unusual plants, insects, ...what have you seen?

villagefarang · August 30, 2013

Not sure who this is. Only saw him once many years ago.

Wow, supercool!

It's a Longhorn Beetle, probably Aristobia horridula.

It looks similar to this one:

Thysia wallichi tonkinensis with similar 'tootbrush' antennae LOL

Yours is way more cool!

naruk · August 30, 2013

kevvy · August 30, 2013

heh guys

what sort of trees attract Cicadas . I love the sound they give out .. Just planning for the future. thanks all ...have a great night.

boomerangutang · August 30, 2013

I don't think Cidadas are particular about which type of tree the crawl up. When I was a kid in Wash.D.C. suburbs, there were tree lined streets where cicadas would coordinate their calls, on and off, so it sounded like the whole universe was making rhythmic sounds. Did you know the assumed reason cicadas time their arrival (coming out of the ground) at such odd times, like every 13 years? Apparently, it's to thwart the many species that eat them. If the bugs came out at shorter intervals, like every 2 years, all sorts of prey animals would be waiting for them.

Speaking of universal sounds: scientists have figured the sound of a supernova: C (I jest not)

However, to hear it, you'd have to have an ear about the size of the solar system because the tone is so low.

pomchop · August 30, 2013

The next time you see a few ants crawling about consider some of these ANT FACTS.

Ant fact 1. The total weight of all the ants in the world is the same as, if not larger than that of all humans.

Ants are arguably the greatest success story in the history of the animal kingdom.

For every human there are about one million ants. In tropical regions; where ants are very common, their weight can exceed that of ground living 'vertebrates' (animals with backbones) by up to four times! (PNAS) (The Ants)

Ant fact 2. Some ants can support up to 100x their own weight upside down on glass.

The Asian weaver ant can carry weights of more than 100 times their own body weight whilst upside down on a glass!

Ant fact 3. The largest ant colony ever found was over 6000 Km or 3750 miles wide.

A giant colony of invasive Argentinian ants stretching 6000 Km or 3750 miles has been discovered in Europe posing a major threat to local animals and crops. Although they exist in their usual smaller group size in their homeland, the colonies have merged to create one massive super colony. (BBC)

Ant fact 4. Ants are the longest living of all insects, living for up to 30 years.

A queen ant was recorded to have lived for 30 years in its natural habitat in Idahoe USA. (The Ants pg 169)

Ant fact 5. One ant species owns the record for the fastest movement within the animal kingdom.

The jaws or 'mandibles' of trap jaw ant Odontomachus bauri have been recorded to shut at speeds of 230 km/h or 140 mph. This system can exert forces 300 times its own weight, it can be used to kill or damage prey and in times of danger it can push its head to the ground to fling itself away.

Ant fact 6. There are over 12,000, known different species of ants.

The ant database antbase provides access to all the recorded ant species in the world. As of 03 Mar 2010 it has logged 12,565 different species of ants. New species are continually being discovered. It is estimated that there could be around 22,000 different species at this moment in time.

Ant fact 7. The ant is one of the worlds strongest creature in relation to its size.

Ants can carry 50 times their own body weight, and they will work together in small or large groups to move even heavy objects. (About.com) (Madsci)

Ant fact 8. One ant species is the most venemous insect in the world.

The Maricopa harvester ant has the sting equivalent to 12 honey bees! (Wiki) see bites and stings for further info.

Ant fact 9. Dozens of colonies of the worlds smallest ant could live in the brain case of the worlds largest ant.

Carebara atoma are believed to be one of the worlds smallest ant species. Minor workers are around one millimeter long. It has been said that dozens of colonies of the worlds smallest ant could live comfortably inside the brain case of the worlds largest ant, Camponontus gigas, whose head can reach 7mm wide. (see pages 143-155 Adventures among Ants)

Ant fact 10. Ants move an estimated 50 tons of soil per year in one square mile.

Ants are the main turners of the soil - more important than earthworms Edward O Wilson, sociobiologist at Harvard University and the worlds leading authority on social insects.

Ant fact 11. Fire ants cause an estimated $5 billion worth of damage in North America per year.

