Beyond Earth - Moon Close up

Eight Legged Freaks - Indian Spiders

Post : Eight Legged Freaks

Location : Nagercoil, TamilNadu

Device : Canon Powershot sx30

Hi friends. This time I'm back not with 2 leg species but 8 legged ones. I hope this post will be informative with the creatures that we don't spent more time with.

Selenocosmia crassipes(Whistling / Barking spider)

I found this while digging behind our house for construction purpose. Not aware of its characteristics i rushed, took my camera, played with it for sometime then took some snaps and videos. It runs very fast and always tried to hide under something.

This is what I then found.

Whistling / Barking spider (Selenocosmia crassipes) makes a sound rather like a thumb nail rubbing across a comb. You can hear it from quite a distance away (over a meter away).

Females live up to 30 years, males up to 8 years.

They are nocturnal burrowers, typically very aggressive.

Reports about their venom are often conflicting. Some claim that they are dangerous to humans, esp. small children and sick elderly people, and can make an adult feel very unwell (vomiting).

Spinybacked Orbweaver

I found this one in our custard apple tree. It was so attractive and colorful so that no one can judge it as a spider. I took it in my bare hands and brought home. It always tried to run away from me.

Spiny orb-weavers is a common name for Gasteracantha, a genus of spiders. They are also commonly called Spiny-backed orb-weavers, due to the prominent spines on their abdomen. These spiders can reach sizes of up to 30mm in diameter (measured from spike to spike). Although their shell is shaped like a crab shell with spikes, it is not to be confused with a crab spider. They have 6 spines.

Orb-weaver's bites are generally harmless to humans.

Tetragnatha extensa

This was shown to me by my neighbor children in our garden.

The Tetragnatha genus of the Longjawed Orb Weavers are the most widespread of all the family Tetragnathidae.

The top picture shows the tetragnatha extensa, with very long legs and a dull brown and cream color body.

Those physical characteristics are common to all species. While they are noted for building orb shaped webs nears wetlands and other water areas, they can often be found stretched out along a leaf near their web.

Argiope keyserlingi(St Andrew's Cross spider)

I found this in my Sister's house they were about to burn and kill it. So beautiful creation. It had its web between two parabolic satellite antennas. It has grown so big that they were afraid to go near it. Its web was stunning with WWW design.

This spider is commonly known as the St Andrew's Cross spider, due to the construction of bands of silk forming the arms of an X-shaped cross, similar to the one upon which St. Andrew is traditionally said to have been crucified. Termed web decorations or stabilimenta, these bands are thought to increase prey capture in this species, however, in other species they have been found to protect the spider against predators.

Similar spider of Argiope family is below in its top view and bottom view :) I have found this in our Banana plant. It was there for more than 3 months.

Thiodina sylvana

Female

It didn't try to jump from my hand.

The below ones were seen in our garden.

Male

It's an above average size for jumping spiders. The thin, striped abdomen and red head make the male fairly easy to identify. Females have lighther brown bodies with the abdominal stripes.

I'm Still searching for more beautiful ones. Will update more snaps in coming days. Spiders are beautiful.

Eco walk in Pallikaranai marsh

Program : Eco walk in Pallikaranai swamp

Date : 5th february, 2011

The Eco walk in Pallikaranai marsh was arranged by Go Green community to create awareness among our associates on how to preserve the marsh and its inhabitants. The program was scheduled at 5^th(Saturday), February 2011. We were asked to assemble at TCO office, Thoraipakkam at 6:30 AM.

We reached at 6:15 AM with great enthusiasm. We had two buses waiting for us to take us to the Marsh. We waited for some time for the crew members to arrive. It was around 7 AM we all boarded the bus and reached Pallikaranai marsh reserve forest in another 15 minutes.It occupies the area on both sides of the road connecting IT Highway and Velachery main road.We were accompanied by Dr. R J Ranjit Daniels and Dr. Jayshree Vencatesan members of an NGO named Care Earth Trust. While we got down from the bus we saw them waiting for us with a great smile near the marsh reserve office. They were excited seeing our crowd in 2 buses. We were divided into two groups. Dr.Daniels and Dr.Jayshree took the groups each on either side of the road.

