• Movement to attract prey
• Warning for potential predators
• Simply the movement of digestive fluids, we're thinking too much (i.e. no special reason)

• Mimicry of a snake head
• Mimicry of a mantis head
• Mimicry of a gecko head
• Mimicry of other insect larva to attract parasitoids

1. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
   There are some colour variants of this species, ranging from white to yellow.


2. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
   The exact ID of this spider has yet to be agreed on by arachnologists in the region. It was originally thought to be Cyrtarachne bufo, where bufo means toad in latin and it was thought that the spider mimicked a toad (see photo above). A couple of years ago, this spider was documented as Cyrtarachne fangchengensis in the Singapore Biodiversity book. In a more recent discussion, based on examination of Thorell's collection in London, C. fangchengensis is quite likely to be a junior synonym of C. inaequalis. As all this is still uncertain, all my Cyrtarachne photos do not have any indication of species.


3. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
   The conical shoulder on the spider's abdomen was originally thought to mimick a toad's eyes, but some thought that the mimicry was a bit of a stretch.


4. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
   A very old attempt to capture the swirling movement within the abdomen.


5. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
   Dorsal view of another specimen with a simple animation.


6. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
   Fast forward 3 years, and here's my latest attempt with a yellow specimen found in the soon-to-be-developed Tengah Estate.


7. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
   Posterior view for that "toad" look. Gave me the impression of a snake's head though!


8. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
   Typical scene of the adult female with its huge, round egg sac. The abdomen looked obvious deflated after laying the eggs!


9. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
   Cyrtarachne builds a horizontal orb web with loosely spaced spiral threads. The spiral threads are thicker and stickier than that of other orb weavers.


10. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
    The male Cyrtarachne is a great example of sexual dimorphism. It is several times smaller than the female.


11. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
    Another male of darker colour.


12. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
    The female shown here is a juvenile but still a little larger than the adult male.


13. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
    There are at least 2 species of Cyrtarachne in Singapore. This species is more uncommon, and most likely C. nagasakiensis. Their habitats appear to be the same for both species, as I had encountered both species just a few meters apart. However, this species does not exhibit the same abdominal fluid movement as seen in the main video.

1. Australia Holidays (English)
2. Brazil Holidays (Portuguese)
3. Canada/English Holidays (English)
4. Canada/French Holidays (French)
5. France Holidays (French)
6. Germany Holidays (German)
7. India Major Holidays (English)
8. Italy Holidays (Italian)
9. Jewish Major Holidays (English)
10. Malaysia Holidays (English)
11. Pakistan Holidays (English)
12. Peru Holidays (Spanish)
13. Singapore Holidays (English)
14. South Africa Holidays (English)
15. Spain Holidays (Spanish)
16. UK Holidays (English)
17. USA Holidays (English)

Etymology

• Germany: Marienkäfer (Mary’s beetle)
• France: la bete a bon Dieu (good God's animal)
• Russia: Bozhya korovka (God’s little cow)
• Greece: paschalitsa (little Easter)
• Portugal: joaninha (little Joanne)
• Spain: mariquita (little Maria)
• Wales: buwch goch gota (small red cow)
• Scotland: daolag-bhreac (speckled beetle)
• Slovenia: pikapolonica (spotty bug)
• Argentina: Vaquita de San Antonio (St. Anthony’s small cow)

Checklist

Family: Coccinellidae Latreille, 1807

Subfamily: Coccinellinae Latreille, 1807

Tribe: Coccidulini Mulsant, 1846

Singapore: cf. Scymnus sp.

Tribe: Coccinellini Latreille, 1807

Belize: Azya sp.	Singapore: Coelophora cf. inaequalis (Fabricius, 1775)
Singapore: Heteroneda reticulata Fabricius, 1801	Singapore: Illeis koebelei Timberlake 1943

Subfamily: Epilachninae Mulsant, 1846

Tribe: Epilachnini Mulsant, 1846

Singapore: Epilachna sp.	Singapore: Epilachna sp.
Singapore: Epilachna sp.	Singapore: Henosepilachna sp.
Singapore: Epilachnini?	Singapore: Epilachnini?

Subfamily: Ortaliinae Mulsant, 1850

Tribe: Noviini Ganglbauer, 1899

Singapore: Rodolia sp.

Tribe: Ortaliini Mulsant, 1850

Singapore: Amida sp.

Subfamily: Sticholotidinae Weise, 1901

Tribe: Sticholotidini Weise, 1901

Singapore: cf. Chilocorellus sp.

Singapore: Sticholotis sp.

Subfamily: Scymninae Mulsant, 1846

Belize: Scymninae

Unidentified

Singapore: Unidentified fungus-beetle-mimic

Larvae

Singapore: Unidentified	Singapore: Unidentified
Singapore: Unidentified

Pupae

Singapore: Unidentified	Singapore: Unidentified
Singapore: Heteroneda reticulata Fabricius, 1801	Singapore: Unidentified

Behavior

Singapore: Coelophora cf. inaequalis laying eggs	Singapore: cf. Scymnus sp. preying on an aphid
Singapore: Rodolia sp. emergence	Singapore: Illeis cf. koebelei mating

Blog Redesign and Photo Checklists

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Arachnida: Spiders, Scorpions, Harvestmen, etc

Araneidae: Orb Weaver Spiders

1. Button orb weaver (Anepsion sp.)
   Sometimes called the pizza spider due to the exceptionally flat abdomen, I had lost this tiny little orb weaver once last year, and finally got some decent shots of it. Saw two males this year and both were simply dangling under some leaves rather than on their orb webs.


2. Trashline orb weaver spider (Cyclosa sp.)
   Not uncommon, but one of my favorite examples of stabilimentum.


3. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
   This Cyrtarachne is common in Singapore but the undocumented micromovements within the abdomen have been baffling myself and other arachnologists. I did a video on the pulsating spider and it was subsequently published on National Geographic.


4. Tent web spider (Cyrtophora cicatrosa)
   A tiny tent web spider, and surprisingly one that I've never photographed before but found just next to a path with high human traffic.


5. Red tent spider (Cyrtophora unicolor)
   Another common Cyrtophora, but this time with an egg sac and fluorescing under ultraviolet. This spider typically builds a massive tent web but dismantles it and presumably consumes the silk prior to building her egg sac. Mesmerising sight! I also did a video showcasing ultraviolet fluorescence photography recently.


6. Red tent spider (Cyrtophora unicolor)
   An extreme wide angle close up using an experimental fisheye cctv setup to exaggerate the spider's size. Interestingly, many thought that the little bumps on the abdomen were "hundreds of eyes".


7. Spiny orb weaver (Gasteracantha sp.)
   These spiny orb weavers tend to build their orb webs above our heads, which allows for this shot with the sky as the background.


8. Ladybird spider (Paraplectana sp.)
   This yellow ladybird spider had been on my wish list for a long time, with numerous unfruitful trips to known habitats. On the last day of 2016, we were pleasantly rewarded with a relatively large specimen! Check out my earlier article on ladybird mimicry and more on these spiders.


9. Bird dung spider (Pasilobus sp.)
   Classic ultraviolet fluorescence in the bird dung spider, definitely one of my favorites!


10. Tree stump orb weaver (Poltys sp.)
    Many like to photograph the tree stump orb weavers on a branch or tree stump, so this year, I took many shots of it on its orb web and placed a back light to accentuate the web.


11. Wrap-round orb weaver (Talthybia sp.)
    In October, I was privileged to be one of the first few to get to test the new Olympus STF-8 macro twin flash which is touted to be light-weight and weather-proof. Smallest twin flash system ever and looks like a mini version of my own setup. This was one of the test shots with a loaned Olympus OMD-EM1 Mark 1 and Olympus 60mm macro. This is a close-up of the wrap-around orb weaver. See if you can locate the anterior and posterior lateral eyes! You can view my series of test shots with this M4/3 setup here.



Barychelidae: Brush-Footed Trapdoor Spiders

12. Brush-footed trapdoor spider (Barychelidae)
    Close up of a large female trapdoor spider. Odd that we find the females out in the open as well as I always assumed that only the males went out to search for mates.


13. Brush-footed trapdoor spider (Barychelidae)
    Distinct iridescence on the underpads of barychelids.



Corinnidae: Ant-Like Sac Spiders / Armored Spiders

14. Ant-like sac spider (Sphecotypus sp.)
    Glad to have this stunning ant-mimic crossed off my wish list! It has an obvious constriction in the middle of its cephalothorax to enhance its ant disguise.


15. Ant Mimicry (Myrmarachne vs Polyrhachis)
    Happened to see both the spider and the ant it was mimicking on the same plant and did a side by side comparison.



Ctenidae: Wandering Spiders

16. Wandering spider (Ctenus sp.)
    One of my first few attempts at wide angle close ups using my wife's Sony A7 and Voigtlander 15mm with an M to E-mount adapter and some extension tubes. This Ctenus is ideal since he lets me go really really close (1cm to 2cm), which is required in wide angle closeups.



Lycosidae: Wolf Spiders

17. Wolf spider (Hippasa sp.)
    Classic Hippasa pose. These sheets of web can be easily spotted early in the morning with the condensation of morning dew, but the skittish owners would dart into their hideouts just as easily as you'd find them.



Nephilidae: Golden Orb Weavers, Coin Spiders, Hermit Spiders, etc.

18. Ornamental tree trunk spider (Herennia sp.)
    I've seen lots of Herennia before but this stunning specimen, probably a juvenile, is probably the most beautiful one that I've ever seen!


19. Golden orb weaver (Nephila sp.)
    Candy cane in the forest. Ridiculously common spider but displaying a brilliant combination of orange and yellow when fresh out of her moult.



Oxyopidae: Lynx Spiders

20. Lynx spider (Hamadruas sp.)
    A large Hamadruas guarding her spiderlings with a delightful hue of maroon!


21. Lynx spider (Oxyopes sp.)
    Close up portrait of a very common male Oxyopes with the loaned M4/3 setup.



Psechridae: Pseudo Orb Weavers, Lace Sheet Spiders

22. Pseudo orb weaver spider (Fecenia sp.)
    Always wanted to photograph the full pseudo orb web of the Fecenia, which usually hides inside a tightly rolled leaf in the middle of its web. Its long, hairy legs can be seen sticking out from the rolled leaf in anticipation of prey on its web.



Pholcidae: Daddy-Long-Legs Spiders

23. Daddy-long-legs spider (Pholcidae)
    These seemingly fragile looking spiders can be quite proficient in catching prey, such as this trap-jaw ant.


24. Daddy-long-legs spider (Pholcidae)
    Spiderling legs already visible on the eggs of this mama-to-be.


25. Daddy-long-legs spider (Pholcidae)
    Explosion of babies!


26. Daddy-long-legs spider (Pholcidae)
    Another baby explosion, this time of a different genus.


27. Daddy-long-legs spider (Pholcidae)
    Boy meets girl, and realizes that she is already taken when he saw her holding her future generation.



Salticidae: Jumping Spiders

28. Jumping Spiders: A 2017 Calendar with the Most Endearing Arachnids
    As 2017 approaches, I've put together a series of jumping spider portraits for a 2017 Calendar. Many languages and country holidays available!


29. Jumping spiders from Maliau Basin
    Happened to process MANY salticid portraits in a single day and decided to make a little collage out of it.


30. Jumping spider (Hyllus sp.)
    Juvenile Hyllus but always a joy to photograph!


31. Jumping spider (Onomastus sp.)
    This Onomastus has the largest palps that I've ever seen, and it is not even a mature specimen. The mature male would have really large and complex palps, which is probably why the species is Onomastus complexipalpis.


32. Jumping spider (Parabathippus sp.)
    Very common salticid guarding her eggs.


33. Jumping spider (Phaeacius sp.)
    Exclusively hunts on tree trunks, and sometimes called the "sad" spider because it is almost always looking down. Here's a more cheerful view of it, probably due to the nice supper catch.


34. Jumping spider (Portia sp.)
    A male Portia resting on its web. A female was also seen nearby.


35. Jumping spider (Thiania sp.)
    Not the usual Thiania so it deserves a spot here!



Sparassidae: Huntsman Spiders

36. 51 Huntsman Spider Portraits from Singapore
    A tribute to Singapore's 51st Birthday! Check out the details of each portrait here.


37. Huntsman spider (Gnathopalystes sp.)
    Check out the little white moustache!


38. Huntsman spider (Gnathopalystes sp.)
    Several Gnathopalystes exhibit ultraviolet fluorescence, and this appears to be the most flamboyant of all!


39. Huntsman spider (Heteropoda davidbowie)
    Another wide angle attempt with the Sony A7 and Voigtlander 15mm. Wide angle perspective makes the spider look larger!


40. Huntsman spider (Heteropoda sp.)
    Largest cluster of huntsman spiderlings still on its egg sac!


41. Huntsman spider (Heteropoda sp.)
    This Heteropoda looks close to H. boiei but I'm not too sure...


42. Lichen huntsman spider (Pandercetes sp.)
    Visited the Lentor Forest that was slated to be cleared to make way for residential development, and took this portrait of a very common Pandercetes.


43. Huntsman spider (Rhitymna sp.)
    Another genus off my wish list! Seawei found not one but a pair of Rhitymna on trees next to each other. Unfortunately despite the size, they still managed to disappear right before our eyes...


44. Huntsman spider (Sparassidae)
    A very very happy huntsman with a huge catch!~


45. Huntsman spider (Sparassidae)
    Haven't figured this one out yet, but not commonly seen in Singapore.



Theridiidae: Comb-Footed Spiders

46. Twig-like comb-footed spider (Ariamnes sp.)
    First time seeing the abdomen twist so many times!


47. Mirror-comb-footed spider animation
    I did a better animation of the abdominal mirror-like expansion/contraction on the Thwaitesia and the article got kind of viral again.



Theraphosidae: Tarantulas

48. Tarantula (Theraphosidae)
    Wide angle attempt on this blue tarantula, but the colours turned out a little funny. Probably a wrong white balance chosen.



Thomisidae: Crab Spiders

49. Ant-mimic crab spider (Amyciaea sp.)
    Classic mimicry and predation of the ant-mimic crab spider with the red weaver ant.


50. Bird dung crab spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    This spider had been on my wish list for quite a while. When we finally got to see it, it had a remarkably radiating nest and egg sac. In fact, the spiderlings were already hatched but we didn't get much shots of the little ones.


51. Crab spider (Runcinia sp.)
    Captivating ultraviolet fluorescence on a Runcinia. The fluorescence appears to be common in thomisids, possibly because they are ambush predators and the UV fluorescence might have something to do with the UV fluorescence in flowers that attracts pollinating insects.


52. Crab spider (Stiphropus sp.)
    Very unique looking thomisid with an egg sac within the tree trunk.


53. Crab spider (Strigoplus sp.)
    Strigoplus is common in our forests but this had particularly striking pink patches!


54. Crab spiders (Thomisus sp.)
    Opportunistic male going into the female at her most vulnerable moment. Probably a safer tactic for the male.


55. Crab spider (Tmarus sp.)
    This Tmarus had been spotted several times in the mangroves. First saw it in Malaysia and glad to see it in Singapore as well.


56. Crab spider (Thomisidae)
    An unidentified thomisid with interesting patterns on its body with light shining through it.



Uloboridae: Feather-Legged Spiders

57. Feather-legged spider (Octonoba sp.)
    A rare uloborid genus carrying her egg sac.



Opiliones: Harvestmen

58. Excavator harvestman (Epedanidae)
    Favorite harvestman. We called this the excavator. It looked even more awesome with its ultraviolet fluorescence.


59. Excavator harvestman (Epedanidae)
    Excellent subject for back-lighting as well, as most parts of its body allows light to pass though.


60. Harvestman (Podoctidae)
    Looks really common but a close up reveals lots of beautiful details!



Schizomida: Shorttailed Whip Scorpions

61. Shorttailed whip scorpion (Schizomida)
    These arachnids are almost as small as pseudoscorpions, just much harder to see and they run really fast.



Scorpiones: Scorpions

62. Black forest scorpion (Heterometrus sp.)
    Wide angle attempt on this giant scorpion. A close working distance of less than 4cm allows better light diffusion on its otherwise dark body, bringing out the blue pretty well.



Amblypygi: Tailless Whip Scorpions

63. Tailless whip scorpion (Charon sp.)
    Finally got to do a wide angle close up on a large amblypygid, at a perfect angle perched at the edge of a rotten log. Still surprised that it stood still enough for me to take a few shots as these are usually quite skittish.


64. Tailless whip scorpion (Amblypygi)
    Much smaller amblypygid that stood up, leaving just enough space for me to push some light through from behind.



Thelyphonida: Whip Scorpion

65. Whip scorpion (Thelyphonida)
    Also known as vinegaroons, I brought my night macro workshop participants out on a practice trip and had a chance to try a wide angle close up again!



Pseudoscorpionida: Pseudoscorpions

66. Pseudoscorpions (Pseudoscorpionida)
    I've always wanted to photograph a mother pseudoscorpion carrying her babies, but I guess this is still a small step forward!



Coleoptera: Beetles

Buprestidae: Jewel Beetles

67. Jewel beetle (Belionota prasina)
    I hadn't paid much attention to these lovely beetles in prior years, and added a few species to my photo collection this year. This Belionota prasina is probably the largest jewel beetle in Singapore. For other jewel beetles in my collection, link to my Jewel Beetles Checklist.


68. Jewel beetle (Habroloma sp.)
    Most other jewel beetles here are tiny and often ignored. This was probably 3mm long.


69. Jewel beetle (Trachys sp.)
    Another tiny beauty, also about 3mm long.



Cantharidae: Soldier Beetles

70. Soldier beetle (Cantharidae)
    This soldier beetle kept arching its abdomen upwards, allowing for a beautiful composition.



Carabidae: Ground Beetles

71. Ground beetle (Physodera eschscholtzii)
    Hands down the most magnificent ground beetle in Singapore. Can't ever get enough of it. See the other ground beetles that I've recorded so far in my Ground Beetles Checklist.


