Journal

Do Bugs Mutate?

on
9 September 2011
Bugs from the same species usually look identical to us. But sometimes, we do see weirdos appearing. Are they oddities? Mutants? Or just another species unknown to us? Did they evolve due to the environment (e.g. under sunlight)?

Did a night walk at the Lornie trail, and James found a pink katydid. Possibly mutated? Discoloured?

Pink Katydid (Tettigoniidae) - DSC_3233#1 The pink Katydid

Harvestman (Opiliones) - DSC_3138#2 Found numerous Harvestman (Opiliones) scampering around the dead leaf litter

Harvestman (Opiliones) - DSC_3143#3 Top view of Sir Daddy Long Legs

Twig-like Feather-legged Spider (Miagrammopes sp.) - DSC_3151#4 Twig spider, aka Whip Spider, aka Twig-Like Feather Legged Spider

Praying Mantis nymph (Mantodea) - DSC_3161#5 Wenzhan found this tiny Praying Mantis

Praying Mantis nymph (Mantodea) - DSC_3164#6 It didn’t really want to stay still for me, until it found some food to feast on

Praying Mantis nymph (Mantodea) - DSC_3173#7 Peering up at my camera

Praying Mantis nymph (Mantodea) - DSC_3174#8 Done with food – brush teeth!

Weevil playing dead (Curculionidae) - DSC_3182#9 Weevil playing dead.

Trap Jaw Ant (Odontomachus sp.) - DSC_3194#10 Trap Jaw Ant (Odontomachus) found on the dead leaf litter. Never stopped to pose… just went on and on and on and on…

Trap Jaw Ant (Odontomachus sp.) - DSC_3195#11 Closer view of the trap-jaw ant

Plant Bug? (Miridae?) - DSC_3207#12 Stink bug nymph? Quite a few of these at a junction where we stopped

Plant Bug? (Miridae?) - DSC_3224#13 It had the similar 2 spots on its back as the one Melvyn found in Gunung Santubong

Squash Bug? (Coreidae?) - DSC_2484#14 The one from Guning Santubong, but with more fascinating patterns on its back

The complete album can be viewed here.

James blogged about this trip here.
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NICKY BAY
Singapore

Hi my name is Nicky Bay. I am a macro photographer, instructor and book author, travelling the world to document the vast micro biodiversity that nature has to offer. Follow my updates and discover with me the incredible beauty and science behind our planet's micro creatures!

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