Basilica orbweaver on the Gaussian distribution

The Basilica orbweavers (Mecynogea lemniscata) are a non-venomous and non-aggressive group of spiders. They are about as big as a grain of rice in the early stages. Their webs look like cotton candy. Their webs are interesting: on looking closely, you will notice that the webs are not randomly built. In the unorganized threads, there is a fine fabric in the shape of a dome. Hence, the name- 'basilica orbweaver'. 

Look closely; you will notice the shape of the web.

The bell-shaped web also resembles a three-dimensional plot of a Gaussian function. Isn't that amazing?

Bell-shaped Gaussian function

The female lays eggs in sacs that hang vertically from the web. It detaches its web in the night, which falls in the eggs and creates a protective layer.

Isn't nature both inspiring and beautiful? 

Comment what you think about the correlation with the Gaussian function.

Thank you!!

Lilly Moth

 

Lilly moths are found in south asia. They have a vibrant pattern on their wings and a fully developed proboscis. 

Scientific name: 

Polytela gloriosae

Host plant:

Rain Lilly.

Egg stage:

Lilly moth larvae, unsurprisingly,  feed on rain lillies. Rain lilies are white or yellow monocots which bloom after rains. The larva eggs are yellow in color and are layed in large numbers, usually in two long rows on the underside of the leaves. The eggs hatch in 4 days.

lilly moth eggs

Lilly moth eggs

Larva stage:

The larvae are yellow in color and have a black head when they hatch. Like most species of moths and butterflies, they eat their eggshell first. Their color changes to red, theirhead turns red too and the patterns in the body show up in a week. In later stages, the larva turn black and develop striking patterns of white and orange spots on their body.

Eggs hatching

Larvae feeding on leaves on the second day after hatching

Red larvae after 1st week

The larvae feed very quickly, munching away leaves in minutes and then spend some time resting to digest food.

Larvae in later stages

Larvae before forming cocoon

Pupal stage:

After feeding for around 10 days the the larvae form pupa in the soil. 

Larvae digging into the soil

Lilly moth Pupa

The pupa is very delicate and can get punctured easily in the initial days. It is advisable to let the pupa caterpillar for the pupa and stay in the soil for at least a week until its covering hardens.

Digging the pupa out

After removing the pupae, I made mud compartments for the pupae and placed them in a netted box.

Moth Stage:

The moth hatches in 7-8 days. the beautiful moth is active in the night. It is a visual treat!

Lilly Moth

Lilly Moth

Lilly Moth

Thank you!

Honey bee on passion plant

Bee visits passion flower for pollens
The yellow sacks on its legs are called corbiculae

Bees are extremely vital for agriculture because crops and horticulture cannot yield without the natural pollinators(bees). They also produce honey which has been exploited by humans since millenniums. 

Bees can be dangerous, but they sting only if we threaten it. When I lived in Jayanagar,bees used to dart through the window almost every day in summer and hover around the tube light. We used to kill it with a broom and I greatly regret that. Bees make bee hives every summer in my apartment building. They are considered as pests and their hives are smoked. Dozens of bees lay dead on the pathway and cyclist passively crush them and people step on them while they are still buzzing. They take no notice of this vital animal. The honey extracted from their hives is sold to the residents; the honey that comes from a massacre, by killing their their offspring. The least they can do is not step on them.

Bee consuming pollen grains 
with proboscis(red)

I grew 2 passion vines in 2017 which blossomed for the first time in 2018. The vine decorated my window. It was covered with trails of ants feeding on the nectar and also visited by a bee. The bee was very comfortable with my presence even if I got really close. These small, buzzing creatures are highly complex and social animals. It visiting every day collecting pollen and storing it  the yellow saddle bags on the side of the legs, called corbiculae- a cargo for the pollen. The pollen grains are for their off spring and honey is made from the pollen grains. Watching the bee so closely was a very flabbergasting moment. The passion vine that decorates my window, is also a source of food for ants, bees, spiders, wasps and a vast multitude of insects. I was amazed. Just a few kilos of soil water and fertilizer fueled this little food chain.

Bee consuming pollen grains

St. Andrews Cross Spider

Male St. Andrew's cross spider(Argiope keyserlingi)

 St. Andrews cross spider(Argiope keyserlingi) is a non venomous species of spiders found in South Asia and Australia. St. Andrews cross spider can be identified from its web which has white, sturdy, X-shaped knitting called Stabilimenta. It makes the web stronger and also increases the chance of catching a prey. The female is larger than the male and has yellow and white stripes. This is called sexual size dimorphism. The male is found sitting on a female's web. It is common to  find multiple males on a female's web. Once I saw the female attack and trap the male that was sitting on its web. 

Female Argiope keyserling (top)

They sit on the web with pairs of legs together in the shape of "X". In Bangalore I find them coming to my balcony after rains due to October heat and again in the summer season.  

In November 2019 I found 2 such spiders in my balcony. I was familiar with this species, it used to creep me out. When I observe it closely in my balcony and the fear was numbed. I watched the spiders rebuilding their webs multiple times after stormy nights, for days it survived without catching food yet, It rebuilt each node of the web, and the stabilimenta.

Female (bottom)

I have noticed that these spiders make very fast movements and switch between the sides of the web when touched. It is hard to tell how they do, unless I can capture it in slow motion. It looks like they switch through the center of the web that has very small holes.

The X-shaped stabilimenta

St. Andrews cross spider eating raisins

 

I tried feeding it by giving it raisins. I scraped out the fleshy part with a tooth pick and stuck it on its web. I didn't go for it. Upon flicking the raisin piece vigorously to mimic a struggling insect the spider went for it. For about half a minute it just rolled it around to examine it. Then it wrapped it in a web and hung it there. For tying the prey, they shoot a sort of sheet. Scientists are investigating the function and evolution of web decorations, sperm competition, sexual size dimorphism, cryptic female choice, and the role of pheromones in mating behavior. Nature can inspire us in a ton of unimaginable ways. Just stop by and observe...

One morning I spotted a Jumping spider giving a death stare to the St. Andrews cross spider. The small St. Andrews cross spider had built its web on the pigeon net, and the stabilimenta was very dense and in shape of a slice instead of X-shaped. Nature always gives me these surreal scenes, leaving me craving for more...Feast for your eyes-

Jumping Spider staringat St. Andrews cross spider

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