72. Ground beetle larva (Carabidae)
    Even the larva was stunning.



Cerambycidae: Longhorn Beetles

73. Longhorn beetle (Tetraglenes sp.)
    We found this small little cerambycid with split eyes on Coney Island. A great addition to my Longhorn Beetles Checklist.


74. Longhorn beetle (Dystasia cf. circulata)
    Too many interesting cerambycids this year, so I'll just add a few random ones here.


75. Stingless bee mimic longhorn beetle (Pectinocallimus sp.)
    An extremely rare longhorn beetle that mimics a stingless bee. The adult doesn't live for long, and we've seen this twice on dangling vines.



Chrysomelidae: Leaf Beetles

76. Leaf beetle (Aulacolepis decorata)
    Spotted this little leaf beetle twice this year. It has little tufts of setae on its dorsum, which reminded me of the Portia spider.


77. Tortoise beetle (Chiridopsis sp.)
    My favorite tortoise beetle this year, love the colours and patterns! See more in my Tortoise Beetle Checklist.


78. Golden tortoise beetle (Aspidimorpha furcata)
    A surprise golden find, and a tick off my wish list! Really difficult to light this one up well.


79. Leaf beetle (Hoplosaenidea singaporensis)
    One of the common but skittish little leaf beetles that finally had an ID, thanks to the kind folks on Facebook.



Coccinellidae: Ladybird Beetles

80. Ladybird beetle (Scymnus sp.) preying on an aphid
    If you've not read it already, I recently published a little article on the story behind the name "ladybird beetle".



Endomychidae: Handsome Fungus Beetles

81. Handsome fungus beetle (Eumorphus marginatus)
    We like to call this the violin fungus beetle, although the real violin beetle still eludes us. If you are interested in more of these beetles, link to the handsome fungus beetles checklist.


82. Handsome fungus beetle (Spathomeles sp.)
    Really handsome specimen, made it to the list for the two elytral spines.



Lampyridae: Firefly Beetles

83. Firefly (Lampyridae)
    Fireflies are not flies, but beetles. Another misnomer. This is a feeble attempt to record the ventral view.



Lycidae: Net-Winged Beetles

84. Trilobite beetles (Platerodrilus sp.)
    I consolidated all my trilobite beetle photos into a checklist, after National Geographic did a recent coverage on trilobite beetles found in Singapore.



Lymexylidae: Ship Timber Beetles

85. Ship timber beetle (Lymexylidae)
    Been many years since my last sighting of this beetle. Literally dropped from the sky while we were looking at scorpions.



Nitidulidae: Sap Beetles

86. Sap beetle (Nitidulidae)
    This flat and tiny little beetle is often referred by us as the petri dish beetle.



Scarabaeidae: Scarab Beetles

87. Rhinoceros beetle (Xylotrupes gideon)
    Wide angle attempt at a rhino beetle that Victor found in NTU.



Staphylinidae: Shining Fungus Beetles

88. Shining fungus beetle (Scaphidiinae)
    Not too uncommon but still a lifer for me!



Tenebrionidae: Darkling Beetles

89. Darkling beetle (Eucyrtus cf. pretiosus)
    I actually have many new darkling beetles in my collection, but there would be too many to list here. Instead, you may like to view my Darkling Beetles Checklist.



Hemiptera: True Bugs

90. Spittlebug (Cercopidae)
    This spittlebug was fresh out from its moult, and still within its frothy layer of protection.


91. Cicada (Cicadidae)
    Also fresh from it smoult, the colours on this cicada were slightly enhanced with a light from behind.


92. False lanternfly (Dictyopharidae)
    Another candy cane bug with a brilliant splash of colours!


93. False lanternfly nymph (Dictyopharidae)
    At first thought to be a lantern bug nymph, but turned out to be a false lanternfly nymph. (different families) A ray of sun hits the snout for a little back-lighting effect.


94. Planthopper nymph (Fulgoroidea)
    Accentuating the waxy tail of this planthopper nymph.


95. Lantern bug (Pyrops pyrorhynchus)
    Rudolf found at night! Although they are called lantern bugs, their snouts do not glow at night. A light from behind gave it a faint glow though.


96. Lantern bug (Pyrops whiteheadi)
    Another similar attempt with the entire snout lighted up.


97. Planthopper (Fulgoroidea)
    Planthopper just out from its moult and hanging out to dry. The colours at this stage would change rapidly while it dries and pumps out its wings.


98. Planthopper (Dichoptera sp.)
    Close up of a common fulgorid.


99. Treehopper (Coccosterphus sp.)
    Plain looking membracid until viewed up close. Love the wing venation.


100. Treehopper (Tricentrus fulgidus)
     Black reflective subjects are a pain to photograph, but this was too cute to give it a pass!


101. Globular shield bug (Plataspidae)
     Hadn't noticed these bugs before, and turned out to be pretty cute with the short body.


102. Globular shield bug (Plataspidae)
     Found another one!


103. Stink bug hatchlings (Pentatomidae)
     Last year, I did a very rough shot of this scene, and am glad to be able to do a better version this year. Interestingly, there are almost always 12 eggs in each batch.


104. Stink bug babies (Pentatomidae)
     These babies appear to be more mature, and almost ready to leave its nest.


105. Giant shield bug (Lyramorpha sp.)
     The mother here would stay behind to look after her young, unlike the examples above. Notice the little ones huddled under her abdomen.


106. Ant-snatching assassin bug nymph (Acanthaspis sp.)
     This little assassin makes it to the list. Every year.


107. Resin assassin bug (Amulius sp.)
     There was a little discussion on where the resin on the forelegs comes from. Was it from its own saliva, or was it from the tree's sap?


108. Moth-like planthopper (Ricaniidae)
     These "fresh from moult" scenes are really perfect for back-lighting.


109. Planthopper nymph (Ricaniidae)
     Highlighting the fanned waxy tail of the ricaniid nymph.



Blattodea: Cockroaches, Termites

110. Pill cockroach (Perishpaerus sp.)
     Old vs new. The pill cockroach fresh from its moult, sports a brilliant red/orange and the contrast with its eventual colour is illustrated well here.


111. Cockroach nymph (Blattodea)
     No idea what cockroach this is, but it is pretty!



Diptera: Flies

112. Robberfly (Asilidae) in cordyceps fungus
     Cordyceps fungus are a common sight on robberflies, but never ceases to be a good topic for discussion.


113. Mosquito (Stegomyia albopicta)
     More commonly known as the Aedes mosquito. Yes the one that spreads dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and most recently the Zika virus. Thank you David for the sacrifice!!


114. Soldier fly (Stratiomyidae)
     Close ups on the eyes of these charismatic flies would almost always make the annual list.



Hymenoptera: Wasps, Bees, Ants

115. Chalcid wasp parasitoids (Trichogramma sp.)
     With a light behind, I was able to see the little parasitoids inside the eggs.


116. Ichneumon wasp (Pimplinae)
     I don't shoot much wasps, so most are lifers anyway!


117. Caterpillar with parasitoid wasps
     The host had already shriveled, and the parasitoids are obviously fat!


118. Ant (Dolichoderus sp.)
     Transporting a little one?



Lepidoptera: Butterflies, Moths

119. 5 Mysterious Structures from the World's Smallest Architects (Psychidae)
     I did an article on tiny structures created by nature's tiny architects, focused on the little log cabins constructed by psychid moths. Read more on here.


120. Cerulean butterfly (Jamides sp.)
     I usually give butterflies a miss, as there are already many people who photograph butterflies and do it much better than I can. Nevertheless, here's a little tribute to the flying jewels.


121. Nawab caterpillar (Polyura sp.)
     The dragon-head caterpillar, always a favorite!


122. Jewel caterpillar (Limacodidae)
     Mysteriously alluring jewel caterpillar. Check out my earlier post on a jewel caterpillar from the neotropics.


123. Mad haterpillar (Sarbena lignifera)
     Another rare sighting of the unique caterpillar that keeps its head's shell after each moult. What results is a bizarre stack of heads. Check out my photo series from last year.


124. Fluffy monster
     Identified as Epipyropidae later on, but still looked like a fluffy monster.



Mantodea: Mantises

125. Twig mantis (Euchomenella sp.)
     Wide angle view of a lanky twig-like mantis.


126. Banded flower mantis (Theopropus elegans)
     Always wanted to photograph an adult flower mantis in Singapore, and was finally rewarded with the sighting of a male. Next target would be the adult female! (or a mating pair)


127. Mantis moulting (Mantodea)
     An interesting back-lit scene of a mantis that is almost completely out of its moult.


128. Mantis (Creobroter sp.)
     This handsome Creobroter nymph has distinctly pointed eyes.


129. Mantis ootheca with moult
     At first, we thought that a tiny mantis was emerging from its ootheca. On closer inspection, it was just the shell of a moult.



Neuroptera: Net-Winged Insects

130. Antlion (Myrmeleontidae)
     I've always wanted to photograph an antlion in Singapore. Unfortunately this one was almost dead by the time we found it.


131. Brown lacewing (Hemerobiidae)
     Looks like a plain little lacewing, but made it to the list as it belongs to a separate family due to the differences in wing venation.



Odonata: Dragonflies, Damselflies

132. Dragonfly (Anisoptera)
     A cheeky experimental extreme wide angle close up. Image quality is poor, so more tweaks to the equipment will be made next year!


133. Dragonfly (Camacinia gigantea)
     We see this dragonfly in abundance in our parks. Here's a slightly different take.


134. Dragonfly freshly emerged (Anisoptera)
     A delicate moment as the dragon emerges.



Orthoptera: Katydids, Grasshoppers, Crickets

135. Katydid (Tettigoniidae)
     ultraviolet fluorescence is common in some katydids.



Phasmatodea: Stick Insects

136. Stick insect (Phasmatodea)
     A simple scene, but I like the way that the stick insect is revealed subtly with a little bit of side lighting.


137. Stick insect (Phasmatodea)
     Fresh from its moult!



Myriapoda: Centipedes, Millipedes

138. Centipede (Chilopoda)
     We've always wanted to shoot a centipede with blue legs. What could go wrong?


139. Giant centipede (Scolopendra sp.)
     One of my favorite centipede shots of the year using a wide angle perspective. Luckily, the centipede didn't flinch when I went really close to it.


140. House centipede (Scutigeridae)
     Sexy long-legged centipede feeding on what appears to be... a spider?


141. Pill millipede (Zephroniidae)
     We've seen the pill millipedes many times on the forest floor, but this is the first sighting of a mating pair!



Gastropoda: Snails

142. Snail hatchlings (Gastropoda)
     Tiny baby snails just hatched, and a little shy to show their cute little eyes. If you ever wondered how snail embryos looked like, read my detailed post from last year.



Onychophora: Velvet Worms

143. Velvet worm (Onychophora)
     The year end wet weather brought with it an increase of velvet worm sightings. We found 2 in a night!



Reptilia: Reptiles

144. Whip snake (Ahaetulla sp.)
     Didn't have many nice snake pictures this year, but here's a wide angle perspective to remember 2016 by!


145. Gecko (Gekkota)
     Extreme close up of a little gecko that didn't mind me sticking a lens into its face. Experimental setup with low image quality.



Aves: Birds

146. Oriental dwarf kingfisher (Ceyx erithaca)
     I rarely take photos of birds, but occasionally we'd bump into some of them. Here's a simple take with faint side lights while being careful not to expose bright lights on the kingfisher.



Plantae: Plants

147. Slime mould
     Tiny little forest.


148. Cup fungi (Cookeina sp.)
     These cup fungi are uncommon and were spotted in Lentor Forest.


149. Bridal veil stinkhorn (Phallaceae)
     Finally got to photograph a complete bridal stinkhorn. In my last attempt, I rushed down after notification of a sighting and was greeted by a wilted indistinguishable mush.


150. Mushrooms (Fungi)
     An idea on lighting up fungi. :)



Non-Macro Highlights

151. Maliau Basin - The Lost World of Borneo
     A photo journal of my short trip to Maliau Basin. There was a severe drought, but we had some interesting finds.


152. Laowa 12mm F/2.8 ZERO-D Preview
     Had a new lens in hand and did a video preview, including some wacky timelapse sequences of Singapore's cityscape.


153. Spider Photo Exhibition @ Senckenberg Natural History Museum
     My second photo exhibition in Europe was launched with a blast! Read about the day's events here.


154. New boss, with all my other bosses
     Biggest highlight of the year is my new boss of the family. I'm still at the bottom of the hierarchy apparently.

Supporting My Work

1. Ladybird beetle (Coelophora inaequalis)
   One of the classic ladybird beetles found in Singapore bearing the distinct red colour and black spots. For more photos of ladybirds, check out my ladybird beetle checklist.


2. Red ladybird mimic spider (Paraplectana sp.)
   Those with an untrained eye wouldn't think too much when they see this "ladybird beetle".


3. Red ladybird mimic spider (Paraplectana sp.)
   This bright-bodied, spotted creature turned out to be a beautiful spider! This is a perfect example of Batesian mimicry where a species imitates the warning signals to get the protection with its perceived foul taste.


4. Red ladybird mimic spider (Paraplectana sp.)
   Another possible reason for the bright markings, is that it has an instant correlation with danger, and other animals would instinctively steer clear of it. Possibly the same reason why stop, warning or danger signs are almost always in red or yellow.


5. Red ladybird mimic spider (Paraplectana sp.)
   This spider is incredibly rare, with my next sighting only possible with some tip-offs after over 150 field trips 3 years later.


6. Ladybird mimic spider (Paraplectana sp.)
   As usual, when disturbed, it turned around to try to scare me. BOO!


7. Yellow ladybird mimic spider (Paraplectana sp.)
   This adorable yellow version of the ladybird-mimic was first spotted (no pun intended) by another group of macro photographers from Singapore in 2015. It took me over a year, but I finally found an extremely gravid specimen on the last day of 2016!


8. Yellow ladybird mimic spider (Paraplectana sp.)
   Dorsal view. If not for the legs, most others would have thought of ladybird rather than spider!


9. Yellow ladybird mimic spider (Paraplectana sp.)
   Again, she turned around in an attempt to scare me.


10. Ladybird mimic spider (Paraplectana sp.)
    Not all species in Paraplectana have black spots like the ones above. They are recognized by the semi-circular abdomen, and sometimes confused with Cyrtarachne.


11. Ladybird mimic spider (Paraplectana sp.)
    These Paraplectana are surprisingly tiny. Those featured here were between 5mm to 8mm wide.


12. Ladybird beetle (Rodolia sp.)
    Despite the lack of spots, the spider above could very well be mimicking this ladybird beetle!


13. Ladybird mimic spider (Paraplectana sp.)
    The last Paraplectana in this series doesn't seem to match any of the ladybird beetles that I have shot before. This spider could be new to science and does not have name yet. Among my friends, we called this the golden coin spider.


14. Ladybird mimic spider (Paraplectana sp.)
    I have at least 3 records of this spider but none were mature.


15. Red ladybird mimic spider (Paraplectana rajashree) ©2015 Sumukha JN
    This Paraplectana was described in 2015 from India by Javed Ahmed, named after naturalist and birder Rajashree Khalap. Previously, publications on Paraplectana had never documented the internal genitalia and this seems to be the first. It remains to be verified if the ones found in Singapore are the same as this species.


16. Tortoise orb weaver (Encyosaccus sp.)
    Another brilliantly coloured spider from the same family, Encyosaccus does not have the same abdominal pattern but the same bright colours would lead one to believe that they could be ladybird mimics too. Read my series on the Adorable Tortoise Orb Weavers from the Amazon.


17. Ladybird-mimic fungus beetle (Stenotarsus pardalis)
    Spiders were not the only ones in the mimicry game. This handsome fungus beetle is also commonly mistaken to be a ladybird beetle for its red body and black spots. View my Handsome Fungus Beetle Checklist.

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1. Book Cover
   Those who follow my Instagram would have known that we had 2 candidates for the book cover, and informal polls had the votes split equally. The portrait on the book's cover belongs to a male Heteropoda davidbowie, named in honor of the rock legend.


2. Preview: Heteropoda lunula
   Large and beautiful spider that can be spotted close to urban habitats


3. Preview: Phrynarachne sp.
   A charismatic spider that is new to science, this Phrynarachne has a closer resemblance to fungus than to bird dung!

1. Date/time: 3rd June 2017, 6pm to 12 midnight, arranged boat will depart from Ubin Jetty at around 12:30am
2. Location: Pulau Ubin
3. Workshop includes:
   • 1 hour presentation
   • Basic DIY flash diffuser construction
   • 3-4 hour night shoot
     In case of wet weather, we will conduct shooting practice at the shelter.
   • Debrief
4. Topics covered:
   • Searching techniques
   • Focus stabalization
   • Light diffusion
   • Field ethics
   • Group dynamics
   • General tips
   • Introduction to some nocturnal critters of Ubin

1. Keen interest in insects, spiders and all other small creatures
2. Basic photography knowledge
3. Some experience in macro photography would be ideal
4. Camera and lens with ability to focus at 1:1 (ask in comments if unsure)
   No need for tripod, try to avoid using focal lengths beyond 105mm.
5. External flash/speedlite mounted on hotshoe
6. Able to hike and shoot for 4 hours
7. Search light and focus light (see below for add-on options)
8. Extra batteries for equipment to last 4 hours

1. Email nicky@bay.to to register with the following details:
   • Name
   • Contact number
   • Emergency contact name and contact number
   • Equipment: camera / macro lens / flash / close up adapters / extension tubes / diffuser / photo of current setup. The Raynox DCR-250 is highly recommended.
   • Description of your macro photography experience, provide links to your online macro album and a photo of your current macro setup (if any)
   • What you wish to learn or achieve in this workshop.
   • Any optional add-ons (see below, you must have a focusing light)
2. Registration fee of S$120 includes:
   • Night macro photography workshop
   • Materials for flash diffuser
   • Chartered night boat to return from Pulau Ubin to Changi Point Ferry Terminal (Changi Village)
   • Boat from Changi Point Ferry Terminal (Changi Village) to Pulau Ubin will be at your own time and cost (S$3)
3. Payment, meetup and other pertinent details will be provided upon registration
4. Workshop seat is only confirmed after receipt of payment via bank transfer
5. Participants will be required to move in groups for safety reasons. You are encouraged to sign up with friends, or make new friends. :)
6. No refund for cancellations, but there is also no admin fee for transfer of seats.

