Awesome Termites Mud Tunnel Encounter in Deira, Dubai

Termites workers speedily walking a mud tunnel super highway 

An exposed chamber of the mud tunnel in a heavily damaged cabinet

An armed column of soldier termites moving along the tunnel

In terms of patience, persistence and the power of a growing population (wow I got to express it in 4Ps!) nothing beats the movement, tenacity and determination of  termites colonies on the move. I was conducting a site visit and inspection for a prestigious facility in the heart of the commercial area in Deira, Dubai when I was awestruck by the level of infestation and sporadic movement of termites in the facility. By simply feeling off the paint of the exterior portions of cabinets and walls, the severe extent of years of damage to the wooden panels and structures is quickly revealed. The exposed mud tunnels looks like a super highway where numerous termites criss-cross and encounter each other as they go about their assigned task for the colony.  

Termites reminds us that thru patience, cooperation and focused determination (especially in sheer high numbers) can change 

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com 

A Lynx Spider Encounter at the Creek Park Dubai

A Lynx Spider setting up to ambush its next prey

Holding on as the wind swings its leafy hunting perch 

It was a casual early morning walk around the outskirts of the Creek Park that I got to see flowers and leaves having feeding marks. Keen to check out what was the herbivore doing all these random damage I was surprised to see not the potential beetle or lepidopteran larvae causing the mayhem on the leaves but to spot a lone predator setting up in ambush position. As the soft wind causes the leaves to sway, the lynx spider was determined to hold on and search for potential herbivore targets.

LYNX SPIDER, Oxyopes spp. (ARANEAE: Oxyopidae) 

Awesome creatures! AWESOME CREATOR!

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com 

 

An Encounter With A Growing Arabian Paper Wasp Hive Inside A Cave in Wadi Showkha

An Arabian Paper Wasp Nest being build inside a cave

Busy inside the cave attending to their growing nest

I was spelunking in the mountain caverns along the Wadi Showkha trail in my search for wild honey from Arabian Dwarf Honeybees hives when I came upon a wide and deep cavern. These wide and deep caverns serves not as safehouses for honeybees but also for foxes, desert owls and vipers. Amazingly and thankfully, I did not have an encounter with a resting fox inside its den or a viper. What I found inside was not my target sweet loot of fresh honey but a growing nest of Arabian Paper Wasps. They found the cool cave and established their colony inside!

ARABIAN PAPER WASPS, Polistes watii (HYMENOPTERA: VESPIDAE)  

Awesome creatures!  Awesome CREATOR! 

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com 

 

An Encounter with Black Soldier Flies at the MAPECON Research Center in Alaminos, Laguna, Philippines

Black Soldier Fly are truly wonderful insects

These soldiers are engaged in a battle against waste

Soldier flies are now the big stars of insect farming

Soldier fly pupal cases up close

Pupal cases carefully reared in plastic trays

It was a truly inspiring and eye-opening encounter during my recent guided tour at the MAPECON Research Center and Manufacturing Plant strategically located in Alaminos, Laguna, Philippines. From the Greenovations, the amazing history of research and development by its Patriarch and Founder, the warmth and heart of the Team on site and the splendid showcase of working with nature, the day visit was truly an awesome experience. Among the truly awesome highlights of my visit was to discover the presence of  a black soldier farming facility in the Research Center. The black soldier fly farm was a key component of their waste management, composting and fish feeds production program - a truly sustainable approach.   

BLACK SOLDIER FLY, Hermetia illucens (DIPTERA: Stratiomyidae)     

Awesome Creatures. Awesome CREATOR!

     

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com 

 

A Tribute to My Super Caring, Cute and Charismatic Birdie Buddy - Sylvester (2020-2025)

Cuteness in Blue that is how you will describe my bird buddy-Sylvester

He is always attentive and wants to be beside her pretty Lady Tweety

He is also a big consumer of millet

Hi Lady Tweety! Would you like to stroll outside your nest box? 

A lovely birdie couples photo

Blue, black and white with loads of cuteness

July 14, 2025 early AM flying into my palm to say goodbye

I told my buddy, its OK, you can fly high now, I am letting you go. One final gaze then he breathe his last and went to sleep calmly in my palm. Goodbye my Birdie Buddy! Farewell loyal birdie friend. Farewell Sylvester! 

Sylvester The Blue Budgie

July 12, 2020-July 14, 2025

A true birdie friend, loyal companion, sweet birdy lover to Lady Tweety and caring bird daddy to their chicks to the end!

Awesome creature!

Awesome CREATOR!

