Morning Walk At Upper Seletar Reservoir (01 May 2014)

It was the Labour Day holiday and I awoke early to see if I can get some beetle actions at the Upper Seletar Reservoir. The weather was not good as it rained very heavily just before I set off. Here's an interesting shot of a cherry like plant at the place.

The first beetle was a Leaf Beetle (Gonophora xanthomela) found on a ginger plant leaf.

The next beetle was a 2 mm Leaf Beetle. This beetle is pretty common but often missed because of its size, or passed off as a black speck on a leaf.

Near to the black Leaf Beetle was a tiny 2 mm Ladybird Beetle. It looked like Cryptogonus orbiculus Ladybird Beetle but differed in the color of its head. This has a black head instead of milky yellow of that of Cryptogonus orbiculus Ladybird Beetle.

The number of beetles encountered so far was disappointing even at the regular spots where beetles can be found.  I was hesitating to whether to turn back and go to another place, such as Venus Drive or Lower Pierce Reservoir. Just then I came across a badly eaten up plant with several of this Leaf Beetle (Hoplasoma unicolor) on it.  With this encounter, I decided to stay on and move further into the trail.

Not to far from the Hoplasoma unicolor Leaf Beetle was this Leaf Beetle. It looked a bit odd as it seemed to have some spider web on its elytra. Guessed that it may have a narrow brush with death.

Just as I was moving along the path, a brown colored beetle flew pass and landed under some thick bushes. Upon closer look it was a Tiger Beetle (Cicindela aurulenta).

Moving onto another trail, the beetle at the trail was a 8 mm first-time-encountered Fungus Beetle.

This trail was not particularly fruitful in previous trips and I was not too hopeful that I will find any beetle. To my surprise, I found this lone Leaf Beetle (Eucyclomera nigricollis).

After walking for a while without encountering any beetle, I decided to turn back and just then a brown Leaf Beetle flew onto a dead leaf overhead. The beetle was in such an odd angle that I was not able to get a good shot of it.

After I exited the trail, I moved to another path that will lead back to the car park. I found this first-time-encountered tiny 2 mm black color Leaf Beetle that looked very much like the earlier black Leaf Beetle, except that is body is much more elongated than the previous.

As I was walking slowing along the path, a large yellow color beetle flew right in front of me. It turned out to be a Long Horned Beetle (Oberea clara).

Just then there was some movements on a fallen log and it turned out to be a lovely metallic bluish-green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela chrysippe).

Moving out of the shaded path, a Tumbling Flower Beetle or Pintail Beetle was seen resting on a leaf under some shade.

At just a stone's throw from the car park were these Leaf Beetle hiding in between two leaves.

The highlight of the trip was the encountering of this Tiger Beetle (Neocollyris celebensis).

The last beetle for the trip was just a few meters from my car. It is a Ladybird Beetle (Cryptogonus orbiculus).  As mentioned earlier on, this beetle has a milky-yellow color head.

I am surprised that the trip turned out to be fruitful with a few first-time-encountered beetles and also some not-so-often encountered beetles. Glad that I have stayed the course.