12-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - DITCH JEWEL DRAGONFLY (Brachythemis contaminata)

Brachythemis contaminata, ditch jewel, is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is found in many Asian countries.

It is a small dragonfly with brown-capped yellowish-green eyes. Its thorax is olivaceous-brown, marked with a reddish-brown humeral stripe and two brownish stripes on each side. Wings are transparent; but with a broad bright orange fascia extending from base to within 2 to 3 cells of reddish pterostigma. Abdomen is ochreous-red, marked with dorsal and sub-dorsal brown stripes. Anal appendages are in reddish-brown. Female is similar to the male; but in pale yellowish-green color. Wings are transparent, tinted with yellow at extreme base;, but the bright orange fascia seen in the male absent.

It breeds in weedy ponds, lakes, and slowly moving streams; especially in sluggish waters. It is very common along sewage canals, tanks, ponds and ditches.

This type of dragonfly has the smallest genome of its kind. The entire circular genome is 15,056 bp in length and represents the smallest in presently known odonatan mitogenomes. (Yu et al 2014).  Its first species to have a complete mitochondrial genome among the family Libellulidae. This helps learn more about their genetics, and their evolution.

12-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - MILE A MINUTE VINE (Ipomoea cairica)

Ipomoea cairica is a vining, herbaceous, perennial plant with palmate leaves and large, showy white to lavender flowers. A species of morning glory, it has many common names, including mile-a-minute vine, Messina creeper, Cairo morning glory, coast morning glory and railroad creeper. The species name cairica translates to "from Cairo", the city where this species was first collected.

A hairless, slim climber with bulbous roots and lignescented base, its leaves are stalked with 2 to 6 cm long petioles. The leaf blade is ovate to circular in outline, 3 to 10 cm long and 6 to 9 cm wide. It is divided into five to seven segments, these are lanceolate, ovate or elliptic, entire and pointed at the tip and base. Often pseudo side-leaves are formed.

The lavender-coloured inflorescences are one to a cyme. The flower stalks are 12 to 20 mm long, the sepals are 6 to 8 mm long, ovate and sting-pointed. The crown is funnel-shaped, 4 to 6 cm long and violet colored. The stamens and the stylus do not protrude beyond the crown. The ovary is hairless. The fruits are spherical capsules approximately 1 cm in diameter containing one or two hairy seeds. Each fruit matures at about 1 cm across and contains hairy seeds. The vine blooms occasionally throughout the months, but more profusely from spring to summer.

Its exact native range is uncertain, though it is believed to originate from a rather wide area, ranging from Cape Verde to the Arabian Peninsula, including northern Africa, tropical Africa and the Mediterranean. It covers walls, fences or trees, with stems that can measure more than 10 metres (33 ft) in length. The altitude at which it has been recorded ranges from 250 metres (820 ft) to 2,250 m (7,380 ft).

Because of human dispersal, it occurs today on most continents as an introduced species and is sometimes a noxious weed and an invasive species, such as along the coast of New South Wales. As well as in the United States, where it occurs in Hawaii, California, all the gulf coast states, as well as Arkansas and Missouri. It also occurs in Brazil, where it is used in traditional medicine. It is a widespread garden escape in southeast Australia.

Some plant nurseries sell this plant as an ornamental plant thanks to its showy purple flowers and as well for its fast growth to quickly cover unsightly fences or walls. It can grow as a separate plant if snapped during attempted removal process. The plant causes respiratory symptoms if ingested.

12-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - LESSER WHISTLING DUCK (Dendrocygna javanica)

The Lesser Whistling Duck, also known as the Indian Whistling Duck or Lesser Whistling Teal, is a charming species with a distinctive chestnut brown plumage and a long neck. This bird is easily recognized by its broad wings, which are particularly visible during flight, and its chestnut rump, which sets it apart from its larger relative, the Fulvous Whistling Duck, with its creamy white rump.

When observing the Lesser Whistling Duck, look for the orange to yellow ring around the eye and the dark crown, which are key features for identification. Both sexes share similar plumage, making them indistinguishable in the field. In flight, they hold their heads below the body level, a characteristic posture of the Dendrocygna genus.

