The kick boxer of Western Ghats Just before going to sleep, on our recent camping trip we heard varied, continuous streams of sounds. Initially it sounded like cicadas making noise. I kind of ignored the sounds. However after couple of more hours, I noticed that the sounds did continue to make a rhythmic melody. I took my phone and a torch and started walking in the direction of the sound. I reached a rice paddy. And to my surprise i found the origin of the sounds almost from all the corners of the field. Those were many kinds of sounds and the musicians were none other than the FROGS. As the sounds of different kinds , so were the frogs. I could see also also species of frogs in the paddy. The most interesting one I spotted was the one which really a tiny torrent but its sounds was the one which attracted listeners the most. Do see the video, with ear-phones ON to listen to the continuous rhythmic music composed by this particular frog. Now some Gyan… Amazing Facts About the Frog There are over 5,000 species of frog. Frogs don’t need to drink water as they absorb it through their skin. A frog’s call is unique to its species, and some frog calls can be heard up to a mile away. Some frogs can jump over 20 times their own body length; that is like a human jumping 30m. Many species of frog care for their offspring. For example some poison dart frogs lay their eggs on the forest floor so they can guard them and urinate on them to keep them moist. Females of some frog species keep a regular check on their offspring (tadpoles) and if food becomes scarce she will deposit unfertilised eggs for them to eat. Asian tree frogs build nests in trees above water so that when the tadpoles hatch they fall directly into the water. Due to their permeable skin, typically biphastic life (aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults), and mid-position in the food web frogs and other amphibians are excellent biological indicators of the wider health of ecosystems. In Egypt the frog is the symbol of life and fertility, and in Egyptian mythology Heget is a frog-goddess who represents fertility. Few years ago, scientists have found 14 new species of frogs in the western ghats of India. Of these 14 species, the most talked species is the dancing frog. The frog in our video seems to be the same dancing frog. There is a particular style of feet movements of this frog. this is called as foot flagging and some time foot tapping also. Earlier scientists thought that this kind of behavior males do to attract their female counterpart. Later some studies shown that frogs show this behavior not to attract female but to drive away the rival males. They use their legs to kick away other male frogs from going near the females. So why not call them the kick boxers of Western Ghats? Yes they do kick other males. As in the video above, the frog is not showing any movement of leg lke foot flagging or foot tapping thats because, there wasn’t any other male frog of the same species. Some useful resources online for learning more about frogs http://www.caleidoscope.in/alternative-lifestyle/k-v-gururaja-and-his-world-of-frogs http://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?special=call&genus=Micrixalus&species=saxicola https://shashankbirla.wordpress.com/2015/10/15/its-a-frogs-world-wayanad/ https://www.frogindia.org/publications.htm Sharing couple of more pics of other frog/toad species found at Nisargshala Campsite area.. A Documentary on the dancing frogs of India
The Red Velvet mite wiz rain bug. In Marathi we call it मृगाचा किडा. It is widely know as rain bug. मृग means a constellation out of 27 Indian astronomical constellations, in which the entire year is divided in 27 equal parts. One such constellation is Mriga. So the point is the insect that you see the pic attached, is marking the arrival of rains. And its true. It already started raining in the region where Nisargshala is located. This spider look alike creature, whose entire body is made of silk, velvet like element is known as good omen in Indian culture. Some say that this creature has miraculous medicinal usage and is used in treating infertility in Men. So this mite (kind of creature) is also called as Indian Viagra. We saw this amazing mite today morning at the campsite. Clicked pics of it and even let it walk on palm also. Here is some more information about this beautiful mite. Red velvet mites do not bite or sting. Red velvet mites are extremely important to the environment. These mites are part of a community of soil arthropods that is critical in terms of rates of decomposition in woodlands and in maintaining the structure of the entire ecosystem. By feeding on insects that eat fungi and bacteria, they stimulate the decomposition process. “Red velvet mites are members of the subphylum Chelicerata, a group of critters that have tiny lobster-like claws that serve as mouthparts, a feature that relates them closely to spiders, scorpions, and harvestmen. Red velvet mites make their home in the litter layer of woodlands and forests. They live from one to several years, depending on the species. As larvae, they attach themselves to a variety of arthropods and feed parasitically. They will suck blood from a gnat or grasshopper, for instance, sometimes hitching a ride with several other mites. When red velvet mites become nymphs and then adults, they take to the soil to devour much smaller prey, including other mites and their eggs, the eggs of insects and snails, and primitive wingless insects. Adult male mites release their sperm on small twigs or stalks. That ritual is followed by the male laying down an intricate silken trail to the sperm. Females spot these trails, then seek out the individual male. If he’s to her liking, she sits in the sperm. But if another male spots one of these sperm gardens, he’ll promptly destroy it and replace it with his own.
