Afternoon Walk At Windsor Nature Park (24 Jun 2017)

I was unwell the night before and was not able to make it for my weekly night macro session. After a good night rest, I decided to go to Windsor Nature Park for an afternoon walk. For this trip, I decided to reverse my usual route and start from the end of my usual route.

Here's a photograph of a cicada's molt (exuviae) found on the side of a tree.

The first beetle for the trip was a 2 mm Spiny Leaf Beetle (Hispa atra) found on a blade of grass.

Near to the Spiny Leaf Beetle was a 2 mm Ladybird Beetle on a leaf of a tall bush.

Coming to a dead tree stump, I was glad to be able to find several of this Fungus Beetle.

Further down the trail was this beetle larvae, presumably dead as it was covered by a layer of mold.

As I walked down the trail, I was pleasantly surprised to find this Hispine Beetle on a Air Potato leaf. Notice the fresh telltale bite marks on the leaf.

Further down on a fern was a 10 mm beetle. After checking through my records, I think I could have wrongly identified this beetle to be a Net-winged Beetle (Calopteron rubricolle). According to the internet, this is a Lucidina species (possibly Lucidina clavareaui or Lucidina malaccana).

On a small tree along the trail was this 2 mm Darkling Beetle.

Just centimeters away was another 2 mm Darkling Beetle.

Coming to a patch of low ferns, a lone Pintail Beetle (Glipa malaccana) was found resting on a leaf.

Near to the Pintail Beetle was a small 2 mm Leaf Beetle on a rubber tree leaf.

The highlight of the trip was this long time didn't encounter Leaf Beetle (Galerosastra sumatrana).

At a cursory glance, I thought that this beetle was the same earlier Lucidina beetle. Upon closer examination, I was glad to discover that it is a Soldier Beetle (Crudosilis ruficollis).

Near by was a 2 mm Ambrosia Beetle on the edge of a leaf.

Walking further down the trail, I was surprised to find this 5 mm Darkling Beetle at the base of a tree. This type of beetle usually come out at night and hence I am surprised to find it in broad daylight.

Coming to a patch of Clidemia hirta plant, a 5 mm Leaf Beetle (Argopus brevis) was found hiding under a leaf.

Near to the patch of Clidemia hirta plant was a wood pile and on it were several Fungus Beetle (Triplatoma gestroi).

Near to the Fungus Beetle was a 3 mm Fungus Weevil, perfectly blended into its background.

On the same log was another bigger 10 mm Fungus Weevil.

Running all over the wood pile was this small 4 mm Ground Beetle (Pericalus tetrastigma).

I was almost at the end of the trail when I encountered this all time favorite 3 mm Weevil Beetle (Demimaea bakeri).

The last beetle for the trip was this 5 mm Leaf Beetle (Graphops curtipennis) found right at the entrance of the trail.

The trip was surprisingly fruitful with the encountering of a number of beetles, even though it was a hot afternoon. Windsor Nature Park (aka Venus Drive) never fail to deliver.

Morning Walk At Lower Peirce Reservoir Park (10 Jun 2017)

I happened to be around the Lower Peirce Reservoir area in the morning and so I decided to go there for some macro photography actions. My young friend Reynard also happened to be free and so he decided to join me there.

It has been a while I last went to Lower Peirce Reservoir Park in the morning and given the not so ideal weather recently, I was not too hopeful that we will find anything interesting. At an area where there are a number of low trees, I was surprised to find more than 10 of this commonly called Daddy Long Leg Spider (Harvestmen, Order Opiliones)

The first beetle for the trip was a small 2 mm Ladybird Beetle (Cryptogonus orbiculus) hiding under a leaf.

Reynard flipped over a small log and this Darkling Beetle (Eucyrtus anthracinus) was under it.

A short walk from the Darkling Beetle was the highlight of the trip, a long time didn't encounter Fungus Beetle (Eumorphus marginatus).

Nearby was a small 5 mm Fungus Beetle.

Hiding within a large white fungus mushroom was a small 3 mm Fungus Beetle (Triplax rufipes).

Coming to a patch of Clidemia hirta plant, Reynard spotted this small 5 mm Leaf Beetle (Hoplosaenidea singaporensis). I always like photographing this beetle because of its lovely metallic blue coloration..

On a small tree was this bronze color Leaf Beetle (Colasposoma auripenne).

We walked into an area with small trees and on one of the trees was this 5 mm Net-winged Beetle (Taphes brevicollis).

Interestingly on another tree nearby was another Net-winged Beetle.

The last beetle for the trip was a treat - a rarely encountered Fungus Beetle (Spathomeles rizali). This beetle looked like it was on steroid with its bulging spots.

Although the number of beetles encountered during this trip was considerably small, I am happy that we are able to find several not so commonly encountered beetles.

Night Walk At MacRitchie Reservoir Park (02 Jun 2017)

The sky was overcast and looked like it may rain, so I decided to go to the nearby MacRitchie Reservoir Park in case of a sudden downpour. From my previous experience with the place, I am not too hopeful that I will find many beetles especially given the not so ideal weather.

Interestingly there were a number of this lovely colored millipede found throughout the trip.

The first beetle for the trip was a Chafer Beetle (Aprosterna pllide) found on a Singapore Rhododendron plant (Melastoma malabathricum).

Near to the Aprosterna pallide Chafer Beetle was another Chafer Beetle under a leaf.

On a tree nearby was a 5 mm Darkling Beetle.

A stone's throw away was another commonly encountered Chafer Beetle (Adoretus compressus) on a Singapore Rhododendron plant.

As expected, it was only after a good 15 minutes or so of walking before I found this pair of 5 mm Click Beetle on a small tree.

More walking without encountering another beetle until this 3 mm Fungus Beetle on a fallen log. When I first photographed the beetle it looked a bit odd, and it was only when I was processing the photographs at home that I saw the drop of water on the beetle's head.

More walking without finding any beetle until this beetle larvae turned up on a small tree.

More walking before finding this small 3 mm Fungus Beetle (Mycetina ideahoensis) on a small tree.

Further down the trail was a dead small tree with several of this 5 mm Fungus Weevil on it.

On a small tree further down was this tiny 1 mm beetle.

On the same tree were several of this lovely 3 mm Fungus Beetle.

It is interesting to note that the trees at this place do not host many critters on them as compared to places like Windsor Nature Park (aka Venus Drive). It was only after some searching before finding this small 1 mm Fungus Beetle.

On another tree in the vicinity was this empty pupae shell.

With the small number of beetles encountered thus far and so I decided to call it a day and turn back. Just at this point that I found this Leaf Beetle (Argopus brevis) on a low Singapore Rhododendron plant.

On a fallen tree near to the entrance of the trail was this Darkling Beetle (Ceropria superba).

The last beetle for the trip was a Fungus Beetle (Eumorphus quadriguttatus quadriguttatus) found on a Clidemia hirta plant.

Although the trip was as expected to be unfruitful, it was still disappointing given the long time spent walking and looking for beetles.