, instructor and book author, travelling the world to document the vast micro biodiversity that nature has to offer. Follow my updates and discover with me the incredible beauty and science behind our planet's micro creatures!

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