Seletar Wasteland On Our 46th National Day

Just like any other public holidays, I woke up early on 9 Aug. Bad economic news filled the front page of the newspaper - another severe financial crisis is looming. I saw the need to replenish our "green-intake" for our mind and body to help rejuvenate the subdued mood, I decided to visit the wildest place that I could think of - the Seletar wasteland.

Common Sailor (Neptis hylas papaja) is a rather common butterfly in this wasteland. One of its larval hostplants Aeschynomene americana was abundant along the first 500 m stretch of the trail.
The black-and-white upperside wing patterns are very similar to a few other Sailors or Sergeant species. A very well-documented of the life history of this species can be found here.
Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites atlites) seems to be a permanent resident in this wasteland. There were at least four individuals frolicking under the morning sun, executing their typical flapping-cum-gliding flight pattern. They usually landed on the leaf surface after a short flight, with both wings folded, displaying the rather unattractive pale grey undersides.

The uppersides are "prettier". This Grey Pansy was seen "loitering" at the ground level where the plant Nelsonia canescens (Family : Acanthaceae) was growing.

This dragonfly Rhyothemis phyllis was abundant. I noticed a few of them hovering in the mid-air but I failed to get any decent in-flight shot despite my effort in stalking and chasing them.

However, the hover fly on the other hand is easier for me.

This Orb-web spider (Nephila species) could be easily spotted due to its large size.

This rather worn-out orange skipper looks like a female Palm Dart (Telicota augias augias).

Almost at the end of the trail, I saw this Blue Glassy Tiger (Ideopsis vulgaris macrina) feeding on the white Asystasia flowers.

Insects in the Order Orthoptera are endowed with leaping prowess due to their muscular and powerful hind legs. I guess this is a nymph of a katydid.

Another nymph of a grasshopper was hiding under a grass blade in a bush.

A predatory fly with a pair of large and sharp eyes and spiny legs, this robber fly was lurking at the edge of a leaf, ready to strike any passing-by insects.

I wonder who created this linear arrangement - a form of "art" piece to me.

Whenever I came to this wasteland, I always waited at one particular spot for at least 10 mins, hoping to meet up with one of our lost friends, NBGY (Eurema brigitta senna). Their last known home ground at Punggol was destroyed about two years ago. We miss them ! Let's hope they have found a new home at one corner on this wasteland which I have not discovered.