1. Search Light (S$40)

   Good search lights are essential for night macro photography. This is the exact brandless torch that I am using, so you can expect it to be as bright as branded ones that cost well over $100.
   Includes 1x Panasonic 18650 3400mAh Button-Top Protected Battery
   

2. Focusing Light (S$30)

   This is a less powerful light that will be attached to the camera to aid in focusing at night.
   Includes 1x Panasonic 18650 3400mAh Flat-Top Non-Protected Battery
   

3. Panasonic 18650 3400mAh rechargeable battery (S$12)

   Extra batteries for the torches above.
   Either Button-Top Protected (longer, can't fit focusing torch) or Flat-Top Non-Protected

4. Soshine H4 Battery Charger (S$40)

   4-bay universal battery charger
   Up to 1000mA charging per battery
   Supports Li-ion / NiMH / LiFePO4 (most others don't support LiFePO4)
   Supports 14500 18350 18650 26650 CR123 AA AAA C
   

5. Step-down Ring (S$10)

   Step down ring for Raynox DCR-150 and Raynox DCR-250, let me know your lens filter size.
   Much more secure, and ensures center position of filter (recommended!)
   

6. Venus Optics Laowa Lenses (ask for prices)

   I am partnering with Venus Optics to bring Laowa lenses and flashes to workshop participants. Prices will be cheaper than retail, with full warranty. Links provided on Amazon for reference.
   
   • Laowa 60mm f/2.8 2X Ultra-Macro Lens
   • Laowa 15mm f/4 1:1 Wide Angle Macro Lens with Shift
   • Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-Distortion
   • Laowa 105mm f/2 Smooth Trans Focus Lens
   • Kuangren Macro Twin Flash KX-800
   • Laowa 7.5mm f/2 for M4/3, coming soon

1. Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda lunula)
   


2. Huntsman Spider (Pandercetes sp.)
   


3. Huntsman Spider (Pandercetes sp.)
   


4. Huntsman Spider (Olios sp.)
   


5. Huntsman Spider (Gnathopalystes sp.)
   


6. Spiny Back Orb Weaver (Gasteracantha sp.)
   


7. Scorpion-tailed spider (Arachnura sp.)
   


8. Kidney Garden Spider (Araneus mitificus)
   


9. Pseudo orb web spider (Fecenia sp.)
   


10. Tree Stump orb weaver (Poltys sp.)
    


11. Ogre-Face Spider (Deinopis sp.)
    


12. Wrap-Around Spider (Talthybia sp.)
    


13. Darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae)
    


14. Weevils (Hypomeces squamosus)
    


15. Twig Spider (Ariamnes sp.)
    


16. Lynx Spider (Hamadruas sp.)
    


17. Giant shield bug nymphs (Pycanum sp.)
    


18. Velvet worm (Onychophora)
    


19. Crown Wasp ovipositing (Stephanidae)
    


20. Sweat Bees sleeping (Halictidae)
    


21. Mango Longhorn Beetle (Batocera rubus)
    


22. Robberfly (Asilidae)
    


23. Crab Spider (Boliscus sp.)
    


24. Wide-Jawed Viciria (Viciria praemandibularis)
    


25. Heavy jumper (Hyllus sp.)
    


26. Net-Casting Spider (Deinopis sp.)
    


27. Scorpion (Liocheles sp.)
    


28. Ladybirds (Illeis cf. koebelei)
    


29. Assassin bug eggs (Reduviidae)
    


30. Jumping spider (Portia sp.)
    


31. Stink bug hatchlings (Pentatomidae)
    


32. Scale insect (Coccoidea)
    

• Tawau Hills: 16 to 20 July 2017 (Sun-Thu)
• Danum Valley: 20 to 23 July 2017 (Thu-Sun, very limited seats)

Tawau Hills Workshop: US$1000 (twin/triple sharing)

• Upgrade to Single Room in Tawau: +US$200 (subject to availability)
• Upgrade to Air-Conditioned Room in Tawau: +US$100 (subject to availability)
• Danum Valley Extension: +US$500 (gender-separated dormitories only, very limited beds)
• Paypal processing fees: +5% of total

Price includes:

• Scheduled workshop lessons and private consultation during field trips and free time
• Access to Borneo's pristine rainforests with 2-3 field trips per day except travel days
• Minibus transfer from Tawau Airport to Tawau Hills
• 4WD transfer from Tawau Hills to Danum Valley
• 4WD transfer from Danum Valley to Tawau Airport
• Basic jungle cabin with ceiling fan
• Common toilets and showers only
• Simple local breakfast, lunch and dinner as indicated in schedule
• All entry and conservation fees to park and trails
• Camera permits
• Tips for local staff
• Pre-trip consultation to fine-tune equipment
• Access to private Facebook group for follow-up advice and discussions
• Impromptu lesson on shooting the milky way if weather permits (F/2.8 ultra wide angle lens recommended)

Price excludes:

• Airfare: International participants arriving via Kuala Lumpur should take the 0955h-1250 (AK5746) flight from Kuala Lumpur to Tawau via AirAsia on 16 July 2017
• Personal insurance - for visitors to Danum Valley, your travel insurance must cover helicopter evacuation (show a copy upon check-in)
• Photography equipment (bring your own gear!)
• Any additional food, drinking water, etc. apart from stated meals

1. Burning passion in macro photography.
2. Strong interest in insects, spiders, reptiles and amphibians
3. DSLR or a good mirrorless digital camera
4. Dedicated macro lens capable of 1:1 magnification, preferably between 60mm to 105mm
5. Close up filters: Raynox DCR-150 or Raynox DCR-250
6. External flash
7. Additional external flash capable of being wirelessly triggered (for back-lighting)
8. Tripod for natural light, ultraviolet and milky way shoot
9. Laptop with Adobe Photoshop CC installed for post processing lessons
10. Powerful lightweight torch/flashlight/headlamp for searching
11. Powerful lightweight light attached to camera for focusing
12. Basic proficiency in Adobe Photoshop (understand layers, levels, etc.)

• All rooms have a ceiling fan.
• Each room has limited power sockets. Please bring multi-plugs/power strips for charging multiple devices.
• Separate male and female toilets with private shower cubicles are just a few steps away from the rooms.
• Showers are not heated, and water pressure can be low at times.
• You may wash your clothes - there are shared clothes lines for you to hang your clothes out to dry.
• We can borrow some shared space in a fridge to store your beverages.
• Lessons will be in a sheltered common area just in front of the rooms.

• Male and female dormitories with showers will be in separate buildings
• Lockers available in office, do not leave valuables lying around (to be confirmed)
• Electricity available from 7:00am till 12:00am only

• All trails are within walking distance from the cabins.
• The terrain is relatively flat - there is minimal to no climbing involved in the trails.

• 16 July 2017: Kuala Lumpur to Tawau

  AirAsia AK5746 09:55 - 12:50
  Have your lunch on the flight
  Transport leaves Tawau Airport at about 13:15

• 20 July 2017: Tawau to Kuala Lumpur (not attending Danum extension)

  AirAsia AK5747 13:15 - 16:00
  Transport arrives at Tawau Airport at about 10:30
  Have lunch at airport

• 23 July 2017: Tawau to Kuala Lumpur

  AirAsia AK5749 15:40 - 18:25
  Transport arrives at Tawau Airport at about 13:00
  Have lunch at airport

• Extending your trip

  Let me know if you are extending your trip to visit other parts of Borneo and have your own transport arrangements.

• Get a lightweight but powerful torch light for searching in the night.
• Get spare batteries and chargers that can handle multiple batteries.
• Borrow extra memory cards from your friends. I usually chalk up at least 20GB per day.
• Rig a focusing light on your camera instead of holding a light with your hand.
• Do more field shoots prior to the trip, note down any problems that you face.
• Bring a hat, it blocks the sun from your eyes while shooting.
• Bring leech socks (can also be purchased from park office at RM10).
• Bring mosquito repellent.
• Pack light.

Shooting etiquette

1. Finders shoot first

   The one who finds the subject will have the right to shoot first, the rest who are interested to shoot should take a "queue number".

2. Share your finds

   Share what you find with others, and let everyone take a basic shot before going closer for high magnification shots.

3. Slow shooters shoot later

   If you know that you take very long for your shots, let other faster participants shoot first.

4. Keep volume low

   Do not shout or talk loudly when others are shooting, loud noise can scare skittish subjects away.

5. Be magnanimous

   It is common for subjects to escape or disappear when you are shooting. It will happen to everyone, so refrain from blaming anyone when it happens, be magnanimous and move on.

Specimen collection

1. Handheld Search Light (US$40)

   Good search lights are essential for both day and night macro photography. This is the exact brandless torch that I am using, so you can expect it to be as bright as branded ones that cost well over $100.
   Includes 1x Panasonic 18650 3400mAh Button-Top Protected Battery
   

2. Headlamp / Focusing Light (US$30)

   This is a less powerful light that will be attached to the camera to aid in focusing both in day and night.
   Includes 1x Panasonic 18650 3400mAh Flat-Top Non-Protected Rechargeable Battery
   

3. UV Light (US$50) (very limited stock)

   Required for UV photography, not all UV lights are suitable, this is chosen after years of trial and error. Note that sometimes the listed wavelength may not be accurate.
   Includes 1x Panasonic 18650 3400mAh Button-Top Protected Rechargeable Battery
   

4. Panasonic 18650 3400mAh rechargeable battery (US$12-US$15)

   Extra batteries for the torches above.
   Either Button-Top Protected (longer, can't fit focusing light) or Flat-Top Non-Protected

5. Soshine H4 Battery Charger (US$40)

   4-bay universal battery charger
   Up to 1000mA charging per battery
   Supports Li-ion / NiMH / LiFePO4 (most others don't support LiFePO4)
   Supports 14500 18350 18650 26650 CR123 AA AAA C
   

6. Step-down Ring (US$10)

   Step down ring for Raynox DCR-150 and Raynox DCR-250, let me know your lens filter size.
   Much more secure, and ensures center position of filter (recommended!)
   

7. Venus Optics Laowa Lenses (ask for prices)

   I am partnering with Venus Optics to bring Laowa lenses and flashes to workshop participants. Prices will be cheaper than retail, with full warranty. Links to products provided for reference.
   
   • Laowa 60mm f/2.8 2X Ultra-Macro Lens
   • Laowa 15mm f/4 1:1 Wide Angle Macro Lens with Shift
   • Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-Distortion
   • Laowa 105mm f/2 Smooth Trans Focus Lens
   • Kuangren Macro Twin Flash KX-800
   • Laowa 7.5mm f/2 for M4/3

• 50% refund (excluding Paypal fee) for cancellations made before 16 June 2017.
• No refund on or after 16 June 2017.
• No additional fees to transfer your seat to someone else.

1. Giant shield bug (Tessaratomidae) Buy this Photo
   Some of the most colourful shield bugs could be found here. We found one just outside the toilet.


2. Lantern bug (Pyrops whiteheadi) Buy this Photo
   The venue is home to at least 3 different species of lantern bugs. Sighting them is not difficult, but getting an angle to photograph them depends a lot on luck!


3. Lantern bug (Pyrops sidereus) Buy this Photo
   Some of the lantern bugs have distinct host trees, and the chances of finding them would be much higher with an experienced guide.


4. Lantern bug (Pyrops sultanus)
   Some can even be spotted at night, when they are less skittish.


5. Huntsman spider (Sparassidae) Buy this Photo
   This giant and colourful huntsman spider was spotted just 50m away from the cabins.


6. Golden blue ant (Polyrhachis sp.) Buy this Photo
   These ants were brilliantly coloured with a metallic blue abdomen.


7. Broad-headed bark spider (Caerostris sp.)
   A rare genus of orb weavers that can weave strong orb webs spanning several meters.


8. Bird dung crab spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
   Many arachnologists like to look for this cryptic crab spider mimicking bird dung.


9. Stick insect (Phasmatodea)
   There were a number of huge stick insects around.


10. Giant shield bug (Tessaratomidae) Buy this Photo
    Unfortunately we also found many shield bugs infected with cordyceps fungus.


11. Longhorn orb web spider (Macracantha arcuata) Buy this Photo
    Probably the longest horns on any spider in the region, the longhorn orb web spider is a common sight near to the cabins.


12. Giant black forest scorpion (Heterometrus sp.)
    One of the topics covered during the bootcamp will be ultraviolet photography. This scorpion was found next to the path between our cabins and the canteen.


13. Harvestman (Opiliones) Buy this Photo
    Who would have imagined that a harvestman could be blue?


14. Trilobite beetle larva (Platerodrilus sp.)
    The famous beetle that resembles the extinct trilobite. Check out my trilobite checklist.


15. Giant river toad (Phrynoidis juxtasper) Buy this Photo
    Some of the toads by the river were huge, spanning 20cm in length.


16. Long horn orb weaver (Macracantha arcuata)
    These flamboyant orb weavers are not too uncommon in the workshop area.


17. Knob necked stick insect (Calvisia hennemanni)
    Stunning stick insect that we found during one of our night walks.


18. Rhino beetle (Dynastinae) Buy this Photo
    This rhino beetle flew to us near the cabin, which gave us the opportunity to take some wide angle shots when we were checking out on the last day.


19. Dragon snake (Xenodermus javanicus)
    Rare dragon snake found just a few meters into the trail.


20. Great anglehead lizard (Gonocephalus grandis)
    Not uncommon, but still a delight to sight this male great anglehead lizard.


21. Milky Way in Borneo
    If weather permits, we will be able to photograph the milky way under the low light conditions. This was shot in Borneo, although not at the exact workshop location.

1. Predatory tactic

   Excrement from birds, lizards and other vertebrates are an excellent source of food and nutrients for some insects, especially flies and some bugs. Dung spiders capitalize on this attraction with its crap-like exterior and reinforces its deception by remaining motionless for hours just like a true piece of poop.
   
   It had been popularly spread on the internet that these bird dung spiders not only looked like shit, but they smelt like shit as well. The scent may not be easily detected by a human, and there had not been any real evidence of such a notion. Hence in 2015, a group of scientists from Hubei University, China performed a series of experiments to prove that volatile chemical cues helped the spider to repel predators and to attract prey.

2. Defence tactic

   The crappy disguise also protects the spider from birds and other predators that normally would not consider eating its own poop.

Poop #1: King of Poop

1. Bird dung spider (Pasilobus sp.)
   Most dung-mimics sport a wet and lumpy surface to resemble fresh bird excrement. At rest, they draw their legs close to their bodies to conceal its shape and would lie motionless for hours in the day. This is probably the best poop-mimic, hence the title "King of Poop".


2. Poop
   This shit is real. Not a spider. Just to highlight the knobbly, wet appearance of fresh poop!


3. Bird dung spider (Pasilobus sp.)
   Younger specimens may come in various shades of brown. The easiest way to differentiate real poop from a spider, is that real poop would never be symmetrical while spiders should show distinct symmetry.


4. Bird dung spider (Pasilobus sp.)
   Anterior view shows the face of the predator where the legs are more obvious while the poop illusion is less convincing.


5. Bird dung spider (Pasilobus sp.)
   By nightfall, the Pasilobus weaves one of the most bizarre traps, unlike any other in the orb weaving family Araneidae. It builds a row of sticky U-shaped strands of silk that ensnares prey that might have been flying close to or towards the spider. One end of each strand of silk is secured tightly, while the other end is loosely attached. When a prey is trapped by the sticky silk, the loose end is easily dislodged and the spider pulls the silk with prey towards it from the anchored end.


6. Bird dung spider (Pasilobus sp.)
   Legs tugging at the lines of silk to detect any trapped prey on its web.


7. Bird Dung Spider (Pasilobus sp.)
   The lines of silk are coated with sticky globules for trapping prey.


8. Bird Dung Spider (Pasilobus sp.)
   Pasilobus is nocturnal and builds its web only at night. At daybreak, it consumes its web and sticky globules slowly, careful not to waste any bit of it.


9. Bird dung spider (Pasilobus sp.)
   After dismantling its web, the dung spider returns to its motionless poop disguise to avoid detection by predators.


10. Poop
    Another piece of dung for comparison. I found myself photographing poop for several months!


11. Bird dung spider (Pasilobus sp.)
    Interestingly, the abdominal warts and muscular depressions appeared to fluoresce brightly under ultraviolet. It might have served as an additional attractant for unsuspecting prey!


12. Bird dung spider (Pasilobus sp.)
    Exceptional brilliance under ultraviolet light transforms the poop into an exotic precious stone.



Poop #2: Golden Poop

13. Bird dung spider (Pasilobus sp.)
    Not all species of Pasilobus are as lumpy as the one described earlier. Some are smoother but there is little doubt that they are dung-mimics.


14. Bird dung spider (Pasilobus sp.)
    Despite being at rest without its web, this dung spider was seen to be consuming the last bits of its prey. This reinforces the theory that it could still attract prey while at rest.


15. Bird dung spider (Pasilobus sp.)
    Beautiful colors for a poop-mimic! Locally, some of us called this the bak-zhang (rice dumpling) spider.



Poop #3: Peanut Poop

16. Bird Dung Crab Spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    This dung mimic crab spider does not weave any web, and relies heavily on attracting prey to it. Ambush predation is typical for spiders in the crab spider family, Thomisidae. Locally, we have been calling this the peanut dung spider because of its resemblance to sticky peanut bars.


17. Bird Dung Crab Spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    The spider's fore-legs are long, stout, heavily spined, and are excellent for ensnaring prey.


