Insect Life in Dandeli- Anshi Tiger Reserve.

I am yet to come across a better stress reliever for me then exploring the nature and Jungles. This extended weekend offered me yet again an opportunity along with my three cousins to explore the Jungles of Western Ghats. The reason why I always have loved to visit Western Ghats is the fact that it not only offers breath taking landscapes and kaleidoscopic view in to Animal life but also due to the fact the air flowing through the Jungles of Ghats is as pure as it gets. The Air has an invisible tint of Green shade mixed with it. This shade can only be felt when this air flows through the nose to the lungs.

We decided to go to “Dandeli Anshi Tiger reserve” near Belgaum. The Sanctuary offers one of the richest patches of wild life offered in the Western Ghats. The reserve boasts of a healthy feline population (13 Tigers, 37 leopards and around 41 black panthers). The sanctuary lies around the Kali river basin. The Kali river is called so because it flows on the Manganese bed, which gives it a black texture and hence the name. The 10 Km patch of Kali River has a population of around 200 crocodiles. The most interesting part of this crocodile success story is that there have been very few human- crocodile conflicts recorded, and very few of them fatalities out of these conflicts. The reserve also has back waters of the “ Supa Dam” providing other core water body for the animals and birds of the sanctuary.

Thanks to an excellent travel advisory by comrade Karamveer, we ensured that we our bookings were done in “The old Magazine House”, one of the properties owned and Managed by “Jungle Lodges and resorts Ltd”. And I must say that the decision proved every bit true. Thanks to the excellent location and knowledgeable staff of the “Old Magazine House”, the trip became so fruitful that I have decided to publish two more posts on my adventures in the Dandeli Anshi reserve.

In this post I will be sharing with you some of the photographs and my experiences of the insects found on the floor and on the woods of the reserve.

The Pill Millipede: This creature can be found on the floor of the jungles lying beneath the bio mass of the forest. 

They have thirteen body segments, and as a defensive strategy against predators, as soon as they sense a invasion in their territory they wound themselves up and form a ball. It’s a treat to watch them fold up in front of your eyes.

 

Spiders- “The Eight legged freaks”:

The Ghats are home to some of the most fearsome and spiders. Each one varies from each other in the dwelling place, hunting styles and persona.

The Signature Spider:

This spider weaves zigzag stripes in its web, and holds its legs together in pairs. It holds its legs in pairs to disguise itself as a four legged creature and to not appear to look like a spider. These spiders are bright coloured for a specific reason. The  bright colours of the spider attract insects such as bees and wasps making a easy meal for the spider.

The Wood Spider:

This spider belongs to the golden orb weaver family, and the silk is the strongest of any spider. They're said to be docile but, yes, the spider is somewhat poisonous, and the bites said to be painful because of the size of the fangs. 

 A Giant wood spider having lunch

The Tarantula:

We were lucky enough to get the sight of this Terrestrial Tarantula in the night. In the day time, I went to observe the burrow of the spider in the day time and found out that the burrow was lined up with the silk to stabilize the burrow. This species is typically a nocturnal species.  

  

Some other Insects

 A Dragonfly having some rest

 Basking in Sun

A Caterpillar 

  Rush Hour

 A Horn Beatle

 A Giant Centepede

 A Carpenter Nest

 

A Ground bee Heave

A Snail Basking in Sun