Spiders and The Sea | Bridging People and Nature

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Through education, outreach and creative storytelling, we aim to bridge the gap between people and nature

60+

people have come on our nature-centric experiences in locations around Bangalore

140+

people have come on our nature-centric experiences in Andamans and Tuticorin

500+

young learners from primary school to the undergraduate level have experienced our nature-based learning programmes through our work with educational institutions.

300+

people have joined us on urban nature programs (includes children's and adults' programs)

250+

people have completed our online nature programs on subjects ranging from spiders to sharks.

Institutions we've
worked with

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Organizations we've
worked with

Hot off the blog press

Read other musings from our blog

This story is about an organism that has shaped the way we live today. Fossil evidence dates this kingdom back to 2.4 billion years ago, meaning it has existed long before time—approximately half the age of the Earth. As with all things ancient, age brings experience, and this kingdom holds a wealth of wisdom. They are chemical masterminds, brilliant business strategists, expert logisticians, and form a complete network of fair governance.

What we’re speaking of is — #Fungi

Read this thought-provoking piece by mycologist Vhyom to go on a journey through ecology, human culture and everything in between. Link in bio!

#mushroom #fungus #fungi #myco #naturalhistory #spidersandtheseablog

This story is about an organism that has shaped the way we live today. Fossil evidence dates this kingdom back to 2.4 billion years ago, meaning it has existed long before time—approximately half the age of the Earth. As with all things ancient, age brings experience, and this kingdom holds a wealth of wisdom. They are chemical masterminds, brilliant business strategists, expert logisticians, and form a complete network of fair governance.

What we’re speaking of is — #Fungi

Read this thought-provoking piece by mycologist Vhyom to go on a journey through ecology, human culture and everything in between. Link in bio!

#mushroom #fungus #fungi #myco #naturalhistory #spidersandtheseablog

There are many things about freediving that I love. The weightlessness. The silence. And as I realised over time, the fading of colours into a monochromatic world constructed with shades of blue. The vividity of colour is a spectacular thing but sometimes it distracts me from everything else that lives in a visual scene - shadows, patterns and form. That lesson from floating underwater carried through when I floated around on land looking at ants and spiders. Colour can be music but sometimes it can feel like noise that I'd like to dim to see the harmonies that lie beneath.

This month we invite you to share monochromatic scenes from your world. Go see the world around you in a single colour and share your visuals and thoughts with us!

- John

#monochrome#blackandwhite#photography#land#sea#species#landscape#video#nature#lens#perspectives

There are many things about freediving that I love. The weightlessness. The silence. And as I realised over time, the fading of colours into a monochromatic world constructed with shades of blue. The vividity of colour is a spectacular thing but sometimes it distracts me from everything else that lives in a visual scene - shadows, patterns and form. That lesson from floating underwater carried through when I floated around on land looking at ants and spiders. Colour can be music but sometimes it can feel like noise that I'd like to dim to see the harmonies that lie beneath.

This month we invite you to share monochromatic scenes from your world. Go see the world around you in a single colour and share your visuals and thoughts with us!

- John

#monochrome#blackandwhite#photography#land#sea#species#landscape#video#nature#lens#perspectives

"Imagine you’re walking along a beach. You watch the sea trace ripples across the sand, leaving its mark — never quite the same. A few steps ahead, you spot a seashell, its surface etched with a delicate spiral. Nearby, a cluster of barnacles clings to a rock, their openings forming a rough mosaic. Under that rock an urchin is nestled in a crevice, spines radiating outward in perfect geometric order. Sand bubbler crabs busily roll tiny pellets into mandala-like patterns. In the littoral forest, there are trees branching into miniature versions of themselves. On the branches, leaves stretch outward, their veins forming intricate patterns—mirroring the refracted sunlight through the shallow water.
It may seem that pattern-forming is universal in the natural world - they are found everywhere, from the microscopic to the cosmic.
These patterns are not imposed upon nature; they are nature. Whether through physical laws, chemical regularities, or evolutionary constraints, the world shapes and folds itself into form."

We end our month long quest for #PatternsInNature with this very special and evocative piece by @archaeosaratops !

Head to the link in our bio for an insightful exploration of nature's hidden design. 🌵

#nature#naturearoundus #patterns#lookingclosely#plants#animals#fractals#symmetry#tesselation#spirals#ocean#marine#ecology#land#water#mathematics #physics #chemistry#art#immersivelearning

"Imagine you’re walking along a beach. You watch the sea trace ripples across the sand, leaving its mark — never quite the same. A few steps ahead, you spot a seashell, its surface etched with a delicate spiral. Nearby, a cluster of barnacles clings to a rock, their openings forming a rough mosaic. Under that rock an urchin is nestled in a crevice, spines radiating outward in perfect geometric order. Sand bubbler crabs busily roll tiny pellets into mandala-like patterns. In the littoral forest, there are trees branching into miniature versions of themselves. On the branches, leaves stretch outward, their veins forming intricate patterns—mirroring the refracted sunlight through the shallow water.
It may seem that pattern-forming is universal in the natural world - they are found everywhere, from the microscopic to the cosmic.
These patterns are not imposed upon nature; they are nature. Whether through physical laws, chemical regularities, or evolutionary constraints, the world shapes and folds itself into form."

We end our month long quest for #PatternsInNature with this very special and evocative piece by @archaeosaratops !

Head to the link in our bio for an insightful exploration of nature's hidden design. 🌵

#nature#naturearoundus #patterns#lookingclosely#plants#animals#fractals#symmetry#tesselation#spirals#ocean#marine#ecology#land#water#mathematics #physics #chemistry#art#immersivelearning

Does a jumping spider in the Andamans chemically mimic weaver ants? Asks Samuel John in his latest blog post!

Weaver ants are arguably one of the most dominant creatures on Earth. Across urban and wild habitats in the tropics, meticulously constructed weaver ant nests fill the trees. The masterful architects manipulate (or antipulate) leaves to form magnificent leafy structures held together by larval silk. The surreal queendoms of the canopy can stretch out to cover vast areas and consist of over a hundred nests, all working for queen and colony!

Looking like a weaver ant is invaluable when the objective is to ward off predators or lure weaver ants from a distance. How does a mimic spider go deeper into this imitation game? How does the artist get close enough to safely access colony resources like food and shelter? How does the mimic convince a weaver ant that it is a fellow colony member?
Head to the link in our bio to find out!

#spider#weaver#ant#mimic#nature#mystery#havelock#andamans#mimicry#colony#ecology

Does a jumping spider in the Andamans chemically mimic weaver ants? Asks Samuel John in his latest blog post!

Weaver ants are arguably one of the most dominant creatures on Earth. Across urban and wild habitats in the tropics, meticulously constructed weaver ant nests fill the trees. The masterful architects manipulate (or antipulate) leaves to form magnificent leafy structures held together by larval silk. The surreal queendoms of the canopy can stretch out to cover vast areas and consist of over a hundred nests, all working for queen and colony!

Looking like a weaver ant is invaluable when the objective is to ward off predators or lure weaver ants from a distance. How does a mimic spider go deeper into this imitation game? How does the artist get close enough to safely access colony resources like food and shelter? How does the mimic convince a weaver ant that it is a fellow colony member?
Head to the link in our bio to find out!

#spider#weaver#ant#mimic#nature#mystery#havelock#andamans#mimicry#colony#ecology

It was mid-April, and we were all set to launch our first-ever Nature & Me camp for children at the Gubbachi Learning Community, Kodathi School
An experiential program immersed in ecology that was to be spread over five days.

And so began our shared adventure with the brilliant children of Gubbachi - days filled with questions, explorations, curiosity and learning. We wrote about this experience this week in our blog. 🔗 in our bio!

