16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - JEWEL DAMSELFLY (Rhinoneura villosipes)

Rhinoneura villosipes is a species of jewel damselfly in the family Chlorocyphidae.

The IUCN conservation status of Rhinoneura villosipes is "VU", vulnerable. The species faces a high risk of endangerment in the medium term.

 

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - PLAIN HEDGE BLUE BUTTERFLY (Celastrina lavendularis)

Celastrina lavendularis, the plain hedge blue, is a small butterfly found in Sri Lanka, India, and Indomalayan realm that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - COMMANDER BUTTERFLY (Moduza procris)

Moduza procris, the commander, sometimes included in the genus Limenitis, is a medium-sized, strikingly coloured brush-footed butterfly found in South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is notable for the mode of concealment employed by its caterpillar and the cryptic camouflage of its pupa.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - COMMON SUN SKINK (Eutropis multifasciata)

 Eutropis multifasciata, commonly known as the East Indian brown mabuya, many-lined sun skink, many-striped skink, common sun skink or (ambiguously) as golden skink, is a species of skink.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - COMMON MAPWING BUTTERFLY (Cyrestis maenalis)

Cyrestis maenalis, the common mapwing, is a species of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in South-East Asia.

 

24-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU, BORNEO - ASHY DRONGO (Dicrurus leucophaeus) COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

The ashy drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus) is a species of bird in the drongo family Dicruridae. It is found widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia with several populations that vary in the shade of grey, migration patterns and in the size or presence of white patches around the eye.

The ashy drongo has short legs and sits very upright while perched prominently, often high on a tree. It is insectivorous and forages by making aerial sallies but sometimes gleans from tree trunks. They are found singly, in pairs or small groups. During migration they fly in small flocks.

 

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - BORNEO BLACK BANDED SQUIRREL (Callosciurus orestes)

The Borneo black-banded squirrel (Callosciurus orestes) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to northern Borneo.

This species is found in northern Borneo at middle elevations (Payne et al. 1985). It was known from G. Dulit (above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft)) and reported from similar altitude on Usun Apau, the Kelabit Highlands and the upper S. Terusan, all montane localities in northern Sarawak. It was also known from Mount Kinabalu (1,000–1,700 metres (3,300–5,600 ft)) and Mount Trusmadi (about 1,500 metres (4,900 ft)) in Sabah. It appears to be restricted to lower montane forest and to upper dipterocarp forest.

The upper part is finely speckled brown. A pale buffy spot behind each ears. The underside is grey, sometimes with a reddish tinge. It also has a black and buffy-white side stripe. Callosciurus orestes is diurnal. They are active in small to medium-sized trees. Recently, fruit and black ants were found out in the two species of Mount Kinabalu.

 

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - TEMMINCK'S SUNBIRD (Aethopyga temminckii)

 Temminck's sunbird (Aethopyga temminckii) is a species of sunbird. It is found in up to 1800 m altitude in Borneo, Sumatra, West Malaysia, and south west Thailand in tropical moist montane forests.

This bird's common name and Latin binomial commemorate the Dutch aristocrat and zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck.

The Temminck's sunbird is 10 cm (female) -12.5 cm (male) long. The longer-tailed male is mostly scarlet, except for a greyish belly, yellow and purple bands between the back and tail, and four purple bands on the head emanating from the beak. The female is drab olive, except for rufous fringes to the wing and tail feathers.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - GOLDEN NAPED BARBET

Indonesia and Malaysia, where it is endemic to the island of Borneo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

Description

Medium-sized bird (20-21.5 cm); overall stocky built. Bill- thick and distinctive. Body coloration, primarily green. Wings having darker shade of green compared to underparts. Azure blue on forehead, extending up to nape; blue coloration on throat. Small but distinct yellow nape forms a collar. A distinctive black band from the base of bill to eye. Black pupils. Black mandibles. Greyish green tarsus

The golden-naped barbet (Psilopogon pulcherrimus) is a member of the family Megalaimidae. It is found in Endemic to lowland and montane forests of Borneo. It is presumably a resident species in this region. Most often reported from Mount Kinabalu and Trus Madi south to Mulu and Murud.

