Here's a non-beetle highlight for the trip - a lovely Elegant Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis formosus) that we came across along Wallace Trail. This is the first time I come across this snake at Dairy Farm Nature Park. Although this is a large specimen (probably about 1.4 m), its coloration is still very vibrant.
The first beetle for the trip was a 5 mm Darkling Beetle (Strongylium sp.) on the side of a small tree.
Just centimeters from the Darkling Beetle was a first-time-encountered 5 mm Ground Beetle on a small piece of broken twig.
A short walk from the Ground Beetle was a bronze colored Chafer Beetle having its meal between two leaves.
Further down the trail was a dead beetle larvae, probably a victim of the parasitoid wasp.
As usual there were numerous small 2 mm Darkling Beetles on many of the trees that lined the trail. They were usually by-passed because of their small size.
On a small leave was this 15 mm Ground Beetle all ready to fly away.
While I was photographing the Ground Beetle, HW called out to me that he found a beetle under a leaf. I walked over and was surprised to find this 3mm Long-toed Water Beetle. I have always wondered where do this diurnal beetle hide in the night and I finally got the answer.
Coming to a fallen log, a lone 5 mm Darkling Beetle was on it.
On another fallen log nearby were several of this 10 mm Darkling Beetle (Ceropria superba).
Interestingly for this trip, this was the only live beetle larvae that I came across.
Near to the beetle larvae was this Fungus Beetle (Eumorphus politus) on the underside of a Air Potato leaf. I was intrigued as to why this Fungus Beetle was on the underside of the leaf as this type of beetle would usually be found on rotting log. My curiosity was answered at the end of the trip.
A stone's throw from the weevil beetle was another Fungus Beetle (Eumorphus quadriguttatus quadriguttatus). By now I am really intrigued as to why this Fungus Beetle was also under the leaf.
The trail was not very long and it took us less than an hour and we were out at the Wallace Education Centre. There is a patch of orchid plants (Arundina gramminifolia) near to the toilet where HW and I found an Orchid Beetle (Lema pectoralis) during our last trip. While talking about that trip, we were glad to be able to find one munching on a orchid flower.
As we were walking on the main road leading to the entrance of the park, the sky became very red and there were flashes of lightning. We decided to pick up our paces and make a bee-line to the shelter at the entrance where the toilet is located. Just when we reached the shelter, the sky started to pour cats-and-dogs. I am surprised that we didn't noticed the threatening sky, probably because of the thick tree canopy in the Wallace Trail. My intrigue was answered. Why the beetles were under the leaves? To find shelter from the rain. A lesson learnt for future trip - to watch the sky when I find beetles under leaves.
Although the number of beetles found on this trip was not as good as that at Windsor Nature Park, it was still a good trip with two first-time-encountered beetles found.
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