Interesting Critters

My Dear Great Ones,

I have seen some interesting critters since my arrival here in Hong Kong.  Here are some pics (I took them except for the last two) of a few of them, with some fun facts that may educate, amuse, but hopefully not bore you.

 The golden silk orb-weavers (genus Nephila) are a genus ofaraneomorph spiders noted for the impressive webs they weave.Nephila consists of numerous species found in warmer regions around the world. They are also commonly called golden orb-weavers, giant wood spiders, or banana spiders.  Can grow as big as a man's hand.

The Monarch butterfly is probably the most famous butterfly in North America, but it is also common in parts of South East Asia like Hong Kong and here is photo evidence.

 Found in warmer growing climates, mealybugs are soft-bodied, wingless insects that often appear as white cottony masses on the leaves, stems and fruit of plants. They feed by inserting long sucking mouthparts, called stylets, into plants and drawing sap out of the tissue. Damage is not often significant at low pest levels. However, at higher numbers they can cause leaf yellowing and curling as the plant weakens. Feeding is usually accompanied by honeydew, which makes the plant sticky and encourages the growth of sooty moulds. Mealybugs are a common greenhouse pest that affect ornamentals, houseplants, avocados and fruits.

 Crab crazy at Phi Phi island Thailand.   Ghost crabs dig deep burrows near the intertidal zone of open sandy beaches. The burrows are usually composed of a long shaft with a chamber at the end, occasionally with a second entrance shaft.^[1] They are semi-terrestrial and breathe oxygen from the air through moistened gills. They must periodically wet their gills with seawater,^[1][9] usually by taking water from moist sand or by running into the surf and letting the waves wash over them. However, they can only remain under water for a limited amount of time, as they will drown.^[10][11]

Ghost crabs are generalists, scavenging carrion and debris, as well as preying on small animals, including sea turtle eggs andhatchlings, clams, and other crabs.^[12] They are predominantly nocturnal. They remain in their burrows during the hottest part of the day, and throughout the coldest part of the winter.^[1]

Ghost crabs are swift runners, darting away at the slightest sign of danger. They either head back to their burrows or plunge into the sea to escape intruders.^[10][11][13] The gaits of ghost crabs alter as their speed increases. Observations on O. ceratophthalma show it can walk indefinitely using all four pairs of walking legs, occasionally alternating which side leads. At higher speeds, the fourth pair of legs is raised off the ground, and at the highest speeds, the crab runs, using only the first and second pairs of walking legs.^[14]

Ghost crabs also have the ability to change colors to match their surroundings by adjusting the concentration and dispersal of pigments within their chromatophores.^[6] They can even match the specific colors of the grains of sand in their habitats.^[15] However, unlike metachrosis (which is a rapid change of colors), ghost crabs are only capable of morphological color change, which occurs over a longer span of time.^[6]    

^{Verrrrrry Interesting.}

 Slow as a snail. As well as being relished as gourmet food, several species of land snails provide an easily harvested source of protein to many people in poor communities around the world. Many land snails are valuable because they can feed on a wide range of agricultural wastes, such as shed leaves in banana plantations. In some countries, giant African land snails are produced commercially for food. Land snails, freshwater snails and sea snails are all eaten in a number of countries (principally Spain, Philippines, Morocco, Nigeria, Algeria, Cameroon, France, Italy, Portugal,Greece, Belgium, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Cyprus, Ghana, Malta, Terai of Nepal, southwestern China, Northeast India states such as Manipur, Tripura and parts of the USA). In certain parts of the world, snails are fried. For example, in Indonesia, they are fried as satay, a dish known as sate kakul. The eggs of certain snail species are eaten in a fashion similar to the way caviar is eaten.  Bet you didn't know that.

 Praying mantas. Mantises may have a visual range of up to 20 metres. Their compound eyes may comprise up to 10,000ommatidia. The eyes are widely spaced and laterally situated, affording a wide binocular field of visionand, at close range, precise stereoscopic vision. The dark spot on each eye is a pseudopupil. As their hunting relies heavily on vision, mantises are primarily diurnal. Many species, however, fly at night, and then may be attracted to artificial lights. Nocturnal flight is especially important to males in search of less-mobile females that they locate by detecting their pheromones. Flying at night exposes mantises to fewer bird predators than diurnal flight would. Many mantises also have an auditory thoracic organ that helps them to avoid bats by detecting their echolocation and responding evasively.^[8]
Bet you did not know that either.

The red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), also known as red-eared terrapin, is a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is a subspecies of the pond slider. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and is also popular as a pet in the rest of the world,^[3] as, among other factors, it is easy to maintain. It has, therefore, become the most commonly traded turtle in the world.^[4] It is native to the southern United States and northern Mexico, but has become established in other places because of pet releases and has become aninvasive species in many areas, where it outcompetes native species. The red-eared slider is included in the List of the world’s 100 most invasive species^[5] published by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.  Used to have these turtles as a kid.   These turtles are common in the country parks of Hong Kong. 