These ducks favor freshwater wetlands with ample vegetation cover. They are often seen resting during the day on the banks or even on the open sea in coastal areas.

12-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - GREY PANSY BUTTERFLY (Junonia atlites)

The Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites) is a nymphalid butterfly native to South Asia, characterized by its pale greyish-brown wings with intricate dark wavy lines and prominent, pinkish-black eyespots. Commonly found in open, sunny areas like gardens, fields, and wetlands, this 55-60mm butterfly frequently basks with its wings spread. 

J. atlites is found in Bangladesh, India, southern China, Cambodia, Indochina, the Malay Peninsula, western and central Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Key Facts About the Grey Pansy:

Appearance: The upperside is pale greyish buff, while the underside is much paler with fainter markings. Both wings feature a series of distinct eye-spots (ocelli).

Habitat & Behavior: Often observed gliding low over open grassy patches or near water bodies. They are, however, relatively rare in certain areas, such as Singapore.

Larval Food Plants: The caterpillars feed on plants in the Acanthaceae and Linderniaceae families, particularly Hygrophila species.

Regional Variation: Junonia atlites exhibits seasonal forms (wet- and dry-season forms) in parts of its range, such as Malaysia.

Pollinator: The adult serves as an active pollinator, feeding on nectar. 

It is commonly found in the low country and hills of South Asia, including India and Sri Lanka. Junonia atlites, the grey pansy, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in South Asia.

Upperside of both sexes pale lavender brown, apical half of wings paler. Forewing: cell with, three transverse, short, sinuous black bands, the outermost defining the discocellulars; a similar short, somewhat broader band beyond the apex of the cell; two transverse discal dusky black fasciae, the inner highly sinuous and outward, angulate above vein 4, the outer straighter, somewhat lunular, bordered by a series of whitish ovals with dusky or black centers. The black-centered spots in the ovals in interspaces 2, 5, and 6 margined posteriorly with rich ocherous yellow.

Beyond this series of ovals is a lunular, narrow, transverse dark band, followed by sinuous subterminal and terminal broad dark lines. Apex of wing slightly fuliginous. Hindwing: a short slender black loop from veins 6 to 4 at apex of cell-area; two discal sinuous transverse dark, fasciae in continuation of those on the forewing: followed by a series of dark-centered ovals in interspaces 2–6, the ovals in interspaces 2, 5, and 6 with the dark centers inwardly broadly bordered with ochreous yellow; postdiscal, subterminal and terminal dark lunular lines as on the forewing.

12-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - CHEMBALI DUCK (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus)

Chemballi (often referred to alongside Chara) is a prominent indigenous variety of the Kuttanad duck breed, native to the wetlands and backwaters of Kerala, India. They play a massive role in traditional backyard poultry farming and local culinary cultures across Southern and Northeastern India.

Key Characteristics & Features

Origin & Habitat: Primarily bred in the Kuttanad region of Kerala. They share a famous symbiotic relationship with paddy fields, foraging on pests and snails while naturally fertilizing the soil.

Physical Distinction: While female Chara and Chemballi ducks look very similar, the drakes (males) are distinguished primarily by the plumage coloration on their heads. Chemballi ducks have notably long necks and shanks, giving them superior swimming efficiency in flood-prone waters.

12-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - WESTERN CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis ssp. ibis)

The western cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. Most taxonomic authorities lump this species and the eastern cattle egret together (called the cattle egret), but some (including the International Ornithologists' Union) separate them. Despite the similarities in plumage to the egrets of the genus Egretta, it is more closely related to the herons of Ardea. Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, it has undergone a rapid expansion in its distribution and successfully colonised much of the rest of the world in the last century.

It is a white bird adorned with buff plumes in the breeding season. It nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. The nest is a platform of sticks in trees or shrubs. Western cattle egrets exploit drier and open habitats more than other heron species. Their feeding habitats include seasonally inundated grasslands, pastures, farmlands, wetlands and rice paddies. They often accompany cattle or other large mammals, catching insect and small vertebrate prey disturbed by these animals. Some populations of the cattle egret are migratory and others show post-breeding dispersal.