Its World Environment Day today. Wondering what its all about? Its a call made for the first time in 1973 by UN and the purpose is to empower masses to become active in the mission to turn the blue into green. There is lot of information available on internet about WED. Why not you “HAVE YOUR SAY” on the occasion of WED. Various ways / platforms you can use.. A small 5 mins gathering of office mates and make them aware of degrading environmental situation Celebrate, GO GREEN day in office.. Avoid plastic throughout the day Circulate list of some ECO-Friendly products Tell your kids the importance of not littering anywhere and also about recycling Use social media to tell the world that YOU CARE for MOTHER NATURE Give some innovative creative ways , solutions to the world in order to save the planet. Log on to below page and you HAVE YOUR SAY Invite/inspire people to HAVE THEIR SAY Share this write-up with as many people as you can Happy Nature to you..
What are fireflies? And how do they glow? What’s the life cycle of fireflies? Their diet? What are fire flies? Fireflies near Pune and across the globe are the unique species on planet earth which glows. They are scientifically called as Lampyridae. Also called as lighting bugs, they are found across the globe, but mostly in tropical region. They glow or illumine for several reasons of which main two are mating and hunting prey. There are more than 2000 species of fireflies found worldwide. They generally grow in area with water, woods, trees. Their larvae( next generation, baby fireflies) gets abundant food in such areas that’s the reason they grow in woods. The fireflies found in Sahyadri and ghats near Pune, are active during day and night, where as some may be active only during the day time. A few days after mating, a female lays her fertilized eggs on or just below the surface of the ground. The eggs hatch three to four weeks later, and the larvae feed until the end of the summer. The larvae are commonly called glowworms. Lampyrid larvae have simple eyes. The term glowworm is also used for both adults and larvae of species such as Lampyris noctiluca, the common European glowworm, in which only the nonflying adult females glow brightly and the flying males glow only weakly and intermittently. What do fireflies do rest of the year? Fireflies hibernate over winter during the larval stage, some species for several years. Some do this by burrowing underground, while others find places on or under the bark of trees. They emerge in the spring. After several weeks of feeding on other insects, snails and worms, they pupate for 1.0 to 2.5 weeks and emerge as adults. The larvae of most species are specialized predators and feed on other larvae, terrestrial snails, and slugs. Some are so specialized that they have grooved mandibles that deliver digestive fluids directly to their prey. Adult diet varies: some are predatory, while others feed on plant pollen or nectar. Some, like the European Glow-worm beetle, Lampyris noctiluca, have no mouth Where to spot fireflies near Pune? In western ghats. If you are keen on seeing the fire flies around Pune, then don’t wait. Get out of your shelters, get going to the ghats, which are towards west of Pune. Namely Madheghat, Tamhini ghat, many sacred groves, riverbanks in the ghats, dense vegetation in the ghats. Which is best season to spot fireflies? Any time during spring. However, the light show peaks high towards end of summer, just before the monsoon arrives. In fact, fireflies can be used as an indicator to forecast monsoon arrival. They all come out and glow, in huge numbers just before the monsoon. Can we really take photo of fireflies & how? Yes, we can. Firefly photographs are commonly shot using long exposures from a tripod. The proper exposure depends on the ratio of the fireflies’ luminosity to that of the background. That ratio is constant if we assume (as is usually the case) that the background lighting doesn’t change much over the course of a session. We usually would like a rather long exposure because we want to see lots of fireflies in the final image. e.g. f/2.8, 15 seconds, ISO 200, 28 exposures, noise reduction