18. Bird Dung Crab Spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    A creepy little 3D animation created using a multiple-shot stack.


19. Bird Dung Crab Spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    As a show of threat, the dung spider raises its fore-legs and lifts its body for extra height.



Poop #4: Twin-Horned Poop

20. Bird Dung Crab Spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    This dung spider was found in Singapore, and looks superficially like the previous peanut dung spider. It lacks the extreme lumpy surface on its abdomen, but bears numerous tubercles, most notably the two posterior projections.


21. Bird Dung Crab Spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    Like all other dung mimics, this Phrynarachne looks particularly wet, simulating the look of fresh excrement.


22. Bird Dung Crab Spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    These crab spiders can get pretty aggressive with its powerful fore-legs. I've only seen this species once and hope to see it again.



Poop #5: Splatter Poop

23. Bird-Dropping Crab Spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    This dung spider specializes in creating a "splatter" of silk, and sits on it, simulating the white stain caused by the bird-droppings when splashed on a leaf. This species is probably Phrynarachne decipiens or one close to it. We found this species in Borneo Bootcamp 2015, and hope to see it again in the next Bootcamp!


24. Bird-Dropping Crab Spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    The splatter is sometimes made out of ensnared prey (in background), which the spider keeps for later consumption.


25. Poop
    Another piece of poop for comparison. Unfortunately I kept forgetting to take photos of the poop splatter.


26. Bird dung crab spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    Another different color morph of this species.


27. Bird dung crab spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    The leg spines are incredibly dense and stout.


28. Bird dung crab spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    Just for fun, a posterior view of its abdomen with a close-up of the four red tubercles and cute spinnerets.



Poop #6: Lemon Poop

29. Bird dung crab spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    A distinctive species, this is probably Phrynarachne ceylonica. It doesn't really look like bird dung on its own, but the disguise is more believable when it sits on its radiating nest which looked like a bird dropping splatter.


30. Bird dung crab spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    This is probably also the species used in the study to test the effects of the spider's chemical cues to attract prey.


31. Bird dung crab spider (Phrynarachne sp.)
    Always ready to grab nearby prey, with its legs spread open.



Poop #7: Pulsating Poop

32. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
    This species was popularized by my video last year on the Mystery of the Pulsating Spider, and is most probably Cyrtarachne inaequalis.


33. Bird dropping spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)
    Traditionally known as a bird dropping spider, but photos taken from this angle seems to suggest that it mimics a snake's head instead.

For the month of June 2017, readers of this blog can get a 10% discount from the purchase of almost all products from Venus Optics using the discount code "NICKYBAY". To further sweeten the deal, those who use this discount code for the purchase of any of the eligible lenses/flash will get a US$100 discount for Borneo Bootcamp 2017.

Venus Optics is famed for producing numerous World's First Lenses, answering the needs of many photographers where the other big brands failed to address.

The world's first macro lens that can focus from infinity to 2X, this was the lens that catapulted Venus Optics into the limelight. Most other macro lenses can only support magnifications up to 1:1, and those that could go beyond 1:1 were limited at the distant end of the focusing spectrum. e.g. Canon MPE 65mm gets up to 5X magnification but cannot focus wider than 1:1.

This was a dream come true for macro photographers, with the only catch that it has no electrical contacts. Manual focus may not be a real damper however, as most macro photographers use manual focus at high magnifications anyway.

Price: US$399US$359.10 (10% off, Free Shipping)   Buy Now

I wrote the first review on the internet of the world's first 1:1 wide angle macro lens back in 2015. It has the highest magnification among any wide angle lenses in this range, and even features a shift capability of +/-6mm, which is a great bonus for landscape photographers.

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Megophrys nasuta shot with Laowa 15mm

This is a very nifty twin-flash system that allows you to position individual flashes at any angle within a single compact product, without the need to purchase additional flash arms.

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This portrait lens has a STF (Smooth Trans Focus) optical design that incorporates an apodization (APD) element next to the aperture which resembles the function of an ND filter. It gradually reduces the amount of light transmitted towards the periphery to produce a soft, natural and beautifully diffused out-of-focus bokeh. The chromatic aberration is also touted to be minimal.

Price: US$699US$629.10 (10% off, Free Shipping)   Buy Now

The world’s widest f/2.8 lens with close-to-zero distortion. I published the first video preview of this lens in 2016, and easily obtained several milky way photographs as a beginner. The lens allows an optional 100mm filter holder system, the smallest square filters ever to fit a lens in this focal range. To top it off, it is also much smaller and lighter than other ultra wide angle lenses.

Price: US$949US$854.10 (10% off, Free Shipping)   Buy Now

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple shot with Laowa 12mm

This tiny lens is the widest rectilinear lens for M4/3 systems and at a super bright F/2. So small that I could pick it up easily using just two fingers!

This lens is new and the production line has been trying very hard to keep up with the orders. Although this lens is not included in this promotion, those residing in Singapore may contact me directly to place an order at good group-buy rates and to get updates on the shipping schedule.

Price: US$499 (NEW, Free Shipping)   Buy Now

Clarke Quay shot with Laowa 7.5mm© 2017 Victor Cheah

Last year, Olympus Singapore loaned me a pre-launch unit of their new STF-8 Macro Twin Flash, together with their OMD-EM1 Mk1 and M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro for a test-run in the field. I've had the set for about a week -- it was easy to use and the results were pretty good, although it took some time for me to get used to focusing using the LCD. This review is grossly overdue, but I'm posting it because I had been receiving questions on macro photography performance on micro four-third systems. This not a technical review. Instead, I will explain its pros and cons, as well as simple steps to maximise its capabilities.

Most major camera brands produce twin-flash systems for macro photography, but many macro photographers are still able to get great results with just a single flash. So... what's the use of a twin flash then? Here are some of the minute differences.

• Softer shadows (with proper diffusion)

  Even with elaborate diffusion, single flash systems would have difficulty filling the shadows underneath the subjects -- especially those with broad bodies. In twin flashes, the light usually approaches the subject from the side, which leads to much softer shadows.

• Distributed lighting

  With the light source from 2 different spots, the light is naturally more distributed, as opposed to having it from a single spot.

• Flexiblity for creative lighting

  Most twin flash systems allow the individual flashes to be detached, so that they can be placed at odd angles or even behind the subject. A great convenience!

I have used most of the macro twin flash systems in the field before, so here's a quick overview of the differences that a macro photographer should know of.

Note that for Nikon SB-R200, they can only be triggered wirelessly by the onboard flash of some Nikon camera bodies, or with the Nikon SU-800. Specifications above are for each flash unit excluding any mounts or arms, and more than 2 units can be used together.

It is also worth noting that Yongnuo has recently launched a Canon MT-24EX knock-off -- the Yongnuo YN-24EX. Looks identical but at just 20% of the original's price! Several users had reported a higher failure rate of this flash, but it is still worth checking it out.

Last but not least, Venus Optics is having a promotion this month (June 2017) for their lenses and the Kuangren KX-800. Check out the promotion details here.

Most of the above twin-flash systems come with a custom ring attached to the front of the lens to mount the flashes. They are really convenient, but the problem arises when the flashes are mounted too close to the subjects, with little space in between to insert any effective light diffusion. This means that the ring that comes with Nikon's R1 or R1C1 should never be used since they use custom mounts. The rings for Canon and Olympus have cold-shoe mounts, so that allows us to extend the height of the flash and distance it further away from the subject for better light diffusion.

To work around this issue, many macro photographers use flexible arms to mount the flashes. There are several options available, but that'll be another topic altogether. Check out my macro equipment page for details on what I'm using.

For the photos in this post using the Olympus STF-8, I have installed tiny flash ballheads at the base of each flash so that they are at least 2 inches further away from the diffuser. It results in really soft and pleasing highlights on the subject.

Simple concave diffuser to encapsulate the subject evenly

Mini flash ballheads raise the flashes for better, distributed lighting

Dial controls allows the power ratio of each flash to be set quickly without running through complex menus

Note: The photos above show the latest OMD-EM1 Mk2, but the sample photos below were taken with the OMD-EM1 Mk1. The default diffuser caps were not used.

As I had the system for just a week, I made 2 short hikes to Durian Loop and Zhenghua Park in Singapore to try the system out. I have a lot more photos, but these stood out and showcases the benefits of a twin-flash system. All photographs in this series were taken with the OMD-EM1 Mk1 with M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro and Raynox DCR-250, lighted with the STF-8 Macro Twin Flash and diffused with a DIY diffuser.

1. Huntsman spider (Sparassidae)
   I photographed many huntsman spiders with this system. The lighting was obviously soft, thanks to Victor's diffuser. =D Also, the dual highlights appeared softer because they were elevated with the mini ballheads away from the diffuser.


2. Huntsman spider (Sparassidae)
   Consistently smooth lighting can be seen in the reflection on the eyes. Even the areas under the legs were lighted up sufficiently.


3. Huntsman spider (Heteropoda sp.)
   Did I mention that I photographed a lot of huntsman spiders?


4. Huntsman spider (Pandercetes sp.)
   Very common huntsman found on tree trunks. The white hairs would've been over-exposed in most poorly diffused systems.


5. Wrap-round orb weaver (Talthybia sp.)
   Even in orb weavers, there was no loss of detail in the hairs. This is largely contributed by good light diffusion, and partly by the camera sensor.


6. Daddy-long-legs spider (Pholcidae)
   These little daddy-long-legs spiders have just hatched, and would have been perfect for back-lighting, but I wasn't too accustomed to this system yet.


7. Darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae)
   Highly reflective beetles like this would be great for testing out your light diffusion. I ensured that the entire subject was covered by the diffuser to eliminate the dark areas on its body.


8. Jumping spider (Salticidae)
   The reflection on the eyes of jumping spiders are perfect for checking the light distribution on the diffuser. Faint highlights can be observed in the eyes.


9. Fungus weevil (Tropiderini)
   Shadows were almost completely eliminated in this fungus weevil shot due to the light from both sides.


10. Lynx spider (Oxyopes sp.)
    The colours on this male lynx spider were also brilliantly reproduced with the even lighting.


11. Mantis (Creobroter sp.)
    A curious mantis nymph caught grooming and arching its head. Again, minimal shadows spotted.


12. Bark scorpion (Lychas scutilas)
    Close up on a bark scorpion. For close-ups of subjects on a flat surface like tree trunks, some single flash systems may have difficulty filling the shadows. A dual flash would help alleviate such a problem.


13. Jumping spider (Portia sp.)
    We found a pair of Portia spiders on the same tree! It was difficult to expose this shot properly without over-exposing the "moustache" but it turned out ok.


14. Jumping spider (Portia sp.)
    The male Portia was hanging out in a web. Not sure if the web belonged to another spider.


15. Copper-cheeked frog (Hylarana labialis)
    Finally, a large eye to test my diffusion on! The shape of the diffuser can be seen in the highlights due to the larger eye.

These technical specifications were taken from Olympus.

The Olympus STF-8 Macro Twin Flash is the first macro twin-flash system for micro four-thirds (M4/3) systems, and looks like a mini Canon MT-24EX. Its key selling point is its compactness and light weight, which is in line with what we expect of M4/3 systems. It is also splash-proof to lessen your worry in wet conditions. I only wish that it had a higher guide number which would be helpful for larger subjects.

The default cap diffusers are definitely insufficient. A DIY concave diffuser needs to be built onto the tip of the lens, and the twin flashes need to be raised above its default mounts. With that, you can be confident of well diffused lighting in your macro photographs.

Thanks to Olympus for the loan set, and Victor Cheah for facilitating the loan!

If you like my macro photographs, consider joining the next macro photography workshop in Borneo Bootcamp 2017 and I'll promise you an unforgettable adventure in the heart of Borneo with LOTS of bugs and spiders.

I like experimenting with different setups, especially for wide angle close-ups. Last year, I took my wife's Sony A7 for a couple of field trips and paired it with the Voigtländer Super Wide-Heliar 15mm f/4.5 with extension tubes for some wide angle macro photography, and the results were pretty cool! Compared to my usual DSLR setup, the lens was much smaller, allowing me to approach subjects from more compelling angles. Having a flip screen was convenient. It allows me to shoot subjects at ground level without proning on the ground or spraining my neck.

Many preferred long lenses for macro photography as it allowed them to keep a distance away from their subjects. They couldn't fathom why anyone would want to use a wide angle lens for macro photography, and create messy backgrounds in the process!

Although extremely challenging, wide angle macro photography can be highly gratifying when done right. It gives a compelling bug's eye view of the micro world and makes the subject look bigger. It also allows us to see more of the subject's habitat, giving more scientific value to the shot. Last but not least, the lighting can easily encapsulate the subject -- something really difficult with long focal lengths.

Due to the distance between the lens and sensor, the Sony E-mount was able to use M-mount lenses which are traditionally small. At the same time, adding extension tubes had less effect on the focusing distance as compared to similar focal lengths of DSLR systems. That is why I still had a decent working distance even with 20mm of extension on a 15mm lens. It would have been unusable on DSLRs with just a 12mm extension on say, a 20mm lens.

This lens is not particularly sharp. In fact, it is terrible on Sony A7 as a normal wide angle lens with vignetting and a reported pink tint. But all these didn't matter for close ups and I chose this lens for several reasons.

• 15mm on full frame is wide enough!
• Tiny lens diameter (~44mm at the tip)
• Lightweight (~116g)

For the convenience of those who are only interested in the equipment used...

• Sony A7
• Voigtländer Super Wide-Heliar 15mm f/4.5 (M-Mount)
• E-Mount 10mm Extension Tube
• M-Mount to E-Mount Adapter Helicoid (0-4mm)
• Viltrox JY-610 II
• DIY concave diffuser with reflectors to emulate a softbox

1. Sony A7 with M-Mount Voigtlander 15mm and extension tubes
   The setup is very simple, with a single cheap manual flash mounted on top. I also added my usual concave diffuser with reflector at the tip of the lens, shown below.


2. Shooting a giant forest scorpion on the leaf litter
   This shot shows the diffuser and reflectors that I used, giving a better idea of how I took some of the shots below. Refer to photo #13 below to see the result of this shot!


3. Sony A7 with Voigtlander 15mm and extension tubes
   When lighting was insufficient, I added more optically triggered flashes at the side.


4. Bark scorpion (Lychas scutilus)
   My very first attempt was on the most common scorpion in Singapore. It was an ideal subject as it would stay still even if I went as close as 1cm. Even from this angle, most of the scorpion appears to be in focus.


5. Jungle cockroach (Blattodea)
   With this setup, it was easy to make a little cockroach appear HUGE!


6. Wandering spider (Ctenus sp.)
   Another very docile spider from the leaf litter. I like making the legs look extra long.


7. Tarantula (Theraphosidae)
   A very interesting blue-tint tarantula (not Singapore Blue) found on a tree trunk. The flip screen helped a lot in this shot.


8. Huntsman spider (Heteropoda davidbowie)
   These huntsman spiders are so tame, that I could nudge them with the lens and it still wouldn't budge!


9. Tailless whip scorpion (Charon sp.)
   A beautiful amblypygid found at a perfect angle to get this shot.


10. Whip snake (Ahaetulla sp.)
    I like taking wide angle close up of snakes as well. It makes the head huge, while keeping most of the body in the frame.


11. Rhinoceros beetle (Xylotrupes gideon)
    For this shot, the beetle's horns were touching the lens at times. It made the horns appear much bigger.


12. Bridal veil stinkhorn (Phallaceae)
    This is a classic example of capturing a subject with the environment in the frame. I removed the 10mm extension tube for this shot, relying only on the helicoid's extension of about 4mm.


13. Black forest scorpion (Heterometrus sp.)
    One of the advantages of wide angle close ups is the ridiculously short working distance. Most see it as a disadvantage, but at such distances, the lighting encapsulates the subject very well and is ideal for reflective subjects. It was able to bring out the blue tint in the scorpion very well.


14. Whip scorpion (Thelyphonida)
    One problem with a short working distance is that the flash may not be able to cover certain angles well enough. In this case, the light below was insufficient and I had to add an extra optically triggered flash from the side.


15. Twig mantis (Euchomenella sp.)
    It was easy to point the camera up toward the sky with the flip screen to get the canopy as the background for this twig mantis.


16. Giant centipede (Scolopendra sp.)
    Not an easy shot as this centipede would run really fast if I accidentally touched it.

As awesome as this setup might sound, I am no longer using it. The camera is currently back with my wife to photograph our kid. It was also really a chore to lug 2 full frame camera systems around in the field. Despite that, this is a relatively simple setup for wide angle macro photography and definitely worth a try if you are interested in achieving such wide angle effects.

There are many other options for wide angle macro photography. I had reviewed the Laowa 15mm back in 2015, which was the world's first 1:1 wide angle macro lens.

In my next post, I will elaborate on my current wide angle setup. It is bizarre and attracts stares from others, even from fellow macro photographers. The results? Spectacular! Subscribe to the mailing list to be notified when it is posted!

If you like my style of macro photography, consider joining the next macro photography workshop in Borneo Bootcamp 2017 and I'll promise you an unforgettable adventure in the heart of Borneo with LOTS of bugs and spiders.

Back in June, I was given the opportunity to test the new crazy lens by Laowa - the Laowa 24mm f/14 2:1 Relay Lens. It measures about 40cm in length and looks more like an endoscope rather than a traditional lens.

I only managed to spend a few hours with it during an inter-tidal shoot, and compiled some clips in the intro video here:

When an early prototype of this lens was first revealed in Photokina 2016, many called it the weirdest lens ever. Many questioned the rationale for such a bizarre design but were intrigued nevertheless. Speaking as one who had dabbled with crazier lens configurations (next post - stay tuned!), I could understand some of the advantages of such a lens construction.