12-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - NINE SPOTTED MOTH (Amata phegea)

The Nine-spotted Moth (Amata phegea) is a striking, day-flying moth in the family Erebidae. Though native mainly to Europe, it has been recorded in India, including specific sightings in regions like Kerala. It is noted for its distinctive metallic blue-black wings, white spots, and yellow abdominal rings.

Key Identification & BiologyAppearance: 

Features a 35–40 mm wingspan, metallic blue/greenish-black wings with white spots, and a prominent yellow ring or "belt" on the abdomen.

Behavior: Diurnal (flies during warm, sunny days) and uses aposematism (bright warning colors) to signal toxicity to predators.

Diet: Adults feed on floral nectar, while caterpillars are polyphagous, feeding on a wide range of herbaceous plants.    

13-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - PURPLE RUMPED SUNBIRD (FEMALE) (Leptocoma zeylonica)

The purple-rumped sunbird (Leptocoma zeylonica) is a sunbird endemic to the Indian Subcontinent. Like other sunbirds, they are small in size, feeding mainly on nectar but sometimes take insects, particularly when feeding young. They can hover for short durations but usually perch to lap nectar from flowers. They build a hanging pouch nest made up of cobwebs, lichens and plant material. Males are contrastingly coloured but females are olive above and yellow to buff below. Males are easily distinguished from the purple sunbird by the light coloured underside while females can be told apart from purple sunbird counterparts by their whitish throats.

12-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - WHITE FRANGIPANI (Plumeria obtusa)

Plumeria obtusa, the Singapore graveyard flower, is a species of the genus Plumeria (Apocynaceae). It is native to the Neotropics, but widely cultivated for its ornamental and fragrant flowers around the world, where suitably warm climate exists. 

12-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - STORK BILLED KINGFISHER (Pelargopsis capensis)

The Stork-billed Kingfisher, Pelargopsis capensis, is a grand avian spectacle, boasting a sizeable stature at 35 cm in length. This tree kingfisher is adorned with a vibrant palette: a green back, blue wings and tail, and an olive-brown head. Its underparts and neck are a soft buff, while the bill and legs are a striking bright red.

When identifying this species, look for its very large red bill, which is reminiscent of a stork's, hence the name. The sexes appear similar, making the task of distinguishing them a subtle art. The bird's flight is somewhat labored and flapping, yet it maintains a direct path.

The Stork-billed Kingfisher favors well-wooded environments, often found near bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, or coastal areas. It is a bird that appreciates the tranquility of nature's aquatic offerings.

This kingfisher has a wide but sparse presence across the tropical Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, from India to Indonesia. It is a resident bird, meaning it does not typically migrate and is found throughout its range year-round.

A quiet and often inconspicuous percher, the Stork-billed Kingfisher is territorial in nature. It does not hesitate to chase away even large predators such as eagles. It is a skilled hunter, preying on fish, frogs, crabs, rodents, and occasionally young birds.

The vocal repertoire of this species includes a low, far-reaching "peer-por-por" repeated every few seconds, as well as a cackling "ke-ke-ke-ke-ke-ke," which can be heard echoing through its habitat.

Nests are excavated in river banks, decaying trees, or even in the nests of tree termites. The Stork-billed Kingfisher lays a clutch of two to five round white eggs, a modest but precious brood.

There are 13 recognized races or subspecies of the Stork-billed Kingfisher, mostly differentiated by subtle plumage details. One notable variety, P. c. gigantea from the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines, is distinguished by its white head, neck, and underparts.

The diet of the Stork-billed Kingfisher is quite diverse, including aquatic and terrestrial prey such as fish, frogs, crabs, rodents, and young birds. It hunts with patience and precision, often from a secluded perch.

The Stork-billed Kingfisher is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating that, for now, this species does not face immediate threats to its survival on a global scale. However, continued monitoring is essential to ensure it remains out of danger.

