The Peculiar Shaped Petai Flower

We were doing our usual roaming, looking for interesting arthropods, when a heavy object dropped from the sky and hit my arm. It appeared to be a flower, and had a peculiar shape that drew the awkward laugh and smiles in the group. I asked around and found that it was the Petai Flower (Parkia speciosa). I hope you find it as interesting too…. 🙂

1. Petai Flower (Parkia speciosa)

   Chris sportingly held the flower while I took a picture with my mobile phone . Such a beauty isn’t it???? Included a closeup of the stamen in the inset image. It was actually quite solid and felt heavy.



2. Petai Flower (Parkia speciosa)

   Close up of the petai flower’s stamen



3. Petai Flower (Parkia speciosa)

   Close up of the whateveryoucallthatwhitethingy



4. Jumping Spider (Telamonia sp.)

   I was trying to shoot this Jumping Spider attacked by 2 mites when the flower hit me



5. Jumping Spider (Telamonia sp.)

   The mite seems to have sucked a lot from the jumping spider!



6. Jumping Spider (Salticidae)

   More Jumping Spiders, lots of them so I just took some record shots.



7. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha)

   The area had a lot of different planthoppers. This one is often mistaken to be a cicada. Unfortunately it kept moving and flew off eventually before I could take a good photo



8. Jumping Spider (Salticidae)

   Yet another jumping spider!



9. Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae)

   Very cute Derbid Planthopper , but what’s that red thing on top? Another mite?!



10. Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae)

    Yup, looks like another big fat mite with a good harvest



11. Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae)

    The Derbid Planthopper was so cute that I had to take more shots. Many would notice the “cross-eyed” look.



12. Derbid Planthopper (Derbidae)

    View from the top



13. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha)

    There were also many of these planthoppers with a long slender tail



14. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha)

    View from above



15. Lynx Spider (Hamataliwa sp.)

    Found this Lynx Spider guarding her egg sac



16. Lynx Spider (Hamataliwa sp.)

    She remained motionless while I was fumbling around



17. Lynx Spider (Hamataliwa sp.)

    Typical pattern of a Hamataliwa



18. Long-Legged Velvet Mite (Erythraeidae)

    Chris spotted this Long-Legged Velvet Mite , refused to stop moving!



19. Long-Legged Velvet Mite (Erythraeidae)

    Eventually tried to hide under the vine



20. Thrips (Thysanoptera)

    There were also a bunch of Thrips on the branch – a black one seemed to be way different from the rest



21. Leafhopper nymph (Selenocephalinae)

    Chris spotted this Leafhopper nymph , very thin and unique looking!



22. Leafhopper nymph (Selenocephalinae)

    Dorsal view reveals a beautiful pattern and 2 lovely tails



23. Comb-Footed Spider (Janula sp.)

    A really tiny Comb-Footed Spider found hiding under a leaf



24. Crested Lizard (Agamidae)

    A little Crested Lizard ran up a stick behind me, and allowed us to shoot for over 10 minutes!



25. Crested Lizard (Agamidae)

    Close up on the eye. Some said that it looked like an eclipse ” target=”_blank”>Heroes?)



26. Crested Lizard (Agamidae)

    With full flash and a fast shutter, I would get the black, clean background



27. Crested Lizard (Agamidae)

    With a slower shutter and bigger aperture, I could get more colours in the background but with thinner depth of field



28. Crested Lizard (Agamidae)

    The Crested Lizard was really cute when it posed



29. Crested Lizard (Agamidae)

    When I finally got the exposure correct, the Crested Lizard started scrambling away



30. Me shooting a crested lizard”>

    How I looked with my setup when trying to shoot the lizard. Photo ©2013 Chris Ang.



31. Jumping Spider (Epeus sp.)

    Chris found this male Jumping Spider



32. Jumping Spider (Epeus sp.)

    Record shot of the dorsal view



33. Jumping Spider (Epeus sp.)

    Check out the eyes~~



34. Wolf Spider (Ovia sp.)

    This Wolf Spider had been on my wish list for quite a while. Always near me but I managed to miss it each time the rest shot it. This time, I was the only one shooting it!!



35. Wolf Spider (Ovia sp.)

    It had a pair of large, bulging eyes



36. Wolf Spider (Ovia sp.)

    This little fella had a habit of running to the edge of the leaf and resting there



37. Wolf Spider (Ovia sp.)

    Yup, just let your legs loose and relax



38. Wolf Spider (Ovia sp.)

    Other than the bulging eyes, this Wolf Spider has a dark blue sheen on the carapace



39. Wolf Spider (Ovia sp.)

    Highlighting the bulging eyes



40. Long Horn Orb Weaver (Gasteracantha dalyi)

    The rest found this Long Horn Orb Weaver, not sure if it is a Gasteracantha dalyi



41. Long Horn Orb Weaver (Gasteracantha dalyi)

    Originally thought that it was a juvenile Macracantha arcuata, but guess not!



42. Minute Litter Spider (cf. Mysmenidae)

    Tiny little Minute Litter Spider found on the leaf litter



43. Minute Litter Spider (cf. Mysmenidae)

    It was barely 2mm long!



44. Litter Crab Spider (Borboropactus sp.)

    Also found this Litter Crab Spider



45. Litter Crab Spider (Borboropactus sp.)

    Camouflages itself perfectly on branches



46. Litter Crab Spider (Borboropactus sp.)

    Close up on the eyes

The complete album can be viewed here.

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