Photo credits @bhavish23.r, Beena and Irshad 🌸🙏🏿

#education #summer#learning#school#ecology#team#group#explore #experience#nature#urban#ecosystem#coexist #wildlife#naturearoundus

It was mid-April, and we were all set to launch our first-ever Nature & Me camp for children at the Gubbachi Learning Community, Kodathi School
An experiential program immersed in ecology that was to be spread over five days.

And so began our shared adventure with the brilliant children of Gubbachi - days filled with questions, explorations, curiosity and learning. We wrote about this experience this week in our blog. 🔗 in our bio!

Photo credits @bhavish23.r, Beena and Irshad 🌸🙏🏿

#education #summer#learning#school#ecology#team#group#explore #experience#nature#urban#ecosystem#coexist #wildlife#naturearoundus

Geometry isn’t just in textbooks— it is all around us, once you really start to #LookClosely. We are etched in mathematics - it is not an exception — it is the rule.

This week, slow down. Let your eyes search for structure, because sometimes, the smallest shape can change the way we see everything. We want you to free flow and bring us what you see — think circles, squares, rectangles, hexagons or even triangles.

Maybe it could be a small part of a bigger structure? Maybe it could be as magnanimous as the full moon itself?

For this week’s instruction we are channeling Rachel Carson’s voice : The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.

🌀We hope you get an opportunity to step out and document what you notice. Do tag us in your observations! 🌸

Thank you to everyone who participated last week!

Image 1 @aurora_hues
Image 2 from Canva
Images 3-10 by @archaeosaratops and 🕷️ John

#invitation #observe#nature#close#patterns#shapes#objects#forms#flora#fauna#stepout#outdoors#land#sea#ocean#trees#sky#learn#notice#world

Geometry isn’t just in textbooks— it is all around us, once you really start to #LookClosely. We are etched in mathematics - it is not an exception — it is the rule.

This week, slow down. Let your eyes search for structure, because sometimes, the smallest shape can change the way we see everything. We want you to free flow and bring us what you see — think circles, squares, rectangles, hexagons or even triangles.

Maybe it could be a small part of a bigger structure? Maybe it could be as magnanimous as the full moon itself?

For this week’s instruction we are channeling Rachel Carson’s voice : The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.

🌀We hope you get an opportunity to step out and document what you notice. Do tag us in your observations! 🌸

Thank you to everyone who participated last week!

Image 1 @aurora_hues
Image 2 from Canva
Images 3-10 by @archaeosaratops and 🕷️ John

#invitation #observe#nature#close#patterns#shapes#objects#forms#flora#fauna#stepout#outdoors#land#sea#ocean#trees#sky#learn#notice#world

Announcing our 📢Urban Nature Walk for Beginners! 📢 this month.

I will be doing a nature walk at the beautiful Jakkur lake this Sunday! Looking for water and woodland birds, insects and spiders and any other beings that come alive in the summer!🕷🐞🐦

Walk schedule:🌿

11th May- Jakkur Lake
Timings - 7am to 9am

Program fee- ₹1200 per person (incl. GST)
There are 10 spots available for each walk.

Age group - 12 yrs and above.

Do get in touch to block your spot soon 🙂
Kindly do spread the word!

Yay🍃
Chetana
+91 6364076683

#naturewalk#birds#insects#spiders#urban#jungle#woodlands#lake#jakkur#weekend#break#ecology#learning#togetherness#natureconnection#bangalore#nammabengaluru

Announcing our 📢Urban Nature Walk for Beginners! 📢 this month.

I will be doing a nature walk at the beautiful Jakkur lake this Sunday! Looking for water and woodland birds, insects and spiders and any other beings that come alive in the summer!🕷🐞🐦

Walk schedule:🌿

11th May- Jakkur Lake
Timings - 7am to 9am

Program fee- ₹1200 per person (incl. GST)
There are 10 spots available for each walk.

Age group - 12 yrs and above.

Do get in touch to block your spot soon 🙂
Kindly do spread the word!

Yay🍃
Chetana
+91 6364076683

#naturewalk#birds#insects#spiders#urban#jungle#woodlands#lake#jakkur#weekend#break#ecology#learning#togetherness#natureconnection#bangalore#nammabengaluru

This month, we’re encouraging you to step outside and embark on a treasure hunt with us. Take a moment to #LookClosely and really notice the patterns in nature—they’re all around us. At home, in our neighborhood and on our way to school and work!
From the symmetry of butterfly wings to the structure of leaves, from the rhythm of waves and clouds to spider webs, from the branching limbs of trees to the spiral of DNA and galaxies— everything follows nature’s design, shaped by efficiency and survival.

Instructions for this week, in the words of Mary Oliver: Pay attention. Be astonished.

Tell us about it by either sketching or clicking a photo and tagging us!

There are four prompts this week:

1. Lines in nature

Let’s start with natural lines - straight, curved, wavy, zigzagged. Where do you usually see them? Have you seen the delicate veins of leaves?Or the branching limbs of trees? The curve of a river or the blades of grass? Birds flying in a V-pattern (Skein formation) or lightning bolts? Can you think of more?

2. Symmetry

When we say the word ‘symmetry in nature’, what is the first image that comes to your mind? Think of any being when one part or a pattern mirrors another — across a line, around a centre or through repetition. Maybe the radial symmetry of the face of sunflowers? Or the bilateral symmetry of butterfly wings at rest? It is everywhere, only if you remember to #LookClosely.

3. Spirals:
Spirals seem like nature’s favourite signature — the unfolding of life. How about the spiral of a snail shell? Leaves of a succulent clustering? Or storms swirling over the sea?

4. Textures:

Feel the bark of a tree? Or the soft fuzz of moss? The cracked earth after few hot days?

Let's have fun this week! We look forward to a collaborative journey of discovery ✨

#nature#patterns#practice#observation#exercise
#outdoors#indoors#smallnature#texture#lines#spirals#symmetry#land#sea#earth#photography#art#journal#inspire#walk#learn#collaborate
Will you share your observations? 🙃

This month, we’re encouraging you to step outside and embark on a treasure hunt with us. Take a moment to #LookClosely and really notice the patterns in nature—they’re all around us. At home, in our neighborhood and on our way to school and work!
From the symmetry of butterfly wings to the structure of leaves, from the rhythm of waves and clouds to spider webs, from the branching limbs of trees to the spiral of DNA and galaxies— everything follows nature’s design, shaped by efficiency and survival.

Instructions for this week, in the words of Mary Oliver: Pay attention. Be astonished.

Tell us about it by either sketching or clicking a photo and tagging us!

There are four prompts this week:

1. Lines in nature

Let’s start with natural lines - straight, curved, wavy, zigzagged. Where do you usually see them? Have you seen the delicate veins of leaves?Or the branching limbs of trees? The curve of a river or the blades of grass? Birds flying in a V-pattern (Skein formation) or lightning bolts? Can you think of more?

2. Symmetry

When we say the word ‘symmetry in nature’, what is the first image that comes to your mind? Think of any being when one part or a pattern mirrors another — across a line, around a centre or through repetition. Maybe the radial symmetry of the face of sunflowers? Or the bilateral symmetry of butterfly wings at rest? It is everywhere, only if you remember to #LookClosely.

3. Spirals:
Spirals seem like nature’s favourite signature — the unfolding of life. How about the spiral of a snail shell? Leaves of a succulent clustering? Or storms swirling over the sea?

4. Textures:

Feel the bark of a tree? Or the soft fuzz of moss? The cracked earth after few hot days?