1. Tiny front element
   The tiny front element measures less than 1cm in diameter (without the waterproof attachment), which makes it a lot less daunting for skittish subjects. It also allows the lens to be positioned in hard-to-reach places without disrupting the habitat, such as in thick foliage, inside a burrow, etc.
2. Deeper depth-of-field
   At 24mm, the DOF is noticeably deeper when compared to a traditional macro lens at the same magnification.
3. Wide angle macro with 2x magnification
   The 2x magnification is a great feature to have, allowing distorted perspectives for larger subjects.
4. Waterproof attachment
   An attachment allows the tip of the lens to be dipped into water, effectively making underwater shots more convenient. The attachment is also equipped with a ring of LED lights, powered by a USB source.

1. Only manual controls
   Without aperture coupling, it was difficult to focus when stepped down, especially for a 24mm when everything appears to be in focus.
2. Precision placement difficult with long lens barrel
   It is virtually impossible to frame the subject by holding the camera alone due to the length of the lens.
3. Short working distance
   The working distance at high magnification can be less than an inch. Incredibly challenging for skittish subjects.
4. Small aperture
   At only f/14 when at its widest, the subject has to be very well lit to frame the composition.

All photos and videos in this series were shot with my Nikon D800, the Laowa 24mm f/14 2:1 Relay Lens, with 4x Nikon SB-R200, handheld. Check out my Macro Equipment page for more details on my usual setup.

1. Laowa 24mm f/14 2:1 Macro Relay Lens
   Measuring about 40cm, this lens definitely attracts attention when brought into the field. The LED lights are currently a little dim, and the engineering team is working on a brighter version.


2. Laowa 24mm dismantled for transport
   Too long to fit into most camera bags, so I had it dismantled when transporting it around. This is NOT exactly recommended as it allows dust to enter the barrel, so lets wait for Venus Optics to come up with a better plan. :)


3. Indoor Magnification Test
   This lens focuses up to 2:1 in magnification. Couldn't find a big spider at home, so I made do with the Amazing Spuderman.


4. Intertidal Shoot
   I tested the waterproof capabilities of this lens during the low tide. This was how I filmed the reef octopus in the video above.


5. Reef octopus (Octopodidae)
   This reef octopus was really tiny, at less than 2cm tall in this picture. It was also very well camouflaged, making it really difficult to locate it using this lens.


6. Reef octopus (Octopodidae)
   Got a little too close, and its tentacles grabbed the lens!

This is a highly specialised lens and extremely challenging to use. When utilised properly, it will yield exceptionally unique images and videos. The image quality could be better, and the perspective could be wider. But at the time of this article, the engineers at Venus Optics are still refining the design for better performance.

I've seen some variants of this prototype lens that had some really jaw-dropping features, but as those features were not finalised, I can't share them here... yet! Meanwhile, we can only wait for this lens to be perfected for yet another world's first from Venus Optics.

Tawau Hills: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

Danum Valley: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Finally got down to photo-journaling this year's Borneo Bootcamp! This year's bootcamp was quite different, with it held across 2 different locations in Borneo and over 8 days. It was also announced pretty late with less than 2 months before the actual workshop. Nevertheless, we had a very fruitful adventure with participants from 9 different countries -- all crazy about bugs and spiders!

It is a true honour to have met this insanely passionate group of macro photographers who refused to stop to rest throughout the trip. It was really tough to get everyone from point A to point B, when they had to stop so often to look at what someone found. Everyone got truly excited at almost every bug, arachnid, amphibian, and reptile that we saw (and of course, many other invertebrates). Thank you for the overflowing enthusiasm and I hope to shoot with you all again in the future! I did not shoot as much, but I'll include as much as I can in this journal.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all participants for their overwhelming enthusiasm, and to all my assistants and friends who helped out tirelessly during the bootcamp. Big thank you to Amber, Dennis, Dori and Min Sheng for their assistance to make sure everything ran smoothly. Heartfelt thanks to Tom for bringing a gift for my daughter, all the way from USA! Special thanks also to Jeff for assisting with arrangement of logistics!

Behind the scenes shots were contributed by our sporting participants. If you deem that any shots made you look less glamorous than you should be... you will need to come to the next bootcamp to have your photos re-taken. :)

1. Arrival in Tawau

   After an incredulously hectic flight transfer in Kuala Lumpur, all of us finally made it in Tawau!

   Note to travellers to Malaysia: 2 hours is not enough for transit in Kuala Lumpur to domestic flights. We were told that the next flight's gates were closed when we reached the check-in counter despite running all the way upon arrival. Thanks to Dori for holding the gates open for us!




2. Ready to Go!

   Everyone couldn't wait to get into the jungles! Unfortunately Min Sheng was at his car and couldn't join in for this group photo.

   Back from left: Dennis, Hanyrol, Jenny, Pierre, Chris, Emma, Paul

   Front from left: Don, Tom, Nicky, Dori, Amber




3. Gathering Our Supplies

   While the accommodation at Tawau Hills was quite sufficient, we stocked up on water and extra food for the next few days. I also managed to get some supplies to rig our own diffusers! Amber even got a box of donuts for all of us, thanks!!




4. Arrival at Tawau Hills

   Tawau Hills was just slightly over an hour's ride from our pit stop. Everyone unloaded and waited at the entrance for me to settle the administrative work. We had the same driver this time -- the bodybuilder Mr Borneo!




5. The Ladies

   Jenny had the heaviest backpack in the group. Or rather, she was the only one carrying everything in her backpack! The weight didn't seem to bother her though!




6. Distributing the Keys

   Dennis distributed the room keys to everyone and we were ready to march towards our cabins!




7. I'm Back!

   Dori attended Borneo Bootcamp back in 2015, didn't have enough, and is back again this time to assist me. Always exciting to be back here!




8. Lugging the Supplies

   Pierre and Don taking a quick break midway towards the cabins. The gallons of water just seemed to get heavier with each step. A macaque sits quietly on the sign in the background, eyeing their snacks...




9. The Cabins

   And we're here! This is where we would be holed up for the next 5 days.



10. Setting up the classroom

    Dori got to work quickly, setting up the screen that we would be using for the classes.




11. Schedule at Tawau Hills

    The very tight schedule for the next 5 days. Field trips all day and night!




12. The Cabin

    This is how the rooms looked like. Pierre settled in very quickly in his comfy air-conditioned room.




13. Nothing Changed?

    Dori looking out from her room, probably reminiscing about the trip in 2015.




14. Emma's Ready!

    Emma was not attending as a macro photographer, but she's an excellent spotter. Sometimes she would just casually point out lantern bugs a distance away from the trails.




15. Group Introduction

    Everyone gave a self-introduction on their experience in macro photography. This was where the hashtag #cometobrunei started and would linger on for the rest of the trip.

    Hanyrol was also the only one taking lots of notes throughout the classes!




16. Building Diffusers

    With simple materials from the hypermart, we worked on getting everyone's flash diffusers ready for the night shoot.




17. Explaining the Materials and Shapes

    Explaining to Paul on the materials used for the reflector and how to build an effective one.




18. Arts and Crafts!

    Jenny was made to craft her own reflector. Turned out to be pretty good!




19. Don and Tom

    Both took super long flights from the USA in hopes of seeing more exotic Bornean micro fauna. This is Tom's second bootcamp!




20. Comparing Diffusers

    Min Sheng took a picture of my diffuser earlier and tried to compare it with his.




21. All Ready to Go Bugging!

    Jenny armed herself with this octopus-like lighting system, all ready to get into the field!




22. Exploring Around the Cabins

    Most couldn't wait. While we were working on the diffusers, the rest were already frolicking about outside the cabins.




23. Excited Pierre

    Paul found a bark horned mantis outside my cabin and Pierre had loads of fun photographing it, proning on the grass without thought for the leeches climbing into his underwear.




24. Bark horned mantis (Ceratocrania sp.)

    Shot of the bark horned mantis, when Paul first spotted it on the railing.




25. Bark horned mantis (Ceratocrania sp.)

    Close up of the mantis head. We found the same mantis in our last bootcamp outside my cabin as well, but it was already dead. Glad to find a healthy individual this time!




26. Dennis Points out a Giant Shield Bug

    Only in Borneo Bootcamp, where we have folks pointing out bugs, while chugging down a can (or two... or three...) of ice cold beer.




27. Giant shield bug (Pygoplatys lancifer)

    Dorsal view of the magnificent giant shield bug pointed out above. This place has an amazing diversity of shield bugs!




28. Giant shield bug (Pygoplatys lancifer)

    Her incredible lattice of eggs!




29. Day 1 Dinner

    Everyone was famished with only simple burgers and snacks for lunch at the hypermart. But still, it took quite a lot of effort to get everyone to the canteen, with so many distractions along the way. Food was much better than in 2015!




30. Lesson 1: Reinforcing Basics

    This was an advanced macro photography workshop, but we still had to quickly get everyone up to speed with the basics and pitfalls to look out for.




31. Avoid Tight Crops

    A point that I would repeat over and over again. Avoid overly tight crops and let your subjects have room to breathe. Any cropped shots should be obvious to focus on parts of the subject, rather than simply cutting out spaces around the subject.




First Night Shoot: We Didn't Go Far

We spent less than 3 hours as a warm-up session in the first night shoot around our cabins, but it turned out to be pretty intense with find after find. This is just a little summary. We saw way more than what you're seeing here!

32. Camping with the Light Trap

    Paul checking out the black light trap. The rest were particularly excited about the pair of rhinoceros beetles and giant cicadas on it. In the end, the light trap was just used to survey what we could see in the area. Everyone ran into the bushes instead for more exciting stuff.




33. Flatid planthopper (Flatidae)

    Found a nice flatid planthopper to have a simple back-lighting demonstration for the participants.




34. Pierre Trying Out Back-Lighting

    Couldn't wait! Pierre was already trying out back-lighting as we stepped out of the cabins.




35. Stick insect (Phasmatodea)

    There were many stick insects! Unfortunately I didn't have time to document most of them.




36. Stick insect (Phasmatodea)

    Emma and Chris saw this cryptic stick insect within the foliage. It was really difficult to locate the legs and eyes.




37. Stick insect (Phasmatodea)

    Close up of the cryptic stick insect. Notice the eye yet?




38. Flat Leaf-Mimic Katydid (Tettigoniidae) ©2017 Tom Astle

    This leaf-mimic katydid is a regular in our bootcamps. Always so beautiful when flattened on the leaf.




39. Rhino beetle (Chalcosoma sp.)

    Paul helped me to position the flashes to encapsulate this large rhinoceros beetle. It was the only way to light up the entire subject as it was too reflective. Later in the night, the female was spotted also, and they were found mating in the following morning but seemed like nobody took shots of them!




40. Rhinoceros beetle (Chalcosoma sp.) ©2017 Khoo Min Sheng

    Knowing that it was difficult to light up a large and reflective subject at night, a tight crop was recommended for this rhinoceros beetle.




41. David Bowie's huntsman spider (Heteropoda davidbowie)

    We found the famous male Heteropoda davidbowie running about on the grass just a few metres away from the cabin!




42. Jeff Jumps In

    Jeff works in Tawau Hills and helped me with some of the logistics. He joined our night shoot and got down to action quickly with the Heteropoda davidbowie.




43. David Bowie's huntsman spider (Heteropoda davidbowie) ©2017 Paul Ng

    Paul's take on this skittish but handsome spider.



44. Tom's Yoga Pose

    Tom had a go with the Heteropoda davidbowie as well. He was obviously more aware of the leeches than the rest.




45. David Bowie's huntsman spider (Heteropoda davidbowie)

    We then got much closer to get a portrait of Mr David Bowie Spidey. Brilliant colours!




46. Leafhopper (Cicadellidae)

    Among the many leafhoppers found in Tawau Hills was this beautiful orange specimen with black and white markings. It has the characteristic row of spines on the tibia.




47. Leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) with ants

    We also spotted some ants milking the cicadellid nymphs.




48. Crab spider (Epidius sp.) ©2017 Khoo Min Sheng

    Min Sheng was actually new to macro photography, but he's an extremely fast learner! This species of Epidius is probably new to science and has been recorded in this area several times.




49. Stick caterpillar

    This caterpillar was a perfect stick model until it started to move. Kept Dennis fascinated for quite a while!




50. Trilobite beetle (Platerodrilus sp.) ©2017 Tom Astle

    Interestingly, many of the trilobite beetles found this year were on the foliage and not on rotten logs.




51. Wolf spider (Lycosidae)

    Many wolf spiders were running about on the forest floor. We could see them scampering about by just brushing our feet on the grass.




52. Grass Frog (Fejervarya limnocharis) ©2017 Tom Astle

    There were many frogs in the area as it had been raining very frequently.




53. Red bugs (Pyrrhocoridae)

    Stunning pair of mating red bugs found in the foliage!




54. Tiger Beetles At Night (Cicindela cf. aurulenta) ©2017 Tom Astle

    Although these are the fastest running land animals, these tiger beetles are very docile at night and tend to congregate on the same leaf.




55. Masked hunter assassin bug nymph (Reduvius sp.)

    A regular subject in Borneo Bootcamp. These assassin bugs are extremely cryptic and almost impossible to spot without some experience with it. Spot the legs and eyes!




56. Masked hunter assassin bug nymph (Reduvius sp.)

    It got close to this grasshopper for a brief moment, but didn't attack it.




57. Juvenile Shield Bugs (Pycanum sp.) ©2017 Tom Astle

    I like to call these sushi bugs. They bear widely varying colours at different stages of their lives. Check out my Pentatomoidea Checklist: Shield Bugs & Stink Bugs.




58. Leaf beetles (Gonophora sp.) ©2017 Khoo Min Sheng

    We've seen this odd species of Gonophora in 2015, so glad to see them again!




59. Ground spider (Mallinella sp.)

    These ground spiders were not found on the ground, but on tree trunks. That's how misleading common names can be. ;)




60. Weevil with Ant©2017 Pierre Escoubas

    Not sure what's going on here, except that Pierre was busy trying out back-lighting on everything!




61. Longhorn beetle (Coptops sp.)

    We also spotted this very cooperative longhorn beetle from the Cerambycidae family.




62. Longhorn beetle (Coptops sp.)

    Lateral view for the record.




63. Moth Buddy©2017 Tom Astle

    Tom had a buddy landing on him when we retired to the cabins.




64. Moth Buddy

    It was very cooperative and stayed around at the lesson area, allowing us to get closer for the portrait.




65. No milkyway

    The sky was clear for a moment when we returned to the cabins, but the clouds rolled in just when the tripods were making their way out. No milkyway luck tonight, means it is finally time to do some reverse planking...

There were actually a lot more finds on the first night, and many participants refused to retire to their rooms (some because of jet lag). I found Don walking around the light trap at 5am in the morning!

At midnight, some were making their way back to their rooms while the others just kept going. It had been a fruitful first night and everyone was eagerly looking forward to the next few days!

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Tawau Hills: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

Danum Valley: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Tawau Hills: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

Danum Valley: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Day 2 of Borneo Bootcamp started early, with most of our long-distance visitors experiencing jet-lag. We had a very good morning with lots of exciting finds, but were contained to the cabins at night due to the rain. Nevertheless, still an exceptional day in Borneo!

1. Stag beetle (Prosopocoilus flavidus)

   Woke up early to be greeted by this beautiful stag beetle right at my door step. I moved it back to a nearby tree for a couple of record shots.




2. Breakfast!

   We had an early breakfast to ensure maximum macro time in the botanic gardens. Minsheng and Paul were still in lala-land but managed to catch up shortly.




3. Group Photo?

   Pierre proposed a group photo. In fact, he took many behind-the-scenes videos which we might see put together at the end of this bootcamp journal series.




4. Borneo Bootcamp Day 2 Group Photo

   Tom volunteered to take this group photo, somehow we didn't think to take the tripod out and preferred to rush to the bugs earlier! Paul just woke up and didn't seem exceptionally thrilled to have this photo taken. :P




5. Morning Wefie!

   While everyone still looked fresh, we took a morning wefie before setting out to the botanic gardens. In this photo, we have folks from Brunei, Singapore, USA, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Australia. The Polish and Malaysians were somewhere else in the jungle? :P




6. Outside the Botanic Gardens

   Despite all our efforts, the park management didn't get our message and the gates were still closed. That didn't stop us from finding a bunch of cool subjects at the entrance!




7. Busy Pierre

   While most of us got busy, Amber and Dennis engaged in some interesting conversations, reminiscing our first trip to Tawau back in 2015.




8. Dori Photographing the Pill Millipede

   Somehow even with all our macro gears, we still took pictures of the subjects with our handphones.




9. Huntsman spider moult (Rhitymna sp.)

   I wanted to see a Rhitymna in Tawau, but I guess this was the next best thing.




10. Huntsman spider moult (Rhitymna sp.)

    Close up of the moult. Easy subject to practise on!




11. Fishing spider (Nilus sp.)

    Also a regular in the area was this fishing spider.




12. Giant shield bug nymph (Tessaratomidae)

    There were many of these shield bug nymphs, but I have not gotten down to identifying any of the nymphs yet. Meanwhile, I've consolidated a checklist of shield bugs and stink bugs, many of which were photographed here!




13. Amber's Froggie

    The little frog jumped onto Amber's hand while she was trying to shoot it.




14. First Pair of Lantern Bugs!

    High on the wish list of many participants, so everyone was excited to photograph them.




15. Lantern bugs (Pyrops whiteheadi)

    I've already photographed this species numerous times, so I contended with just a record shot before moving forward in search of other exotic stuff.




16. Lantern Bugs

    We usually had 2 or 3 individuals photographing them at the same time, but also careful not to disturb them. So now... you know the host tree. :)




17. Click beetle (Elateridae)

    Some of the click beetles were well camouflaged on the tree trunks, while revealing some intricate patterns when viewed up close.




18. Harvestman (Opiliones)

    One of the many harvestmen scampering around.




19. Comb-footed spider (Theridion sp.)

    This clown-face spider is common throughout Southeast Asia, usually found with a mesh of silk weaved across the top surface of a leaf.




20. Ant (Formicidae)

    Much smaller version of a fish-hook ant.




