An Encounter with Red Grasshopper Mites Parasitizing an Egyptian Tree Locust in Al Munay-Shawkha, RAK

The Red Grasshopper Mites appears like shiny red dots on the dorsum and appendages of its Egyptian Tree Locust host 

Jump, land, fly, jump. These red grasshopper mites are really holding on tight 

Attached from head to legs these red grasshopper mites are feeding and travelling in style 

A closer look on these shiny red parasitic free loaders 

It was during our expedition at the wadi areas in between the mountains and hills of Al Munay-Shawkha, RAK that my good friend, hiking buddy and fellow nature enthusiast, Engr. Rey Corpuz, spotted, shouted and pointed my attention to a "grasshopper with shiny red spots on its back." Via quick mental recall of the grasshopper and locust fauna of the UAE, I told him that I cannot remember any locust species with a shiny red spot on its dorsum. We decided to follow this hopper and take a closer examination. The shiny red spots were present on its back but also on its appendages. These red spots we found were not color markings but parasitic red grasshopper mites.  

RED GRASSHOPPER MITES (ACARI-Acariformes)

Mites are tiny arachnids (eight-legged arthropods), less than a 1mm in length that possess a simple, unsegmented body plan. Because of the tiny size of most species they are often overlooked and under appreciated. Mites are actually widespread, they can be found on the soil acting as decomposers, other species live on plants as gall formers, there are also aquatic mites, others as ferocious predators and parasites.   

The red grasshopper mites are parasitic mites wherein their growth, development and movement are associated with their grasshopper hosts. These mites upon emergence from the eggs, appear as 6-legged larvae which actively search for host grasshoppers. The larvae attached to the base of the wings and other appendages and from that position suck the body fluids of its host to feed. They later metamorphose into 8-legged nymphs and later on to reproductive adults. Compared with the hitch-hiking larvae, the nymphs and adults are more of free-living species and are actively searching for grasshopper eggs to forage and lay eggs.  

Entomological research have revealed that the presence of these parasitic mites gravely effect the growth and development of grasshoppers and locusts. Some have look into there potential as biological control agents.   

I was not able to fully identify the red grasshopper mites we observed parasitizing the Egyptian Tree Locust, (Anacridium aegyptium). A detailed microscopic analysis by an expert Acarologist is needed for that. 

After taking our snap shots we have to stop bothering the tree locust and let it jump away and bear the weight and appetite of its mites passengers. Hold on juvenile mites and enjoy the jumpy ride!

Mites are truly fascinating! They are truly awesome creatures! These eight-legged beauties, reminds me always of my dear Entomology-Acarology Professor, Mentor, Adviser and Friend, Dr. Leonila Corpuz-Raros who is the epitome of fascination, dedication and professionalism. Thank you always Ma'am Leoning for your life and the inspiration to go, go, go and explore further!  

Mites are awesome! 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 Fabulous Encounter with "The Beetles" at the Wadi Sahm, Fujairah

A sulphurous jewel beetle on an Acacia branch

Holding on! Crawling a branch like a soldier doing rope maneuvers 

This beetle was positioning itself on a dry thorny branch

Its truly a close encounter, when the beetle is up your sleeve

Close up shot revealing the amazing dorsal patterns on its elytra

Out of the branch, on top of a rock

A pitted beetle, Adesmia cancellata on the move

Caught in the Act! A pair of Eleven Spotted Ladybeetles

Spring is wonderful season for an afternoon delight for these ladybeetles

I was on my way back from a day of project meetings in Fujairah when I decided to do a quick leg stretch and nature expedition stop over at the Wadi Sahm, before I embark on the full long drive back to Dubai. It was late afternoon with just over an hour left before sunset that I explored the wadi and began to search for awesome things! Indeed, it was awesome, I encountered awesome beetles, the Sulphurous Jewel Beetle, (Julodius euphratica), the Pitted Beetle (Adesmia cancellata) and a pair of Eleven-Spotted Ladybeetles (Coccinella undecimpunctata). It was a wonderful afternoon with the beetles!

Sulphurous Jewel Beetles, Julodius euphratica (BUPRESTIDAE)

These torpedo-shaped, large beetles (29-31mm) have extremely hard, thickly armored (sclerotized) bodies surrounded with bright yellow wax-coated setae (hairs). They posses large eyes and serrated antennae. The larvae are white-colored, legless grubs with strong mandibles. 