Let's have fun this week! We look forward to a collaborative journey of discovery ✨

#nature#patterns#practice#observation#exercise
#outdoors#indoors#smallnature#texture#lines#spirals#symmetry#land#sea#earth#photography#art#journal#inspire#walk#learn#collaborate
Will you share your observations? 🙃

Salt is a fascinating medley of elements. Sodium, which explodes on contact with water, and highly toxic chlorine combine to create sodium chloride, a harmless white compound that makes our curries tasty and the ocean salty. How much salt is required to make the entire ocean salty? At roughly 35 grams of salt per kilo of water, an estimated 50 quintillion (50 followed by 18 zeros) kilograms of salt is dissolved in our oceans. Besides supporting innumerable lives, the ocean is also the primary source of dietary salt for billions of humans. The outskirts of Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) town, on Tamil Nadu’s Coromandel coast, have been transformed into a mosaic of rectangles that hold ocean water. From these rectangular “pans” of salty water, salt is extracted for human consumption and to support industry and the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people.

The practice of extracting salt from the ocean dates back many millennia. Water is pumped out of the ocean onto land and systematically passed through a vast network of rectangular holding areas (pans), evaporating a little as it passes through each pan. The pans closest to the sea that directly receive the water are nearly identical to the ocean in salinity and contain a generous mix of small fish, crustaceans, plankton, and algae. Consequently, these pans are a fantastic habitat to watch as birds come to feed in their nutrient-rich, shallow waters.

Read our full story for @rgsustain about our experiences over the last few years bird watching around Aqua Outback @aquaoutback, an eco-resort, where salt pans are generously interspersed with rectangular plots of trees, shrubs, and grasses.🦩❤️🌊
Link in our bio! 🔗

Have you visited a salt pan?

#salt#saltpan#aqua#tuticorin#india#ocean#coast#birds#migration#ecosystem#habitats#wild#birdwatching #naturephotography

Salt is a fascinating medley of elements. Sodium, which explodes on contact with water, and highly toxic chlorine combine to create sodium chloride, a harmless white compound that makes our curries tasty and the ocean salty. How much salt is required to make the entire ocean salty? At roughly 35 grams of salt per kilo of water, an estimated 50 quintillion (50 followed by 18 zeros) kilograms of salt is dissolved in our oceans. Besides supporting innumerable lives, the ocean is also the primary source of dietary salt for billions of humans. The outskirts of Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) town, on Tamil Nadu’s Coromandel coast, have been transformed into a mosaic of rectangles that hold ocean water. From these rectangular “pans” of salty water, salt is extracted for human consumption and to support industry and the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people.

The practice of extracting salt from the ocean dates back many millennia. Water is pumped out of the ocean onto land and systematically passed through a vast network of rectangular holding areas (pans), evaporating a little as it passes through each pan. The pans closest to the sea that directly receive the water are nearly identical to the ocean in salinity and contain a generous mix of small fish, crustaceans, plankton, and algae. Consequently, these pans are a fantastic habitat to watch as birds come to feed in their nutrient-rich, shallow waters.

Read our full story for @rgsustain about our experiences over the last few years bird watching around Aqua Outback @aquaoutback, an eco-resort, where salt pans are generously interspersed with rectangular plots of trees, shrubs, and grasses.🦩❤️🌊
Link in our bio! 🔗

Have you visited a salt pan?

#salt#saltpan#aqua#tuticorin#india#ocean#coast#birds#migration#ecosystem#habitats#wild#birdwatching #naturephotography

When we first set up our Spiders And The Sea website, we knew we wanted to have a blog. Not just for us to share our thoughts and experiences but as a home for diverse voices, stories and perspectives. Over the years our blog has dipped in and out of dormancy, until a few months ago when Sarah @archaeosaratops agreed to come on board our beached blog-ship! The @spidersandthesea blog has finally set sail and we're excited to see the courses we'll chart together under the warm, kind and witty editorial captaincy of Sarah.

In her own words- Sarah is a silly goose, who waddles through life with a microscope in one hand and a paperback in the other. She loves exploration, science, maps and swears by Lord of the Rings. 🏴‍☠️

We are so thrilled to have Sarah on team @spidersandthesea hurrayyy!

Instagram has been a wonderful platform for us to connect with incredible people from around the world and also showcase our work. We now hope that every once in a while you might feel like hopping over to our blog, to read stories by folks from our larger community that might offer a lens, you may or may not have tried before, to view the world around us.

Head to the link in our bio to read blog posts from April!

When we first set up our Spiders And The Sea website, we knew we wanted to have a blog. Not just for us to share our thoughts and experiences but as a home for diverse voices, stories and perspectives. Over the years our blog has dipped in and out of dormancy, until a few months ago when Sarah @archaeosaratops agreed to come on board our beached blog-ship! The @spidersandthesea blog has finally set sail and we're excited to see the courses we'll chart together under the warm, kind and witty editorial captaincy of Sarah.

In her own words- Sarah is a silly goose, who waddles through life with a microscope in one hand and a paperback in the other. She loves exploration, science, maps and swears by Lord of the Rings. 🏴‍☠️

We are so thrilled to have Sarah on team @spidersandthesea hurrayyy!

Instagram has been a wonderful platform for us to connect with incredible people from around the world and also showcase our work. We now hope that every once in a while you might feel like hopping over to our blog, to read stories by folks from our larger community that might offer a lens, you may or may not have tried before, to view the world around us.

Head to the link in our bio to read blog posts from April!

The newest story on our blog by Priya Mandal has very quickly become one of our favourite things to read. Here's an introduction to this wonderful piece by the editor, @archaeosaratops

"Editor's note:
While researching this piece, I asked myself: what is nostalgia, truly? To some, it is a soft breeze on a sweltering summer day, a fleeting touch of comfort. To others, it is a force that consumes them. Priya Mandal shares with us stories from her grandmother’s vault, and in these stories I realised that — time, even though it moves forward, never truly leaves us. As Markus Zusak once said, we are haunted by humans - those who came before us; they remain etched in our smiles, our scars, our sorrows. Some days, we even cradle them gently like holding butterflies on our palms.

Priya’s Thakuma, her grandmother arrived with her family on the islands from Bangladesh in 1961, seeking a home on Havelock’s shores. Along with her husband, she learned the language of the soil. Through Priya’s stories, and perhaps in the echoes of her laughter, I was given the gift of meeting her grandmother and learning about her traditional knowledge of the forest. For that I thank her and her family immensely. I especially thank Priya’s parents: P.C. Mandal Sir and Anita Mandal Ma’am for being so inspirational and allowing us to share this story. "

- Sarah A

Priya is a local girl from Havelock who is both an engineer and an educator. She has been teaching island kids for the past 3 years. She has helped and supported more than 300 children with school and empowered them to realize their dreams and ambitions.

Do head to our blog to read this photostory! Link in our bio 🔗

Photo credit for image 3- Sathish Raj @the_raj_factor

🌿Do you recognise any of the plants here or have plant stories from your life to share? Let us know in the comments!🍀

#plants#medicinal#traditional#knowledge#oral#history#stories#memory#family#generations#ecology#andaman#havelock#india#wild#earth#invasive#native#exotic#botany

The newest story on our blog by Priya Mandal has very quickly become one of our favourite things to read. Here's an introduction to this wonderful piece by the editor, @archaeosaratops

"Editor's note:
While researching this piece, I asked myself: what is nostalgia, truly? To some, it is a soft breeze on a sweltering summer day, a fleeting touch of comfort. To others, it is a force that consumes them. Priya Mandal shares with us stories from her grandmother’s vault, and in these stories I realised that — time, even though it moves forward, never truly leaves us. As Markus Zusak once said, we are haunted by humans - those who came before us; they remain etched in our smiles, our scars, our sorrows. Some days, we even cradle them gently like holding butterflies on our palms.