Why go camping with Nisargshala to see fireflies? To see Fire flies near Pune, Nisargshala is one of the best options available. Off course, Nisargshala is the location which is away from any kind of pollution. Based in the core western ghats, campsite is located at the bank of a seasonal river. We go on a night nature trail after having dinner to see the fireflies. Right from the campsite, we walk approximately for 30 minutes. Apart from fireflies, you get best ever night camping experience in the nature with BBQ, camp fire, authentic village food, adventure activities like trekking, rappelling, rock climbing. Note – Our camp site is in core western ghat. And we are not supposed to disturb the habitat their with any kind of pollution, be it noise, light or air. Music, dance, masti, smoking and liquor are strictly prohibited at the camp site. We welcome you to see and feel the magic of the nature at Nisargshala and see Fire flies near Pune . Click here to book your fireflies camping trip near Pune.
The king of insect world @ Nisargshala The kids spotted a cicada. We all know this disturbing creature even in cities. However they normally appear at nights in cities or around human habitat. But it’s quite difficult to spot them as the sound they make, seems come from all the directions. And if we decide to trace the sound and somehow manage to go near the sound, they would just stop making the sound and you wouldn’t know where it came from. Cicadas are the elders of the insect world. Some species of cicada live as long as 17 years, though most of the time is spent underground. Cicadas are probably best known for their buzzing and clicking noises, which can be amplified by multitudes of insects into an overpowering hum. Males produce this species-specific noise with vibrating membranes on their abdomens. The sounds vary widely and some species are more musical than others. Though cicada noises may sound alike to humans, the insects use different calls to express alarm or attract mates. Cicadas are also famous for their penchant for disappearing entirely for many years, only to reappear in force at a regular interval. There are some 3,000 cicada species, but only some share this behavior (the 17-year cicada is an example). Others are called annuals because, although individuals have multi-year lifecycles, some adults appear every year. The dog day cicada, for example, emerges each year in mid-summer. Female cicadas lay from 200 to 600 eggs in tiny holes made in branches and twigs in trees and shrubs. Cicada young—called nymphs—hatch from the eggs and immediately drop to burrow underground, where they attach to tree roots. The nymphs remain attached to the roots, sucking tree sap, for most of their lives. When the dormant period ends, the cicada emerges from underground at sunset, guided only by instinct, and climbs the trunk of a nearby tree. There the cicada’s skin sheds, allowing the adult cicada to emerge. When young cicada nymphs hatch from their eggs, they dig themselves into the ground to suck the liquids of plant roots. They spend several early life stages in these underground burrows before surfacing as adults. The process varies in length but often takes a number of years. Periodical cicadas do not create destructive plagues, as some locusts do, though tens or hundreds of thousands of insects may crowd into a single acre. Large swarms can overwhelm and damage young trees by feeding and laying eggs, but older trees usually escape without serious damage. Above ground, male cicadas fill the air with shrill buzzing sounds, the result of small drum-like plates on the abdomen that the cicada vibrates rapidly. While many people find the sound annoying, the male cicada uses it to attract female cicadas for mating. Both male and female cicadas die after about five weeks above ground. Cicadas are members of the order Homoptera and are physically distinguished by their stout bodies, broad heads, clear-membrane wings, and large compound eyes. The insect’s amazing lifestyle has been a source of fascination since ancient times. Several cultures, such as the ancient Chinese, regarded these insects as powerful symbols of rebirth.