Distribution of Sulphurous Jewel Beetles

These Jewel Beetles are very common in the UAE mostly found in Acacia trees.  They are reported to be distributed and reported to be present in the Middle East and Central Asia Region. 

Biodynamics Notes

The larvae are mainly wood borers, dwelling and feeding on the inner portions of Acacia trees and other shrubs. Pupation is also undertaken inside their home tree and prior to their emergence as adults they bore an exit hole. These jewel beetles have one of the longest larval duration  reaching 9 months up to 35 years as a wood boring beetle grub before it emerge as an adult! (The young grubs are enjoying the inner wooden chambers too much).

Adults beetles are nectar and sap feeders. They are often noticed flying and crawling around Acacia branches and flowering plants. They have a very short lifespan of about 1-2 weeks.  

TAKE NOTE: These awesome beetles are not harmful and non aggressive to humans. Despite their large size they do not bite!

Super enjoy the color patterns on their bodies. These Sulphurous Jewel Beetles are truly awesome!

Bonus Beetle Encounters

I encountered several Pitted Beetles (Adesmia cancellata) tirelessly moving along the wadi. Please check out my March 30, 2021 article for more info on this amazing beetle. 

The Spring has also brought a pair of Eleven Spotted Ladybird beetles (Coccinella undecimpunctata) in the mood for an afternoon delight. It was fun to catch these amorous pair red handed busy in their passionate act.    

The afternoon stopover at Wadi Sahm. Fujairah proved to be truly an awesome adventure, will definitely come back again to explore longer and search out for more awesome creature encounters. 

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 

Celebrating The Blossoms and Butterflies of Spring at the Mountain Trails of the Maleha Desert, Sharjah

Spring in the desert mountain trail is truly alive!

Blossoms hidden among the rows of boulders

Flower bed on the rocks or rocks immersed in flowers?

A touch of heaven in lovely blossoms

When the blossoms thrive, the butterflies are alive

Being busy as a butterfly is beautiful 

Approaching a blossom bunch for a soft landing 

Nectar gathering is an art form

A blossom's welcome embrace to a graceful visitor

Bright and vibrant colors fluttering

Taking a horizontal flight path among foliage

Celebrating the shades and life of spring.

Our desert mountain trail expeditions along the Maleha Desert in Sharjah never ceases to amaze. The SPRING season brings forth not just cool mountain weather and gentle upland breeze but also an abundant outburst of color, life and beauty. Hidden on the slopes, immersed with the boulders and rocks of different sizes are the patches of flowers in full bloom. The grandiose display of blossoms was highlighted by the presence of butterflies and other busy pollinators.    

Simply beautiful. Simply colorful. The desert spring season is simply amazing. 

Celebrate the awesome beauty of the seasons in the desert! Keep on exploring! 

Awesome creation. 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 

Desert Thorn Shrub Flower Power Encounter at Jabel Jais, RAK

Purple flower power at Jabel Jais

Which caught your attention? The orchid like flower? Or the long spines?

I am not sure if these berries are edible, I did not taste.

Lovely rows of purple 

A robust shrub in full bloom on the heights of the Jabel Jais 

It was on a recent camping and hiking expedition at the Jabel Jais in RAK, that I encountered these robust, red purple to purple super spiny shrub. The bright and lovely colors of the tiny flowers and berries plus the rows upon rows of long spines really caught my gaze. The rows of the berries reminds me of grapes and blueberries looks truly appetizing. Thankfully, I was able to control myself and avoided picking and tasting! Was also trying to check out if the birds will be be able to feed on the berries amidst that full, long spine protection. These Lycium spp (Ausaj in Arabic) are spread out on the rocky slopes of the mountain. 

The winter season has brought out an awesome exhibition of flower power even up on the heights of the Jabel Jais. It is truly a lovely mountain winter season!

Awesome creation! 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 

My Second Encounter with Robber flies at the Maleha Trail in Sharjah

A Robberfly gearing up for position as it awaits its next victim

This Robberfly jumps like a grasshopper, flies in circles and makes a loud buzzing sound

The bulbous tip of the abdomen reveals that this is a male

A curious threesome: a female mating while clasping another male 

The female Robberfly is distinguished by its pointed abdominal tip  

In my recent expedition at the Maleha Trail in Sharjah, I experienced a new encounter with the super agile insect predators making its presence felt in the desert sand. I got to observed again the ferocious Robberflies! What really got my attention was that these large flies were jumping like grasshoppers in the sand,  they fly around in a circular pattern and makes a distinctly loud buzzing sound. I was also able to observed a "special pair" of Robberflies mating. This love team was a curious one, wherein as the male and female were still "in the act", the female was clasping on a dead male. A Robberfly femme fatale! 

