Agumbe Recap (final part)

Read the earlier posts from Agumbe here...

Snakes, Frogs, Insects, Bugs, Beetles, Spiders were there everywhere... literally! Once the sun goes down, all you can hear are the croaks but finding the specimen out is a task and after all the search you see a handsome little fella croaking away to glory concealing himself under a leaf in the middle of a shrub or a plant.

And behind the same croaks you find the silent slithers looking out for a meal and aren't they beautiful! There is a lot of wrong notion about snakes and one is that all of them are venomous. Nope! There are only a handful of venomous snakes found in India whose bites are lethal.

The most commonly found are the Rat snakes or the Checkered Keelbacks whose bites are not lethal for humans.

Please get over the notion and start appreciating their beauty. They have a role to play in the ecosystem and they do it diligently, we just have to let them be what they are and where they are!

(a beautiful Vine snake on the lookout for a meal...)

(I thinks Yellow Bush Frog... will update the Id soon...)

(In between... we gorged on the simple yet delicious homely food!)

(incredibly beautiful Green Vine Snake)

(the man and his passion...)

(A vociferous croaking frog...)

(the Malabar Pit Viper... one of the venomous snakes)

(in the order of ascending height... Ashwini, Gowri, Prashanth and YT at KERC camp)

Agumbe Recap II

Read the earlier post here...

Agumbe is a 'macro' world and you get plenty of opportunities to see them and shoot them. Macro life forms are everywhere...literally right from the leeches that predate on you to the small insects, the colorful dragonflies and damselflies, beetles and bugs of various sizes, the moss dipped in showers gleaming in the occasional sunlight and not to forget the droplets that collect everywhere making it truly a magical place to wander in.

Here are a few frames that I've tried to capture from there... have a look through and do feel free to leave your comments :)

(ain't a beautiful pattern... nature is so beautiful even without life)

(wasp... maybe...!)

(a beetle ready for a meal...!)

(a damselfly... the differ from dragonflies by having closed wings)

(a nemesis for all :) 'Leech')

(Checkered Keelback snakes looking out for dinner...)

(a grasshopper soaked in rain...)

('beetle' 'leaf'...)

(orchid... not sure though!)

(a pretty, spiny caterpillar)

Await for another post to end the series from Agumbe!

Butterflies Part VII

All the other buttering posts here.

In the series of knowing butterflies that we see around our places and in the places I visit, here is the next set for this time...

This is a small attempt to lure people towards the fascinating world of butterflies.


Common Emigrant butterfly
The Common Emigrant or Lemon Emigrant (Catopsilia pomona) is a medium sized pierid butterfly found in Asia and parts of Australia.

Common Pierrot butterfly
The Common Pierrot (Castalius rosimon) is a small butterfly found in South Asia that belongs to the Lycaenids or Blues family. In India the butterfly is primarily found in peninsular India south of the outer ranges of the Himalayas.

Pioneer butterfly
The Pioneer White or African Caper White (Belenois aurota) is a small to medium-sized butterfly of the Family Pieridae, i.e., the Yellows and Whites, which is found in South Asia and Africa.

Blue Oak Leaf butterfly
The South Indian Blue Oakleaf (Kallima horsfieldii) is a nymphalid butterfly found in India. The underside appears like a leaf complete with midrib while the upper side is brilliantly coloured. When on underside, such is the camouflage that you just can’t make out unless it moves.

Await more...
I refer http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/ and Wikipedia for information about butterflies.

Frogging in the Western Ghats

Call it luck or chance, I joined a group for some frogging lessons and amphibian watching by the frog expert Dr. Gururaja Kv at Bisle Ghats, located closer to Sakleshpura town in the prime Western Ghats region.

(out in the field... looking for frogs)

This camp was a continuation of their last year camp (that very well I was unaware of), and many thanks to Avinash that I grabbed this opportunity to attend this camp. I had just begun having interests in frogs/snakes and had purchased the book of Gururaja, Frogs and Toads of the Western Ghats. Vivek and Deepika were the key planners and organizers and we camped at the Samudaya bhavana at Bisle village, completely cut off from the rest of the world.

(art in the rain)

Got to know a whole new bunch of people from diverse backgrounds and interests and I should mention about the youthful, cheerful, smiling Mr Ashokavardhana (of the Athree book centre, Mangalore fame) who was always infusing us with his energetic enthusiasm (that many of us lacked at times) and infectious smile and whistles. You should have a look at his blog in Kannada here.

(find the frog...!)

