TagDoi Chiang Dao

Posted March 16, 20183 Comments Animal behaviour

A tale of a black moth: a Müllerian mimic in Thailand?

This is a story of a moth, Histia flabellicornis (Zygaenidae), which is a Müllerian mimic, which means that it is an unpalatable species in the same area as other unpalatable moths … Continue Reading A tale of a black moth: a Müllerian mimic in Thailand?

Posted March 13, 20181 Comment Animal behaviour

Which way up to read The Map?

It has been suggested that the Common Map butterfly (Cyrestis thyodamas) – also called the Oriental Map – relies for its survival on resting in an upside-down position (1, 2). Or … Continue Reading Which way up to read The Map?

Posted January 27, 20183 Comments Animal behaviour

Denizens of the dappled forest: butterflies

Last October (2017) I had the pleasure of spending a few days in a delightful bungalow at Malee’e Nature Lovers Bungalows; a delightful resort, nestled under shadow of Doi Chiang Dao, Thailand’s … Continue Reading Denizens of the dappled forest: butterflies

Posted January 4, 2018 Animal behaviour

Leaf butterfly: caught in the net!

When I first came across this large spider, I wondered what it was doing with a piece of old leaf. Large Nephila spiders like this produce large asymmetric orb webs on … Continue Reading Leaf butterfly: caught in the net!

Posted November 29, 20171 Comment Animal behaviour

Resin bugs: walking sticky traps

Reduvid bugs (Reduvioidea) – of which there are more than 7,000 named species – have evolved a diverse range of structural and behavioral adaptations to enable them to capture prey (4), … Continue Reading Resin bugs: walking sticky traps

Posted March 5, 20171 Comment Animal behaviour

Bee-flies: the dipteran narwhals

I always enjoy seeing bombyliids (bee-flies). They sound like little helicopters, hovering and buzzing about, and their furry appearance gives them a certain cuteness. They are flies pretending to be … Continue Reading Bee-flies: the dipteran narwhals

Posted March 1, 20171 Comment Animal behaviour

Termites on a trail

I came across these termites moving along a water pipe on the Gully Trail at Wat Tham Pha Plong, Doi Chiang Dao, northern Thailand. The pipes provide water for the … Continue Reading Termites on a trail

Posted February 24, 20175 Comments Animal behaviour

Stingless bees and resin bugs

The peculiar shape of this nest entrance caught my eye. Bees were moving in and out of the trumpet-shaped nest which was located below a large dipterocarp tree, at the … Continue Reading Stingless bees and resin bugs

Posted February 20, 20177 Comments Animal behaviour

Pompilid spider killer

I came across this magnificent spider wasp (Pompilidae) feeding on nectar from these flowers beside the steps leading up to Wat Tham Pha Plong, Chiang Dao, Thailand. I have come across … Continue Reading Pompilid spider killer

Posted January 31, 20161 Comment Animal behaviour

A tale of two butterflies

This butterfly is Vindula erota erota Fabricius, 1793: the Thai Cruiser. There are both Wet and Dry season forms of this species (1). This occurrence of different types or forms … Continue Reading A tale of two butterflies

Posted January 27, 20163 Comments Butterflies

Bunches of butterflies

When visiting Doi Chiang Dao – a place I have written about before (1) – last November (2015), I came across some interesting aggregations of butterflies; composed mainly of Blues … Continue Reading Bunches of butterflies

Posted January 15, 20162 Comments Moths

A medley of moths II: Tinolius species

Tinolius is a genus of five striking moths in the family Erebidae (Noctuoidea), sometimes called Owlet moths. The forewings are buff coloured with different numbers of white spots; the abdomen is pale red … Continue Reading A medley of moths II: Tinolius species