Journal

Singapore’s Leaf Rolling Weevils

on
7 September 2012
Leaf Rolling Weevils are sometimes known as Giraffe Weevils due to their longer necks. The necks in the males of certain species are extraordinarily long, but we have not seen those in Singapore yet.

Here’s a video showing how this weevil cuts a leaf and rolls it up into what looks like a spring roll. This rolled leaf serves to protect their newly laid eggs. Some species would cut the rolled leaf and let it drop to the floor, while I’ve seen some left hanging on the branches. When the young are hatched, the larvae will feed on the leaf from inside until they are ready to face the world.



Giraffe Weevil (Korotyaevirhinus necopinus orientalis) - DSC_4878#1 Giraffe Weevil (Korotyaevirhinus necopinus orientalis). Seen this a couple of times, but only if the host plants are present

Giraffe Weevil (Korotyaevirhinus necopinus orientalis) - DSC_4819#2 Top view shows the yellow patches

Giraffe Weevil (Korotyaevirhinus necopinus orientalis) - DSC_4812#3 A preflight shot showing the yellow abdomen

Giraffe weevil (Paratrachelophorus sp.) - DSC_4605#4 Another leaf rolling weevil with different colouration

Giraffe Weevil (Paratrachelophorus sp.) - DSC_4556#5 Doing some cleaning every now and then

Giraffe weevil (Paratrachelophorus sp.) - DSC_4598#6 Pushing an invisible wall

Giraffe Weevil (Paratrachelophorus sp.) - DSC_4515#7 View from above

Giraffe weevil (Paratrachelophorus sp.) - DSC_4618#8 Taking more record shots, DOF very thin here

Giraffe weevil (Paratrachelophorus sp.) -  DSC_4623#9 Head shot

Giraffe Weevil (Paratrachelophorus sp.) - DSC_4534#10 Final angle before letting it hide under the leaf again

Crab Spider (Thomisidae) - DSC_4633#11 A very very tiny Crab Spider (Thomisidae)

Crab Spider (Thomisidae) - DSC_4670#12 A show of threat as I approached

Crab Spider (Thomisidae) - DSC_4648#13 Side profile

Pill Cockroach - DSC_4677#14 Found a very cute little Pill Cockroach on the forest litter

Pill Cockroach - DSC_4693#15 Take a peek at the face!

Pill Cockroach - DSC_4694#16 Peekaboo!

Crab Spider (Thomisidae) - DSC_4702#17 A very different looking Crab Spider on the muddy walls

Crab Spider (Thomisidae) - DSC_4708#18 The fore legs are often stretched forward

Crab Spider (Thomisidae) - DSC_4714#19 Another angle

Crab Spider (Thomisidae) - DSC_4715#20 Closer look at the eyes

Crab Spider (Thomisidae) - DSC_4725#21 Final shot. This is the most common position that you’d find this spider in!

Ground Spider (Zodariidae) - DSC_4730#22 A ground spider (Zodariidae) with a captured ant

Ground Spider (Zodariidae) - DSC_4736#23 Front view

Stick Insect (Phasmatodea) - DSC_4739#24 Unusual view of a stick insect (from bottom up!)

Stick Insect (Phasmatodea) - DSC_4742#25 Close up of the head

Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae) - DSC_4753#26 Found this Huntsman Spider resting on a leaf. Sometimes mistaken to be a sac spider as well.

Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae) - DSC_4768#27 Closer view of the face!

Scorpion (Scorpiones) - DSC_4773#28 Record shot of a scorpion (Lychas scutilus?)

Ground Spider (Zodariidae) - DSC_4776#29 Another ground spider hidden in a folded leaf

Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) - DSC_4780#30 Found some very tiny little wolf spiders (Lycosidae) in their usual dew-ridden webs

Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) - DSC_4782#31 Small, black but cute!

Spider Molt - DSC_4787#32 Record shot of a spider’s moult

Barklouse (Psocoptera) - DSC_4791#33 Victor showed me this very quietly positioned barklouse

Wandering Spider (Ctenidae) - DSC_4793#34 Many wandering spiders (Ctenidae) on the forest litter!

Comb-Footed Spider (Theridiidae) - DSC_4800#35 Comb-footed Spider (Theridiidae) with another captured spider

Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae) - DSC_4803#36 This Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae) captured a cockroach!

Cellar Spider (Pholcidae) - DSC_4804#37 Daddy Long Legs, or Cellar Spider (Pholcidae) carrying a bunch of eggs

Cricket - DSC_4805#38 Haven’t shot crickets in a while, shot this since I’m testing my setup as well.

Comb-footed Spider's nest (Theridiidae) - DSC_4807#39 A spider’s home. But who?

Comb-footed Spider (Theridiidae) - DSC_4819#40 Some legs spotted! Probably a comb-footed spider.

Jumping Spider (Salticidae) - DSC_4811#41 Jumping Spider (Salticidae)

Jumping Spider (Salticidae) - DSC_4817#42 The usual stunned look of a jumping spider

Nephilidae - DSC_4822#43 A Nephilid, one of the many with webs on the surface of tree trunks

Nephilidae - DSC_4825#44 Trying to get a view of the face

Nephilidae - DSC_4828#45 Dorsal view

Comb-Footed Spider (Theridiidae) - DSC_4832#46 Interesting little comb-footed spider

Orb Weaver Spider (Araneidae) - DSC_4835#47 Juvenile orb weaver (Argiope sp.?) with prey

The full 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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