Sahyadrica

…think wasp is a stinging machine? Think again. It was a sultry day in 2008. The October heat had set in. We were in the field taking a break under a small Teak tree, sipping on the little water left with us. The grass was tall and green but the characteristics of a deciduous forest were already showing. There was no wind – which is typical of October and the humidity was at its peak. We were downright exhausted and had decided to sit under the Teak which provided the only little shade around. We’re glad we chose that place, for we observed a very interesting behavior in the big world of little creatures. I chose to sit in the grass where the area was dense enough for various critters to crawl around. I saw some movement in this undergrowth and for once thought it was a scorpion! I was super excited, a scorpion sharing the shade with us! After a few glimpses of this ground-walking animal, I saw that it was a wasp carrying a huge caterpillar in its mandibles – the prey was double ...

“When we become a part of anything, it becomes a part of us.” - David Harold Fink Seedlings sprout from the dried fruit that is  still clinging to the mother tree during Monsoon A new year is something everyone looks forward to. 2010, however is not just another year, it is the end of a decade. 2010 is, most importantly, declared as an International Year of Biodiversity . Keeping this in mind, I wonder how many of us have really emphasized on the biodiversity around us. It’s certainly not many, because if many did, we would not lack the knowledge and understand of nature and her ways even today. Neanotis lancifolia  flowers barely measure a centimeter  and these little Daggerflies are seen enjoying on this tiny herb in bloom To acknowledge the year 2010 as the biodiversity year, it’s us as the citizens of this planet who must stand up and face the truth. The truth – had it not been for this biodiversity, we would not exist. Some of us may think, so let’s consider...