The FDA estimates that more than $5 billion is spent annually on medical treatment, damage, and control of invasive RIFA (red imported fire ant) infested areas. Furthermore, the ants cause approximately $750 million in damage to agricultural assets, including vet bills and livestock loss as well as crop loss. We currently use bio-control methods to keep these pest ants from further invasion.

fire ant RIFA

Ant fact 12. All worker, soldier and queen ants are female.

Nearly all the ants you see in the wild are female. Males ants, or drones, don't do any work in the colony, they dont look like ants, and only live for a few months during the nuptial flight seasons. Their one job is to fertilize a princess, after which they die.

Ant fact 13. Some ant species are asexual, they clone themselves and do not require any males.

Recently all female leaf cutter ant species have been discovered, they reproduce by cloning themselves! (BBC) (Nat Geo)

Ant fact 14. Ants and humans are the only creatures that farm other creatures.

Ant fact 15. Ants have two stomachs, one to hold food for themselves, and one for others.

Sometimes you may see ants kissing they are actually feeding each other from their social stomachs or crops. This process is called trophallaxis. It enables some ants to stay and look after the nest whilst others forage for food.

Ant fact 16. Some ant species make slaves out of another ant species.

Slave-making occurs in two ways. A queen may go to a nest of a similar ant species and kill the resident queen. She takes over the nest and uses the workers to bring up her own eggs. The original species of ant will eventually die out without their queen to reproduce for them.

The other way in which the slave-making occurs is that workers from a slave-making ant colony will steal other nests of their larvae and pupae and raise them as slave workers.

Ant fact 17. Ants can be found on every continent accept antARCtica.

Ants are very tough and have learnt how to survive in the most extreme environments. However it seems that antARCtica is a bit too cold. Check out the regional ant species to see ants from all around the world.

\

Ant fact 18. Some ants can swim.

Only a few ant species are able to swim.

Ant fact 19. Most ants can survive around 24 hours underwater.

Ants dont have lungs, they breath through small holes found around their bodies, 'spiracles'. When an ant is drowned in a flood, it may appear to be dead. However, if the water can evaporate and there is enough oxygen flowing through these holes, the ant can miraculously comes back to life.

Ant fact 20. Some ants have no eyes.

Most ants have very poor eyesight. Some species have developed such advanced communication through use of their antennae, that they have no need for eyes at all. This major worker from the Driver ant species is a prime example of a 'blind' ant.

Ant fact 21. Some wingless ants can perform a controlled glide when free falling.

Some species of wingless ants that live in tropical rain forest canopies use a controlled glide to return to their home tree trunk when they fall from branches. This helps them avoid the dangers of the forest floor and avoid becoming lost. (Canopy ants)

Ant fact 22. Ants sleep frequently and are often quite lazy.

Although it is commonly thought that ants always work and never sleep, research on fire ant sleeping patterns proves otherwise. It has been uncovered that workers had an average of 253 sleep episodes a day, that lasted an average of 1.1 minutes, for a total of approximately 4.8 hours of sleep overall. Whereas fire ant queens only experienced 92 sleep episodes, but each lasted an average of 6 minutes, for a total of 9.4 hours of sleep overall. (BBC)

Some ants are more active during the day 'diurnal', some at night 'nocturnal'. Also during hibernation, some ants may sleep for around four months!

Ant fact 23. In many parts of the world, ants are eaten by humans as a delicacy.

The pupae of some species of ants are the basis for the Mexican dish called escamoles. They are considered a form of insect caviar and can sell for as much as $40/lb In areas of India. Throughout Burma and Thailand, green weaver ant is used as a condiment with curry and an addition to a salad called yum. The natives of North Queensland Australia enjoy ants that are mashed up in water to make a pleasant acidic drink similar to lemon squash. In Mexico and Australia, honey pot ant repletes are dug out of the ground and sweet nutritional juices are sucked out of their crops.

Ant fact 24. Ants worst enemies are not us, but other ants.