We had field sessions and indoor sessions to study the distribution of frogs in and around the place and this is planned to be done every year so that there is a base of data collected over few years that helps us study the amphibians and their distribution better.

(field discussions)

What we did? Ganged up on Saturday morning and after a filling breakfast did a small hike inside AshokaVana (pvt land purchased by Ashoka sir and others and completely let grow wild) till Dr Guru and team arrived, then a brief introductory session by the master followed by a homely filling meal and then two field sessions in search of amphibians around. Next day was more relaxing with an early filling breakfast followed by a field session collecting data and then an indoor final session and lunch followed by dispersal.

(art in the rain 2)

Why was Bisle chosen as a place of study? May be because of the copious amounts of rains it receives, less exploitation of the habitat so far and an environment conducive for the amphibians to exist. We will have a trend and some amazing facts coming out in a few years time from now basis the data collected every year.

Personally for me, I got to learn quite a lot of things about amphibians, their life cycles, differences and also was able to connect with a very diverse and vivid group of people, such groups infuse you with the energy at levels that you can only think of. Overall, was a great learning experience and I hope to be back this monsoon again to collect and contribute to the data.

(an indoor session by Dr Gururaja, Priti and Sudhir are seen standing)

Dr Gururaja was accompanied by his wife Priti and good friend Sudhir of Gubbi Labs who themselves are experts in their own fields, related to each other.

(art in the rain 3)

Many things I picked up over the two days:
> Frogs do not hibernate, they are present in their regular places but are less active.
> There are no poisonous frogs in India.
> Frogs and Toads are called amphibians because they have a 2-staged life, tadpole and adult stage and not because they live in water.
> Most of the frogs are territorial, they fight for territories and they kick and choke the opponents.
> No major differences between frogs/toads excepts for the feature that toads have got poison glands on their back (from which they discharge poison) and have rounded snouts.
> Sexes do differ. Males have got vocal sacs and have glands on inner legs called fermonal glands and the males have got nuptial pads on the thumb that differs them from the female who do not exhibit these features.
> Success rate is considered higher in less egg laying frogs, nearly 100%.

(how to hold a frog!)

How to handle Frogs?
They are very sensitive creatures and need to be handled with utmost care else you could suffocate them or break their limbs. Some tips on handling them better...
> clasp them with soft hands and not by force
> hold it gently by its forelegs or hind legs and by abdomen in the case of bigger sized ones.
> allow it to relax before you start inspecting them

Some interesting facts:
> 6000+ species of frogs in the world
> around 340 frogs/toads found in India
> around 180 frogs/toads found in Western Ghats alone
> 36 cecilians found in India (endemic to India)
> 1 salamander species found in India
> 94 species of frogs/toads found in W.Ghats are data deficient meaning we do not have proper scientific information about them as yet!

(L-R: Sudhira, Vivek, Ashokavardhana, Sandeep, Suman, Aparna, Shishir, Ashrita (partially seen), Rohit, Santosh, Vinayaka, Ananth, Avinash, Karthik, Anup, Navya, Guru, Gururaja, Priti Gururaja, Chinmayi, Deepika, Sowmini)

How to Reach: Bangalore - Kunigal - Channarayapatna - Holenarsipura - Shanivarasanthe - Bisle State Forest OR
Bangalore - Hassan - Sakleshpur - Shanivarasanthe - Bisle State Forest

Note: No accommodation facilities available, small shops are present that serve tea/coffee and light food. Have no expectations.

And, finally here is the link to the android app of Frog Find, the e-version of the frog book of Dr Gururaja.

Butterflies Part VI

All the other buttering posts here.

Apologies on not been able to continue the series on butterflies, will make an attempt henceforth to keep them coming...

This is a small attempt to lure people towards the fascinating world of butterflies.

Sahyadri Cruiser butterfly
The Cruiser (Vindula erota saloma) is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in South Asia. It appears in dry season as well as wet season forms, both distinct in nature. 3 subspecies are recorded from India specifically.

Common Rose Mormon butterfly
Apologies! The below is a Common Mormon butterfly and not Common Rose as described earlier. The Common Mormon mimics the Common Rose and that led to a confused Id'ing by me. It was of great help when Issac Kehmikar sir (the butterfly man himself) commented on the same. I stand corrected!

Please Identify the above butterfly as Common Mormon.

Dark Wanderer butterfly
The Dark Wanderer (Pareronia ceylanica) is a medium sized butterfly of the Family Pieridae, that is, the Yellows and Whites, which is found in South and South-east Asia.

