The first beetle that came into my viewfinder was a Net-winged Beetle (Lycostomus porphyrophorus). Noticed the dew on the elytra of the beetle.
Interestingly, the next beetle was also a Net-winged Beetle. It was resting on a leaf, possibly warming up its body to get the day going.
The first beetle at the clearing was a less than 2 mm Leaf Beetle (Eucyclomera nigricollis).
Resting motionlesslt on a air-potato plant was a Ladybird Beetle (Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata). I always find the name of this beetle amazing, especially for a beetle this size.
This time round at the clearing, there were a number of this bronze colored Leaf Beetle (Graphops curtipennis) on the heavy undergrowth. Since the end of the dry spell, the clearing was overran by a thick creeper plants and air-potato plants. All the fallen logs were almost fully covered with creepers.
The undergrowth is so thick that even this first-time-encountered Fungus Beetle has to make do on a leaf instead of the usual rotting logs.
Flying actively around the place were several of this Tumbling Flower Beetle (Glipa malaccana). Although it is a challenge to photograph this beetle, it is worth the patience since the pattern and coloration of this beetle is so pretty.
On a fallen log was a beetle larvae that I termed as Batman beetle larvae due to the its black armor-like body.
Near to the beetle larvae was this Fungus Beetle (Eumorphus quadriguttatus).
On a nearby plant was this small brown beetle. Not sure what type of beetle this is but it looked like a Darkling Beetle.
Moving on towards the "snow tree", a surprise was awaiting by the side of the trail - a mating pair of a Flower Chafer Beetle (Taeniodera monacha) was found under a leave. While photographing them, another female beetle flew onto the leaf and started to disrupt the mating pair. After a short while, the intruding beetle decided to fly off since it was not able to get the attention of the male beetle.
Moving further down the path, I saw something interesting on a leaf and decided to take a closer look. I was so thrilled to find the poop-like thing to be a first-time-encountered Click Beetle.
On a tree trunk was a newly emerged beetle larvae. I am glad to see this type of beetle larvae since they seemed to have disappeared after the dry spell.
At the same spot was this Fungus Beetle with a beetle larvae.
Moving to a shaded area, a first-time-encountered Net-winged Beetle was seen under a palm leaf.
Moving to a fallen log, I was so happy to find a few of this Fungus Beetle (Eumorphus politus) on a bracket fungus. This was the first time I encounter this type of beetle since the start of the dry spell months back. I was not able to find any of this beetle even after the dry spell had ended until now.
On a bracket fungus nearby were a few of this tiny 3 mm Fungus Beetle.
While photographing the tiny Fungus Beetle, two Fungus Beetle (Eumorphius assamensis) emerged from under a bracket fungus. This was another surprise as this type of beetles seemed to have disappeared like the Eumorphus politus Fungus Beetle when the dry spell started.
It was almost time to leave the place, so I picked up my pace a little and headed towards the exit. Passing by a low bush I found this first-time-encountered beetle. It looked very much like a Leaf Beetle except for the hairy and mottled brown coloration.
Near to the interesting looking Leaf Beetle was a Ladybird Beetle (Epilachna admirabilis).
Moving further down, two beetles were seen on a fallen tree. The first one was a Tiger Beetle (Cicindela chrysippe).
The other beetle was a Fungus Weevil.
On the side of the path, a Soldier Beetle was resting on a shaded leaf. It looked very much like a Net-winged Beetle. I may have mistaken it to be a Net-winged Beetle in my earlier posts.
The highlight of the trip was just a meter from the Soldier Beetle. It was a first-time-encountered bright orange Click Beetle (Pachyderes apicalis). I have been wanting to photograph this beetle ever since I came across it in the book “Singapore Biodiversity: An Encyclopedia of the Natural Environment”. I am so happy to be able to photograph it.
On the opposite side of the path was another Soldier Beetle resting on a low bush.
At about 50 meters from the exit, a tiny 3 mm first-time-encountered hairy Lead Beetle was found under a palm leaf.
While walking towards the exit, a Darkling Beetle was found in an unlikely place - the wooden railings that lined the small stream that runs parallel to the trail. This looked like the Strongylium erythrocephalum Darkling Beetle but differs in that it is slimmer and elongated.
[After-note: This is not a Darkling Beetle but a Long Horned Beetle (Collyrodes lacordairei). It mimics another similar looking Darkling Beetle.]
Passing a huge tree by the side of the path near the exit, I would routinely looked for this type of tiny 2 mm Fungus Beetle that lived on this particular tree.
The last beetle that I found was a first-time-encountered 2 mm Leaf Beetle.
The trip was overwhelmingly fruitful with a number of first-time-encountered beetles found. Wonderful trip indeed!
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