We were on a birdwatching trip to the eastern coast in south India. While watching a flock of flamingos, some movement on the ground, close to the edge of water, caught my attention. In the area where I noticed the…
The Mole Cricket
The Mole Cricket has an apt name – it is a cricket (an insect) that burrows and tunnels like a mole (insectivore-mammal). They are generally small and grow to about 5 cm. Most mole crickets have wings and can fly.…
The Dung Beetle
Puff, pant, puff, pant… is what you are very likely to hear when any human being is asked to roll an object many times his size and weight. But I did not hear any such sounds when crouching down and…
Grey Musk Shrew
It is a little more than twelve years since I encountered a little animal in a quaint little hill station in southern India. On that occasion, I had a very good view this animal and was able to identify it…
Ant-mimic Spider
Spiders come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colours. Some spiders use camouflage while others use bright colours for their survival viz. for protection from their predators and for finding food. And some others which use shape, mimic other…