Priya’s Thakuma, her grandmother arrived with her family on the islands from Bangladesh in 1961, seeking a home on Havelock’s shores. Along with her husband, she learned the language of the soil. Through Priya’s stories, and perhaps in the echoes of her laughter, I was given the gift of meeting her grandmother and learning about her traditional knowledge of the forest. For that I thank her and her family immensely. I especially thank Priya’s parents: P.C. Mandal Sir and Anita Mandal Ma’am for being so inspirational and allowing us to share this story. "

- Sarah A

Priya is a local girl from Havelock who is both an engineer and an educator. She has been teaching island kids for the past 3 years. She has helped and supported more than 300 children with school and empowered them to realize their dreams and ambitions.

Do head to our blog to read this photostory! Link in our bio 🔗

Photo credit for image 3- Sathish Raj @the_raj_factor

🌿Do you recognise any of the plants here or have plant stories from your life to share? Let us know in the comments!🍀

#plants#medicinal#traditional#knowledge#oral#history#stories#memory#family#generations#ecology#andaman#havelock#india#wild#earth#invasive#native#exotic#botany

Have you ever looked at a plant closely? City lights seen from a plane? Mould growing on your organic waste? Each process follows a simple set of rules that grows into a complex pattern when you look at the structure at large. Say hello to the L-system, a language described by biologist Lindenmayer when he saw the division of cells.
Can we think about how these branching structures may feature in the work of an educator? Asks Samuel John in his latest post on our blog.
We also invite you to imagine all the things around you that may grow like this, from a single point outward into branching structures. Comment below!
Read the full story at the link in our bio. 🔗

John is a writer, photographer and researcher with a keen interest in spiders. He regularly daydreams of using a calculator, a pencil and a cup of sambar to unravel the secrets of the universe.
#ecology #nature #wildlife #maths #mathematics #science#patterns#shapes#forms#complexity#systems#education

Have you ever looked at a plant closely? City lights seen from a plane? Mould growing on your organic waste? Each process follows a simple set of rules that grows into a complex pattern when you look at the structure at large. Say hello to the L-system, a language described by biologist Lindenmayer when he saw the division of cells.
Can we think about how these branching structures may feature in the work of an educator? Asks Samuel John in his latest post on our blog.
We also invite you to imagine all the things around you that may grow like this, from a single point outward into branching structures. Comment below!
Read the full story at the link in our bio. 🔗

John is a writer, photographer and researcher with a keen interest in spiders. He regularly daydreams of using a calculator, a pencil and a cup of sambar to unravel the secrets of the universe.
#ecology #nature #wildlife #maths #mathematics #science#patterns#shapes#forms#complexity#systems#education

The Wreck That Wrecked to Live Some More Part #3: Wreck Below

“A mode of transport – now the heart of a habitat, the Vaavu shipwreck started a new chapter when it sank. Its processes going from being streamlined and mechanical, to wild and organic.

Fish found shelter, coral larvae settled in its cracks, and sponges, oysters, slugs and other drifters made it home. Around it, fusiliers still swirl – snatching plankton before becoming food themselves.

We’ve wondered why a sunken ship makes such a good home for marine life. Is it the structure – the nooks, crannies, and chambers that offer shelter – or the stability it provides for sessile invertebrates that only get one shot at a permanent home?

What lies ahead for the Vaavu shipwreck and the marine life that resides in its quarters? Until we get the opportunity to return to this being again, all we can do is wonder, hope and dream of the life it’s becoming.”

The shipwreck we visited with @earthcolab three weeks ago continues to leave us wondering, pondering and meandering in our reflections about the life of this wreck, above and below. Read the last in this photostory series by our guest photographer and co-author Karishma @kish on our blog. Link in our bio! 🔗

What creatures can you spot inhibating this wreck? Let us know in the comments!

#ship#shipwreck#maldives#vaavu#diving#snorkel#water#underwater#explore#history#documentaton#indianocean#expedition #ocean#sea#atoll#systems #collaboration#marinelife #underwaterphotography

The Wreck That Wrecked to Live Some More Part #3: Wreck Below

“A mode of transport – now the heart of a habitat, the Vaavu shipwreck started a new chapter when it sank. Its processes going from being streamlined and mechanical, to wild and organic.

Fish found shelter, coral larvae settled in its cracks, and sponges, oysters, slugs and other drifters made it home. Around it, fusiliers still swirl – snatching plankton before becoming food themselves.

We’ve wondered why a sunken ship makes such a good home for marine life. Is it the structure – the nooks, crannies, and chambers that offer shelter – or the stability it provides for sessile invertebrates that only get one shot at a permanent home?

What lies ahead for the Vaavu shipwreck and the marine life that resides in its quarters? Until we get the opportunity to return to this being again, all we can do is wonder, hope and dream of the life it’s becoming.”

The shipwreck we visited with @earthcolab three weeks ago continues to leave us wondering, pondering and meandering in our reflections about the life of this wreck, above and below. Read the last in this photostory series by our guest photographer and co-author Karishma @kish on our blog. Link in our bio! 🔗

What creatures can you spot inhibating this wreck? Let us know in the comments!

#ship#shipwreck#maldives#vaavu#diving#snorkel#water#underwater#explore#history#documentaton#indianocean#expedition #ocean#sea#atoll#systems #collaboration#marinelife #underwaterphotography

The Wreck That Wrecked to Live Some More
Part #2: Wreck Above

"The Vaavu shipwreck has kept a part of itself above water. This exposed chunk tells the story of its history – at first, seemingly untouched by the sea, it revealed the ship’s original form. Upon closer inspection, dying corals clinging to planks of wood hint at a time when it was fully submerged.

The base of the hull juts out like a makeshift platform, and on it rest noddies and black-naped terns.
These birds spend most of their life out at sea, thriving almost entirely on a diet of seafood. In contrast to their time on land, where they nest in large colonies, their life at sea is relatively solitary. So when they converge on this upturned piece of wreckage in the middle of the ocean, it becomes more than a resting spot – it becomes a fleeting moment of community."

The shipwreck we visited with @earthcolab three weeks ago continues to leave us wondering, pondering and meandering in our reflections about the life of this wreck, above and below.

What birds have you seen out at sea? Were there any features about these birds that stood out? Let us know!

Read the second in this series by our amazing guest photographer and co-author Karishma @kish on our blog!

Link in our bio 🔗

#bird#seabirds#ocean#pelagic#vaavu#atoll#maldives#keyodhoo#indianocean#shipwreck#birdwatching#snorkel#expedition#education#photography#wildlife#nature

The Wreck That Wrecked to Live Some More
Part #2: Wreck Above

"The Vaavu shipwreck has kept a part of itself above water. This exposed chunk tells the story of its history – at first, seemingly untouched by the sea, it revealed the ship’s original form. Upon closer inspection, dying corals clinging to planks of wood hint at a time when it was fully submerged.

The base of the hull juts out like a makeshift platform, and on it rest noddies and black-naped terns.
These birds spend most of their life out at sea, thriving almost entirely on a diet of seafood. In contrast to their time on land, where they nest in large colonies, their life at sea is relatively solitary. So when they converge on this upturned piece of wreckage in the middle of the ocean, it becomes more than a resting spot – it becomes a fleeting moment of community."

The shipwreck we visited with @earthcolab three weeks ago continues to leave us wondering, pondering and meandering in our reflections about the life of this wreck, above and below.

What birds have you seen out at sea? Were there any features about these birds that stood out? Let us know!

Read the second in this series by our amazing guest photographer and co-author Karishma @kish on our blog!