Dr.jayshree gave us a brief introduction about the marsh.I was with Dr.Daniels's group. It was 7:30 AM. The marsh was foggy with not much visibility. Still we found a great folk of birds on either side of the road. I had a wrong thought that only garbage will be found here. But on seeing this great count of birds I felt that I was wrong. Few of us had Cameras and Dr.Daniels had a Hi-end Binocular which we all shared. Below are the photos taken from my Canon Camera which has 35xOptical zoom.

Dr.Daniels said that the marsh is a habitat of variety of birds, reptiles, fishes, insects and few animals. More than 100 species of resident and migratory birds were recorded from the Pallikaranai marshlands. Of the total birds seen, 76 species were breeding residents and 25 winter visitors. It occupies an area of more than around 500 hectares .

Not getting exhausted Dr.Daniels answered all our confusions and queries very politely throughout the program. We started walking beside the road towards Velachery main road. The first thing we saw was the Garganey ducks swimming in the marsh which is the most common duck species seen there.

Garganey ducks swimming in the marsh

These ducks fly to a great height which was an attractive sight there. The presence of flora and fauna in the marsh balances the food chain.

Garganey ducks - flying

Even though the area is covered by garbage mount on the north side the birds still visit the marsh. Tamil Nadu government has said that they will stop dumping garbage in the marsh by the end of 2012 Dr. Daniels added. A number of plant species was also found there. He said that the plants in the swamp act as a natural filter preventing the toxic contents from garbage to pollute marsh fresh water.We heard that this swamp fresh water has fishes like dwarf Gowrami and Chromide are seen in a large amount. The biggest bird is Pelican and the smallest one found here is Zitting Cisticola.

A Small Bird found in this marsh

It was too tiny to see with our naked eyes from an optimal distance. We will not be able to figure out this tiny creature with out the help of Dr.Daniels. Thanks Daniels :). I took a couple of snaps of it with out disturbing the nature.

We were taken to a place where the bird-watching view is wide. Egret is the most common white bird with black legs found. It looks similar to common crane. Spot-billed pelicans are also seen here.

Egret bird

Black winged stilts are small birds seen in thousands count. They fly in a huge group and the sight was so beautiful. The beaks and wings were black with white feathered body.

Black winged stilts

Now we crossed to the other side of the road and slowly walked back seeing the birds and other residents there. Dr.Daniels explained us the bad effects of dumping garbage and shrinking of the marsh by constructions around it.Dr.Daniels showed us one of the very rare species of hen seen here. It is called Purple moorhen or purple swamp hen. The color of this hen is eye-catching. They fly like other birds.

Purple moorhen or purple swamp hen

This side had a variety of butterflies and sparrows. Yellow butterflies with red, black and white designed creation is seen with amazing beauty.

Butterfly

Marsh with out a butterfly? will not be called Marsh. Adding a jewel to the crown of the Pallikaranai marsh, butterflies were flying all around us in the marsh. Believe it or not we spotted more than 100's of butterflies with varied varieties. Irrespective of the count, they were chillers for the eyes

I was able to capture a beautiful moment on which a butterfly was trying to fill her stomach with nectar from nature

It was 10:30 AM. Time went by so fast. We had our buses ready to pick us up. Giving thanks to Dr.Daniels we boarded our bus. We had a special great experience there in the marsh.

We have to create awareness among the public about the importance of this marsh.

On the way back to our home me and Vimal again stopped our vehicle near the marsh have spent another 1 hour watching the birds. We are awaiting another eco-walk to be arranged by our Go Green community.

Cheers to those who organized this Eco-walk...