Menu

Author: Anusua | Naturalist at Svasara


Anusua | Naturalist at Svasara

Relax & Explore - 4 years ago


Indian Paper Wasp

Ropalidia is a relatively large genus in the subfamily Polistinae, containing some 136 species distributed in tropical Africa, southern Asia, Australia and Okinawa. R. marginata colonies are frequently built on eaves and windows of undisturbed buildings and other manmade structures, and occasionally on leaves and branches of some species of shrubs or trees in urban habitats.

The species shows two forms of nest building tactics, one being Independent founding and the other Swarm founding.

The one in the picture shows a typical example of an Independent founding nest. These nests are simple, unenveloped combs that are normally suspended by a narrow pedicel. Queens initiate new colonies either singly or in small groups, i.e. independently and the Queen use overt physical dominance to control or influence their nestmates. The Indian Paper wasps protect their nests against ants by rubbing the nest pedicel with an ant-repellent substance secreted by the van der Vecht’s gland present on the 6th gastral sternum of the wasp.

They face constant predation by Vespa tropica, The Greater Banded Hornet, whose workers almost systematically search for Ropalidia nests in the most likely places and prey upon the brood.

So go ahead and look out for these mesmerising little ones in your garden or windows.

Read more



Anusua | Naturalist at Svasara

Wildlife Safaris - 4 years ago


Giant Wood Spider Webs

Araneid spiders belonging to genus Nephila, also known as the orb-weaving spiders, are well known for the huge webs the adult females construct.

Post-monsoons, forest in Central India seems so mesmerising with soothing greenery around, very much unlike what it looks like otherwise throughout the year. The first safari surprised me not because of the superb Maya sighting but because of the huge webs the females of the Giant Wood Spider weave. I found them hanging all over the forest, in every direction, even when I looked up to spot a bird.

The adult females of most species are large and build strong webs of silk of considerable size. Research suggests that orb-weaving spiders can alter the web structure and composition in response to prey variation.

The genus exhibit bright colours and recently these bright colouration is considered to be important in predator-prey visual interactions, aiding in foraging success by providing attractive visual signals to prey.

Pic Credit: Giant Wood Spider – female, Anusua, Naturalist at Svasara Jungle Lodge, Tadoba

Read more