Link in our bio 🔗

#bird#seabirds#ocean#pelagic#vaavu#atoll#maldives#keyodhoo#indianocean#shipwreck#birdwatching#snorkel#expedition#education#photography#wildlife#nature

A Wreck That Wrecked to Live Some More- Part #1

“Shipwrecks are underwater heritage sites, holding layers of history even in decay. The Vaavu shipwreck, believed to be an Indonesian vessel, lies in a lagoon south of Keyodhoo, where it sank and settled after fishermen discovered it ten years ago.

Over the years marine life has made the wreck their home. In January, torrential rains flipped it 180 degrees, displacing sessile life and changing its form. When we visited in March, we couldn’t have guessed the ship had recently shifted. The sea still cradled it in brilliant blue, teeming with life. But beneath the surface was a quiet question: what is permanence in a space shaped by motion?"

The shipwreck we visited with @earthcolab three weeks ago continues to leave us wondering, pondering and meandering in our reflections about the life of this wreck, above and below the surface. We are thrilled to have Karishma @kish , a fellow ocean explorer, as a guest photographer and co-author on our blog this month.

Read the first in this photostory series on our blog at the link in our bio!

#shipwreck#underwater#coralreef#marinelife#maldives#dhangethi#photography#gopro

A Wreck That Wrecked to Live Some More- Part #1

“Shipwrecks are underwater heritage sites, holding layers of history even in decay. The Vaavu shipwreck, believed to be an Indonesian vessel, lies in a lagoon south of Keyodhoo, where it sank and settled after fishermen discovered it ten years ago.

Over the years marine life has made the wreck their home. In January, torrential rains flipped it 180 degrees, displacing sessile life and changing its form. When we visited in March, we couldn’t have guessed the ship had recently shifted. The sea still cradled it in brilliant blue, teeming with life. But beneath the surface was a quiet question: what is permanence in a space shaped by motion?"

The shipwreck we visited with @earthcolab three weeks ago continues to leave us wondering, pondering and meandering in our reflections about the life of this wreck, above and below the surface. We are thrilled to have Karishma @kish , a fellow ocean explorer, as a guest photographer and co-author on our blog this month.

Read the first in this photostory series on our blog at the link in our bio!

#shipwreck#underwater#coralreef#marinelife#maldives#dhangethi#photography#gopro

Cosmophasis sp. to bring your week some colour.

@archaeosaratops took these beautiful pictures of one of our favourite spiders on Havelock Island. A species that kept us company through the first few months of the pandemic.
A curious little jumping spider that we have seen walking effortlessly in and out of weaver ant nests. We've even seen these hungry little bedazzlers snatch and eat mealy bugs from right under the noses (read: antennae) of weaver ants. #YouFillUpMyIridescences

#Cosmophasis#weaverants#arachnid#insects#inverts#ecology #mimicry#havelock #andaman#nature#wildlife#photography

Cosmophasis sp. to bring your week some colour.

@archaeosaratops took these beautiful pictures of one of our favourite spiders on Havelock Island. A species that kept us company through the first few months of the pandemic.
A curious little jumping spider that we have seen walking effortlessly in and out of weaver ant nests. We've even seen these hungry little bedazzlers snatch and eat mealy bugs from right under the noses (read: antennae) of weaver ants. #YouFillUpMyIridescences

#Cosmophasis#weaverants#arachnid#insects#inverts#ecology #mimicry#havelock #andaman#nature#wildlife#photography

Into the Coralliverse part 3.

In this episode of the Coralliverse we travel into the tentacled world of Galaxea, a gorgeous hard coral. Coral reefs are very often - by this person included - thought of as ecosystems. We often forget that they are animals just like the bee outside your house and just like you.

Even in recognising their identity as animals, we often forget that they are colonies of individuals. Groups of animals that are the same but different, working together to get through life. Dealing with natural forces of the ocean that give and take. Dealing with human-induced pressures that mostly just take. Dealing with this guy as he took a picture to put on Instagram.

Staring so closely at coral shows you the tiny nuances in a space that might be tempting to generalize. Some tentacles longer, some shorter. Some polyps healthy, some bleached. Shaped by circumstances. Not entirely unlike us. #ItsAHardCoralLife

Reflections from the Deep Transect with @earthcolab
#ocean #coral #polyps #galaxea #coralreef #underwater macro #olympus

Into the Coralliverse part 3.

In this episode of the Coralliverse we travel into the tentacled world of Galaxea, a gorgeous hard coral. Coral reefs are very often - by this person included - thought of as ecosystems. We often forget that they are animals just like the bee outside your house and just like you.

Even in recognising their identity as animals, we often forget that they are colonies of individuals. Groups of animals that are the same but different, working together to get through life. Dealing with natural forces of the ocean that give and take. Dealing with human-induced pressures that mostly just take. Dealing with this guy as he took a picture to put on Instagram.

Staring so closely at coral shows you the tiny nuances in a space that might be tempting to generalize. Some tentacles longer, some shorter. Some polyps healthy, some bleached. Shaped by circumstances. Not entirely unlike us. #ItsAHardCoralLife

Reflections from the Deep Transect with @earthcolab
#ocean #coral #polyps #galaxea #coralreef #underwater macro #olympus

Into the Coralliverse part 2.

It's been nearly two weeks and I'm still seeing sea fans everywhere. It is entirely mind-blowing that an animal can also be an entire ecosystem that gives life to so many things (including this guy's imagination).

Every now and then, a feather star perched atop a sea fan served a welcome reminder to take a close look like we did in the previous post. In the next post, we'll take a closer look at the other lives intertwined with soft coral.

For now, just take a moment to let these sea fans grow branches into your mind. #SheSeesSeaFansOnTheSeaBed

Missing the seafans and the company! @missingfromschool @kish @sushmithareddyphotography
@swatcantsingh @lakshmirammohan @square_zebra @zahidans1 @sheroschipper @silviacarera and Mannew
Diving with @fathudives

Reflections from the Deep Transect with @earthcolab

#softcoral #seafans #gorgonia #coralreef #maldives #dhangethi #underwaterphotography #olympustg

Into the Coralliverse part 2.

It's been nearly two weeks and I'm still seeing sea fans everywhere. It is entirely mind-blowing that an animal can also be an entire ecosystem that gives life to so many things (including this guy's imagination).

Every now and then, a feather star perched atop a sea fan served a welcome reminder to take a close look like we did in the previous post. In the next post, we'll take a closer look at the other lives intertwined with soft coral.

For now, just take a moment to let these sea fans grow branches into your mind. #SheSeesSeaFansOnTheSeaBed

Missing the seafans and the company! @missingfromschool @kish @sushmithareddyphotography
@swatcantsingh @lakshmirammohan @square_zebra @zahidans1 @sheroschipper @silviacarera and Mannew
Diving with @fathudives

Reflections from the Deep Transect with @earthcolab

#softcoral #seafans #gorgonia #coralreef #maldives #dhangethi #underwaterphotography #olympustg

Into the Coralliverse Part 1 🪸

Last week we dived into a spectacular oceanscape - a space inhabited by so much soft coral, you can almost feel their branches growing into your mind.

Before we look at their habitat in the next post, here's an intimate look at the resident architects of this space.

Individual polyps on a network of calcium housing projects. Rush hour comes when strong currents carrying nutrients flow through their architecture. The soft flexible residential colonies bend with the current ensuring the mighty forces of the ocean flow through their communities without causing harm. They are strong because they are soft. Successful because they aren't rigid. And beautiful because they just are. #iSpyWithMyLittleEye #Fractals

Reflections from the Deep Transect with @earthcolab 🌊

#softcoral#coral#fancoral#coralreef#atoll#maldives#dhangethi#island#ecology#currents#marine#ocean#ecosystem#underwater#expedition#photography#tg6#olympus#WorldWaterDay

Into the Coralliverse Part 1 🪸

Last week we dived into a spectacular oceanscape - a space inhabited by so much soft coral, you can almost feel their branches growing into your mind.

