Blue-winged dragonfly, Rhyothemis sp (Libellulidae)

Rhyothemis plutonis (Libellulidae)

This is a very beautiful dragonfly. The dark colours on its wings appear metallic-like and changes from blue to violet at different viewing angles. It was spotted flying near a river stream at low speed with fluttering pattern (like that of a butterfly) in the morning, Malaysia.

The scientific name of this beauty is Rhyothemis plutonia.

ID credit: Kurt Orion (orionmystery.blogspot.com/)

Trogaspidia sp, (Mutillidae)

Velvet ants mating (Trogaspidia sp, Mutillidae)

Trogaspidia is a genus of Velvet Ants (Mutillidae). In spite of its common name, they are actually wasps. The name Velvet Ants originated from the wingless female's resemblance to a hairy ant. While the mating occurred on a leaf, the male is capable carrying the female and mate in the air while flying, in which they did as soon as I attempted to step back and leave them alone.

They are also known as Cow Killer, due to the extremely painful sting of the female. Though not aggressive, the female will sting if handled.

When mating, the male grab the female on the neck with its mandibles.





Wasp identification a courtesy of Dr Doug Yanega, Entomology Research Museum, University of California, Riverside.

Flat-backed millipede, Polydesmida

Flat-backed millipedes are millipedes in the order Polydesmida. The common name is based on the rather flat (not exactly flat) looking segments of its body. There are lateral extension on the segments, known as paranota (singular paranotum), that make them look rather flat.

Paranota on body segments of millipede

This is found walking on the grass near a drain by the forest, Perak, Malaysia. I picked it up, shot the face and put it back to where it was, unharmed.

Flat-backed millipede, Polydesmida

I was surprised to see the details of the face. Along the labrum, of its mouth, there seemed to have parts that look like teeth. These are known as crenulations.

Flat-backed millipede portrait

It coiled up when I tried to pick it up.

Coiled up flat-backed millipede

Underside of the flat-backed millipede

Yellow Ichneumon Wasp, Xanthopimpla sp

Bukit Tinggi Botanical Garden, Pahang, Malaysia.

Xanthopimpla sp, Pimplini, Pimplinae, Ichneumonidae.

Stink Bug Nymph, Pentatomidae

The stink bug (nymph) is bluish black on the head and abdomen, red thorax, and red legs with black tarsus. It was found on the upper side of the leaf, late evening, Perak, Malaysia. No adult were seen. No further identification. Feel free to identify this.

Blue-tailed Forest Hawk, Orthetrum cf. triangulare

Probably Orthetrum cf. triangulare. Perak, Malaysia.

There are two other similar looking dragonflies namely O. cancellatum and O. glaucum. O. cancellatum has greenish eyes and black pterostigma, while O. glaucum has blue-greyish eyes.

Orthetrum cf. triangulare

Red Dragonfly, Neurothemis sp (Libellulidae)

Probably Neurothemis flucntuans.

Neurothemis sp

Neurothemis sp

Neurothemis sp

Long-legged Fly of Genus Neurigona, Dolichopodidae

Neurigona sp (unverified)

Several of these flies were spotted on a mid-sized tree trunk at the foot hill of Bukit Larut (formerly known as Maxwell Hill), Perak, Malaysia. The tree bark seemed whitish and powdery. The body length of the fly is about 4 or 5 mm, maybe smaller. It had been observed to prey on smaller insects, where a smaller insect is sucked up on its mouth.

Neurigona sp, male (dorsal), unverified

The overall appearance also look like Sciapus sp; however, the wing shows that it is not.

Neurigona sp, male

In the above picture, note the bristled foretarsus and visible genitalia, are distinctive features of a male Neurigona sp.

Neurigona sp, female

The ovipositor is a feature of the female. Female Neurigona sp lay eggs in the tree bark.

Praying Mantis, Mantodea

A Green Praying Mantis

Praying mantises are fascinating insects. They are beautiful but you may not want to see them devour a live victims as you may find the scene gross, especially when the victim is a vertebra. That prey on any life forms they can catch and hold onto with their strong and spiky arms.

They are classified in the order, Mantodea. Termites and cockroaches, despite of a different order (Blattodea), are their closest relatives.