Primarily feeds on fruits and berries. Occasionally takes insects like other barbet species. They are often found foraging in the mid-storey layer of the forest and are known to nest in tree cavities. 

6-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - MELASTOMES (Medinilla speciosa)

Medinilla speciosa is a perennial epiphytic plant in the genus Medinilla of the family Melastomataceae.

Medinilla is named for José de Medinilla y Pineda, who was governor of Mauritius (then known as the Marianne Islands) in 1820. 

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - TROPICAL SWALLOWTAIL MOTH (Lyssa zampa)

Lyssa zampa, the tropical swallowtail moth or Laos brown butterfly, is a moth of the family Uraniidae. The species was first described by British entomologist Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1869.

The species is native to a wide range of tropical South-East Asia: Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. It is also recorded from Andaman Islands, southern China, the Himalayas, and sporadically in East Asia: Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. The forewing length is about 70 mm (2.8 in)[6] and the wingspan reaches a maximum of 160 mm (6.3 in).

 

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - GEOMETER MOTH (Thinopteryx crocoptera)

Thinopteryx crocoptera is a moth of the family Geometridae first described by Vincenz Kollar in 1844. It is found in eastern Asia, including Japan, Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia.

The wingspan is 51–64 mm. Body orange yellow. Head and collar white, irrorated (sprinkled) with fuscous. Wings with numerous orange strigae more or less combined into patches. Forewings with white costa, irrorated with fuscous. Antemedial and postmedial oblique fuscous line present, sometimes slightly curved. There is a fuscous line found on the discocellulars. A submarginal more or less lunulate line present, often reduced to a series of specks towards costa. Hindwings with a fuscous line on discocellulars. A double submarginal line angled at base of tail. A fuscous patch can be seen on tail.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - EMERALD MOTH (Genus Orothalassodes)

Orothalassodes is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae. Members of the genus are found primarily in Southeast Asia.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - SWALLOWTAIL MOTH (Urapteroides astheniata)

Urapteroides astheniata is a moth of the family Uraniidae first described by Achille Guenée in 1857. It is found in south-east Asia, from India, Sri Lanka to Fiji, including New Guinea and the tropical north of Australia.

Description

The wingspan is about 60–76 mm. Body white. Palpi with a black line on the upperside. A black frontal line and spot found on vertex of head. Forewings with some black strigae from the costa. Six oblique fuscous bands, one sub-basal, another on discocellulars, the others medial, postmedial, sub-marginal and marginal. Some fuscous striae found on each side of the sub-marginal band. Hindwings with a fuscous band on inner margin joined at anal angle by a band from the upper angle of cell and almost met by one from the costa beyond the middle. Some submarginal striae can be seen. A black marginal line runs from the apex to the tail, and a very narrow line with three spots inside it from the tail to anal angle. Cilia black tipped.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - UNDERWING MOTH (Genus Hyposada)

Hyposada is a genus of moths of the family Erebidae. 

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - INDIGO FLYCATCHER (Eumyias indigo)

The indigo flycatcher (Eumyias indigo) is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia, where it is found in Sumatra, Java and northern montane areas of Borneo. Its natural habitat is tropical moist submontane montane forests between 900m to 3000m, where it is a common to fairly common species.

2-6-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - WAVE MOTH (Genus Scopula)

Scopula is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae described by Franz von Paula Schrank in 1802.

1-6-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - ASIAN COMMON TOAD (Duttaphrynus melanostictus)

 Asian common toads occur widely from northern Pakistan through Nepal, Bangladesh, India including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, southern China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau to Malaysia, Singapore, and the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Anambas and Natuna Islands. They have been recorded from sea level up to 1,800 m (5,900 ft) altitude, and live mostly in disturbed lowland habitats, from upper beaches and riverbanks to human-dominated agricultural and urban areas. They are uncommon in closed forests.

1-6-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - WHITE BREASTED WATERHEN (Amaurornis phoenicurus)

The white-breasted waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) is a waterbird of the rail and crake family, Rallidae, that is widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia. They are dark slaty birds with a clean white face, breast and belly. They are somewhat bolder than most other rails and are often seen stepping slowly with their tail cocked upright in open marshes or even drains near busy roads. They are largely crepuscular in activity and during the breeding season, just after the first rains, make loud and repetitive croaking calls.

