A Walk Around The Neighbourhood (21 Jan 2013)

Looking at the weather forecast, it is going to be another week of wet weather. Today seems to be an exception so seizing the opportunity, I went for a walk around the wilder part of the neighbourhood.

The first beetle that greeted me was this beautiful little Ladybird. It's been a while I last came across this type of ladybird. Isn't this beetle lovely?

The next beetle that came into my view finder was this little leaf beetle. It started off rather edgy and move around a lot, but after a short while it decided to pose for the camera.

Moving on, this other type of ladybird appeared. It was pretty difficult to photograph this beetle due to the strong wind at this place. The wind was almost non-stop but nevertheless I managed to take a quick shot when the wind died down a little. Really not easy to take macros shots on a windy day.

Next was a common shiny little beetle that sat so comfortably in the middle of a leaf, but after a few camera shots it decided that it had enough and started to slowly move off.

Further down was this little hairy beetle which can be found in the dozens around the area.

In a nearby tree, I found this velvety little beetle. The flowers of this tree seem to be the main attraction for beetles as I managed to find a number of different beetles among the small flowers on the tree.

An Anomala variegata was one of the many types of beetle found among the flowers.

Passing a tree, I noticed something black and took a closer look. It turned out to be a tiny little beetle.

The place was full of this black little beetle (Apogonia expeditionis).

Looking at a tree trunk, one will find many of this little creature. I love the color contrast of this beetle.

Walking further, I came across a large tree and on the leaves I found this beetle which looks like one of the beetle earlier on, just that the color of this beetle is a shade lighter.

While taking the photo of the above beetle, I noticed some movements on the tree trunk. Taking a closer look, I found this little beetle that looks like a Fungus Weevil.

While taking the photograph of the fungus beetle, this black beetle appeared.

Moving further into the 'wild', this beautiful ladybird appeared.

On a nearby plant, I found this little beetle. Although it looks pretty much like Apogonia expeditionis but it is not. Comparing Apogonia expeditionis with this beetle, you will have noticed the color of this beetle is not the same - Apogonia expeditionis is jet black in color whereas this beetle has a brown color elytra.

On the way back, I came across this little beetle which looked different in terms of color and at the same time, it also has a white 'lip'.

The place surprised me as I was not expecting to find so many different types of beetles. A great walk indeed!

A Walk At Dairy Farm Nature Park (17 Jan 2013)

After almost a week of wet weather, the weather today is exceptionally sunny and warm - perfect weather for a walk in the park. This time round it is Dairy Farm Nature Park. It has been a long time since I last visited the place and hence I headed to the place with much expectation.

Started the walk through a lesser travelled path and immediately a yellow little beetle flew across my path and landed under a leaf. It is about 5mm in length. It looks like a long horned beetle. ID anyone?

Along the path there were a few fallen logs and bracket fungus were growing on it. Moving busily on the fungus were two fungus beetles (Eumorphus dilatatus turritus). The beetles seem dusty, perhaps caused by the previous few days of rain.

Not too far down, I came across a tree with a fair bit of lichen. As I moved closer, something tiny caught my eyes, a fungus beetle. It looked slightly different from the 4 spotted fungus beetles that I saw before as the upper yellow spots are much rounder compared to the ones I came across previously. May be a different one to be added to my list of fungus beetles.

After the encounter with the fungus beetle, it seems that all the beetles were hidding for the noon-day sun. Pretty hot noon I must add. I was about to turn back and move to another trail when some tiny beetles caught my eyes. They look like fungus beetles but very small in size about 2mm or may be lesser. The little critters were pretty busy.

Another photograph of the tiny beetle. This was not so busy and hence I was able to get a much closer shot.

After photographing the tiny beetles, I decided to go back to the more frequently used paths. Just at the start of the trail and I saw this Tumbling Flower Beetle (Glipa malaccana). This little beetle never fails to enchant me with the patterns on its elytra.

Moving along the main path, a tiger beetle (Therates dimidiatus) suddenly came into view while I was trying to take a photo of an unsual looking fly. Like all Tiger Beetles, this beetle is easily spooked and I ended up using a tele-zoom instead a macros shot.

