Tiger Beetle Mania

I can't wait to get back to my insect hunting walks after returning from a golfing trip to Kota Kinabalu. Although nursing sore elbows, I set off with my heavy Sigma 150mm macro and tripod to the woods nearby, hoping for new finds. And lo and behold I spotted my first tiger beetle, darting along the gravel path. At first I hardly notice the sudden swift movement of the tiger as I walked along, because my eyes are always three metres ahead to scan for insects. The tiger does not scare easy, it only runs when your foot is nearly on top of them. What a beauty, as I strained my eyes on the beetle, not daring to take my sight off it as it camouflaged so well with the colour of the gravel.

This specie of tiger beetle, the Cicindelidae Aurulenta, although quite common in the parks, is very difficult to spot. It is said to be the fastest insect on the ground. If you take your eyes off it for a micro second, when it decides to take off your eyes cannot follow where it stops. I've been back to the same spot several times and these beetles are territorial insects; they seem to welcome my presence as they don't consider me a predator. I have been watching its movements for a while and have seen how quick it grabs hold of an insect, lounging at it and crushing its prey with its strong mandibles. I suppose it is because of this ferocity and stealth that it is called the tiger beetle.

After watching the tiger for a while I can approach it with my macro lens to within 30 cm. However, I've not been able to get a good frame of the tiger as it is at ground level. Shooting the tiger requires me to lie on the stomach with elbows resting on the gravel to get a reasonable clear side view shot. If the tiger senses your presence she will show you her bottom and Kenny Nair, may even send a jet of fart at you. I've seen something bluish from her posterior as she shows her stuff.


Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright
In the Forests of the Night
What Immortal Hand or Eye
Could Frame Thy Fearful Symmetry?

W Blake

I dream of capturing the tiger standing proudly on a rock with its outstretched front long legs, looking up to the sky like a howling wolf at night, what a beauty it would be. No such luck yet, but I believe I will snap that photo one day when I know the tiger's habits better.

Kota Kinabalu

I was invited to a golfing holiday in Kota Kinabalu, a place I had always wanted to visit especially for the purpose of climbing Mt Kinabalu, the highest mountain in the region. I used all my persuasive language to get blessings from my wife to go there with the golfers for 5 days.

Kota Kinabalu, a two hour flying time from Singapore, is a growing capital of Sabah. It is very scenic, you cannot be too far from the jungle or the mountains and you are just next to the unpolluted waters of the ocean. It's a paradise for scuba divers, naturalists, mountaineers, trekkers and insect hunters.

Our hosts Allen and Jeanette were simply great, they looked after us from the moment we stepped out of Jet Star Airbus to the day we boarded the plane back to Singapore. The first pleasant surprise I had was that Allen told us that we would be staying in his kampong house up the mountain, some 40 minutes away from town. I've heard much of the serenity of mountain resorts in K Kinabalu, and immediately I regretted not bringing my camera gear for shooting insects which I know would be in abundance up the mountain. Fortunately I brought my Lumix prosumer to take some tourist pictures of the visit.

It was golf frenzy everyday at some of the nicest golf courses in Sabah. These golfing friends are golf crazy, 18 holes everyday and if possible another 9 in the afternoon. I told myself, that I would play by listening to my body and see how much it can take before it starts to complain. Dalit Bay Golf Club was a beauty only matched by the Sabah Golf and Country Club. We did'nt have a chance to visit Sutera Harbour Golf Club and Nexus Resort Karambunai Golf Club which are highly rated over the courses we played in. However it was not golf all the time, we visited the beautiful Manukan Island half an hour away by fast speedboat. This nearby island has clear waters and long sandy beaches. The sea food in KK was just mouth watering and we simply piled on the cholesterol rich seafood for most of the evening meals, with the belief that the golfing exercise will wipe out the excess calories consumed the night before.

My best experience is the stay in the mountain villa, some 700 metres above sea level. First we had to ride the 4-wheel drive Range Rover up the steep slope in the evening and down slope in the morning. The drive was certainly not for the faint- hearted. In the night, the insects sang us to sleep and waking up to the fresh morning mountain air is certainly something to remember. We were awoken by the screaming eagles calling at about 6am every morning. A morning walk on the mountain track is must and for those who are Taiji enthusiasts, it is spiritually invigorating. My good friend and golfing champion Gan, took us to a great photo spot to shoot the sunrise with Mt Kinabalu towering over us as the sun peeped up the horizon.

It was truly a glorious 5 days of unwinding for me and experiencing quite a few first times: first overseas golfing trip by budget airline, 4-wheel drive up and down the mountain, golfing for four consecutive days, staying up the mountain resort, watching sunrise with Mt Kinabalu in the foreground, driving my room mate out with my loud snores.

Soon it was time to go home. My friends knew what to do buying up some of KK's famous dried sea cucumbers and fish maw for their wives. I bought some too so as not to be left out. We brought home pleasant memories of KK and for good measure I brought home two sore elbows to remind me to slow down.