21. Queuing up!

    Part of our lessons involved group dynamics, so everyone queued up to photograph our shared finds.




22. Giant shield bug (Pygoplatys lunatus)

    One of the adult shield bugs with forward-pointing and sharp "horns". Check out the full Pentatomoidea Checklist.




23. Dead leaf grasshopper nymph (Caelifera)

    Looks like a fish? The colours on this grasshopper nymph were not obvious until it we used a stronger flash power on it.




24. Chilling Out at the Mushroom Pavilion

    Our favorite spot to take a break in the middle of the botanic gardens. This was also where we found quite a number of cool subjects, even under the "mushroom's umbrella".




25. Spiny leaf beetle (Dactylispa sp.)

    Chris pointed out this spiny leaf beetle to most of us. Very skittish, but well worth the time chasing it down.




26. Trashline orb weaver (Cyclosa sp.)

    This silvery Cyclosa is a common sighting in the botanic gardens, usually with a magnificent spiral stabilimentum.




27. Leech (Hirudinea)

    No Borneo Bootcamp is complete without leeches. This was Don's first encounter with a leech so we had to document it crawling up his shirt!




28. Treehoppers (Centrotypus shelfordi)

    Jenny found this amazing family of treehoppers at all stages, from the really tiny nymphs to the adult!




29. Treehoppers (Centrotypus shelfordi)

    View of the nymphs up close. Centrotypus shelfordi was first described from Sarawak.




30. Treehoppers (Centrotypus shelfordi)

    Close up of the colourful nymphs, brimming with cuteness.




31. Scorpion-tailed spider (Arachnura sp.)

    This scorpion-tailed spider had an inclined orb-web, and had a prey with it all morning.




32. Backlighting

    Typical scene of me in a backlighting attempt, with my diffusers (and sometimes the Raynox) tossed onto the ground.




33. Tiger beetle (Cylindera sp.)

    Pierre was following this tiger beetle for quite a while.




34. Tiger beetle (Cylindera sp.)

    Close up, revealing stunning metallic colours!




35. Assassin Bug©2017 Tom Astle

    Tom photographed this captivating red and black assassin bug.




36. Crab spider (Epidius sp.)

    Again, this crab spider that is new to science. We've photographed it many times in Tawau, and it is pending official description.




37. Crab spider (Epidius sp.)

    Probably a female or a juvenile. The male would have super long pedipalps.




38. Broad-headed bark spider moult (Caerostris sp.)

    Another one of the spiders that I wanted to see again in Tawau, but could only find the moult.




39. Spiny orb weaver (Gasteracantha sp.)

    This spiny orb weaver looks plain, but it has yet to be identified. Still wondering if it could be new!




40. Spiny orb weaver (Gasteracantha sp.)

    For every spider that I've not seen before, I would take many more documentation shots.




41. Juvenile Giant Shield Bug©2017 Tom Astle

    Tom found this pastel looking shield bug nymph.




42. Big-jawed spider (Tetragnathidae)

    I guess most other skipped the small spiders, while I tried to document whatever I saw.




43. Planthopper nymph (Fulgoroidea)

    Tiny little planthopper nymph, possibly a false lanternfly from the Dictyopharidae family.




44. Grasshopper in fungus

    This shriveled up grasshopper was already covered in fungus.




45. Giant shield bug (Pygoplatys sp.)

    An unknown Pygoplatys with blunt horns.




46. Longhorn orb weaver (Macracantha arcuata)

    High on the wish list of Pierre was this Macracantha arcuata. Unfortunately this specimen looked injured with asymmetrical horns.




47. Dead leaf grasshopper (Caelifera)

    We also saw quite a number of dead-leaf grasshoppers.




48. Trashline orb weaver (Cyclosa sp.)

    Another silver Cyclosa! This shot reveals more details on the spider.




49. Bronzeback Snake (Dendrelaphis sp.)

    Minsheng found this snake along the path to the botanic gardens and called to notify me, but everyone was just too busy with the bugs around them.




50. Rain!

    The skies opened, forcing these stubborn macro photographers to finally leave the botanic gardens for lunch.




51. Lunch

    The food was significantly better than the previous bootcamps, and I was looking forward to each meal!




52. Afternoon Lesson - Post Processing Techniques

    Due to the rain, we adjusted the schedule and had our post-processing session in the afternoon, hopefully freeing up more time for actual shoots at night.

    Unfortunately Jenny was running a high fever so Minsheng drove her to visit the doctor (Dennis' brother!) in town.




53. Jumping spider (Hyllus sp.)

    After the rain subsided, we made our way to the botanic gardens again and found this huge jumping spider at the entrance.




54. Jumping spider (Hyllus sp.)

    It had just captured a preying mantis several times its size!




55. Jumping spider (Hyllus sp.)

    Customary portrait shot of the giant salticid.




56. Jumping spider (Hyllus sp.)

    She dragged the mantis out from under the leaf.




57. Jumping spider (Hyllus sp.)

    Last documentation shot of the scene before the others came in to photograph it. The mantis actually managed to escape alive, much to our surprise as it was already motionless for so long.




58. Spiny orb weaver (Gasteracantha sp.)

    Originally mistaken to be Macracantha arcuata due to its long median spines, this species is actually more likely to be Gasteracantha clavigera. It had uneven spines, probably due to prior injuries or problems during its moult. The median spines were even entangled together by what we assume to be its own silk.




59. Longhorn orb weaver (Macracantha arcuata)

    We found another Macracantha arcuata at the entrance. This was a perfect specimen and probably a mature female.




60. Trashline orb weaver (Cyclosa sp.)

    Documenting the interesting webs in the garden.




61. Trashline orb weaver (Cyclosa sp.)

    Looking closer. It had rather disorganised stabilimentum on its web.




62. Trashline orb weaver (Cyclosa sp.)

    Magnified view of the spider on its web. Challenging as I had to go very close without touching the web.




63. Dinner Time!

    Hanyrol seemed really happy with her plate.




64. Nice Spread!

    Most were pretty happy with the food!




65. Ready for the Rain

    The rain continued throughout the night, but that didn't stop Dennis from gearing up.




66. Frilled Tree Frog (Kurixalus appendiculatus) ©2017 Tom Astle

    Flat and rather cryptic, it was content to rest on the leaf while the rain got heavier.




67. Tree-stump orb weaver (Poltys sp.)

    I went looking around the cabins for spiders, and found this tree-stump orb weaver!




68. Tree-stump orb weaver (Poltys sp.)

    Better view of the eyes.




69. Tree-stump orb weaver (Poltys sp.)

    Posterior view reveals a dark patch. Some species of Poltys can be highly polymorphic, so identification based on photos can be quite difficult.




70. Tree-stump orb weaver (Poltys sp.)

    Anterior section of its abdomen is armed with many tubercles.




71. Feather-legged spider (Uloboridae)

    Also found this interesting looking uloborid next to the cabin.




72. Feather-legged spider (Uloboridae)

    Uncommon view of its eyes.




73. Straight-snouted weevil (Brentidae)

    Someone found this poor little brentid infested with mites.




74. Dwarf tarantula (Phlogiellus sp.)

    Amber spent some time under the cabins to hunt for subjects, and we found a tarantula on her shoulder, much to our delight!




75. Dead leaf grasshopper (Caelifera)

    We had a lot of fun photographing this dead-leaf grasshopper. My previous encounters had only been with the nymphs.




76. Dead leaf grasshopper (Caelifera)

    It even had little window membranes to simulate the holes in a dried leaf.




77. Dead leaf grasshopper (Caelifera)

    Experimental shot to show the grasshopper's shadows.




78. Jumping spider (Thiania sp.)

    As the rain didn't show signs of stopping, we shot anything that we could find. Here's a little fighting spider, something that locals in the region would fondly remember from their childhood days.




79. Jumping spider (Thiania sp.)

    Portraits! Yes it was raining, so it looked a little wet. :)




80. Longhorn beetle (Acalolepta sp.)

    This longhorn beetle was also hanging around next to the cabins.




81. Mantis (Mantodea)

    Someone brought this mantis into the shelter from the rain, so we had a simple portraiture shoot with it. This photo is available as one of my luggage cover designs in my new online shop!




82. Mantis (Mantodea)

    Got really bored while waiting for the rain, and took out my cctv lens for some exaggerated perspectives on the mantis.




83. Bark mantis (Theopompa tosta)

    It was close to midnight by the time the rain stopped, and most of us had already decided to rest early for a more productive day ahead. While I was making my way back to my cabin, this cryptic bark mantis was right at the entrance! Can you spot it?




84. Bark mantis (Theopompa tosta)

    Closer view of the mantis, but still well camouflaged.




85. Bark mantis (Theopompa tosta)

    Revealing the details up close.

Despite the rain, it was still a pretty productive day! Of course, we were really disappointed that we could not do the night walk but we also had fun hunting around the cabins. Jenny's fever subsided after her medication and seems like we're all going to be back in full force for Day 3!

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Tawau Hills: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

Danum Valley: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Tawau Hills: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

Danum Valley: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

We experienced a bit of a slowdown due to the rain on day 2, but day 3 was filled with exceptional finds from giant beetles to lantern bugs to tarantulas and even spiders new to science!

1. Morning crowd

   Day 3 started with a little smiley gathering in front of my cabin.




2. Rhinoceros beetle (Chalcosoma moellenkampi) ©2017 Pierre Escoubas

   The giant rhinoceros beetle was found attracted to our cabin lights the night before and we brought it back out. Pierre took this shot with his Nikon 300mm F/4 VR, handheld.




3. Time for ridiculous wide angle macro!

   I stacked 9 extension tubes and 2 Raynox close up filters with my Tamron 90mm, paired with a no-brand cctv lens. It naturally attracted a lot of attention. I no longer use this setup, but it was certainly memorable (for everyone else) each time I took it out. I will be writing a separate article on this setup soon -- subscribe to the mailing list to be notified when it is published!




4. Close up on the rhino

   I used 4x Nikon SB-R200 mounted on the new FotoPro DMM-903s flash bracket to get sufficient light onto the subject. Thanks to Tom for this pic!




5. Rhinoceros beetle (Chalcosoma moellenkampi)

   Here's the result! Image quality isn't great, but the unique bug's-eye-view perspective more than made up for it!




6. Where the Pyrops sidereus used to hang out

   We searched some of the host trees for lantern bugs while gathering for a group photo.




7. Self Portrait Time!

   Everyone got distracted while waiting for the camera to be setup, so we started taking individual photos.




8. Wefie!

   And of course there were the countless wefies.




9. Test shot

   I wanted a group shot on the suspension bridge and did some test shots, but it took too long and we weren't sure if the bridge could take our weight!




10. Traditional Group Photo

    Back to our traditional group photo! Emma went out for an early hike and missed this, but we dragged Jeff in while he was walking by.




11. Take your shot!

    Everyone turned to shoot in Dr. Hanyrol's direction!




12. Outside Botanic Gardens

    We were back at the Botanic Gardens again, and we found Tom getting comfortable on the ground.




13. Jumping spider (Parabathippus sp.)

    This is a common jumping spider in this area, characterised by the elongated chelicerae with inward dentition.




14. Jumping spider (Bavia sp.)

    Probably a juvenile, but an interesting looking species!




15. Ant-mimic jumping spider (Myrmarachne sp.)

    We found lots of ant-mimic jumping spiders as well. I missed quite a lot and only took record shots of some of them.




16. Mayfly (Ephemeroptera)

    I used to document many of the mayflies in the area, but only took some record shots this time round.




17. Ant-mimic caterpillar (Homodes sp.)

    We found this lovely ant-mimic caterpillar just next to the trail. The appendages may look like ant legs from afar.




18. Ant-mimic caterpillar (Homodes sp.)

    View of its head with its multiple pseudo-legs.




19. Jumping spider (cf. Ligurra sp.)

    I had originally placed this jumping spider wrongly under Simaetha in earlier posts.




20. Jumping spider (Ligurra sp.)

    View of its face!




21. Flat-backed millipede (Polydesmida)

    We found this brilliant red flat-backed millipede crawling about on the ground. The leg movements were mesmerising!




22. Flat-backed millipede (Polydesmida)

    Close up on the millipede. Such vibrant colours!




23. Shooting the flat-backed millipedes (Polydesmida)

    The millipede crawled up a dead tree where we spotted another millipede, but it was completely white.




24. White flat-backed millipede (Polydesmida)

    White millipede?? At first, we thought that it was just a discarded moult...




25. White flat-backed millipede (Polydesmida)

    Then it started to crawl around!




26. Shooting the flat-backed millipede

    We spent quite a lot of time with this pair of millipedes.




27. Jumping spider (Epeus sp.)

    This Epeus is probably the most common salticid in the region!




28. Jumping spider (Epeus sp.)

    This is a female. The male would have a "mohawk hairstyle".




29. Dr. Come-to-Brunei-Hanyrol

    Absolutely no idea what she was shooting. Anyone has any clue??




30. Boxer mantis nymph (Mantodea)

    Further down the path, there were screams of excitement when this tiny boxer mantis nymph was spotted.




31. Dori shooting the boxer mantis

    We called many participants who were way in front to come back and photograph this little beauty.




32. Plucking leeches

    Casually plucking ants and leeches off Minsheng's back. Common stuff for him. ;)




33. Fish-hook ant (Polyrhachis sp.)

    The fish hook ant plunged its head into Minsheng's back. Why??




34. Planthopper nymph (Fulgoroidea)

    Leaf-footed planthopper nymph, wonder what the adult looks like?




35. Trashline orb weaver (Cyclosa sp.)

    Trashline orb weaver at the tip of its trashline. This orb weaver decorates its web with a line of debris, and sits camouflaged within the line of debris.




36. Big-jawed spider (Mesida sp.)

    Looks like a juvenile Mesida, with two dark posterior spots on its abdomen.




37. Feather-legged spider (Hyptiotes sp.)

    Inconspicuous looking tiny spider, but this genus of uloborids have little to no records in the oriental region.




38. Weevil (Curculionidae) ©2017 Pierre Escoubas

    Pierre took a lovely shot of this weevil.




39. Dr Waiting

    Hanyrol was often ahead of us in the trails. Here's her waiting for us to catch up.




40. Spiny orb weaver (Gasteracantha sp.)

    Possibly a sub-male Gasteracantha. Spiders in this genus are sexually dimorphic, and it is very difficult to identify the male without locating it together with the female.




41. Barklice (Psocoptera)

    Some colourful barklice were gathered on a tree trunk.




42. Messy queue

    Gathering around Chris to wait for our turns.




43. Giant shield bug (Pygoplatys sp.)

    On our way out, we found a giant shield bug in its final moments of moulting. For more giant shield bugs, check out Pentatomoidea Checklist: Shield Bugs & Stink Bugs.




44. Giant shield bug (Pygoplatys sp.)

    Excellent subject for back-lighting to create an x-ray effect.




45. Giant shield bug (Pygoplatys sp.)

    Within a few minutes, the giant shield bug had emerged completely from its shedded skin.




46. Lantern bug (Pyrops whiteheadi)

    Final subject before leaving the botanic gardens for lunch! Had some time and took out my custom cctv setup to create an exaggerated perspective of this lantern bug! Thanks to Chris for holding my flash for me. Again, I will be writing a separate article on this setup soon -- subscribe to the mailing list to be notified when it is published! For more lantern bugs, check out Fulgoridae Checklist: Lantern Bugs.




47. Lunch Time

    Lunch was fantastic. They even had papadums! Hanyrol doing some ballet dance behind?




48. Lunch Dishes

    Really enjoyed the food this year. No complaints at all!




49. Post-Processing Techniques

    It started to rain in the afternoon, so the night lesson was pushed forward. Not such a great idea as the rain hitting on the roofs drowned my voice out! We covered basic exposure masking and stacking techniques, which are what I use over 90% of the time.




50. Backlighting and UV Photography

    The second segment of the lessons for day 3 covered advanced techniques including backlighting and ultraviolet photography.




51. Dead leaf grasshopper (Caelifera)

    While waiting for the rain to stop, we had lots of time with some subjects around the cabins to practise with and did some demonstrations for ultraviolet photography.




52. Giant shield bug nymph (Tessaratomidae)

    I also had the opportunity to demonstrate back-lighting with this giant shield bug nymph.




53. Dinner Time

    Everyone had a good rest and the rain seemed to have stopped!




54. Cicada

    Well, this cicada was asking to be photographed!




55. Butterfly

    As we trooped out, this butterfly was puddling in front of the cabins.




56. Darkling beetle (Plamius pici)

    There was still a light drizzle, but we crossed the suspension bridge and found this stunning tenebrionid. There have been very few known records of this species in the world, so I'm really glad that we had a chance to document it! For more darkling beetles, check out Tenebrionidae Checklist: Darkling Beetles.




57. Darkling beetle (Plamius pici)

    Anterior view. I also taught the participants some techniques to ensure that the entire beetle elytra is lighted up for such angles.




58. Comb-footed spider (Theridiidae)

    I found this little come-footed spider in the foliage -- probably a Nihonhimea?




59. Comb-footed spider (Theridiidae)

    Typical eye arrangement of Theridiidae.




60. Huntsman spider (Heteropoda sp.)

    One of the many huntsman spiders in the leaf litter.




61. Wasp infected by cordyceps fungus

    This wasp was infected by cordyceps fungus which had already grown out of its body. You can probably tell that it was wet everywhere!




62. Big-jawed spider (Tetragnathidae)

    I also found this little tetragnathid with a "王" character on its abdomen. Most of the others were not interested in these spiders though. :P




63. Mock Viper©2017 Khoo Min Sheng

    I didn't get to see this, but quite a few participants managed to get some good shots of this mock viper.




64. Paul shooting a snake

    Which snake was this? The mock viper?




65. Huntsman spider (Heteropoda sp.)

    There were also several huntsman spiders in the foliage. This one appears to have regrown legs 3 and 4.