Moving into a small path, the path suddenly was full of activities. A couple of Tiger Beetles (Cicindela aurulenta) were running and flying around. You will need a lot of patience to photograph them. Glad to catch this beetle while rested for a little while.

As I walked along the path, I saw another fallen tree log and moved closer to see if there any fungus beetles on it. Just about 1.5 metres from the tree log, I can see tiny little shiny green beetle running away. So taking a few step back and I waited. Within a short while a dozen of this small ground beetles started to appear. Looks like a Tiger Beetle but I saw a blog that says that this is a ground beetle. Can anyone give an ID to this beetle?

Moving along the path, more Tiger Beetles (Therates dimidiatus) appeared.

Moving along an open patch of the trail, the sun is really beating down on everything. The temperature suddenly became so much hotter just metres away from the shade of the forest. While hurrying to move into the shade again, a pleasant surprise flew right in front of me. It was another type of Tiger Beetle (Neocollyris celebensis)  that I have seen it many times on the internet, but never get to see it in person.

Like the rest of the Tiger Beeltes, it is easily spooked. I was trying to get close to it for a good macros shot, it simply flew off. In order not to lose the subject, I have to use the tele-zoom in order to capture some shots.

Just when things are getting interesting, I came across a sign along the path saying - " Trail closed due to soil erosion". Looking at the time, I decided to call it a day and turned back from where I came from.

Just before I am out of the trail, another Tiger Beetles (Therates dimidiatus) appeared. This time round it is slightly less active. May be the hot weather may have something to do with it. With this as the last shot, I left the place satisfied to be able to capture the photographs of the various beetles.

A Walk Around The Neighbourhood (09 Jan 2013)

It rained the whole afternoon and subsided soon after the sky turned dark. Feeling bored, I grabbed my camera and decided to walk around the neighbouthood to see what I can find.

The first beetle that came into my camera's view finder was this relatively large bum Chafer beetle (apogonia destructor ?).

 
Another Chafer Beetle.

More Chafer Beetle.

Looking around the trees, found this litte interesting beetle.

This looks very much like a fungus beetle (ID needed). Upon closer examination, the beetle has some interesting red colours and the tiny black dots look very much like mite.  

Lastly, a close shot of another beetle

This beetle is slightly bigger than the apogonia destructor.

I am thankful that despite the wet weather, I am still able to get several different beetles!
  

Morning Walk At Botanic Gardens ( 05 Jan 2013)

The weather looks absolutely nice and so after sending my son to his school for CCA, I took a detour and ended up at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. As expected, the place was packed with people - joggers, family outing, domestic helpers and tourists, etc.
My aim to go to Botanic Gardens is primarily to take some photographs of the Donacia javana, a type of beetle that lives among the lilies in the ponds. Without any delays, I make a bee-line for a secluded small pond that I know will have what I am looking for. Sure enough there are a number of the little critters on the lilies pad.

After a round of photography with the Donacia javana,  I came across a very tiny little beetle which looks like a black dot to the naked eyes. I was pleasantly surprised to see in the viewfinder the brilliant red color, which contrasted beautifully with the black of the beetle.

Moving along to a patch of ferns, my eyes catch hold of what seems to be a housefly. Upon closer look, it is a Tumbling Flower Beetle, Glipa malaccana. I am surprised to see it as I have visited the place many times but have never see them before. May be it is because I always thought that they were houseflies.

After the encounter with the Tumbling Flower Beetle, I decided to go "off-the-beaten-track" and move into a not so popular spot in the garden. Upon entering the place, there waiting on the leaves to greet me is this pretty shiny beetle.

This beetle has an interesting behaviour; when they sensed danger, it will let go of its perch, roll off the leave that it is on and fly off. All of them did the same each time they sensed my presence or felt the light of my camera flash.

Another shot of the beetle, this time the beetle was pretty cooperative and let me photograph it for a while, until it had enough of my camera flashes and do the standard let go, roll and fly. How interesting!
Just slightly before I am due to leave the place, I came across a patch of big palm trees and found a number of Tumbling Flower Beetles. What a befitting end to the trip!

