With rains soaking the entire city, somewhere in Mumbai’s forests, wildlife is burgeoning, much to the delight of Mumbaikars
After a dry and warm tropical summer, Mumbaikars have finally tasted the first drop of rains and they haven’t been disappointed with the moderate rainfall the city has received so far. With the onset of monsoon, specific flora and fauna are also being spotted across the city. Bombay Natural History Society has compiled a few photographs of these monsoon-specific beauties, which are a treat to the eyes.
Blister beetle feeding on flower petals (lead image)
Blister beetles suddenly become apparent in the monsoon; you can see them feeding on flower petals. They defend themselves with a chemical that can cause blisters on the skin of their predator.
Lantern flowers (Ceropegia)
Lantern flowers trap small insects and release them only after they pollinate the flowers. Several species of Ceropegia are endangered due to consumption of tuber root.
Karvy
Karvy blooms once in seven years. The flowers are rich in pollen and nectar, and attract a wide range of insects including butterflies, honey bees and carpenter bees that come to feed on the nectar.
Maidenhair fern
A delicate-looking, drooping fern with distinctive fan-shaped leaf segments, is quite prominent on most forest trails during monsoon.
Glory lily
Sometimes referred to as ‘tiger claw’ due to its stripy appearance, this flower bud faces downwards and as the flower matures, the petals gradually arch backward giving it a graceful look. Glory Lily is a climber with the tip of the leaves modified into spring-like tendrils that help provide support to the plant.
Winged termite
One can typically see winged termites with the onset of monsoon. These creatures shed their wings after mating, and often establish a new colony.
Shuttlecock mushroom
Mushrooms are like cleaners in the wild. They help in degrading dead wood while also helping the earth absorb the precious nutrition trapped within the wood or other decaying material. The mushroom gets its name from its appearance, which resembles a shuttlecock. Pictured here is the delicate beauty from the forest of Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
(All the above pictures are clicked by Vandan Jhaveri)
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 "Blister beetle feeding on flower petals")
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