Southern Birdwing butterfly
The Southern Birdwing (Troides minos) is a large and striking Swallowtail butterfly endemic to Peninsular India found only in the Western Ghats. With a wingspan of 140–190 mm, it is the largest butterfly found in India. Found up to 3000 feet in the Western Ghats. Found in diverse habitats from low-land evergreen forests near the coast to mixed deciduous forests, dry scrub and agricultural fields.

Wait for more fascinating ones :)
I refer http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/ and Wikipedia for information about the butterflies.

Butterflies Part V

Related posts here.

Some more of the gorgeous butterflies that we see regularly but hardly aware of. For a common person, all the butterflies look alike and are the same!

This is a small attempt to educate and encourage people more towards "buttering" (slang word for butterfly watching).


Plain Tiger butterfly
Danaus chrysippus, known as the Plain Tiger or African Monarch, is a common butterfly which is widespread in Asia and Africa. It is a medium-sized with a wingspan of about 7–8 cm, non-edible butterfly, which is mimicked by multiple species. The range of the Plain Tiger extends from Africa and southern Europe, eastwards via Sri Lanka, India, and Myanmar to China, Java and Sulawesi. It is a very common species.

Common Grass Yellow butterfly
The Large Grass Yellow or Common Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe) is a small pierid butterfly species found in Asia or Africa. They are found flying close to the ground and are found in open grass and scrub habitats. It is simply known as "the grass yellow" in parts of its range.

Great Eggfly butterfly
The Great Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina) is a species of nymphalid butterfly. It is a black-bodied butterfly with a wingspan of about 70–85 mm. It is found in Madagascar in the west, through to South and Southeast Asia, South Pacific islands, and occurs in parts of Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. It is a fairly common butterfly found in lightly wooded country, deciduous forests, thick and moist scrub and the greener parts of human habitation.

Peacock Pansy butterfly
The Peacock Pansy (Junonia almana) is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in South Asia. It exists in two distinct adult forms, which differ chiefly in the patterns on the underside of the wings. The adult butterfly has a wingspan of 54–62 mm. It is found in India and South East Asia, and eastwards to China and Japan.

Wait for more fascinating ones :)
I refer http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/ and Wikipedia for information about the butterflies.

croak croak... Croakers

The Croakers

A couple of series on the best parts of our Goa excursion!

‘Frogs’ are mostly seen only during the monsoon season and we were at the right time on the fringes of Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa and we got to see some real gems, many of them that I have never seen or rather not been in search of!

A place where you get to hear nothing but the croaking of the frogs and the buzzing sounds from the crickets. Each step of yours should be carefully placed, lest you stamp on a snake or a gecko passing underneath and making sure you don’t get in the way of the vipers waiting for the passing meals on the low lying branches or the scorpions waiting to sting their prey, or the nocturnal predators that roam the forests!
That’s a walk in the wild for you!


The Malabar Gliding Frog (Rhacophorus malabaricus)
It is an arboreal species of tropical moist evergreen forest, deciduous forest, secondary (disturbed) forest and coffee plantations. It is present in the lower canopy and understorey levels of the forest. It breeds in vegetation overhanging ponds, and the tadpoles develop in the pools. Conversion of forest habitat for use as intensively farmed agricultural land (coffee plantations) is a major threat.

Dobson’s Burrowing Frog (Sphaerotheca dobsonii)
It is a fossorial species of scrubland, forest (moist and dry deciduous), and forest edge habitat. It is generally only encountered during the wet season and is capable of burrowing. It breeds in temporary pools by larval development. The main threats to this species are the conversion of its habitat to agricultural land and road construction.

Indian Bull Frog (Hoplobatrachus tigerinus)
Commonly seen everywhere particularly near large water bodies, streams and fields and mainly during monsoon. Loss of wetland habitats through infrastructure development, prolonged drought and water pollution by pesticides and other agrochemicals are now the main threats to the species.

Amboli Bush Frog (Pseudophilautus amboli)
A critically endangered and endemic species on the verge of extinction only found in the Western Ghats range on small shrubs. This species is known only from a few localities in the vicinity of the Amboli forest in Sawantwadi District, Maharashtra, in the northern Western Ghats of India. The major threat to the species is habitat loss and fragmentation due to urbanization and tourism development.

