22 May 2010 is the International Day for Biological diversity

Hi,

Biodiversity is has to be treasured as once it is lost, it will take ages for it to re-establish itself. I would like to share some biodiversity in my garden with you here.


Ramphotyphlops braminus is a harmless blind snake species found mostly in Africa and Asia




Slime mould (Stemonitis spp.)

Would you believe that the above photos are of a slime-mould? When the environment becomes unfavourable, the unicellular organism will gather together to form structures such as above. It was once thought to be a type of fungus because of this deceptive appearance. They are mobile and in the second photo above, it has climbed on the stems of a thaumatococcus plant to produce the spore bodies.




The Jewel Wasp, Ampulex compressa, aka Emerald Cockroach Wasp is a natural pest control in my garden. As you can see in the above two photos, the wasp is extremely beautiful, despite its unappetising (to us) diet. Actually, adult wasps feed only on nectar. The cockroach is their grub's grub.

This wasp is extremely "smart" in using its stings. It stings the cockroach twice, first in the thorax and then in the head. The first sting partially paralyses the front legs of the cockroach and the second makes the cockroach lose its instinct to escape. The cockroach becomes docile and can be led away by the antennae by the wasp.

The cockroach is brought to the burrow where the wasp lays a single egg on the cockroach's abdomen. The larva that hatches will feed on the roach in such a way that the roach remains alive for 4 to 5 days. Then the lava forms a pupa inside the roach. It will then emerge from the carcass of the roach as an adult.

The United Nations declared 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity. It is a celebration of life on earth and of the value of biodiversity for our lives. The world is invited to take action in 2010 to safeguard the variety of life on earth: biodiversity

UN Secretary General Welcome Message for the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity from CBD on Vimeo.

Here are some ideas for you to celebrate ID for Biological Diversity:
Spend the day with your loved ones and friends at the Hortpark, go on the Tree Top walk from Telok Blangah to Kent Ridge, take a walk in the secondary forests in the Botanic Gardens or the MacRitchie Reservoir or the Labrador Park.

You do not have to go to far away places like the Amazon or Kalimantan to see biodiversity. Even in urban Singapore there is much to be seen. We can even train ourselves to spot them in our own gardens.

Cheers