 

31-5-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - YELLOW VENTED BULBUL (Pycnonotus goiavier)

The yellow-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier), or eastern yellow-vented bulbul, is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is a resident breeder in southeastern Asia from Indochina to the Philippines. It is found in a wide variety of open habitats but not the deep forest. It is one of the most common birds in cultivated areas. They appear to be nomadic and roam from place to place regularly.

The yellow-vented bulbul builds a well-camouflaged but fragile, loose, deep, cup-shaped circular nest from grass, leaves, roots, vine stems, and twigs. The nest is untidy on the outside, but neatly lined with plant fibers. It may be built in a wide range of places from low bushes to high trees. This is a species adapted to humans and may even nest in gardens. The yellow-vented bulbul lays 2–5 eggs from February to June.

The yellow-vented bulbul eats berries and small fruits. They also sip nectar, nibble on young shoots, and consume some insects.

31-5-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - GARDEN CANNA (Canna × generalis)

This list of Canna cultivars is a gallery of named cultivars of plants in the genus Canna that are representative of the various Canna cultivar groups (i.e., groups of very similar cultivars.

 

31-5-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - LONG TAILED SHRIKE (Lanius schach)

The long-tailed shrike or rufous-backed shrike (Lanius schach) is a member of the bird family Laniidae, the shrikes. They are found widely distributed across Asia and there are variations in plumage across the range. The species ranges across much of Asia, both on the mainland and the eastern archipelagos. The eastern or Himalayan subspecies, L. s. tricolor, is sometimes called the black-headed shrike. Although there are considerable differences in plumage among the subspecies, they all have a long and narrow black tail, have a black mask and forehead, rufous rump and flanks and a small white patch on the shoulder. It is considered to form a superspecies with the grey-backed shrike (Lanius tephronotus) which breeds on the Tibetan Plateau.

The long-tailed shrike is a typical shrike, favouring dry open habitats and found perched prominently atop a bush or on a wire. The dark mask through the eye is broad and covers the forehead in most subspecies and the whole head is black in subspecies tricolor and nasutus. The tail is narrow and graduated with pale rufous on the outer feathers. Subspecies erythronotus has the grey of the mantle and upper back suffused with rufous while the southern Indian caniceps has pure grey. A small amount of white is present at the base of the primaries. The bay-backed shrike is smaller and more contrastingly patterned and has a more prominent white patch on the wing. The sexes are alike in plumage.

The species is found across Asia from Kazakhstan to New Guinea. It is found mainly in scrub and open habitats. Many of the temperate zone populations are migratory, moving south in winter while those in the tropics tend to be sedentary although they may make short distance movements. Subspecies caniceps of southern India is found in winter in the dry coastal zone of southern India. Subspecies tricolor migrates south to Bengal in India. They are found in scrub, grassland and open land under cultivation. A survey in southern India found them to be among the commonest wintering shrikes and found at a linear density along roadsides at about 0.58 per kilometer, often choosing wires to perch.

This bird has a characteristic upright "shrike" attitude when perched on a bush, from which it glides down at an angle to take lizards, large insects, small birds and rodents. They maintain feeding territories and are usually found single or in pairs that are well spaced out. Several members have been observed indulging in play behaviour fighting over perches. The usual calls are harsh grating and scolding calls, likened to the squealing of a frog caught by a snake. They are capable of vocal mimicry and include the calls of many species including lapwings, cuckoos, puppies and squirrels in their song. This singing ability makes it a popular pet in parts of southeast Asia.

Long-tailed shrikes take a wide variety of animal prey. On occasion, they have been noted capturing fish from a stream. They also take small snakes. It sometimes indulges in kleptoparasitism and takes prey from other birds. It also captures flying insects in the air. They sometimes impale prey on a thorny bush after feeding just on the head or brain. They have been reported to feed on the fruits of the neem in Kerala, even attempting to impale them on a twig.