12-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - RED WATER LILY (Nymphaea rubra)

Nymphaea rubra is a species of waterlily native to the region spanning from Sri Lanka and northeastern India to western and central Malesia. Additionally, it has been introduced to regions such as Southeast China, Cuba, Guyana, Hungary, and Suriname.

Nymphaea rubra has 15.1 cm long, and 7.9 cm wide rhizomes. The petiolate, orbicular leaves are 25–48 cm wide. The adaxial leaf surface is bronzy red to dark green, and the abaxial leaf surface is dark purple. The leaf venation is very prominent. The petiole is 140 cm long.

The flowers are 15–25 cm wide. The four purplish-red sepals are oblong to lanceolate. The 12-20 narrowly oval petals have a rounded apex. The androecium consists of 55 red stamens. The gynoecium consists of 16-21 carpels.[6] The fruit bears 1.85 mm long, and 1.6 mm wide seeds. The peduncle is 116 cm long.[3] The flowers are pleasantly fragrant.

The diploid chromosome count is 2n = 56.

12-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - COMMON CROW BUTTERFLY (Euploea lewiniip)

Euploea core, also known as the common crow, is a common butterfly found in South Asia to Australia. In India it is also sometimes referred to as the common Indian crow, and in Australia as the Australian crow. It belongs to the crows and tigers subfamily Danainae (tribe Danaini).

E. core is a glossy-black, medium-sized 85–95 mm (3.3–3.7 in) butterfly with rows of white spots on the margins of its wings. E. core is a slow, steady flier. Due to its unpalatability it is usually observed gliding through the air with a minimum of effort. As caterpillars, this species sequesters toxins from its food plant which are passed on from larva to pupa to the adult. While feeding, it is a very bold butterfly, taking a long time at each bunch of flowers. 

It can also be found mud-puddling with others of its species and often in mixed groups. The males of this species visit plants like Crotalaria and Heliotropium to replenish pheromone stocks which are used to attract a female during courtship.

The common crow is the most common representative of its genus, Euploea. Like the tigers (genus Danaus), the crows are inedible and thus mimicked by other Indian butterflies (see Batesian mimicry). In addition, the Indian species of the genus Euploea show another kind of mimicry, Müllerian mimicry. Accordingly, this species has been studied in greater detail than other members of its genus in India.

12-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - BLUE TIGER BUTTERFLY (Tirumala limniace)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/143257-Tirumala-limniace

13-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - TAWNY COSTER BUTTERFLY (Acraea terpsicore)

Acraea terpsicore, the tawny coster, is a small, 53–64 millimetres (2.1–2.5 in), leathery-winged butterfly common in grassland and scrub habitats. It belongs to the Nymphalidae or brush-footed butterfly family. It has a weak fluttery flight. It is avoided by most insect predators. This species and the yellow coster (Acraea issoria) are the only two Indian representatives of the predominantly African tribe Acraeini. It is found in India, Sri Lanka, Maldives to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Singapore, and recently Australia.

This species does not fly high, but seems to keep within 3 m of the ground and tends to rest on vegetation in the regions of a meter off the ground. Acraea terpsicore can be seen in abundance wherever its larval food plant (Passiflora species) is found. The adult tends to avoid dense undergrowth and shady areas, instead keeping to open spaces in all types of vegetation.

The adult flies slowly with weak seemingly unsteady wing beats. It is one of the boldest butterflies, protected as it is from predators by a nauseous chemical. When attacked it plays dead and exudes a noxious yellowish fluid from glands in the joints of the legs. Like all butterflies protected in this manner, Acraea terpsicore has a tough exoskeleton which enables the adult to survive a few pecks of a bird or even the bites of a lizard. Once left alone the adult immediately takes off and resumes its uncaring flight.

When feeding on flowers, this butterfly is unhurried, often spending a long time sitting on the same flower. When sitting it either spreads its wings or closes them over its back the hindwings covering the forewings to a large extent. Sometimes the butterfly will not sit, but rest gently on the flower while feeding, while doing this, to maintain balance, it beats only its forewings while keeping the hindwings completely steady.

