With only a couple of wildlife documentation trips in Kathmandu Valley compared to August, September turned out to be just as captivating. I continued documenting moths at ICIMOD’s Living Mountain Lab, and since Rohit Giri was around, I joined him for some herping. The monsoon hadn’t fully retreated, making late evening explorations ideal. Armed with our camera gear and a couple of lights, we ventured out to explore the trails for insects, snakes, and frogs.
Rohit, who has more experience with snakes, frogs, and geckos, had a sharp eye for spotting patterns in nature specific to those species. In contrast, I was more familiar with noticing insects and other wildlife. Walking together made it easier to spot a variety of critters.
The jungle’s dark, pin-drop silence, occasionally broken by cicadas’ songs and the sound of water from a creek further down, helped Rohit listen closely for frogs. Following the water’s sound, we headed toward a creek just outside the property, only to find it was a small stream.
After an hour without rain, the area seemed promising for finding frogs, while I kept an eye out for insects. Rohit spotted a horned toad perched on a leaf. After documenting it, we continued our search. Under a picnic shed, I came across several Polythlipta cerealis moths, drawn to some leftover bones from a feast. The rest of the evening didn’t yield much for herping, but we did manage to document many moths and other insects.
I ended up documenting a variety of moths, a spider, a centipede on a hunt, and a couple of crabs. The next morning, before leaving, I photographed several fungi growing on rotting wood and a Keelback snake, which Rohit had been documenting.
Next on the agenda was a biking and birdwatching trip to Bungamati, which, as always, didn’t disappoint. This time, my attention was caught by an Ashy Drongo perched on a branch, skillfully catching insects mid-air. I watched closely as it snatched and ate hornets with remarkable aerial precision.
I also observed some Black Bulbuls darting between trees. A juvenile Black Bulbul perched on a branch caught my eye, its fluffy crest still developing. Sitting quietly for an hour, I spotted a flock of Alexandrine Parakeets flying back and forth over the distant rice fields.
Other birds I observed included the Oriental Turtle Dove, Verditer Flycatcher, Great Barbet, Chestnut-tailed Starling, House Crow, Blue-throated Barbet, and even a Coppersmith Barbet perched on a nearby tree.
On my second trip to the Living Mountain Lab, I documented even more moths and encountered a snake. Rohit was releasing a Tawny Cat Snake he had been studying when I arrived. Like before, we spent the evening searching for frogs, snakes, and insects. I documented several moths, along with an interesting paper wasp with an elongated nest, and some Daddy Long-legs spiders.
We also managed to spot some small fruit bats while strolling around a couple of old sheds. Just as we were about to call it a night, Rohit spotted a juvenile Keelback slithering along the trail’s edge. After documenting it, we headed back, but I spent another half-hour capturing images of moths drawn to the lights. I managed to photograph Protonoceras capitalis, Neadeloides spp., Polythlipta cerealis, Trabala spp., and a few other moths I still need to identify.
The next morning, I took an early walk around the property, documenting more moths and insects. I found slugs, a cicada wing, beetles, a stick insect, caterpillars, spiders, and some fungi. I finally managed to photograph a Spangle Butterfly resting on a leaf to my delight. Overall, it was a rewarding visit to the Living Mountain Lab, with plenty of opportunities to document the area’s diverse insect species. The month also allowed me to do some biking around Shivapuri National Park, though I mainly noticed the vegetation and a snake crossing the trail, likely a Keelback.
Bird:
Oriental Turtle Dove, Ashy Drongo, Black Bulbul, Alexandrine Parakeet, Coppersmith Barbet, Black-lored Tit, Verditer Flycatcher, Great Barbet, Chestnut-tailed Starling, House Crow, Blue-throated Barbet, Common Tailorbird, Himalayan Bulbul, Speckled Piculet, Long-tailed Shrike, Black Kite, etc.
Insect:
Paper Wasp, Jumping Spider, Froghoppers, Huntsman spider, Centipede, Weevil, Dragonflies, Plexippus sp. Jumping spider, Huntsman Spider, Cellar spider (Daddy long-legs spider), Spangle Butterfly (Papilio protenor), moth cartipillar, Common Castor Butterfly, Stick Insect (Diapheromeridae spp.), etc. Moth: Dichromia spp., Gastropacha spp., Polythlipta cerealis, Amblychia nimia, Abraxas spp., Hyaloplaga pulchralis, Calluga costalis, Trabala spp., Pidorus circe, Erebus gemmans, Ecpyrrhorrhoe spp., Protonoceras capitalis, Neadeloides spp., Elophila spp., Synclera traducalis, Conogethes spp., Cyana bellissima, etc.
Reptile:
Tawny Cat Snake, Himalayan Keelback, Keelback.
Amphibian:
Horned Toad, Nanorana spp..
Crustacean:
Crab (might be from the Potamidae family).
Mammal:
Barking Deer, Yellow-bellied weasel, Bat.
Plant:
Peepal Tree (Ficus religiosa), Needlewood Tree (Schima wallichii), Seto Ban Champ (Michelia kisopa), Dhale Katus (Castanopsis indica), Glaucous Oak – फलाट Falaat (Quercus glauca), Nepal Knotweed, Fern, Lantana (Lantana camara), Pine (Pinus roxburghii), Utis (Alnus nepalensis), etc.
Ajay Narsingh Rana
Umang Jung Thapa
Hi Ajay , enjoyed reading your monthly blogs after a few months as always leaving me more informed and knowledge-able about the nature around us.