Before we look at their habitat in the next post, here's an intimate look at the resident architects of this space.

Individual polyps on a network of calcium housing projects. Rush hour comes when strong currents carrying nutrients flow through their architecture. The soft flexible residential colonies bend with the current ensuring the mighty forces of the ocean flow through their communities without causing harm. They are strong because they are soft. Successful because they aren't rigid. And beautiful because they just are. #iSpyWithMyLittleEye #Fractals

Reflections from the Deep Transect with @earthcolab 🌊

#softcoral#coral#fancoral#coralreef#atoll#maldives#dhangethi#island#ecology#currents#marine#ocean#ecosystem#underwater#expedition#photography#tg6#olympus#WorldWaterDay

"Spring tides (bada paani) are always special - during these particular low tides the ocean sighs deeply - pulling the water further away than normal, in a solemn retreat. Somewhere we feel drawn too — the moon is tugging at all of us.

I am accompanying Priya and her students today, two of them - Rajeshwari (class 8) and Dinesh (class 9). The brother and sister duo live on this shore. These children - these uncomplicated philosophers - are the island’s true keepers. To them, the sea is not just a backdrop of water and salt - it is home, a playground, a classroom all at once.

The tidepools, glisten under the sun, as the children pick their spots and crouch to take a closer look."

******

We are honoured to have @archaeosaratops and @aurora_hues share their reflections with us for our @spidersandthsea blog post this month!

Read about their adventures exploring their own intertidal backyard in this riveting photostory.

Head to the link in our bio! 🦀

#intertidal#intertidalzone#havelock#andaman#andamanandnicobar#islands#india#rockyshore#beach#tidal#lunar#experiantia#learning#outdoors

"Spring tides (bada paani) are always special - during these particular low tides the ocean sighs deeply - pulling the water further away than normal, in a solemn retreat. Somewhere we feel drawn too — the moon is tugging at all of us.

I am accompanying Priya and her students today, two of them - Rajeshwari (class 8) and Dinesh (class 9). The brother and sister duo live on this shore. These children - these uncomplicated philosophers - are the island’s true keepers. To them, the sea is not just a backdrop of water and salt - it is home, a playground, a classroom all at once.

The tidepools, glisten under the sun, as the children pick their spots and crouch to take a closer look."

******

We are honoured to have @archaeosaratops and @aurora_hues share their reflections with us for our @spidersandthsea blog post this month!

Read about their adventures exploring their own intertidal backyard in this riveting photostory.

Head to the link in our bio! 🦀

#intertidal#intertidalzone#havelock#andaman#andamanandnicobar#islands#india#rockyshore#beach#tidal#lunar#experiantia#learning#outdoors

The coming together of things.
@rgsustain is one of the nicest storytelling platforms around. The wonderful young minds at @parikrma_foundation are among the nicest listeners we've met. We had the pleasure of bringing them together earlier this week by screening stunning natural history films shot in Karnataka's lesser-known spaces. Children from grade 5 to 9 watched short films featuring mud bathing hornbills, bouncing blackbucks, the grassy landscapes of Koppal and the rocky hills of Daroji. The thoughtfully woven stories also incorporated the complexities of human interaction within these spaces.

The students sparked off wonderful discussions about colouration in flamingoes, the importance of grasslands, and even blissfully digressed to digestive processes in snakes. Thank you @rgsustain and thank you @parikrma_foundation for letting us be in the middle of this wonderful exchange. 🪴

#film #screening#storytelling#education#awareness#india#ecology#wildlifeofindia #karnataka#incredibleindia #school#evs#environment

The coming together of things.
@rgsustain is one of the nicest storytelling platforms around. The wonderful young minds at @parikrma_foundation are among the nicest listeners we've met. We had the pleasure of bringing them together earlier this week by screening stunning natural history films shot in Karnataka's lesser-known spaces. Children from grade 5 to 9 watched short films featuring mud bathing hornbills, bouncing blackbucks, the grassy landscapes of Koppal and the rocky hills of Daroji. The thoughtfully woven stories also incorporated the complexities of human interaction within these spaces.

The students sparked off wonderful discussions about colouration in flamingoes, the importance of grasslands, and even blissfully digressed to digestive processes in snakes. Thank you @rgsustain and thank you @parikrma_foundation for letting us be in the middle of this wonderful exchange. 🪴

#film #screening#storytelling#education#awareness#india#ecology#wildlifeofindia #karnataka#incredibleindia #school#evs#environment

🐦🐝Urban Nature Walks for Beginners 🕷️🌿

Folks! We are thrilled to be doing a walk at one our favourite lakes in Bengaluru after many months.
Summer is seemingly setting in the city earlier than expected. We are hoping to step out early this Saturday to look for birds, insects, spiders and other living beings that are out and about during this transition period.

We hope folks especially in the eastern parts of the city will be able to join us for this one!

Deets 🗓️

Date- 1st March (Saturday)
Time - 7am to 9am
Age group - 12 years and above
Program fee - ₹1200 per person (incl. GST)

We have a maximum group size of 10 people for this walk. Do get in touch and book your spot soon! 🦋

Drop us a message here or WhatsApp us at 6364076683

Warmly,
Chetana & John

Thank you Meghal for this awesome photo!

#nature#naturewalk#bengaluru#bangalore#birds#insects#spiders#birding#ecology#naturalist#natureconnect#learning#urban#wild#city#wildlife#wildlifeofindia #migratory #seasons

🐦🐝Urban Nature Walks for Beginners 🕷️🌿

Folks! We are thrilled to be doing a walk at one our favourite lakes in Bengaluru after many months.
Summer is seemingly setting in the city earlier than expected. We are hoping to step out early this Saturday to look for birds, insects, spiders and other living beings that are out and about during this transition period.

We hope folks especially in the eastern parts of the city will be able to join us for this one!

Deets 🗓️

Date- 1st March (Saturday)
Time - 7am to 9am
Age group - 12 years and above
Program fee - ₹1200 per person (incl. GST)

We have a maximum group size of 10 people for this walk. Do get in touch and book your spot soon! 🦋

Drop us a message here or WhatsApp us at 6364076683

Warmly,
Chetana & John

Thank you Meghal for this awesome photo!

#nature#naturewalk#bengaluru#bangalore#birds#insects#spiders#birding#ecology#naturalist#natureconnect#learning#urban#wild#city#wildlife#wildlifeofindia #migratory #seasons

🥁Our blog is alive again🥁 Brought to life by none other than @archaeosaratops.

Sarah is many wonderful things. Geneticist, pastry chef, meticulous naturalist and many other things that may otherwise be hard to fit in one person. Among those many things, she is a dear friend.

This #greatbackyardbirdcount she documented her birding adventures so vividly that it felt like we were in Hyderabad watching birds with her. Head to our blog to read Sarah's chronicles and get lost in her art to feel like you too spent 3 mornings in the company of wings!

Link in our bio. 🔗

#birds #greatbackyardbirdcount #Birdwatching
#india#ecology#nature#urban#lake#Biodiversity #hyderabad #RediscoverNature #sustaincommunity #ebird

🥁Our blog is alive again🥁 Brought to life by none other than @archaeosaratops.

Sarah is many wonderful things. Geneticist, pastry chef, meticulous naturalist and many other things that may otherwise be hard to fit in one person. Among those many things, she is a dear friend.

This #greatbackyardbirdcount she documented her birding adventures so vividly that it felt like we were in Hyderabad watching birds with her. Head to our blog to read Sarah's chronicles and get lost in her art to feel like you too spent 3 mornings in the company of wings!