Robber Flies (ASILIDAE)

Robber flies are robust, powerful dipterans with sharp eyes, strong spiny legs, quick reflexes and agile flight capability. These true flies are fierce predators of other insects. They got their name from their behavior of pouncing on unsuspected insect victims. Literally "robbing the insects of their lives"! This is done while the insect prey is in-flight!

The large compound eyes provide the Robberflies specialized vision that allows them to see virtually in a 360 degree angle. (Now that's what you call the eyes of a hunter!) 

There are 7000 species reported to belong to the family ASILIDAE worldwide. 

This is my second encounter and feature on these awesome insect predators, I have featured them first on my July 03, 2021 article. An exciting bonus on this second encounter is witnessing a mating pair!  

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 Giant Gourami Fish in Al Nahda, Dubai

Large, playful and a true attention grabber was this fish named Goura

Goura is a 14-year old Asiatic Giant Gourami (Smile!)

Goura posing and showing his other side

Goura enjoyed the attention and swam blissfully with his goldfish buddies

It was during a site inspection and product trial, that the facility's Security Officer introduced me to an awesome 14-year large albino fish, blissfully swimming on its large aquarium and playing (or harassing) with its goldfish buddies. Its Caretaker, called the fish Goura, derived from its common named, the Asiatic Giant Gourami. The fish tank which bear Goura was the centerpiece of the lobby of a residential facility. When you enter the Main Lobby you will never missed seeing this large albino blissfully swimming around and trying to get the attention of passersby.    

The Giant Gourami, Osphronemus goramy

This fish is a representative species of the large gourami native fresh water habitats in Southeast Asia, its occurrence in other locations are due to fish introductions. Gourami is also a commercially farmed food fish. It is also a popular aquaria species (especially the large albinos). These giants can appear as pale to golden yellow with silvery blue stripes running vertically long its body.

It is reported that this fish can reach up to 70cm (28 in) in length, in average growing up to 48cm (18in).

Giant Gourami are mainly herbivores preferring an algae-based diet but it can also consumed meaty foods like dried bloodworms and brine shrimp.      

My encounter with Goura was an awesome experience! It was also fun as the large fish seems to like the attention and was very comfortable having his photo taken. It responds to gentle taps on its large glass tank with a smile (fish style) and a stare down. Thru its 14-years of being a pet fish it seems to be relaxed in the presence of viewers. 

I wish Goura more amazing years of fun and playfulness with his goldfish buddies. (By the way, the Caretaker of Goura is looking for referrals as this big boy is looking for a girl fish-friend, if you know one similar of a similar species kindly send me a message and photo of the lady fish).

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 Dhofar Toads at the Wadi Shawkha, RAK

 

The Dhofar Toad, Bufo dhufarensis

This toad is curious to check out the intruder in their hidden pool 

Keeping it cool! The Dhofar Toad immersing itself on the remaining water

The toad emerged out of the water pool as it got disturbed by my presence

Enjoying the last patches of moisture and mud on a dry Wadi Shawkha 

The toads were in observed in this small pool of water concealed by large boulders 

It was in a recent expedition at the Wadi Shawkha in RAK that I got to encounter an amazing quartet of amphibians safe and secure on the few patches of mud and moisture on the expanse of the Wadi. The toads had a small pool concealed underneath emerging boulders. Searching for mosquito larvae, I found this small pool and mud patch populated not by wrigglers but by four toads. This is my first encounter with toads here in the UAE, my first to observe in their natural Wadi environment.   

THE DHOFAR TOAD, Bufo dhofarensis (BUFONIDAE)

The Dhofar Toad has bulging eyes, green to dark brown in color, often mottled with speckled darker markings. It has a tympanum (distinct circular pattern) behind the lower portion of its eyes that can easily be seen.  

 

The Dhofar Toad or Oman Toad is one of the only two toads species reported to be present in the UAE.  Along with the Arabian Toad (Sclerophrys arabica), both are endemic to the Arabian Peninsula and can be observed in Yemen, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.    

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