13-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - BLUE TIGER BUTTERFLY (Tirumala limniace)

Tirumala limniace, the blue tiger, is a species of butterfly found in South Asia, and Southeast Asia that belongs to the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae. More specifically it is part of the crows and tigers or danaid group. This butterfly shows gregarious migratory behaviour in southern India. In some places, it may be found in congregations with Danaus genutia, Tirumala septentrionis, Euploea sylvester, Euploea core, Parantica aglea, and at high elevations, with Parantica nilgiriensis, on Crotalaria.

Tirumala limniace is a small butterfly with wide wings. It has a wingspan of 90 to 100 millimeters, with the males being smaller than the females. The upper side of the wing is dark brown to black and patterned with bluish-white, semi-transparent spots and lines. The blue of the bluish-white spots consists of the pigment pterobilin. In general, all butterflies can directly absorb heat from the sun via their wings to facilitate autonomous flight. Studies on blue tiger butterflies show that high-intensity light significantly increased flight activity. Blue tiger butterflies have a wing surface color that is composed of both light and dark colors. The dark areas on the wing surfaces are the heat absorption areas that allow for the facilitation of autonomous flight.

In cell 1b of the forewing, which, like all the others, is an area on the wing bounded by veins, run two strips, sometimes connected, after which there is a large spot. A stripe runs from the base of the discoid cell, followed by a large spot that is notched from the wing tip (apex). A large oval spot sits at the base of cell 2, a significantly smaller spot is at the base of cell 3, followed by a small spot. Five short stripes can be seen in the post-disk region on the leading edge, only two of which are clearly defined. Two rows of irregular points run submarginally, the inner ones being larger than the outer ones. There is a stripe in cell 1a on the hind wing. A strip that divides from the base also runs through cells 1b and 1c. In the discoid cell there is a wide dividing strip. The lower branch hooks or has a short spur-like base. At the base of cells 2 and 3 there is a thin, V-shaped arch. In cells 2 and 5 there is a strong, wide stripe at the base. Two rows of scattered, irregular points also run submarginally, the inner ones being larger than the outer ones.

The males differ from the females by a black pocket filled with scented scales in cell 1c, near the discoid cell on the upper side of the hind wings. The pockets are only created after hatching while the moth inflates its wings by turning up scented flakes. They play an important role in courtship, along with tufts of hair that can be turned out on the abdomen. The hairs sprout almost only from the rear third of the tuft of hair, a typical feature of the Danaini genera grouped under the clade Danaina.

The underside of the forewing is black, only the apex, like the underside of the hind wings, is olive-brown. The pattern largely corresponds to the top.

The antennae are black, as are the head and thorax, these two still bearing white dots and lines. The top of the abdomen is dark, the underside is pale brownish yellow colored with white shimmering underneath at the segment boundaries.

12-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - RICE GRASSHOPPER (Genus Oxya)

The genus Oxya, commonly known as rice grasshoppers or rice-field grasshoppers, belongs to the family Acrididae (subfamily Oxyinae). These insects are significant agricultural pests in Asia and Africa, primarily known for causing damage to rice, sugarcane, and maize crops. They are well-adapted to marshy environments, often found in or near wetlands and agricultural fields. 

Here are key facts about the genus Oxya:

1. Appearance and Biology

Physical Characteristics: Oxya species are generally small to medium-sized grasshoppers. They are typically pale green to yellow-brown in color, often featuring a distinct, dark-brown, longitudinal stripe on either side of the head and pronotum.

Adaptations: They are well-adapted to wet, marshy conditions, with hind tibiae and tarsi that are flattened, functioning like oars to allow them to swim.

Life Cycle: They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult).

Eggs are laid in the soil, usually in egg pods (often 25–40 eggs per pod) that are covered with a protective froth, enabling them to withstand harsh conditions.

Life Span: In many regions, they have one or two generations per year, with the egg stage often lasting through the winter (up to 200–300 days). 

2. Habitat and Ecology

Habitat: They prefer moist, humid environments, specifically rice fields, grasslands, and marshes.