31-5-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - HUNTSMAN SPIDER (Family Sparassidae)

Huntsman spiders, members of the family Sparassidae (formerly Heteropodidae), are known by this name because of their speed and mode of hunting.[citation needed] They are also called giant crab spiders because of their size and appearance. Larger species sometimes are referred to as wood spiders, because of their preference for woody places (forests, mine shafts, woodpiles, wooden shacks). In southern Africa the genus Palystes are known as rain spiders or lizard-eating spiders. Commonly, they are confused with baboon spiders from the Mygalomorphae infraorder, which are not closely related.

More than a thousand Sparassidae species occur in most warm temperate to tropical regions of the world, including much of Australasia, Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean Basin, and the Americas.

31-5-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - MEXICAN SUNFLOWER (Tithonia diversifolia)

 Tithonia diversifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae that is commonly known as the tree marigold, Mexican tournesol, Mexican sunflower, Japanese sunflower or Nitobe chrysanthemum. It is native to Mexico and Central America but has a nearly pantropical distribution as an introduced species. Depending on the area they may be either annual or perennial. It has shown great potential in raising the soil fertility in soils depleted in nutrients. Originating in Mexico; research has shown its potential in benefiting poor African farmers. This plant is a weed that grows quickly and has become an option as an affordable alternative to expensive synthetic fertilizers. It has shown to increase plant yields and the soil nutrients of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).

31-5-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - RAINTREES (Genus Brunfelsia)

Brunfelsia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to subfamily Petunioideae of the nightshade family Solanaceae. The 50 or so species have been grouped into the three sections: Brunfelsia (circa 22 species), Franciscea (circa 18 species) and Guianenses (circa 6 species), which differ significantly in both distribution and characteristics, although molecular data have revealed that only two sections are natural (monophyletic), namely the Caribbean section Brunfelsia and a common section for all South American species. Linnaeus named the genus for the early German herbalist Otto Brunfels (1488–1534).

Otto Brunfels, German theologian and botanist in whose honour the genus Brunfelsia is named.

Common names for the genus include raintree, yesterday-today-tomorrow and lady of the night.

Brunfelsia spp. are neotropical shrubs, small trees and (rarely) lianas. The leaves are alternately arranged, simple, and usually oval in shape. The large flowers have salverform corollas with five broad lobes and narrow tubes.

Typical habitat for wild species is light woodland and thickets.

31-5-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - ORANGE BELLIED FLOWERPECKER (Dicaeum trigonostigma)

The orange-bellied flowerpecker (Dicaeum trigonostigma) is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

Habitat

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical mangrove forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

31-5-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - POINSETTIA (Euphorbia pulcherrima)

The poinsettia (/pɔɪnˈsɛt(i)ə/; Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a commercially important flowering plant species of the diverse spurge family Euphorbiaceae. Indigenous to Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia was first described by Europeans in 1834. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. It derives its common English name from Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States minister to Mexico, who is credited with introducing the plant to the US in the 1820s. Poinsettias are shrubs or small trees, with heights of 0.6 to 4 m (2.0 to 13.1 ft). Though often stated to be highly toxic, the poinsettia is not dangerous to pets or children. Exposure to the plant, even consumption, most often results in no effect, though it can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Calliandra are often fed on by caterpillars, such as the larvae of statira sulphur (Aphrissa statira). It is available in many vibrant colours such as pink, white, etc.

 

HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - STICKPEAS (Genus Calliandra)

Calliandra is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, in the mimosoid clade of the subfamily Caesalpinioideae. It contains about 140 species that are native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas.

The genus comprises herbaceous perennial plants, shrubs, and rarely small trees, growing 0.5–6 m (1.5–19.5 feet) tall, with bipinnate leaves. The flowers are produced in cylindrical or globose inflorescences and have numerous long slender stamens which give rise to the common names powder-puff, powder puff plant, and fairy duster. These plants flower all year round, but the best blooming is in spring and summer. They can be easily pruned.

31-5-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - MELASTOMES (Genus Medinilla)

Medinilla magnifica, the showy medinilla or rose grape, is a species of flowering plant in the family Melastomataceae, native to the Philippines . It is an epiphyte. Various species and hybrids in this family are well known and popular with plant collectors with Medinilla speciosa being found almost identical.