Sea Sparkle (Noctiluca scintillans) is a species of dinoflagellate, single-cell microorganisms that collect in algae-like blooms in the ocean. The blooms of phytoplankton often make up what are referred to as a red tide, though red tides can include the amalgamation of all kids of algae species.

Sea Sparkle, like most red tide organisms, is red or brown in color in the light of day, but its bioluminescence gives it a bright blue glow at night. The algae's bioluminescence is only triggered when the water is disturbed.  These pics were taken on a school trip at Hoi Ha in Sai Kung country park.  Kids were throwing sticks, rocks, themselves into the water to light it up.

Have a great week everyone!

Love adios and ping on!

Dirk

Two days on Lamma

My Dear Great Ones,

The following is a little description of how I spent two days on Lamma Island.  Day 1 was January 2nd and Day 2 was January 18.

Day 1: 

Took the boat with Celia from Central pier to Sok Kwu Wan, a small village on Lamma Island famous for its half kilometer of excellent seafood restaurants.  

The sun was setting when we alighted and it made for an excellent photo shoot.

Near Sok Kwu Wan are hills pockmarked with several large boulders offering exquisite views of the Pacific.  Here Celia is getting ready to activate her amazing iphone and take some shots of the scenery.

A classic Chinese pagoda provided some color contrast and cultural ambience.

Fantastic, rugged beauty.

Later Celia and I met up with Elsie and Daniel at one of my favourite restaurants of all time.  The Lamma Hilton.  Bit of a joke really, as you can see it is not classy like a "real" Hilton, but food is great and what you lose in ambience you save on the reasonable cost for dinner.



Day 2:  On January 18 Celia and I headed again to Sok Kwu Wan to check on a potential wedding venue.  We walked for about 20 minutes from the pier and came upon this tranquil site.  Below is the small, 300 year old, fishing village of Mo Tat Wan.

Celia working hard to get the perfect iphone shot.

At Mo Tat Wan there is a beach with a fine restaurant called, "The Bay."  This was the "wedding venue."  Ah not really what we had in mind.   Yet,  a couple of tables were set on the beach and so Celia and I succumbed to the whimsical romantic feelings coursing through our veins and enjoyed a lunch on the beach.  Canada, "home," seemed a million miles away and a lifetime ago.

Celia enjoying the sea view.

Taking a picture of my dear taking a selfie.  I have heard of photo bombing selfies, even the Queen bombed a selfie of a kid, but what do you call taking a picture of someone taking a selfie?  And on that line of thinking why do you call taking a picture a shot, or several pictures a photo shoot?  Maybe I should call this type of picture a photo sniper or a photo explosion, or a photo attack.
 

A burger, a beer, on a beach at a bay with a babe.  It does not get  better than that.

Later Celia and I hung out with our friend and colleague Jon who has lived in Mo Tat Wan for years.  Below is the view from his balcony.  Not bad.

Have a great week everyone.


Love adios and ping on!

Dirk

Hong Kong from Cham Shan (Needle Hill) and Tai Mo Shan (Big Misty Mountain)

My Dear Great Ones,

In the middle of the Hong Kong Territory is the tallest mountain of the whole Special Administration Region: mighty Tai Mo Shan (Big Misty Mountain).  Most days there is a mist floating around its peak, hence its name, but on a clear day one can look into China, the spectacular skyline of Shenzhen stretches as wide as the horizon, and one can also see downtown Hong Kong and Kowloon, surrounded by peaks and water. And then close by there is Needle Hill offering fine views of Tsuen Mun, Kowloon, Shatin and wonderful HK peaks.  While the "mountains," here in HK are no where near as grand as the Rockies, they are still beautiful and add a spectacular dimension to Hong Kong that makes this amazing place that much more amazing.

Eli about to embark on the last stage up to the peak of Needle Hill.

A view of Shing Mun reservoir and Tseun Mun, a part of Kowloon.

Amazing perspective.  The landscape is more spectacular than the city scape which is saying a lot.

Shatin, a small hamlet of 600,000 people.

Eli on top of Needle Hill.

Hong Kong to the left, way in the distance.

Eli on the way down.

Eli below Tai Mo Shan.  On a rare non misty day.

Kowloon and Hong Kong in the distance.

Yuen Long. 

Hong Kong?

Elsie and Daniel checking out the view on New Year's Day.

Evening light.  Kowloon and Hong Kong are in the distance.

Have a great week everyone.

Love adios and ping on!

Dirk

Beautiful Phi Phi Island

Hello Most Excellent Ones,

Phi Phi, (Pee Pee as the Thais pronounce it,) islands is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth.  The islands which are made up of dramatic limestone cliffs, covered by lush jungle vegetation, and surrounded by a warm ocean teeming with fish of every shape and size, hue and color,  is a feast for the eyes.  Here are a few pictures of what I mean: 

Fantastic dramatic limestone cliffs.

One of many beaches.

Evening scene.

Even clouds over the ocean near Phi Phi are dramatic.

In the evening the cliffs light up in different shades and color.

Sunset.

Scenes from top of the lookout.  Elsie taking a rest.

Three happy most excellent ones enjoying the view.