Night Walk At Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (04 Jan 2013)

I was looking forward to the walk at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and hoping that it would not rain. Well, the sky poured for a while and thankfully it stopped just around evening.  Regardless. I proceeded with the walk knowing well that the rain will washout the trip.
 The place was pretty much wet and at some places muddy, but the allure of finding some interesting beetles drives me on.

The starting is worse than I have anticipated - not a single bug is in sight, let alone beetles. After walking for almost 20 minutes and didn't find many interesting critters, besides a few grasshoppers and crickets. The temptation was to go home and take a nice warm shower, rather than walking in the dark with almost nothing of interests. My fingers were itching for some macro actions.
Finally after almost 30 minutes of the walk that I found this tiny little beetle:

Like our local saying goes "No fish, prawn also good", a number of photographs of the fingus beetle were snapped; more to pacify those itching fingers.

Due to the rain, even this chafer that we commonly see also became a rare sight. Another pacifier for my itching fingers.
As time passes and to much of my relief, more critters started to appear.

The appearance of this fungus beetle marks the turning point for the trip. More beetles started to appear.

Another fungus beetle appeared (Eumorphus dilatatus turritus).

More fungus beetles.

Other beetles started to appear.

A weevil beetle came out. Look how wet it is.

Just when things are getting interesting, I have to leave to catch the public transport back home. Relunctantly, I started to make my way back. Just then a really pleasant surprise appeared.

Yeah! I have been reading about this beetle online but have never got the opportunity to see it. Finally I got to see it in person. I am surprised by the size of this beetle, it is rather small (about 1cm). Thanks to macro photography, all the photographs I saw online make them look like monsters.
I did a check and I believe this is a fungus beetle and is called Amphisternus vomeratus.
This marked the end of the walk and it ended wonderfully. Glad that I have persevered and continued with the walk.

A Walk At Upper Peirce Reservior on New Year Day (01 Jan 2013)

Today is the first day of 2013. The weather was wonderful and  super sunny , especially after a couple of days of rain. The best thing to do is to go for a walk and hopefully snap some beetle photographs. This time the destination is Upper Peirce Reservior.
The very first beetle that greeted me is this orange leaf beetle. It seems to be in great abundance here:

Moving along, I came across a Net-winged Beetle (Taphes brevicollis). Sadly, my camera was a little slow and while trying to get a good shot of the critter, it flew right off the view-finder and disappeared. Despite looking for it around the place,I was not able to find it.

Just as I was lamenting the missed opportunity (I have always been wanting to get a photograph of a Net-Winged Beetle), adjacent to where I am is a huge birdnest fern. "Perfect habitat for the Tumbling Flower Beetle!", I was talking to myself.  Indeed within a few seconds, I spotted two cute little Tumbling Flower Beetle (Glipa malaccana) :

Not easy to take photograph of this beetle without a tripod but thankfully I managed to get a few clear shots.
Just then a tiny Ladybird Beetle flew near me.

I just simply love the color of this little beetle!
By chance, I stumbled upon a track that I have not tried before.  The track is tucked away in a corner and would not be obvious to any casual passer-by.

Not much happening along the track but I was able to spot a tiny little weevil beetle. It is interestingly patterned - it is like wearing a striped  pyjama.

Walking further on, I came across this really tiny little weevil beetle. I think it should be atmost 2mm if not 3mm in size.

Walking pass two anglers along the trail (or should that be poachers?), a small and colorful beetle caught my eyes.

Pardon the poor shot as I wanted to capture the shiny color of the beetle without using the flash. Incidentally, the place is under some tree canopy. Guess in future, I would need to have flash diffuser to allow better focus and lighting,
After shedding buckets of perspiration and just when I am ready to leave the place, a little beetle came out to bid farewell.

Although I didn't come across many beetles, the walk was pretty good given the fact that I got a glimpse of a Net-winged Beetle and get to snap some photo of the Tumbling  Flower Beetle.
Until then.