After a 3-month break, we decided to visit Dairy Farm Nature Park (DFNP), one of our favourite macro sites. I arrived DFNP at 7.05 am but to my surprise, the car park was already full! We learnt that there is a new cycling track near DFNP which attracted many cyclists to park their cars very early here. Anyway, after some time, those who drove managed to park their cars except Ben who had to park at the opposite heavy vehicle park.
While setting up our gears at the shelter, a Great Orange Awlet visited us.

(Sia Kian Teck in action)
As it is quite a rare skipper, many of us did not mind to go low in order to get a good angle shot.

(Great Orange Awlet by Kyaw Htay)
On our way walking towards the Wallace Trail, Seah who came much earlier, pointed to us a stick insect.

(Stick Insect by Huang Nian Huei)
Due to the wet weather in the past one week, we found many mushrooms of various species growing on the forest floor.

(Horsehair Parachutes by Anthony Quek)
Lester has a good eye for photography in that he has the ability to see beyond the first look. When he looked at these mushrooms, he immediately spotted the interesting shadows which most people missed. Very creative shots.
Seah who came before sunrise was fortunate to photograph these luminous mushrooms. Aren’t they beautiful?

(Luminous Mushrooms by Seah Tock Toh)
Spiders were plentiful. Here are a pair of mating Striated tylorida and a spider having its breakfast.
(Striated tylorida by Lester Koh)
(Spider with prey by Choy Kah Wai)
Endy appeared to have a special interest in butterflies as the 3 photographs that he contributed are all flying beauties of nature.
(Mycalesis Visala Phamis)
(Faunis Canens Arcesilas)
(Vindula Dejone Erotella)
Ben got a uncommon monkey grasshopper and Nian Huei a freshly moulted one, about 1 cm in size. We have no idea how they got their unique nickname. Someone suggested that because it has big eyes, lives around trees, and jumps!
(Monkey Grasshopper by Ben Ee)
(Moulted Grasshopper by Nian Huei)
Other subjects captured include Fungus beetle, Long-horned beetle, Caterpillar, Cicada, Katydid, etc.
(Fungus Beetle by Kyaw Htay)
(Long-horned Beetle by Seah Tock Toh)
(Caterpillar by Seah Tock Toh)
(Cicada by Kyaw Htay)
(Katydid by Lester Koh)
Although this was a macro photography outing, Ben with his 180mm macro lens, managed to capture this cooperative Pin-striped Tit-babble!

But the catch of the day had to be this amazing leaf insect. Most of us have not seen such a strange insect before because it has an uncanny ability to “disappear” into the surroundings by mimicking leave. To further confuse predators, when the leaf insect walks, it rocks back and forth, to mimic a real leaf being blown by the wind!
(Photo by Hwang Nian Huei)
Here is an short video showing the elegant movement of this fascinating creature!
We called it a day at 11.30 am and headed to Bukit Timah Food Centre to join Tony and Foong for lunch.
Participants : Ben Ee, Catherine, Choy Kah Wai, Dion Wong, Henry Tan, Hwang Nian Huei, Lester Koh, Kyaw Htay, Seah Tock Toh, Sia Kian Teck, Zaw minsoe, Endy, Anthony Quek (Trip Leader)