Fascinating Lantern Bugs

It has been over a year since I saw the amazing Lantern Bug (Pyrops candelarius) for the first time (http://hongkongkwildlifephotos.blogspot.com/2010/08/lantern-bug.html). I have been looking for it ever since.

My lucky day came when I saw this one. You can understand why so many people are fascinated by this bug. It is one of my all time favourite bugs too.

Its bright colours and the protruding long mouth make it such a unique creature.

In case you are a bit apprehensive about its appearance, actually the Lantern Bug is harmless to humans.  In fact it is a vegetarian and the strange looking mouth is used for penetrating tree bark to reach the sap, which is its main diet.

Being beautiful has a downside too. This particular species of Lantern Bug is a favourite among collectors, which is very unfortunate for the beautiful insect.

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Butterflies are emerging.......

The winter avian holidaymakers from the north have left for their warm home towns. The countryside has returned to its usual tranquility.  But the warm and humid weather has brought the delightful sights of colourful butterflies. 

Common Tiger

Indian Fritillary (Male) 

Common Five-ring 

Plain tiger 

Plains Cupid 

Purple Sapphire (Male)

Punchinello 

Common Sailor   

Greenish Palm Dart

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Frogs are calling.......

Hearing frogs is easy, but locating one is a rather difficult task, because they are usually well camouflaged into the environment.

 

Unless it is during the mating season when they often emerge from the  water. That is when I found two Gunther’s Frogs (Barking Frogs). You may have guessed from its name that the calls of these frogs sound like a barking dog!

 
 
Unlike birds, frogs often make their calls with their mouth closed. They do so by sucking in and letting out air from the balloon-like vocal sacs in the throat area where the sound is amplified.

This male was calling loudly in order to attract a female close by.

 
 
The female also made calls reciprocal to the male’s which are thought to enhance the reproductivity.

Even during mating, both frogs continued to make calls.

The sound of these constant loud mating calls in the ponds indicates that spring has finally arrived in Hong Kong.

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Scaly-breasted Munia Closeup

I saw three juvenile Scaly-breasted Munias feeding on the ground who took no notice of my presence at all, giving me the opportunity to get several closeup shots. 
Unlike the adult birds, the brown colour of the immature birds is not as dark, and the bill is not as black. 

The younger juvenile birds don’t even have many of the scaly marks.

While feeding happily, these 3 birds came so close to my camera that I was able to take these portraits. I find them extremely cute!    

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