66. Tarantula (Theraphosidae)

    One of the most memorable finds of the night was this arboreal tarantula with a dull shade of blue and orange hairs. It did not have a burrow, but lined silk beneath bits of crawler plants.




67. Tarantula (Theraphosidae)

    Closer view of the tarantula.




68. Tarantula (Theraphosidae)

    Its long hairs made this tarantula an excellent subject for back-lighting.




69. Spiny orb weaver (Gasteracantha sp.)

    Dori spotted this spiny orb weaver on the same tree as the tarantula.




70. Wandering spider (Ctenus sp.)

    Also on the same tree was this wandering spider, just 30cm away from the tarantula's home.




71. Wandering spider (Ctenus sp.)

    Close up on her face.




72. Trashline orb weaver (Cyclosa sp.)

    We have not left the tree. :P This was found on the other side of the same tree!




73. Planthopper eggs (Fulgoridae?)

    Higher up on the tree, we found some interesting looking eggs which probably belong to the Fulgoridae family.




74. Favorite tree

    No surprise that many of us were huddled around the same few trees!




75. Tarantula (Theraphosidae)

    We moved to another tree just a few meters away and another tarantula was spotted and preying on a caterpillar.




76. Huntsman spider (Heteropoda sp.)

    This tree was full of life as well, with this tiny horned Heteropoda which I've seen a couple of times before in Tawau. I later found that this species could very well be new to science.




77. Huntsman spider (Heteropoda sp.)

    It was busy capturing prey and wasn't really bothered when I went in for the close-up.




78. Lace sheet spider (Psechrus sp.)

    Yes, still at tree number 2. =D It had an obvious lace-sheet web around the tree trunk.




79. Lace sheet spider (Psechrus sp.)

    Wider view of the lace sheet web.




80. Moth

    Beautiful moth, forgot who found this though!




81. Moss mantis (Haania sp.)

    We moved to another tree just a few meters away from the first two trees, and Emma spotted this moss mantis!




82. Moss mantis (Haania sp.)

    Lateral view shows the jagged outline of the mantis, making it extremely cryptic and difficult to spot.




83. Mayfly (Ephemeroptera)

    There were several mayflies next to the stream.




84. Jumping spider (Salticidae)

    I'm really poor at identifying salticids but here it is anyway! :)




85. Ant-like sac spider (Medmassa sp.)

    This corinnid builds sacs on tree trunks where it hides under. The sacs are typically highly camouflaged and almost impossible to detect until you see the spider running into the sac.




86. Bagworm moth larva (Psychidae)

    Interestingly, we also found bagworms in this area with a little log cabin. To find out more about these micro-architects, check out 5 Mysterious Structures from the World's Smallest Architects.




87. Planthopper nymph (Flatidae)

    Chris was busy shooting this handsome flatid nymph.




88. Planthopper nymph (Flatidae)

    There's something alluring about these fluffy legs!




89. Huntsman spider (Sinopoda sp.)

    Finally a new genus to my photo collection, and a mature female carrying an egg sac!




90. Huntsman spider (Sinopoda sp.)

    Sinopoda is almost impossible to differentiate from Heteropoda from photos alone...




91. Moss mantis (Haania sp.)

    I couldn't resist, and returned to take more shots of the moss mantis. :)




92. Moss mantis (Haania sp.)

    Such beautiful camouflage!




93. Nursery web spider (Pisauridae)

    This male pisaurid was spotted in the foliage and missing a few legs. Possibly a Sphedanus.




94. Amber at work

    Amber found many subjects and shared all her finds graciously with all of us.




95. Jumping spider (Brettus sp.)

    Here's one of the most significant finds of the night by Amber -- a Brettus that's new to science!




96. Jumping spider (Brettus sp.)

    Typical eye arrangement of Brettus.




97. Jumping spider (Brettus sp.)

    Also characteristic to this genus are the hair fringes on legs I and II.




98. Pseudoscorpion capturing giant shield bug (Tessaratomidae)

    On our way back, we saw this giant shield bug nymph that got caught by a pseudoscorpion hiding in the crevice. Unfortunately I could not get a good shot with the pincers but you can still see a hint of the pincer in this photo. Looks like this pseudoscorpion had also dragged an ant in as well!




99. Pierre's mothies

    As we approached our cabins, Pierre picked up a pair of beautiful moths!




100. Moth wing

     Final close-up of the night of one of the moths. :)

It was another wet day, but we had a fruitful morning and with the rain stopping after dinner, it was a perfect macro adventure with many crazy finds!

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Tawau Hills: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

Danum Valley: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Given that I've been trudging the local forests regularly for years, one would have thought that I've seen all there is to see. The amazing thing about macro photography is that despite re-visiting the same old sites in Singapore, we (my friends and I) still find new species and scenes that surprise us. Here's 2017 and the micro-scenes that kept us going.

The blog has moved to www.nickybay.com. The old URL sgmacro.blogspot.com is still valid and will redirect to the new domain. I have also set up a new merchandise shop called MacroDojo featuring many bug and spider themed products. If you have not already seen them, check out the new 2018 huntsman spider and jumping spider calendars!

I have also commissioned the manufacture of a new version of the previously out-of-production FotoPro DMM-903. It is now known as FotoPro DMM-903s with sturdier joints and better friction properties. Those who had used the older version would have experienced the frustration of the joints breaking when out in the field. While the new version is not indestructible, it has survived over a year under my abuse without any broken joints. Over half of the stock has been reserved or sold. Order yours before it is sold out!

Yes, I'm hand-holding 4 flashes now. With back-lighting, sometimes I'm holding 5 flashes myself. May write more about it in another post, but you can find more details in my Macro Equipment page.

Many of these photographs would not have been possible without the mighty radars of my friends who go into the forests with me every week. Thanks to Chris, Melvyn, Victor, David, Seawei and James for graciously sharing all their finds!

2017 is also the full year with my newborn, and thanks to my understanding wife, I still managed to do quite a lot of night shoots. Some friends even asked for a template of the VISA application that I used. (many of you would know what the VISA application was for)

1. Huntsman spider (Heteropoda davidbowie)

   One of my bigger experiments in 2017 is in the relay system that I've built with a $10 cctv lens. Super DOF, crazy perspective, but difficult to use. I will post more about the relay system very soon. Subscribe to the mailing list to be notified when it is posted. Heteropoda davidbowie is an ideal subject for this setup as the lens has to be really close to the subject (1cm or less) for such perspectives.




2. Leafhopper nymph (Cicadellidae)

   Found a colourful leafhopper nymph which turned out to be an excellent subject for back-lighting!




3. Dragonfly moulting (Anisoptera)

   We were lucky to find this dragonfly at night in its first moments as an adult. It was still pumping its wings out really slowly.




4. Bark scorpion (Lychas scutilus)

   Common scene of a bark scorpion with babies riding on her back, but this had a toddler comically positioned above the mother's eyes.




5. Derbid planthoppers (Derbidae)

   Vibrant pair of derbids in Singapore colours. =D




6. Snail eggs with embryos (Gastropoda)

   Snail eggs were still a common sight here. I like to reveal the details within the eggs with back-lighting. Read more about the snail embryos in: Ever Wondered What Snail Embryos Looked Like?.




7. Tree stump orb weaver (Poltys sp.)

   An incredibly lucky find with the tree stump orb weaver in its final moulting moments before it climbs back up to resume its job in pretending to be a stump.




8. Orb weaver spider (Cyrtarachne nagasakiensis)

   This spider is not particularly rare if you know where to look. First time shooting both the male and female together!




9. Cyclindrical bark beetle (Hyberis araneiformis)

   A cryptic beetle with many tufts of hairs on its elytra!




10. Darkling beetle (Cryphaeus gazella)

    Devil's twin horns found on a tenebrionid. Very small beetle!




11. Orb weaver spider (Cyrtarachne sp.)

    Ultraviolet fluorescence on a black morph of possibly Cyrtarachne nagasakiensis.




12. Termite with Pseudoscorpions (Pseudoscorpionida)

    We found a winged termite taken down by a team of pseudoscorpions, what a sight!




13. Four-lined tree frog (Polypedates leucomystax)

    Took my relay lens setup for a spin, and took several interesting perspectives at a little green patch in eastern Singapore.




14. Golden orb weaver (Nephila pilipes)

    One of my favorite shots of the year! A cicada flew into the web of this juvenile Nephila pilipes and was perfectly positioned for me to attempt this shot with my relay lens setup. This photo was also featured in an interview with the Entomological Society of America.




15. Long-necked longhorn beetle (Gnoma sp.)

    The long necked longhorn beetle reminded me of the Kayan tribes from Thailand where the women lengthen their necks using brass coils. Very skittish beetle, I did not manage to get more shots before it flew away.




16. Comb-footed spider (Theridiidae)

    A peculiar looking theridiid, which I have yet to place a genus to.




17. Stink bug nymph (Pentatomidae)

    Interesting looking stink bug nymph with contrasty colours.




18. Flour moth's hair pencil (Pyralidae)

    I posted this on Twitter to see if anyone could recognise it. These are pheramone-releasing organs by a male flour moth.




19. Wagler's pit viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri)

    Another perspective from my relay lens system. The lens was about 1cm away from the viper's head.




20. Jumping spider (Salticidae)

    This salticid has exceptionally long and iridescent chelicerae!




21. Trilobite beetle (Platerodrilus ngi)

    The relay lens system makes small things look big. Here's a giant trilobite beetle! For more trilobite beetles, read Trilobite Beetles: "Prehistoric" Creatures of our Forests.




22. Lacewing hatchlings (Chrysopidae)

    This scene is super rare. I don't think there's any other photo on the internet (other than my friends) with 5 lacewing larva hatching at the same time! There were actually more in the background but I could only get 5 of them in a single plane of focus.




23. Stink bug nymph (Pentatomidae)

    A charmging little stink bug nymph. Check out the spiny fringes! For more stink bug and shield bugs, click on Pentatomoidea Checklist: Shield Bugs & Stink Bugs.




24. Hackled orb weaver (Philoponella sp.)

    This is a seemingly inconspicuous spider, but a first for me. The common Philoponella in Singapore sports a bright red body, but this could be a dark brown morph.




25. Moth-like planthopper (Ricaniidae)

    Precious moment of a moth-like planthopper freshly emerged as an adult. A back-lit setup allowed the wing veins to be highlighted before they turned dark.




26. Caterpillars

    Interesting scene of 3 caterpillars nibbling at the tip of a broken stalk.




27. Huntsman spider (Thelcticopis sp.) vs Cross spider (Argiope sp.)

    A tense moment between 2 predators. Away from its web, the Argiope would not have stood a chance against the Thelcticopis. Luckily for her, she managed to jump away before the huntsman could strike.




28. Crab spider (cf. Alcimochthes sp.)

    Looks like a dull easter egg. Crab spiders from this genus have a very short, overhanging abdomen.




29. Green lacewing laying egg (Chrysopidae)

    Seems like normal shot of a lacewing, but look closer and you would see that it is laying an egg at the tip of the stalk!




30. Crevice weaver spider (Pritha sp.)

    A new spider family for me! These spiders build their homes in crevices, or on walls of abandoned urban buildings.




31. Trashline orb weaver (Cyclosa sp.)

    I might already have photographed this species, but this has a different colour morph.




32. Ant (Strumigenys cf. godeffroyi)

    Handsome and queer looking ant. Found lots of them on wooden railings.




33. Tarantula (Theraphosidae)

    Using the relay system again. Managed to get the entire tarantula in focus from this angle.




34. Lace sheet weaver (Psechrus sp.)

    First time photographing a Psechrus holding onto her egg sac! This genus of spiders tend to build complex lace sheet webs around the base of trees, and sometimes on low-lying foliage.




35. Mantis parasitic wasp (Podagrion sp.)

    Have photographed the mantis parasitic wasp several times, but still a gorgeous creature!




36. Juvenile orb weaver (Araneidae)

    Possibly a juvenile Gasteracantha but this is just a wild guess. I imagined seeing a face or skull of sorts in this picture.




37. Cedar beetle (Callirhipidae)

    The WIFI signal should be stronger with this cedar beetle with the amazing fanned antennae!




38. Jumping spider (Pancorius sp.)

    100% crop of a large Pancorius, complete with my finger trying to stabalise the leaf that it was on.




39. Periscope orb-weaver (Araneidae)

    An intriguing orb weaver with periscopic eyes. This is a mature female and we've recorded this twice in Singapore this year. Looks like a cross between Poltys and Eriovixia, or it could belong to one of the super old Epeira records.




40. Jumping spider (Epeus sp.)

    Not a fantastic photo, but somehow this male Epeus was pretty well-liked.




41. Tube web spider (Segestriidae)

    Segestriids are 6-eyed, and live in narrow tubes on tree bark. There seems to be only one location with known records of this and sure enough, I found at least 3 specimens on the same tree.




42. Crevice weaver spider (Pritha sp.)

    Extremely lucky to find a pair of these crevice weavers. Urban dwellers but they seem to only appear in run-down locations, unlike oecobiids and pholcids which can thrive in the cleanest of corners.




43. Spider wasp (Auplopus sp.)

    An intense scene with a vividly coloured spider wasp. The wasp had severed the legs of the huntsman spider and kept it alive so that she can lay her egg into the spider. The young would feed on the spider slowly when hatched, leaving the vital organs to the last to ensure freshness of its food!




44. Orb weaver spider (Araneus sp.)

    This is a rare araneid with striking folium-like markings on its abdomen. I've only seen 2 variants of it so far.




45. Bioluminescent fungi (Mycena illuminans)

    I've not been chasing these glowing mushrooms for quite a while, and only had one shot this year. ;)




46. Lace sheet spider (Psechrus sp.)

    Uncommon close-up of a Psechrus from peninsular Malaysia.




47. Crab spider (Thomisidae)

    Unidentified crab spider, also from peninsular Malaysia.




48. Bark horned mantis (Ceratocrania sp.)

    Found upon arrival at Borneo Bootcamp 2017. It was waiting for us at the railings while we unpacked our bags. Read more about Borneo Bootcamp Day 1.




49. Moth

    Close up of a moth that landed on Tom when we retired to our cabins.




50. Huntsman spider (Heteropoda davidbowie)

    Also found on the first night of Borneo Bootcamp, this enigmatic spider was named after the late rock star David Bowie for the red painted stripes on his face.




51. Treehoppers (Membracidae)

    We found this gorgeous group of treehopper nymphs at the botanic gardens. Super cute!




52. Giant shield bug nymph (Tessaratomidae)

    Tawau did not disappoint in its diversity of giant shield bugs. View more here: Pentatomoidea Checklist: Shield Bugs & Stink Bugs.




53. Dead leaf grasshopper nymph (Caelifera)

    Looks like a fish with weird blue and purple colours!




54. Jumping spider (Hyllus sp.)

    A giant Hyllus which looked close to H. giganteus but is quite distinctly different. Yet to identify this species!




55. Spiny orb weaver (Gasteracantha sp.)

    Found a Gasteracantha with brilliant fluorescing rings around each muscular depression. This image was also featured on the cover of the annual GBIF Science Review.




56. Stag beetle (Prosopocoilus flavidus)

    An adorable little stag beetle that we found at our doorstep in the morning. Must've been attracted by the lights! This and more were documented in Borneo Bootcamp Day 2.




57. Lantern bug (Pyrops whiteheadi)

    I had already taken many shots of this lantern bug, so this year I had to try something different to make the snout look extra big!




58. Giant shield bug (Pygoplatys sp.)

    Precious scene of a moulting giant shield bug with delicate back-lighting.




59. Rhinoceros beetle (Chalcosoma moellenkampi)

    One of my most popular photos this year was this giant rhinoceros beetle. It was shot in the morning of Borneo Bootcamp Day 3.




60. Giant shield bug nymph (Tessaratomidae)

    Found a nice giant shield bug nymph for back-lighting demonstration.




61. Dead leaf grasshopper (Caelifera)

    The ultraviolet fluorescence on this dead-leaf grasshopper was very faint, but with proper exposure, it looked spellbinding!




62. Darkling beetle (Plamius pici)

    A rare darkling beetle from Borneo. There are very few known records of this species in the world and we were lucky enough to photograph one.




63. Tarantula (Theraphosidae)

    Lurker of the night. An arboreal tarantula kept us really busy, photographing from every angle possible.




64. Spiny comb-footed spider (Phoroncidia sp.)

    Interesting looking spiny comb-footed spider found in the foliage in Borneo.




65. Velvet-ant-mimic checkered beetle (Tillicera sp.)

    This beetle had us fooled from afar. It was only after taking some shots that we realised that we are looking at some really amazing mimicry.




66. Barklouse (Psocoptera)

    I would have liked to say that this barklouse had a weird moustache. =D




67. Big-jawed spider (Leucauge sp.)

    I've always wanted to highlight the trichobothria of Leucauge and this was found in between two leaves, a perfect angle for me to place a light behind. This photo is also used on the back-cover of the upcoming Borneo Spiders: A Photographic Field Guide.




68. Horned blue darkling beetle (Toxicum sp.)

    This blue darkling beetle had two upright horns on its head!




69. Mossy stick insect (Phasmatodea)

    This highly cryptic mossy stick insect was illuminated with ultraviolet to reveal some unreal colours.




70. Dragon snake (Xenodermus javanicus)

    The rare dragon snake was spotted again at Borneo Bootcamp, this time by Paul Ng. I made many attempts with my relay system but the lighting was insufficient and could only manage this shot.




71. Tarantula (Phormingochilus sp.)

    Cute tarantula foot. How not to love?




72. Tarantula (Phormingochilus sp.)

    Here's the tarantula from the food above. Still cute. lol




73. Moss mantis (Haania sp.)

    One of the most amazing finds this year is an apparent parental behavior on this moss mantis and its nymphs. Several were found standing on the body of the female, as if for protection. Found on the first night at Danum Valley in Borneo Bootcamp. This seems to be an undocumented behavior and should be of interest to the mantid community.




