Our efforts to document the #butterfly diversity of #powai lake, and the adjacent #Hiranandani township, amongst Mumbai's most affluent social and commerical activity hubs, recorded a whopping 84 species of #butterflies - featured in today's edition of the Times of India, #mumbai.
#urbanwildlife #urbanwildlifephotography #butterflies #wildlife #naturalhistory #mumbai #science #entomology #biodiversity #CityForest
Our paper on the urban #butterfly diversity of #Powai Lake, and the adjacent #Hiranandani Township, one of #Mumbai city's busiest, and most affluent hubs of social, and commerical activity, is now LIVE!
Link: https://www.elafoundation.org/ela/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EJFW-13-2.pdf
Thank you for joining us on our adventure, and here's to more to come!
#urbanwildlife #urbanwildlifephotography #butterflies #wildlife #naturalhistory #mumbai #science #entomology #biodiversity #CityForest
For #Arachtober - this stunning 'ground' sac #spider (cf. Gnaphosidae Genus indet sp. indet) found on the trunk of a toddy palm, at #powai, #mumbai (13th. AUG 2023 17:21 hrs.)
The Mumbai region is home to several #species many of which still remain undiscovered, and are likely new to #science.
#arachnids #arachtober2023 #arachnodon #arachnidsofmastodon #arachnology
Fun fact - the nests, which are constructed from chewed up bark, and leaves, mixed with mud, are waterproof.
That's right. Bugs invented paper, cardboard and waterproofing way before us.
#antstodon #ants #AntsOfMastodon #biologymastodon #wildlife #naturalhistory #invertebrates #entomology #myrmecology #naturephotography #nature #mumbai #MumbaiUnseen #mumbaimangroves #BombayMeriJaan #IITBombay #powai
The article 👇🏽 completely misses the tour de force that was the DG Ruparel College Mumbai in the 90s 🤦🏽♂️:
“Cracking The Powai Code: Why Toppers Make A Beeline For Comp Science At IITB”, The Times Of India (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/cracking-the-powai-code-why-toppers-make-a-beeline-for-comp-science-at-iitb/articleshow/101603020.cms).
And yet, this globally invasive, pugnacious little 'tramp ant', tends to the caterpillars of the pea-blue (Lampides boeticus), a legally protected native #butterfly (pictured below).
Environments in which most native plants wouldn't survive.
'Noxious weeds' aren't necessarily noxious everywhere they grow. And under right conditions, actively support native wildlife
📸 31 JAN 2023 (15:48 hrs.) near Lilavati Podar School, #Powai, #Hiranandani, #Mumbai. (3/3).
A tiny grass blue (Zizula hylax) stops for a sip of nectar on Purple Lantana (Lantana montevidensis) blossoms, spilling over a compound wall at Hiranandani Gardens, #Powai - one of #India, #Mumbai's most busiest, and upscale townships.
(1/3)
Apefly (Spalgis epius epius).
A rarity among Indian butterflies, the Apefly's caterpillar is a carnivore which feeds on scale insects, and mealybugs.
The delicate looking, snow-white adults are strong fliers, which will often perch on trees.
Females have no specific host plant, and will deposit eggs wherever the intended prey of its future progeny is found.
📸 31 JAN 2023 (16:02 hrs.) resting amidst the branches of Indian Beech (Millettia pinnata), #Hiranandani #powai, #Mumbai.
Mathrubhumi English
Javed Ahmed
रञ्जित (Ranjit Mathew)