Longhorn Beetle, Imantocera plumosa, Oliver 1792

Imantocera plumosa (Olivier, 1792)

The longhorn beetle in the picture above is Imantocera plumosa, (Gnomini, Lamiinae, Cerambycidae). It was found in a tea plantation in Cameron Highlands, Perak, Malaysia.

(ID credit: Harald Schillhammer)

Look more like Imantocera penicillata in my opinion (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imantocera)

Identification document reference:

http://wallace-online.org/content/frameset?pageseq=297&itemID=WSPEC046&viewtype=text

Imantocera plumosa (Olivier, 1792)

Imantocera plumosa

Imantocera plumosa

Imantocera plumosa

Imantocera plumosa, antenna

Imantocera plumosa

Imantocera plumosa

Helopeltis sp (Miridae), Mosquito Bug.

see also: Mirid Bug Album

The mosquito bug, Helopeltis sp, despite looking like a mosquito with a weird pin-like protrusion from the centre of the thorax, is a genus of Mirid bugs. They are considered pests of crops such as cocoa, tea, cashew and cotton.

Helopeltis sp (nymph)

Helopeltis sp (adult)

Helopeltis sp (adult)

Based on personal encounters, the nymph and adult appear to be found at higher land of the tropical rain forest. Occurrence of bugs: Menora Tunnel, Maxwell Hill, and Cameron Highlands, 2013.

Bird-dung Crab Spider, Phrynarachne sp. (Thomisidae)

Phrynarachne spp. look somewhat like bird dung, thus they are commonly known as Bird-dung Crab Spiders, or Bird-dropping Crab Spiders.

Phrynarachne cf. ceylonica (female)

Phrynarachne cf. ceylonica (female)

Phrynarachne cf. ceylonica (female)

Phrynarachne ceylonica is distributed from Sri Lanka to China, Taiwan, Japan (http://globalspecies.org/ntaxa/92884). I presume Malaysia is included. The spider above look very much like the species P. ceylonica but the ID is not confirmed scientifically. It was found in a lowland rain-forest in Selangor, Malaysia.

The spider is a slow-moving thomisid, prefers shaded area, and does not bite. It would actively move around though when it is being photographed.

Harvestmen, Opiliones

Although harvestmen have eight legs, they are not spiders. They are in the Opiliones order, a close relative of spiders (Araneae order), both under the same class, Arachnida.

They do not have silk glands, therefore do not build web. Their legs are extremely long compared to their body.

An orange harvestman, Pahang, Malaysia.

Close-up of the orange harvestman

Orange harvestman, dorsal view

Orange harvestman, lateral view

Another species, Pahang, Malaysia.

Another species, Pahang, Malaysia.

Hammer-headed tephritid, Themara maculipennis

Themara maculipennis Westwood 1848 (ID credit: Dr Valery Korneyev)

This hammer-headed tephritid is not to be confused with the Stalk-eyed Fly of Diopsidae family where its antennas are located at the stalks near the compound eyes. Also, this should not be referred to as fruit fly, since not all Tephritid eat fruits, as pointed out by Dr Korneyev. This unique fly belongs to the Tephritidae family, Phytalmiinae subfamily, Acanthonevrini tribe.

Based on my observation, several of these, males and females, were found on the bark of a dead and damped log on the ground, in a lowland rain-forest, Selangor, Malaysia. The males would confront another male, chase the other away, and claim its territory.

In order to photograph them, you have to approach slowly and quietly. Sudden movement, noise or even flash light could scare them away. If it flies away, stay at where you are and wait for them to return. Sometimes, the fly shows an extreme quick reflex to the flash light. You may capture just be background without the fly on the photograph. If this is the case, use manual flash power or turn off i-TTL.

The following is an identification key for Tephritidae:

"The shape of the subcosta (bent sharply forward subapically and usually weaker or foldlike beyond the bend) has generally been considered the best diagnositic character for adult fruit flies, but its form varies and in some taxa, especially many species with elongate wings, it is not as sharply bent (e.g., Toxotrypana, many Phytalmiini), and in species of Tachiniscinae it is not as weak distal to the bend."

-http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/diptera/tephriti/TephRecg.htm

Tephritid Identification Key

Lateral View

Perspective View

Close up of the Head

Male Confrontation