Magnificent Monsoon

A rainy day is the perfect time for a walk in the woods. 

-Rachel  Carson

Hi viewers, Welcome to What's around us. It's rainy season and my favourite season of the year; I just love to cherish some hot fritters and coffee during rainy evenings. Moreover rainy season makes me feel more that I am very close to nature. 

The cool breeze that embrace you, the wilted branches turn green, chirping of birds, frogs which croaks for its mates, odour of the wet ground and the way rain drops sound takes you more closer to nature.  Today's article is all about what do animals during rainy season. Scroll down to see what I have found during this #Magnificent Monsoon. 

 

(Achatina fulica) giant land snail

Achatina fulica (African giant land snail) is one of the most seen creature during monsoon and a significant pest across globe. These Giant land snails were about 10 cm in length, I had spotted 5 of these in one place, but I could capture only 3 of them with a toad on the right corner. These are hermaphrodites and an individual can produce both sperm and ovum; reproduces externally. It lays around 100-500 eggs in a clutch and survival rate is very low. 

Last year the Achatina has caused a huge loss for coffee planters in Kodagu District, Karnataka. In Kerala, the incidence of meningitis due to giant land snail has increased over past 5 years.  

This is another land snail species which I found near the drainage, there were around hundreds of juveniles some of them were destroyed by vehicular movements. 

Eggs of the Red wattled Lapwing bird

Red wattled Lapwing. 

Lapwing is a bird which makes calls both during day time and night. The call of the lapwing resembles to that of loud “Did we do it”. During the courtship, the male bird makes sure to attract the female by making is feathers puffy. Females will choose the strongest male so that her future generation survives better. In case of lapwing both male and female will incubate the eggs. Sometimes the parent birds will watch over their eggs from far or on flight. Eggs are laid on the ground scrapings to protect them from predators. Eggs are usually decorated with sheep or horse droppings and small stones and pebbles to keep it unnoticed from predators. Survival chances of lapwing eggs are only 45-50%. Sometimes the heavy rain can change the quality of the egg content and ruin it. The eggs become paler if it is destroyed out of rain water. 

Click on the link for more on Lapwing's poem..

https://whatsaroudus.blogspot.com/2020/06/cry-of-lapwing-bird.html?m=1 

Red spinned millipede (Xenobolus carnifex)

In childhood, we used to call this train worm (train huLha in Kannada) and touch it with stick to see it coiling it's it's. 

Red spinned millipede is often seen during rainy season and very common in South India. 

This is a mushroom Species which was found growing on a log placed on the ground. Not sure about it's it's identification. 

(Lime butterfly) Papilio demoleus

This beautiful butterfly was found siphoning on Cupressus lusitanica. It's quite common in the premises because there is a cultivated lime tree nearby and one of the larva was spotted on the same. Citrus trees are the host plants of this butterfly species. 

Larva of lime butterfly on cultivated lime plant

(Catopsilia pyranthe) common emigrant 

Common emigrant gets its name from its migratory behaviour. Found throughout the year in open places. Cassia is known to be it's host plant. 

Toads pairing

This is a very new thing to see for me as well and investigation of this behaviour is still going on. The toads and frogs usually mates in water. Frogs undergo external fertilization where the ovum released is fertilised by sperms in water medium. During this act the male frogs sit on the back of female frog and release sperms for fertilization. But in some of the Indian Species before mating, the male and female toads and frogs pairs with one another to adjust to their bodies. The male frogs are usually smaller and females are bigger. The male frogs cling on to the female body for long time to get adjusted to it's body. Sometimes this pairing will long last for a day or more. After pairing, fertilization happens in a nearby water bodies. 

(Please comment on the comment section of you have more information about pairing) 

Bulbul nestI found this red wishkered bulbul nest on the Cupressus tree in front of my office building.

 Red whiskered bulbul builds a perfect flat and cup shaped nest, it make uses of straws and twigs; in like manner its nearest cousin the ‘red vented bulbul’ is found to use metal wires too.They prefer lower height places notably bushes, small trees, fences or walls. Experts argue that these birds nests anywhere it feels confident to raise their chicks. The breeding season is usually in the winter. Two to three eggs are laid; eggs are small with brownish pink patterns on them. Parental care is well noticed, both the parents are involved in raising their chicks. For more information about bulbul nest click on the link https://whatsaroudus.blogspot.com/2018/07/?m=0This rainy season I found so many toads dead as vehicles run over it. Irony is all these were located in just two streets.

  

   

That's it from the monsoon diaries, see you soon with another interesting article. Like comment and share what's around us.