Ants from different colonies, even within the same species, treat each other as enemies. Ants use their jaws 'mandibles' to hold the legs or antennae of an enemy ant while nest mates tear the victim apart. The winners may invade the defeated colony and carry off their young for food or for making slaves.

kevvy · August 30, 2013

I know that species of toads secrete poison through their skin, there's an introduced species in Australia that has done damage to native birds and also killed off a lot of dogs who have picked one up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_toad

My thoughts also, when I read the prior post. Sounds like a cane toad. they're rather horrible, and wreak havoc on many native species they come across. They breed like crazy and have no prey (except a few blackbirds which have figured out how to flip them over to peck and kill them). Even snakes die when they ingest the toads, if they don't get eaten first. I've seen what I thought were the big ugly fellas around C.Rai, but hope I mistakenly identified them. Thailand and SE Asia would be worse off if cane toads took hold here. They're originally from S.America and because they've been there a long time, the native species there have ways of dealing with them.

they are slowly moving south slowly ..

kevvy · August 30, 2013

I don't think Cidadas are particular about which type of tree the crawl up. When I was a kid in Wash.D.C. suburbs, there were tree lined streets where cicadas would coordinate their calls, on and off, so it sounded like the whole universe was making rhythmic sounds. Did you know the assumed reason cicadas time their arrival (coming out of the ground) at such odd times, like every 13 years? Apparently, it's to thwart the many species that eat them. If the bugs came out at shorter intervals, like every 2 years, all sorts of prey animals would be waiting for them.

Speaking of universal sounds: scientists have figured the sound of a supernova: C (I jest not)

However, to hear it, you'd have to have an ear about the size of the solar system because the tone is so low.

do you have them up north ? i love the rhythmic sounds , brings somuch of my childhood memoirs back.

mistephenso · August 30, 2013

Not sure who this is. Only saw him once many years ago.

Wow, supercool!

It's a Longhorn Beetle, probably Aristobia horridula.

It looks similar to this one:

Thysia wallichi tonkinensis with similar 'tootbrush' antennae LOL

Yours is way more cool!

Thanks guys - I was wondering what my little critter below was! It's difficult to search when you have no idea of the name...

Are these 'longhorn' beetles common here...?

DonaldBattles · August 31, 2013

It is almost impossible to control ants at my place. They drive my wife crazy. I have heard of an ant powder that you can sprinkle outside the house and keeps the ants from coming in. Does anyone know about this powder?

DekDaeng · August 31, 2013

I don't think Cidadas are particular about which type of tree the crawl up. When I was a kid in Wash.D.C. suburbs, there were tree lined streets where cicadas would coordinate their calls, on and off, so it sounded like the whole universe was making rhythmic sounds. Did you know the assumed reason cicadas time their arrival (coming out of the ground) at such odd times, like every 13 years? Apparently, it's to thwart the many species that eat them. If the bugs came out at shorter intervals, like every 2 years, all sorts of prey animals would be waiting for them.

& there is another variety which come out after 17 years. So these two only compete every 221 years.

boomerangutang · August 31, 2013

It is almost impossible to control ants at my place. They drive my wife crazy. I have heard of an ant powder that you can sprinkle outside the house and keeps the ants from coming in. Does anyone know about this powder?

simple soap and water work rather well, if feasible. Ants hate any type of soap, and I often use just dish washing lotion.

Reminds me of when I was 6, living in Paris. My dad rarely laughed, but once when was reading the newspaper he laughed out loud. I asked what was up. He said the Parisian authorities had tried all sorts of exotic mixes - to see which worked best to clean up their marble statues. Years later, they realized that regular soap and water worked better than any other concoctions.

glegolo · August 31, 2013

Of course there is a powder here for sale against ants of all kinds, they dies

quickly and within minutes there are absolutely no ant within sight.

prohblem however is that ants probably not have any memory, and that is also probably why we always say

that we can win many of the battles against the insects, but we wil never win the war.

These guys, the ants will come back, but it takes some time. Here in Isaan, it takes some 10 dagys than it is time again to recharge again..... But I use the powder here regularly and i like the results of it....

I have been looking for it here in my home, but i think my wife just used the last of it..... You can easily find it

at Tesco Lotus, Big C and also at all these shops selling poisen and chemicals.... easy to find..

Glegolo

xen · August 31, 2013

Not sure who this is. Only saw him once many years ago.

Wow, supercool!

It's a Longhorn Beetle, probably Aristobia horridula.