Distribution: Highly widespread throughout Asia, particularly in Indomalaya and eastern Asia (e.g., China, Japan, Pakistan, India).

Diet: Oxya species are polyphagous, feeding on a variety of plants, but they mainly feed on rice, maize, millet, and other grasses. 

3. Pest Status and Damage

Feeding Behavior: Both nymphs and adults are highly destructive. They chew large angular holes in leaves, which can lead to complete defoliation, leaving only the leaf mid-ribs.

Crop Impact: They can cause severe yield losses, particularly by damaging tender leaves, stems, and filling panicles (grains). 2–4 adults per square meter can reduce rice output by 6.8–17.8%.

Management: Natural enemies include spiders, birds, and various parasitic larvae. 

12-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - LILY BORER CATERPILLAR (Brithys crini)

Brithys crini, the amaryllis borer, crinum borer, lily borer or Kew arches, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is a garden pest in parts of its range, as their larvae damage the stems and leaves of lilies, especially lilies of the family Amaryllidaceae.

It is found in the coastal areas of Southern Europe and North Africa, south to South Africa. Furthermore, it is found in Japan and in Queensland and Northern Territory in Australia towards India and Sri Lanka.

The wingspan of the moth is about 40 mm. Its head, thorax and forewings are very dark brown, but paler toward the wingtips. Sub-basal, median and postmedial indistinct waved lines are black. A curved submarginal ochreous line with ferrous colored lunuled found on each side of it. There is a marginal black lunule series. The hindwings are practically white. Tarsi bear black and white stripes. In Europe the adults are on the wing in July.

There are several generations per year, though development slows down in cooler seasons, when the larvae sometimes overwinter by boring into the bulbs of the host plants.

The moth lays clusters of a few dozen eggs on the host plant leaves. The hatching larvae at first remain in groups and mine into the leaves. As they grow they either emerge and feed externally, or proceed down the leaves to their bases or even into the bulbs.

The larvae are aposematically coloured in pale yellows on blacks and browns. They are unpalatable to most vertebrate predators, and also poisonous, feeding as they do, on largely unpalatable and poisonous plants. They are slightly bristly, but the bristles seem to be sensory rather than irritant. Typically they grow to about 40 mm long before pupation.

14-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - GREY HEADED SWAMPHEN (Porphyrio poliocephalus)

The grey-headed swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus ) is a species of swamphen occurring from the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent to southern China and northern Thailand. It used to be considered a subspecies of the purple swamphen, but was elevated to full species status in 2015; today the purple swamphen is considered a superspecies and each of its six subspecies groups are designated full species.

The male has an elaborate courtship display, holding water weeds in his bill and bowing to the female with loud chuckles.

The grey-headed swamphen was introduced to North America in the late 1990s due to avicultural escapes in the Pembroke Pines, Florida area. State wildlife biologists attempted to eradicate the birds, but they have multiplied and can now be found in many areas of southern Florida. Ornithological authorities consider it likely that the swamphen will become an established part of Florida's avifauna. It was added to the American Birding Association checklist in February 2013.

The grey-headed swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus ) is a species of swamphen occurring from the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent to southern China and northern Thailand. It used to be considered a subspecies of the purple swamphen, but was elevated to full species status in 2015; today the purple swamphen is considered a superspecies and each of its six subspecies groups are designated full species.

The male has an elaborate courtship display, holding water weeds in his bill and bowing to the female with loud chuckles.

The grey-headed swamphen was introduced to North America in the late 1990s due to avicultural escapes in the Pembroke Pines, Florida area. State wildlife biologists attempted to eradicate the birds, but they have multiplied and can now be found in many areas of southern Florida. Ornithological authorities consider it likely that the swamphen will become an established part of Florida's avifauna. It was added to the American Birding Association checklist in February 2013.

