#09b, Nature Walk @ Ubin

Ok, so a continuation of my previous post (well, kinda).

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So these are some of the animals/insects I saw:-


Early into the day at Pulau Ubin, I saw a few of the Oriental Pied Hornbills. I was really ELATED. I was literally jumping for joy because it was my first time seeing them. Aren't they beautiful? [Haha right but t photograph's not exactly very well exposed!]

These birds are pretty common over at Ubin & make nests in old tree trunks. It's interesting to note that the males have to court females, and persuade them to enter the cavities (future nests) in the tree trunk. They mate, later leaving the female inside the cavity which would be sealed. She would then shed her feathers, lay her eggs and wait for the male to bring her food for the next 3 + months during the incubation and raising of the young hornbills.

Golden Orb Spider

I'd posted something on it before. It's quite interesting to note that there were a few males at the side of the web. These spiders ain't exactly venomous but its bite can cause ulcers and skin loss (necrotising arachnidism).

So, is this a moth or a butterfly?

Let's read this paragraph from http://www.fieldmuseum.org/butterfly/bvsm_basic.htm & http://www.bugs.org/BUGQuiz/answers/butterfly_moth.shtml.

• Butterflies have knobbed antennae; those of moths rangefrom straight filaments to feathery or branched.
• Butterflies have smooth, slender bodies; moths tend to be plump and fuzzy.
• Most butterflies fly during the day; most moths fly at night.
• Butterflies generally rest with their wings held upright; moths spread them out.
• Most of the brightly colored Lepidoptera (it's the order that the moths and butterflies are in, which comes from the words 'scales' and 'wings' in latin) are butterflies.
• Butterflies go through metamorphosis in a chrystalis, while moths go through it in a cocoon. It's the different methods in which they make use of the silk.

Well, this is actually a male blue pansy (thank you July for the ID!). The blue pansy is a sun-loving butterfly, so expect to see them fluttering about in broad day light! This species belongs to the genus Junonia, and is one of the four that can be found in Singapore (view http://butterflycircle.blogspot.com/2007/12/singapores-sun-loving-pansies-part-1.html for more information).

Some spider photographs. It's great seeing so many spiders (large sized ones!!) & the male spiders too!