74. Moss mantis (Haania sp.)

    Dorsal view shows 4 young ones hanging around.




75. Lantern Bug (Saiva transversolineata)

    With some very detailed tip-offs from a good friend of mine, we were able to locate a pair of these charming lantern bugs. Another one to my list! Check out the other lantern bugs in my collection: Fulgoridae Checklist: Lantern Bugs.




76. Long-legged wandering spider (Acantheis sp.)

    There were several different species of Acantheis in Danum Valley but I could only find this one!




77. Harvestman (Opiliones)

    Two years back, I made a very similar photo. I'm trying to recreate it again, and have included this photo into several merchandise including luggage covers and phone covers.




78. Lace sheet spider (Psechrus sp.)

    We found some large Psechrus as well. This had slightly different markings on its face.




79. Bridal veil stinkhorn (Phallus sp.)

    On the last day in Danum Valley, we spent a lot of time with this bridal veil stinkhorn which had a butterfly happily posing for us. This mushroom attracts insects with a pungent smell and disperses its spores which stick to these insects.




80. Orb weaver spider (Neoscona sp.)

    I like photographing this green Neoscona from this angle. Makes it look more unique. :)




81. Spiny orb weaver (Gasteracantha sp.)

    The long curved median spines on this Gasteracantha may cause others to mistake it for Macracantha, but it is actually G. crucigera.




82. Broad-headed bark spider (Caerostris sp.)

    Found just behind our dining hall in Danum Valley. Handsomely cryptic!




83. Horn-eyed ghost crab (Ocypode ceratophthalmus)

    I did one intertidal trip to review the upcoming Laowa 24mm 2:1 Macro Lens, but did not get much nice shots. Instead, I used my usual setup to photograph a very cooperative ghost crab.




84. Wagler's pit viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri)

    I started running some introductory macro workshops with Nikon School Singapore, and photographed this pit viper after the field trip.




85. Tent web spider (Cyrtophora exanthematica)

    This tent web spider is seldome documented, unlike the common red tent spider (Cyrtophora unicolor). I previously thought that this was only found in Pulau Ubin, and was pleasantly surprised to find a healthy colony in the central catchment area.




86. Nursery web spider (Polyboea sp.)

    Although this is a common spider, I've not gotten to photograph the characteristic eyes with its anterior lateral eyes partially covered by hairs. From far, this spider looks just like a common lynx spider.




87. Bird dung spider (Pasilobus sp.)

    No annual post is complete without a lump of shit. I've also documented my collection of dung spiders here: Shit Gets Real - 7 Dung Spiders and their Remarkable Mimicry.




88. Caterpillar

    So many primary colours. How not to love?




89. Nursery web spider (Dendrolycosa sp.)

    Not a very attractive spider, but first time I've gotten to document this genus in the mangroves of Singapore.




90. Wandering spider (Ctenus sp.)

    Nothing special on this wandering spider, but always an easy subject for close-ups!




91. Daddy-long-legs spider (Pholcidae)

    Explosion of pholcids! Some were still in its eggs, while most have already hatched and crawling all over mommy.




92. Daddy-long-legs spider (Pholcidae)

    Another pholcid explosion. These are supposed to be very rare, but I was lucky enough to see 2 within 2 months!




93. Millipede (Diplopoda)

    These millipedes are typically difficult to photograph under ultraviolet as they tend to move non-stop. Had the help of my friends to position the lights while I took countless shots!




94. Sesame seed comb-footed spider (Phoroncidia sp.)

    Unexpected find! This queer looking spider looked like a little strawberry, but I'm calling it the sesame-seed spider. Done.




95. Huntsman spider (Gnathopalystes sp.)

    Cropped shot of a large huntsman spider. I posted this on Twitter asking why there were symmetrical streaks on its anterior lateral eyes. Nobody had convincing answers.




96. Huntsman spider (Heteropoda davidbowie)

    Another David Bowie huntsman! Can't get enough of them...




97. Leaf rolling weevil (Involvulus sp.)

    Found a brilliant metallic blue lead-rolling weevil, but it was really skittish and flew off after I took 2 shots.




98. Orb weaver spider (Araneidae)

    Look closely at this spider. What do you see?




99. Orb weaver spider (Araneidae)

    Yes that was the posterior. Here's how it looks like from the front! Looks related to the periscopic orb weaver above!




100. Broad-headed bark spider (Caerostris sp.)

     I finally got a set of StackShot by Cognisys. As this involves stacking MANY photos, I could only try it on spiders that would stay still enough throughout the stack. This spider is very much alive and not chilled, but due to its nature, it could sit very still on branches while I ran the automated stacking. This shot was photographed at 10x magnification with 91 frames. Chromatic aberration was significant, so I might have to experiment with different microscope objectives next time.

2017 saw a lot of experimentation with wide-angle macro photography, especially with DIY setups such as the relay system, which I will write about very soon.

In 2018, I will be testing out a less complex relay system so things can get quite exciting. I will also be doing more tests with StackShot and attempting high magnification photography on live subjects -- something very few people are attempting due to the difficulty involved.

2018 will also be the launch of my next book - Borneo Spiders: A Photographic Field Guide. We encountered a number of hiccups but things are shaping up really well!

Finally, I will be an instructor for BugShot Mozambique in May 2018, and leading a private expedition to Madagascar after that. Where am I going to find time to process all the photos??? =D

Have a happy new year everyone! Thank you for enduring my annual photo spam and staying til the last line. I hope to have more for you in 2018. :)

Tawau Hills: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

Danum Valley: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

On our last day in Tawau, we made our pilgrimage up to the world's (once) tallest tropical tree. Well, it was still the world's tallest until 2016 when researchers found several taller trees in Maliau Basin and Danum Valley.

1. Good morning!

   This is my cabin, where I store all logistical items for the bootcamp. It is also where our beer is stashed in.




2. Borneo Bootcamp 2017

   Group photo with our favorite rhinoceros beetle first thing in the morning!




3. Rhinoceros beetle (Chalcosoma moellenkampi)

   Asked everyone to pose like the rhinoceros beetle.




4. Rhinoceros beetle (Chalcosoma moellenkampi)

   Frog lady getting caught between the rhino's horns.




5. Posing with the rhinoceros beetle

   Since it was the last day here, everyone took turns to pose with the beetle.




6. Still posing with the rhinoceros beetle

   Trying all the cute poses.




7. Towards the tallest tree!

   We started our hike up towards the tallest tree after breakfast.




8. Crabs? Where are you?

   Paul probably thinking of the crabs hiding in the stream below.




9. Social big-jawed spider (Tetragnathidae)

   I have been documenting these "social" tetragnathids since 2015. It could be Orsinome cavernicola but the ID has yet to be confirmed.




10. Social big-jawed spider (Tetragnathidae)

    Close up reveals the unique stabilimentum which looked like fireworks when out of focus.




11. Social big-jawed spider (Tetragnathidae)

    Trying to get our flash and diffusers in to shoot the webs. We carefully placed a light inside to highlight the silk!




12. Strangler fig

    Our usual pitstop at the strangler figs.




13. Strangler fig

    Paul and Pierre's first visit here so we had a little chat about it while catching our breaths.




14. Orb weaver spider (Eriovixia sp.)

    We didn't take much macro photos on the way up, except for a few occasional sightings like this Eriovixia munching on her meal.




15. Tiger beetle (Cylindera sp.)

    The tiger beetles here are beautiful! For more tiger beetles, check out Cicindelinae Checklist: Tiger Beetles.




16. Finally reached!

    First casualty. She actually reached before most of us and got tired of waiting for us. :P




17. Amber and Pierre

    Still looking fresh!




18. Got Shot by Dr Hanyrol

    Goofing around. Perfect example of bad acting after I got a splot of blood on my shirt.




19. Leech Bite

    Well I got tagged, and it was a pretty big patch.




20. Laowa 12mm F/2.8

    World's widest F/2.8 full frame lens used for our group photo with the tallest tree. Read my review here.




21. World's tallest tropical tree (Shorea faguetiana)

    Customary for bootcamp participants to take a group photo here and then start the macro shooting during the descent.




22. World's tallest tropical tree (Shorea faguetiana)

    Yep, looks tall alright!




23. Viewing gallery©2017 Hanyrol H. Ahmad Sah

    This was the viewing gallery where hikers could take a break while staring at the tree.




24. Velvet-ant-mimic checkered beetle (Tillicera sp.)

    We thought we saw some velvet ants, but they turned out to be checkered beetles which look amazingly similar to the cow-killers.




25. Velvet-ant-mimic checkered beetle (Tillicera sp.)

    Lateral view of the awesome mimic.




26. Sampling for spiders

    Minsheng sampling the area for spiders using the "umbrella method".




27. Stick insect ootheca (Korinninae)

    We found some interesting looking ootheca which appear to belong to stick insects. Not particularly exciting for those who suffer from Trypophobia.




28. Stick insect ootheca (Korinninae)

    Another interesting ootheca!




29. Harvestman (Laniatores)

    There were many of these spiny harvestmen and we found this that stood still enough for us.




30. Portable air-con

    I had a portable air-con. It made everyone envious in the tropical heat.




31. Big-jawed spider (Leucauge sp.)

    I pointed out this Leucauge to Chris and Pierre to practise back-lighting on.




32. Big-jawed spider (Leucauge sp.)

    Pretty happy with the result that highlighted the trichobothria! This picture is going to be on the back-cover of Borneo Spiders: A Photographic Field Guide.




33. Flat-backed millipede (Polydesmida)

    Don showing us a flat-backed millipede that he was photographing.




34. Comb-footed spider (Nihonhimea sp.)

    These comb-footed spiders build large cob webs with a dried leaf in the middle of its web.




35. Firefly beetles (Lampyridae)

    Found a porn scene on the way down the trail! Would have looked more exciting at night with the blinking abdomens I guess.




36. Pierre in action

    After the climb, most of us were happy to stand around while waiting to shoot.




37. Barklouse (Psocoptera)

    This is a very interesting barklouse that looks as if it has a moustache.




38. Barklouse (Psocoptera)

    The wings are also shiny and opaque, which leads us to wonder if they are sclerotised?




39. Queuing up

    Yep we queue up to take photos while taking a break and chatting behind.




40. Spiny comb-footed spider (Phoroncidia sp.)

    Found a beautiful female Phoroncidia before heading back to lunch!




41. Lunch with Coconuts!

    Refreshingly cold coconuts with lunch!




42. Appetising Lunch

    This leech must've followed someone to our lunch table. Was it Amber?




43. Mushrooms (Fungi) ©2017 Hanyrol H. Ahmad Sah

    Hanyrol was trying out some back-lighting techniques on these fungi.




44. Mushrooms (Fungi) ©2017 Hanyrol H. Ahmad Sah

    This turned out particularly well!




45. Scenery shots

    The afternoon was spent exploring across the bridge and taking pictures of the park.




46. Tawau fresh water crab (Thelphusula tawauensis) ©2017 Paul Ng

    Paul was feverishly trying to find freshwater crabs in this trip and wasn't disappointed.




47. Paul's Leech Bites

    Of course, they came at a tiny price. Not stopping crab boy from jumping into the streams again!




48. Next to the aviary

    Been here several times, but the aviary was never open.




49. Dragon snake (Xenodermus javanicus) ©2017 Hanyrol H. Ahmad Sah

    Hanyrol's wide angle shot of the dragon snake!




50. Dragon snake (Xenodermus javanicus) ©2017 Hanyrol H. Ahmad Sah

    My turn to struggle with the silly cctv setup.




51. Dragon snake (Xenodermus javanicus)

    My quirky fisheye attempt on the dragon snake.




52. Lighting assistant

    Everything looked black through the view-finder, so Hanyrol tried to add some light to the scene.




53. Dragon snake (Xenodermus javanicus) ©2017 Paul Ng

    Paul had a unique take on the beautiful snake, opting to light up from the sides to highlight the dragon-like scales.




54. Whip scorpion (Thelyphonida)

    Amber found this tiny little whip scorpion on the tree trunk.




55. Resin?

    Odd looking stuff on a tree. Some kind of resin?




56. Nursery web spider (Dendrolycosa sp.)

    Amber also found this Dendrolycosa clutching onto her egg sac.




57. Nursery web spider (Dendrolycosa sp.)

    Close up on the mother's eyes!




58. Jumping spider (Salticidae)

    While hunting for the elusive Zanna lanternbug, I found this large salticid.




59. Jumping spider (Salticidae)

    Very tame fella!




60. Lynx spider (Hamataliwa sp.)

    There was also this super tiny male lynx spider.




61. Lynx spider (Hamataliwa sp.)

    Intriguing eye-lash tufts!




62. Amber

    Amber was happy to share many subjects with the rest of us.




63. Getting ready for photo-sharing

    On our final evening in Tawau, all participants shared about some of their favorite photos taken during the bootcamp.




64. Photo sharing session

    We also had a chance to see what subjects that we might have missed out.




65. Planthopper nymph (Fulgoroidea)

    We ventured into the botanic gardens for our last night in Tawau. Would have wanted to visit on every night but the rain stopped us. This planthopper nymph had the typical waxy tails.




66. Katydid (Tettigoniidae)

    A huge katydid which appeared black to the naked eye, but showed hues of blue.




67. Katydid (Tettigoniidae)

    Getting closer!




68. Big Katydid©2017 Tom Astle

    Tom had a wider shot of it in a better pose!




69. Harvestman (Opiliones)

    There were lots of harvestmen scampering around. This had a forked spike.




70. Huntsman spider (Pandercetes sp.)

    Very common Pandercetes on a tree trunk.




71. Planthopper (Fulgoridae) ©2017 Paul Ng

    Paul found this cleverly camouflaged planthopper hiding within the lichen.




72. Stick insect with mites (Phasmatodea)

    We saw many stick insects, but the sizes varied so much that it was difficult to keep the entire body within a single frame.




73. Stick insect with mites (Phasmatodea)

    Looking up close to the bunch of mites on the stick insect.




74. Comb-footed spider (Theridion sp.)

    Brilliantly coloured Theridion guarding her egg sac. It's abdomen has a clown face when viewed from behind.




75. Froghopper (Cercopidae)

    This beautiful froghopper was hiding within some loose bark.




76. Giraffe big-jawed spider (Dolichognatha sp.)

    One of my biggest regrets on this trip was losing this giraffe spider. Although out of focus, you could probably see the ridiculously long chelicerae and elongated cephalothorax. Bizarre, but not as bizarre as the assassin spiders from Madagascar which I will be chasing after in 2018.




77. Darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) ©2017 Pierre Escoubas

    One of the "oil-spill" darkling beetles found on tree trunks.




78. Tom in action

    Not sure what Tom was shooting?




79. Resting Cryptic Moth©2017 Tom Astle

    Tom found this cryptic moth resting on the leaf litter.




80. Mossy stick insect (Phasmatodea)

    This sexy moss stick insect was found near to the botanic garden entrance.




81. Mossy stick insect (Phasmatodea)

    Lateral view. Highly cryptic creature!




82. Mossy stick insect (Phasmatodea)

    Close up on its head reveals a tiny mite.




83. Mossy stick insect (Phasmatodea)

    Lateral view of its head.




84. Mossy stick insect (Phasmatodea)

    I stabalised the leaf that the stick insect was on so that everyone could attempt some UV shots of it. The fluorescence was brilliant!




85. Sac spider (Clubionidae) ©2017 Pierre Escoubas

    Great back-lighting attempt by Pierre!




86. Lizard beetle (Languriidae)

    Difficult to light evenly due to the reflective surface, but we found ways to have the entire body lighted up.




87. Horned blue darkling beetle (Toxicum sp.)

    The participants found this wonderful blue darkling beetle with two horns!




88. Horned blue darkling beetle (Toxicum sp.)

    View of the horns. Dori had a shot of this in preflight and with back-lighting, but I have not gotten to see it yet. I could still remember the screams when she took the shot.




89. Wasp With Spider Prey©2017 Tom Astle

    Tom found this fantastic scene of a spider wasp preparing to dismember a spider. The spider appears to be a sub-male Talthybia.




90. Orb weaver spider (Eriovixia sp.)

    These orb weavers are highly polymorphic. I've rarely gotten them identified to species with certainty.




91. Comb-footed spider (Meotipa sp.)

    Tiny little comb-footed spider with "knobs" on its abdomen.




92. Upstairs Downstairs©2017 Tom Astle

    Two very interesting cockroaches in a single frame!




93. Giant shield bug (Pygoplatys lunatus)

    One of the many giant shield bugs from this trip. For more giant shield bugs, check out Pentatomoidea Checklist: Shield Bugs & Stink Bugs.




94. Darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) ©2017 Pierre Escoubas

    Another darkling beetle by Pierre. This one has a bronze-like appearance.




95. Big-jawed spider (Leucauge sp.)

    This stunning Leucauge was found high above our heads.




96. Wrap-around orb weaver (Talthybia sp.)

    Also high above our heads was this wrap-around spider. Most others did not recognise it when it was on its web.




97. Scorpion-tailed spider (Arachnura sp.)

    The scorpion-tailed spider was still at the same location.




98. Blue-Eyed Stick Insect Portrait©2017 Tom Astle

    Tom spotted this delicate little stick insect with blue eyes!




99. Longhorn beetle (Euthyastus binotatus)

    Dull looking longhorn beetle, but still worth documenting. For more longhorn beetles, check out Cerambycidae Checklist: Longhorn Beetles.




100. Comb-footed spider (Meotipa sp.)

     Close up of another Meotipa.




101. Stick insect (Phasmatodea) ©2017 Pierre Escoubas

     Many participants got super excited with the large spiny stick insects around.




102. Brush-footed trapdoor spider (Barychelidae) ©2017 Tom Astle

     An excellent find! Not too easy to see these mygalomorphs roaming around outside its burrow.




103. Crab spider (Epidius sp.)

     Again, the crab spider that is new to science. First time seeing one with her egg sac! This was the last subject in the botanic gardens before we were chased out and the rain started pouring in again.