Link in our bio. 🔗

#birds #greatbackyardbirdcount #Birdwatching
#india#ecology#nature#urban#lake#Biodiversity #hyderabad #RediscoverNature #sustaincommunity #ebird

Ever get the feeling you're being watched?

I admittedly stopped to simply stare at this gorgeous soft coral. Suddenly some of the soft white coral got up and floated to another branch like Keanu Reeves in the matrix.

It took moving closer and squinting to see a small aggregation of translucent gorgonian shrimp. In hindsight, seeing @sidraju vehemently signal shrimp might've been some sort of clue. The good news was that the shrimp's defensive strategies were working.

Translucent gorgonian shrimp are commensals that live on soft coral where their see-through bodies render them virtually invisible to most predators. Even the bright red midline running through their bodies merge convincingly with the coral branches. #Shrimpressive

#gorgonian #softcoral #shrimp #translucentshrimp #marinelife #marinelifeofindia #Andaman #commensalism
#camouflage #coral #coralreef

Ever get the feeling you're being watched?

I admittedly stopped to simply stare at this gorgeous soft coral. Suddenly some of the soft white coral got up and floated to another branch like Keanu Reeves in the matrix.

It took moving closer and squinting to see a small aggregation of translucent gorgonian shrimp. In hindsight, seeing @sidraju vehemently signal shrimp might've been some sort of clue. The good news was that the shrimp's defensive strategies were working.

Translucent gorgonian shrimp are commensals that live on soft coral where their see-through bodies render them virtually invisible to most predators. Even the bright red midline running through their bodies merge convincingly with the coral branches. #Shrimpressive

#gorgonian #softcoral #shrimp #translucentshrimp #marinelife #marinelifeofindia #Andaman #commensalism
#camouflage #coral #coralreef

Hawk eagles and canopy cacophony.

Sundays are for nostalgia and I find myself wandering to a memory from my time living in the Nilgiris. We were resting somewhere along a forest trail. Valley in front and a hill behind us. Suddenly the air was thick with alarm calls. Langurs hooted, malabar giant squirrels clicked and birds went berserk.

First, there was excitement that a predator might show itself. Then there was a bit of nervousness at the alarm calls steadily moving towards us until we were engulfed in sounds of panic and caution. Still no predator in sight. All because I was looking in the wrong direction. I only needed to look up. The changeable hawk eagle is a magnificent sight to behold (especially up close). Its size, fancy feather crest and nonchalance make you feel very small. After a few minutes of open-mouthed staring, I walked away. The hawk eagle sat there without bothering to even give me a second look, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. #ChangeableFeelings

#ChangeableHawkEagle #Eagle #Nisaetus #BirdsofPrey #Raptor #Predator #BirdsofIndia #BirdsofTamilNadu
#indianwildlife #indianbirds

Hawk eagles and canopy cacophony.

Sundays are for nostalgia and I find myself wandering to a memory from my time living in the Nilgiris. We were resting somewhere along a forest trail. Valley in front and a hill behind us. Suddenly the air was thick with alarm calls. Langurs hooted, malabar giant squirrels clicked and birds went berserk.

First, there was excitement that a predator might show itself. Then there was a bit of nervousness at the alarm calls steadily moving towards us until we were engulfed in sounds of panic and caution. Still no predator in sight. All because I was looking in the wrong direction. I only needed to look up. The changeable hawk eagle is a magnificent sight to behold (especially up close). Its size, fancy feather crest and nonchalance make you feel very small. After a few minutes of open-mouthed staring, I walked away. The hawk eagle sat there without bothering to even give me a second look, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. #ChangeableFeelings

#ChangeableHawkEagle #Eagle #Nisaetus #BirdsofPrey #Raptor #Predator #BirdsofIndia #BirdsofTamilNadu
#indianwildlife #indianbirds

Two primates and an Ailanthus defoliator moth.

It began with a strange 'lichen bump' on the trunk of an areca palm(3rd picture). As curious primates, we let our instincts guide us - we gently brushed it with a finger. The lichen-but-not-lichen vibrated like a rattlesnake carrying loose change for the bus - a cocoon perhaps?

A few days of regular checks and we finally watched the emergence of this remarkably clever camo-cocooner. A scan of other areca palms in the area and we found the caterpillar too. The bright yellow conspicuity is okay as long as you have spiky defenses. But when it's time to transform, the safest thing to do is become a near-perfect patch of lichen.

#metamorphosis #moth #ailanthus #caterpillar #transformation #insects #insectsofindia #mothsofindia #macrophotography

Two primates and an Ailanthus defoliator moth.

It began with a strange 'lichen bump' on the trunk of an areca palm(3rd picture). As curious primates, we let our instincts guide us - we gently brushed it with a finger. The lichen-but-not-lichen vibrated like a rattlesnake carrying loose change for the bus - a cocoon perhaps?

A few days of regular checks and we finally watched the emergence of this remarkably clever camo-cocooner. A scan of other areca palms in the area and we found the caterpillar too. The bright yellow conspicuity is okay as long as you have spiky defenses. But when it's time to transform, the safest thing to do is become a near-perfect patch of lichen.

#metamorphosis #moth #ailanthus #caterpillar #transformation #insects #insectsofindia #mothsofindia #macrophotography

If you have yet to visit a coral reef, let me tell you, the underwater screensavers on your computer do not exaggerate. Despite the frequent and intense episodes of coral bleaching that have been taking place, postcard-perfect coral reefs still exist in a few parts of the world. Brilliantly coloured corals growing in three-dimensional staircases. making you feel like you are seated in an amphitheatre watching schools of fish dancing to Four Seasons by Vivaldi.

This was exactly how I imagined coral reefs to be after cursory research before my dive course in the Andaman Islands in 2013. The reefs I saw during my first dives were quite far from the visuals I had painted in my mind.
Instead of rich arenas of coral, I witnessed graveyards of coral. Interlocking pieces of twig-like coral fragments lined the ocean floor, covered with a thick, fuzzy layer of algae. There were still many live and vibrant corals, but I could not ignore the scale of coral death. We were diving in an ocean that only three years earlier had experienced one of the worst episodes of coral bleaching recorded in human history at the time.

Despite the coral bleaching, I was immediately in love. It was still the most beautiful space I had ever seen, and swimming weightlessly with fish made me feel accepted by the ocean. Of the different corals known to live in the waters of the Andamans, the ones that I found markedly missing were the branching kinds of Acropora. To see a vast, endless patch of live branching coral became a personal bucket-list item.

In 2021 I finally got to witness seemingly endless fields of Acropora at a dive site I loved dearly in Havelock Island. Are they here to stay? I'm not sure.

Here are images of Nemo reef from March 2024, about a month before the sea surface touched 31 degrees and these corals began to bleach again. Read our full story about the gorgeous Acropora for @rgsustain. 🔗 In bio 🪸

#coral #coralreef#andaman#havelock#india#nature#underwater#ecology#ocean#warming#bleaching #climatechange #education

If you have yet to visit a coral reef, let me tell you, the underwater screensavers on your computer do not exaggerate. Despite the frequent and intense episodes of coral bleaching that have been taking place, postcard-perfect coral reefs still exist in a few parts of the world. Brilliantly coloured corals growing in three-dimensional staircases. making you feel like you are seated in an amphitheatre watching schools of fish dancing to Four Seasons by Vivaldi.

This was exactly how I imagined coral reefs to be after cursory research before my dive course in the Andaman Islands in 2013. The reefs I saw during my first dives were quite far from the visuals I had painted in my mind.
Instead of rich arenas of coral, I witnessed graveyards of coral. Interlocking pieces of twig-like coral fragments lined the ocean floor, covered with a thick, fuzzy layer of algae. There were still many live and vibrant corals, but I could not ignore the scale of coral death. We were diving in an ocean that only three years earlier had experienced one of the worst episodes of coral bleaching recorded in human history at the time.

