Little Joe went to Agumbe

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Little Joe went to Agumbe? Know what that means? Just means that I have gone to Agumbe for the last 4 years without fail.

The meaning from the english dictionary : Little Joe - The cardinal number that is the sum of three and one.

This year I would rate it as one of the toughest trips I have done, it recorded the highest ever rainfall in a given time frame, roads were broken, few rivers were flooded and overflowing. Everyday we experienced 22 hours of rain. We explored certain unexplored areas which was tough on the mind and body - witness to that were bruises and scrapes all over my body.

Also this year's highlights were the sighting of the Malabar Pit Viper and the trying out of few new techniques however the King Cobra still remains elusive.

In the past have received several requests for EXIF data, hence this time have done a small change, when you click on a particular you will be directed towards the pictures exif information.

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As a special feature have created a short video on Agumbe, do watch it and share your comments.

Photo Essay

Tried Focus Stacking here and loved the end result, for more details on this technique do read the below link,

http://www.monishmatthias.com/2013/10/grow-as-photographer-new-technique.html

Blue eyed Prince Frog | philautus neelanethrus : Spotted during our night walk close to ARRS, was perched calmly for a few minutes before it jumped away.

Vespa Hornet – Almost crystalized in dew drops, again this shot took 15 minutes to be crafted and about 15 shots before I got this one.

A Hopper watching us pass

A pill millipede curled up in Defense against the backdrop of the western ghat hills of Agumbe

Caterpillars in various forms

I call this guy the leaf shredder, it was drizzling lightly and I was standing with an umbrella, filming this guy gobble up a entire leaf (at least 1.5 times its body length) in under 20 minutes.

A large swarm of golden backed ants

Tarantula

Imagine and visualize the following - you walk for 30 minutes in deep dark forest trails, 50% tiny trails 50% no trails - half the time you walk in swamps that could come up to mid way to your knees... you see several streams, explore few, then you see this stream with a good mud embankment wit h several holes, a great habitat for Tarantulas which sit in these holes, some have webs at the entrance of their holes any unsuspecting insect disturbs the web sending strong vibrations which are signals to the tarantula, which gets into the attack pose, walks slowly and strikes at the insect and the meal is ready and done with. We walked for a minute in deep water and reached this spot where at least there were 10-15 nests and were lucky to get a glimpse at few of these guys.
Tarantulas comprise a group of often hairy and very large arachnids belonging to the Theraphosidae family of spiders, of which approximately 900 species have been identified. Most species of tarantulas are not dangerous to humans, and some species have become popular in the exotic pet trade.
Though all tarantulas are venomous, few species have been claimed to cause human fatalities, though some bites cause serious discomfort that might persist for several days. Despite their often threatening appearance and reputation, no tarantula has been known to have a bite that is deadly to humans. In general, the effects of the bites of all kinds of tarantula are not well known. While the bites of many species are known to be no worse than a wasp sting, accounts of bites by some species are reported to be very painful and to produce intense spasms that may recur over a period of several days; the venom by the African tarantula Pelinobius muticus also causes strong hallucinations. In all cases, it is advisable to seek medical aid. Because other proteins are included when a toxin is injected, some individuals may suffer severe symptoms due to an allergic reaction rather than to the venom. Such allergic effects can be life-threatening.