13-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - LARGE BILLED CROW (Corvus macrorhynchos)

The large-billed crow (Corvus macrorhynchos ), formerly referred to widely as the jungle crow, is a widespread Asian species of crow. It is very adaptable and is able to survive on a wide range of food sources, making it capable of colonizing new areas, due to which it is often considered a nuisance, especially on islands. It has a large bill, which is the source of its scientific name macrorhynchos (Ancient Greek for "large beak") and it is sometimes known by the common name thick-billed crow. It can also be mistaken for a common raven. Johann Georg Wagler first described the species from a holotype obtained from Java in the year 1827. The eastern jungle crow and Indian jungle crow were once considered conspecific and together called the jungle crow.

13-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - BLACK KITE (Milvus migrans)

The black kite was described by the French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon in his Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux in 1770. The bird was also illustrated in a hand-coloured plate engraved by François-Nicolas Martinet in the Planches Enluminées D'Histoire Naturelle which was produced under the supervision of Edme-Louis Daubenton to accompany Buffon's text. Neither the plate caption nor Buffon's description included a scientific name but in 1783 the Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert coined the binomial name Falco migrans in his catalogue of the Planches Enluminées. The type locality is France. The current genus Milvus was erected by the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède in 1799. Milvus is the Latin word for a red kite; the specific migrans means "migrating" from the Latin migrare "to migrate".

The red kite has been known to hybridize with the black kite (in captivity where both species were kept together, and in the wild on the Cape Verde Islands).

Recent DNA studies suggest that the yellow-billed African races parasitus and aegyptius differ significantly from black kites in the Eurasian clade, and should be considered a separate allopatric species: yellow-billed kite, M. aegyptius. They occur throughout Africa except for the Congo Basin and the Sahara Desert. There have been some suggestions that the black-eared kite (M. m. lineatus) should be elevated to full species status as M. lineatus, but this is not well supported.

Black kites can be distinguished from red kites by the slightly smaller size, less forked tail (visible in flight), and generally dark plumage without any rufous. The sexes are alike though the male is a little smaller and less aggressive (this is the case in most birds of prey). They weigh on average 735 grams. The upper plumage is brown but the head and neck tend to be paler. The patch behind the eye appears darker. The outer flight feathers are black and the feathers have dark cross bars and are mottled at the base. The lower parts of the body are pale brown, becoming lighter towards the chin.

The body feathers have dark shafts giving it a streaked appearance. The cere and gape are yellow, but the bill is black (unlike that of the yellow-billed kite). The legs are yellow and the claws are black. They have a distinctive shrill whistle followed by a rapid whinnying call. Males and females have the same plumage but females are longer than males and have a little larger wingspan. Their wingspan is around 150 cm.

The species is found in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. The temperate populations of this kite tend to be migratory while the tropical ones are resident. European and central Asian birds (subspecies M. m. migrans and black-eared kite M. m. lineatus, respectively) are migratory, moving to the tropics in winter, but races in warmer regions such as the Indian M. m. govinda (small Indian/pariah kite), or the Australasian M. m. affinis (fork-tailed kite), are resident. In some areas such as in the United Kingdom, the black kite occurs only as a wanderer on migration. These birds are usually of the nominate race, but in November 2006 a juvenile of the eastern lineatus, not previously recorded in western Europe, was found in Lincolnshire.

14-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - ORIENTAL RAT SNAKE (Ptyas mucosa)

Ptyas mucosa, commonly known as the Oriental rat snake, or Indian rat snake, is a common non-venomous species of colubrid snake found in parts of South and Southeast Asia. These are large snakes. Typical mature total length is around 1.5 to 1.95 m (4 ft 11 in to 6 ft 5 in) though some exceed 2 m (6 ft 7 in). The record length for this species was 3.7 m (12 ft 2 in), second only to their cousin Ptyas carinata among living colubrid snakes. Despite their large size, oriental ratsnakes are usually quite slender with even a specimen of 2 m (6 ft 7 in) commonly measuring 4 to 6 cm (1.6 to 2.4 in) only around in diameter[which?]. Furthermore, the average weight of ratsnakes caught in Java was around 877 to 940 g (1.933 to 2.072 lb), though larger males of over 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) (which average mildly larger of the two sexes in the species) may easily weigh over 2.5 kg (5.5 lb). Their color varies from pale browns in dry regions to nearly black in moist forest areas. Rat snakes are diurnal, semi-arboreal, non-venomous, and fast-moving. Rat snakes eat a variety of prey and are frequently found in urban areas where rodents thrive.