An Encounter with Tiger Beetles in Mt. Makiling, Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines

A lone tiger beetle on the prowl of a leaf surface

Tiger beetles are tiny but fast and ferocious hunters

It is truly an awesome adventure and joyful treat to explore and undertake an early morning hike in the lush rainforest reserve area of Mt. Makiling located near my Alma Mater, University of the Philippines at Los Banos (UPLB). This amazing rain forest reserve is blessed with an awesome diversity of flora and fauna that will keep an explorer like me engaged and enthralled for long periods of time. In one of my exploits, I had this encounter with a tiny but ferocious tiger - a tiger beetle that is! On top of a deep green colored leaf, its bright yellow armor and the jet black pattern revealed to me its ominous presence. It was truly amazing to see a ferocious insect predator prowling on the rainforest! This was a brief but memorable encounter for me, as I was trying to find a better photo shoot angle, the tiger move away so fast among the leaves, that I lost sight of it in the undergrowth.  

TIGER BEETLE, COLEOPTERA, CICINDELIDAE

Awesome Creatures. Awesome CREATOR!

     

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com 

An Awesome Encounter with the Arabian Oryx in a Desert Resort in RAK

Huge and imposing out in the field

On guard! I came too close for comfort as it pose to charge

I have to keep my distance and step away when it assumed this defensive stance

Its those long pointed horns that truly got my attention

Free roaming as they should be.. did you see the unicorn passing by? 

I was on assignment at a very prestigious desert resort in Ras Al Khaimah when I had an awesome face to face encounter with a troop of huge and quite imposing free roaming Arabian Oryx. I was walking towards a building in the resort when a pair passed and paused in front of me. The curious cat in me cannot resist, I move away from the building corridor and inched a little closer to the open garden area to have a closer look on the Oryx pair. It was when I was just a couple of meter away from one that it began to stomp its from feet, put on a defensive stance and move on to charge. Realizing that I was too close for comfort and having a clear sight of the long and pointed horns, I decided to move away and step into a row of metal barrier to avoid the charge of the Oryx. The charge was averted and the two of us kept our distance. I was still marveling at its form and grandeur. The Oryx still has its eye on me, maybe checking if I will have the guts to come near. I decided to continue my observation of the Arabian inspiration of the mythical unicorn from a safe distance. 

The Arabian Oryx, Oryx leucoryx.

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

       

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com  

Another Sinai Agama Encounter at the Wadi Shawkha, RAK

This Sinai Agama is busy with its morning sunbathing 

Perched steadily on a rock as it was fixing its gaze on me

As if curious about my presence, the Agama did not move away as I closely approach it

Perfectly camouflage in its rocky mountain perches

I was traversing a dried-up river passage way across the Hajjar Mountain trails at Wadi Shawkha, RAK, when I spotted just a couple of feet away from me, perched on a rock was a lizard with a bluish head. It seems surprised of my sudden appearance nearby its rocky hideaway. It was staring at me, not moving from its rock, I think it was studying me as well. It was trying to understand how I literally popped up in front of it. 

SINAI AGAMA or BLUE AGAMA, Pseudotrapelus sinaitus  

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

 

An Encounter with A Trio of Mynahs in Fujairah

A Trio of Mynahs using the railing of a fence as a stage

Singing as one to greet a truly lovely morning

Two facing the left, the middle bird facing the right

Keep on singing! Keep on enjoying the wonders of creation!

Like watching a trio performing on stage, I was fascinated gazing on three Indian Mynahs perched on the railing of a fence as they where happily chirping as they greet the early morning with their tunes. Moving their heads to the left and to the right in a seemingly synchronized manner it looks like that the birdie performers are enjoying their performance for one. I was truly thankful to be their audience.

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com  

 

 

An Encounter with Agamas at the Wadi Shawkha, RAK

An Agama basking in the morning sun 

Eyes front, looking straight into the camera

The rocky outcrops in the Wadi Showkha may look dry and desolate, somewhat devoid of life forms but the rugged terrain serves as the home of an amazing array of lizards. Among these are the Agamas. These Agamas with their camouflage perfectly blends with the landscape as they forage for insects. It was a truly awesome encounter to observed them up close as I was traversing a morning hike up the Wadi Showkha trail.  

Awesome creature! Awesome CREATOR!  

 

An Encounter with the Field Crickets in Al Ain

Resting at the palm of my hand

The field cricket did not even attempted to jump 

Up close and personal

I was on assignment for a facility inspection of a large greenhouse facility in Al Ain City, Emirate of Abu Dhabi when I stumbled upon a large field cricket that got itself inside the air circulation vent area. Its large size, shiny black head and thoraric armor immediately got my attention.  It was still alive, its antennae moving vigorously, slowly walking on the floor, I was able to carefully placed it in the palm of my hand as it was no longer able to make its escape jump. Its truly a treat to have a live insect in the palm of your hand, up close and personal (without the threat of being, pierced, stung or bitten of course)! 

Awesome creatures!  AWESOME CREATOR!