It looks similar to this one:

Thysia wallichi tonkinensis with similar 'tootbrush' antennae LOL

Yours is way more cool!

Thanks guys - I was wondering what my little critter below was! It's difficult to search when you have no idea of the name...

Are these 'longhorn' beetles common here...?

Longicorn Beetles that do damage to many trees by ringbarking and boring are often called Long Horn Beetles . Here is a Aussie Longicorn Beetle. (not my photo tho)

kevvy · August 31, 2013

These guys seem to be back in season right now.

wow, nice detail and color clarity. I took a photo of one (can't find it) but it was in a dark place. It nearly completely covered a standard sized cinder block (6" x 12"). I never saw the red white and blue lizard face shown on your image. You could submit it to Nat'l Geographic!

In the prior photo collection, I couldn't quite get the baby pink elephant - then upon enlarging it, there appears to be a spider on it's ear. Here's a suggested name for your pink elephant: 'loxodonta champuensis-noi'

Lots of good photos, not least, the scorpion carrying its white babies. If you were with a Thai person when you saw that, I'm sure they yelped and wanted to kill them all right away.

Also: saw a black land crab crossing the street the other day. Not sure if there's any voodoo about that, like the old blues song: "Ain't superstitious, but a black cat just crossed my trail. Don't sweep me with no broom, I just might wind up in jail."

Just to say thanks for this great topic , it really has been enjoyable to see the pics from everyone . Now I am going to take pictures of all the insects I see ..it is very interesting .

sceadugenga · September 1, 2013

Most digital cameras have a little switch on them for closeups, it's called a macro on mine.

villagefarang · September 1, 2013

Okay he is not an insect, he eats them, but he is so pretty in pink.

sceadugenga · September 1, 2013

Macro button at work, red has black for lunch.

sceadugenga · September 1, 2013

Another bug muncher, he's nervously watching the dog who does not like him one bit.

villagefarang · September 1, 2013

For anyone who likes creepy crawlies, you need to checkout the Nature topic in the Photography Forum. Anguid is an absolute genius at capturing beautiful shots of insects.

Manassas · September 5, 2013

What a coincidence I saw this thread. I was looking at the garden yesterday afternoon and saw the biggest butterfly I've ever seen. It moved like a hummingbird but was the size of a swallow. It danced over the flowers for a long time then flew off. My wife didn't know the name. A quick google found an image, but still no name.

But then, what's in a name? as the poem goes.

wileycoyote · September 13, 2013

Excellent Photos

villagefarang · September 17, 2013

Not unusual, but our bees were swarming again this evening, so snapped this shot. Unfortunately there was not enough light to freeze their movement.

Edited September 17, 2013 by villagefarang

angiud · September 17, 2013

The butterfly is called Common Birdwing (Troides helena)

Sent from my GT-I9500

sceadugenga · October 31, 2013

Going through my photos today and came across this pic of a tree ant's nest.

Tried to load it from Google+ and got knocked back...??

villagefarang · October 31, 2013

That sometimes happens with Google plus but I don't know why. So when it happens to me I go to the underlying Picasa page and I can always copy the link from there.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

snake24 · November 3, 2013

Lord have mercy at these nasty critters. They look better after getting fried with a blow torch.

willyumiii · November 4, 2013

This one!

Obviously a caterpillar of some sort.

The white "threads are feather like and blow in the breeze!

Actually a beautiful little critter!

Seems to only eat my palms.

I found photos of one on Google, but no information at all, not even a name.

Does anyone know anything about it?

Fiddlesticks · November 4, 2013

This one!

DSCF2932.JPG

Obviously a caterpillar of some sort.

The white "threads are feather like and blow in the breeze!

Actually a beautiful little critter!

Seems to only eat my palms.

I found photos of one on Google, but no information at all, not even a name.

Does anyone know anything about it?

It looks like lint!

willyumiii · November 4, 2013

This one!

Obviously a caterpillar of some sort.

The white "threads are feather like and blow in the breeze!

Actually a beautiful little critter!

Seems to only eat my palms.

I found photos of one on Google, but no information at all, not even a name.

Does anyone know anything about it?

sceadugenga · November 6, 2013

I like this beacuse the flowers change colour as they age.

Also has a very sweet heady smell.

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