Found in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, China (Zhejiang, Hubei, Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Tibet, Hong Kong), Taiwan, India (including Andaman and Nicobar Islands), Sri Lanka, Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Bali), Iran, Laos, West Malaysia, Nepal, Myanmar, Pakistan (Sindh area), Thailand, Turkmenistan and Vietnam.

14-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - RED WATER LILY (Nymphaea rubra)

Nymphaea rubra is a species of waterlily native to the region spanning from Sri Lanka and northeastern India to western and central Malesia. Additionally, it has been introduced to regions such as Southeast China, Cuba, Guyana, Hungary, and Suriname.

Nymphaea rubra has 15.1 cm long, and 7.9 cm wide rhizomes. The petiolate, orbicular leaves are 25–48 cm wide. The adaxial leaf surface is bronzy red to dark green, and the abaxial leaf surface is dark purple. The leaf venation is very prominent. The petiole is 140 cm long.

The flowers are 15–25 cm wide. The four purplish-red sepals are oblong to lanceolate. The 12-20 narrowly oval petals have a rounded apex. The androecium consists of 55 red stamens. The gynoecium consists of 16-21 carpels.[6] The fruit bears 1.85 mm long, and 1.6 mm wide seeds. The peduncle is 116 cm long.[3] The flowers are pleasantly fragrant.

The diploid chromosome count is 2n = 56.

14-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - TRAILING DAISY (Sphagneticola trilobata)

Sphagneticola trilobata, commonly known as the Bay Biscayne creeping-oxeye, marigold Singapore daisy, creeping-oxeye, trailing daisy, and wedelia, is a plant in the tribe Heliantheae of the family Asteraceae. It is native to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, but now grows throughout the Neotropics. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental groundcover.

Spreading, mat-forming perennial herb up to 30 cm in height. Has rounded stems up to 40 cm long, rooting at nodes and with the flowering stems ascending. Leaves are fleshy, hairy, 4–9 cm long and 2–5 cm wide, serrate or irregularly toothed, normally with pairs of lateral lobes, and dark green above and lighter green below. Its surface is hairy or glabrous, rarely scaly.

Peduncles are 3–10 cm long; involucres are campanulate to hemispherical, about 1 cm high; chaffy bracts are lanceolate, rigid. The flowers are bright yellow ray florets of about 8-13 per head, rays are 6–15 mm long; disk-corollas 4–5 mm long. The pappus is a crown of short fimbriate scales. The seeds are tuberculate achenes, 4–5 mm long. Propagation is mostly vegetatively as seeds are usually not fertile. In the tropics it is free-flowering, and elsewhere it blooms mostly from spring to autumn.

It has a very wide ecological tolerance range, but grows best in sunny areas with well-drained, moist soil at low elevations.

14-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - COMMON WATER HYACINTH (Pontederia crassipes)

Pontederia crassipes (formerly Eichhornia crassipes), commonly known as common water hyacinth, is an aquatic plant native to South America, naturalized throughout the world, and often invasive outside its native range. It is the sole species of the subgenus Oshunae within the genus Pontederia. Anecdotally, it is known as the "terror of Bengal" due to its invasive growth tendencies.

14-3-2020 KERALA, INDIA - ORIENTAL MAGPIE ROBIN (Copsychus saularis)

The diet of magpie-robins includes mainly insects and other invertebrates. Although mainly insectivorous, they are known to occasionally take flower nectar, geckos, leeches, centipedes and even fish.

They are often active late at dusk. They sometimes bathe in rainwater collected on the leaves of a tree.

The diet of magpie-robins includes mainly insects and other invertebrates. Although mainly insectivorous, they are known to occasionally take flower nectar, geckos, leeches,] centipedes and even fish.

They are often active late at dusk. They sometimes bathe in rainwater collected on the leaves of a tree.