Wayanad Bush Frog (Pseudophilautus wynaadensis)
Another critically endangered and endemic to the Western Ghats range. It is nocturnal and arboreal, and associated with the under storey of tropical moist evergreen forest and shrubland. It is present in secondary forest and cultivated land (including tea and coffee plantations), provided that these are not managed too intensively. Breeding is believed to take place by direct development. The major threat is conversion of native forest to intensively cultivated areas (including tea, coffee and other non-timber plantations).

Small-handed Frog (Indirana semipalmata)
It is a terrestrial species associated with riparian vegetation and leaf-litter in wet evergreen, and semi-evergreen, tropical forests and swamps. It has been recorded in coffee plantations and disturbed forest. Conversion of land to commercial agricultural use (including coffee plantations) appears to be the main threat to this species. Harvesting of wood and timber for subsistence use, and the development of mining and tourism in the Western Ghats region are also threats.

Other posts from the excursion posts here.

Wild Goa - A trip report

A trip to Goa doesn't only mean beaches, wine and women!!!


"Few of the tourists know that one third of Goa is covered with rich forest and that, it is one of the greatest reservoirs of biodiversity in the world." Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary, Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary are the wild havens in Goa that supports a rich variety of flora and fauna.

I, along with Deepa, Girish, Parimala and Gopal, had been on a reptile and amphibian excursion through Junglescapes (an NGO) at Canopy’s ‘Nature’s Nest’ (http://canopygoa.com/) on the fringes of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary in September 2012. The best part of the camp was the amount of knowledge the hosts had about the rich bio-diversity of Goa and the need to conserve and protect them. Ramesh Zarmekar, the partner in the property and Omkar, the ever-smiling naturalist were the perfect hosts we could crave for doling out information like a textbook and meeting our Guru-G (Karthik) on the last day was an added bonus.

We roamed across the Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary, Castle Rock area, Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and the Tambi Surla and we were stunned by the amount of life forms witnessed. Being rainy season, the place was infested by amphibians and reptiles and we could hear the croaking of frogs from everywhere around us. Bird activity was low owing to the rains but seeing such variety of other life forms more than compensated for that.

We saw a total of 6 individual Hump-nosed Pit Vipers, 2 Green-vine Snakes, 2 Beddome’s Keelback, 1 Saw-scaled Viper and 1 Travancore Wolf snake and missed seeing the Bronzeback Tree Snake by a whisker.

I saw so many varieties of frogs that easily outnumbered the total I would have seen till date and the joy was doubled when we got to see some endemics only found in the Western Ghats. The frogs that we came across included the -

Critically endangered Amboli Bush Frog (Pseudophilautus amboli)
Endangered Wayanad Bush Frog (Pseudophilautus wynaadensis)
Knob-handed Shrub Frog (Raorchestes tuberohumerus)
Small-handed Frog (Indirana semipalmata)
Reddish Burrowing Frog (Fejervarya rufescens)
Wrinkled Fejervarya (Fejervarya caperata)
Dobson’s Burrowing Frog (Sphaerotheca dobsonii)
Malabar Gliding Frog (Rhacophorus malabaricus)
Common Indian Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus)
Common Skittering Frog (Euphlyctis cyanophylctis)

…and many more that are endemic to the pristine Western Ghats belt that sends a telling message to preserve the now remaining Western Ghats.

Added to the list we saw about 30 different butterfly species gliding and floating all over the place and those lovely but slender dragon and the damsel flies and hordes of spiders, crabs, bugs, beetles and insects and notable nocturnal being the Deccan banded Gecko and the Deccan Ground Gecko. In spite of the rains battering all day long for the 3 days we stayed, we were able to see about 50 species of birds in the very short time we had for birding that implies the place is a bio-diversity haven.

We were also witness to some fantastic wildlife moments - the beetle cutting up the earthworm into two pieces; the vine snake devouring the frog and lifting it up the tree; the perfectly camouflaged hump-nosed pit viper; the 'saw'ing sound of the saw-scaled viper still echoes in my ears; the giant monitor lizards in the middle of the highway; the numerous butterflies; the dozen hanging parrots on a single tree; the assassin bug chasing the cockroach and not to forget the wonderful moments we spent laughing out tummies out.

It was not only about the moving forms but the landscapes, the sanctuary engulfed in a carpet of green, the valley view with the Anjunim dam, view of the Ladke waterfalls in the rains and the variety of flora that left us stunned, the monitor lizards on the road, the winding ghats, the hordes of leeches, vipers everywhere that made this excursion a memorable and a fantastic one and we would be probably the very few people who came back from Goa without seeing a beach or having wine!

Related posts - 
Some Frames from Goa
Snakes from Goa

more to come...