Despite the coral bleaching, I was immediately in love. It was still the most beautiful space I had ever seen, and swimming weightlessly with fish made me feel accepted by the ocean. Of the different corals known to live in the waters of the Andamans, the ones that I found markedly missing were the branching kinds of Acropora. To see a vast, endless patch of live branching coral became a personal bucket-list item.

In 2021 I finally got to witness seemingly endless fields of Acropora at a dive site I loved dearly in Havelock Island. Are they here to stay? I'm not sure.

Here are images of Nemo reef from March 2024, about a month before the sea surface touched 31 degrees and these corals began to bleach again. Read our full story about the gorgeous Acropora for @rgsustain. 🔗 In bio 🪸

#coral #coralreef#andaman#havelock#india#nature#underwater#ecology#ocean#warming#bleaching #climatechange #education

Wolf spiders, mangrove flowers and surface tension.

I have seen wolf spiders in pretty much every habitat I have been. And yet, when Chetana and I met the shiny-eyed hunters casually walking on water in the mangroves of @aquaoutback , we were left a bit starry-eyed ourselves.

Watching them with your naked eyes is mind-blowing enough but a zoomed in view throws light on the magic.The subtle bend in the surface of the water around the spider's legs, the tiny mangrove flowers resting beneath the same surface is a visual poem about surface tension.

#spiders #wolfspider #spidersofindia #mangrove #oceans #beach #wildlifephotography #macrophotography #TamilNadu #naturephotography #Ecology #arachnid

Wolf spiders, mangrove flowers and surface tension.

I have seen wolf spiders in pretty much every habitat I have been. And yet, when Chetana and I met the shiny-eyed hunters casually walking on water in the mangroves of @aquaoutback , we were left a bit starry-eyed ourselves.

Watching them with your naked eyes is mind-blowing enough but a zoomed in view throws light on the magic.The subtle bend in the surface of the water around the spider's legs, the tiny mangrove flowers resting beneath the same surface is a visual poem about surface tension.

#spiders #wolfspider #spidersofindia #mangrove #oceans #beach #wildlifephotography #macrophotography #TamilNadu #naturephotography #Ecology #arachnid

Our year in a { very small } showcase of children's notes.

Our year in a { very small } showcase of children's notes.

Our year in {a very small batch of} group photos. Looking back at these images, it's hard to believe it all happened in one year. We are grateful to be able to spend so much of our time outdoors, in nature, exchanging stories, laughter and learning with loving and kind humans of all ages.🥰

What will we remember most about our journey this year? The togetherness 🌸

Turns out there's a photo tagging limit-
@rohangeorge @earthcolab @aquaoutback @sahilkhanna496 @shifali.khanna.9803 @liana_forest_school @gerry_tlt @shwethajit @nanjaninja @earthschoolbangalore @elc.india @ncbs_bangalore @saahixo_ @ginchumariam @sumaiyasaifi_24 @parikrma_foundation @_.shiishaa._ @purnimap30 @barefoot_indian @ft.nikhy @bhavish23.r @preethyraopatel @mitskiesque 🦋🙌🏿🫶🏿🐦

Our year in {a very small batch of} group photos. Looking back at these images, it's hard to believe it all happened in one year. We are grateful to be able to spend so much of our time outdoors, in nature, exchanging stories, laughter and learning with loving and kind humans of all ages.🥰

What will we remember most about our journey this year? The togetherness 🌸

Turns out there's a photo tagging limit-
@rohangeorge @earthcolab @aquaoutback @sahilkhanna496 @shifali.khanna.9803 @liana_forest_school @gerry_tlt @shwethajit @nanjaninja @earthschoolbangalore @elc.india @ncbs_bangalore @saahixo_ @ginchumariam @sumaiyasaifi_24 @parikrma_foundation @_.shiishaa._ @purnimap30 @barefoot_indian @ft.nikhy @bhavish23.r @preethyraopatel @mitskiesque 🦋🙌🏿🫶🏿🐦

Meet Crabina. It's been a while since I've been hopelessly smitten by a spider. This little crab spider lives somewhere between the curved hooks of this succulent we scavenged some years ago. Every time I walk up or down the stairs, I say hi and see how she's doing.

It's been more than a month since Crabina moved into this plant and she has created her own egg sac on it now. Soon our garden will be filled with her babies. Tiny pearl-white spiders with come-hug-me poses and I can't wait to meet them. Would you like us to keep you posted on the latest happenings in Crabina's life?

#crab#spider#garden#urban#nature#macro#photography#wildlife#ecology#observe#arachnid#city#jungle#india#bengaluru

Meet Crabina. It's been a while since I've been hopelessly smitten by a spider. This little crab spider lives somewhere between the curved hooks of this succulent we scavenged some years ago. Every time I walk up or down the stairs, I say hi and see how she's doing.

It's been more than a month since Crabina moved into this plant and she has created her own egg sac on it now. Soon our garden will be filled with her babies. Tiny pearl-white spiders with come-hug-me poses and I can't wait to meet them. Would you like us to keep you posted on the latest happenings in Crabina's life?

#crab#spider#garden#urban#nature#macro#photography#wildlife#ecology#observe#arachnid#city#jungle#india#bengaluru

A cold winter morning spent in the warm company of trees, shrubs, grasses, reeds, seeds, seasonal flowers and most every hue of leaf! We leisurely sat, played, examined, slept, explored, strolled, meditated, and stood on our heads.
This has been the such a wonderful way of bringing together a year of Nature & Me with these young Gubbachis at @gubbachi.org.in 🍃

Already counting down the months to June 2025!

Thank you dear teachers for making all this possible ! 🌸💞

Images by @sumaiyasaifi_24
And @saahixo_ 😍
#nature#learning#school#fieldtrip#CubbonPark #trees#plants#explore#explorer#seasons#education#outdoor#experiential#peace

A cold winter morning spent in the warm company of trees, shrubs, grasses, reeds, seeds, seasonal flowers and most every hue of leaf! We leisurely sat, played, examined, slept, explored, strolled, meditated, and stood on our heads.
This has been the such a wonderful way of bringing together a year of Nature & Me with these young Gubbachis at @gubbachi.org.in 🍃

Already counting down the months to June 2025!

Thank you dear teachers for making all this possible ! 🌸💞

Images by @sumaiyasaifi_24
And @saahixo_ 😍
#nature#learning#school#fieldtrip#CubbonPark #trees#plants#explore#explorer#seasons#education#outdoor#experiential#peace

Metamorphosis in the city: A lady beetle emerges from its larval shell in the last place you might expect.

Cities are fascinating places to observe nature. Resilience and adaptability take centre stage in these spaces - where real estate isn't easily accessible. With natural spaces being turned into human infrastructure, some animals like this metallic blue lady beetle seem to make lemonade when life gives them concrete and steel.

This little beetle had gone through its entire larval stage on the underside of an electric junction box. And here it was finally emerging to live the rest of its life in India's IT capital.

#ladybird #ladybeetle #beetle #coleoptera #natureinthecity #urbanwild #rgsustain#natgeo#india#bangalorebiodiversity #NammaBengaluru #ladybug#gkvk#park#outdoors#nature#naturewalk#community

Metamorphosis in the city: A lady beetle emerges from its larval shell in the last place you might expect.

Cities are fascinating places to observe nature. Resilience and adaptability take centre stage in these spaces - where real estate isn't easily accessible. With natural spaces being turned into human infrastructure, some animals like this metallic blue lady beetle seem to make lemonade when life gives them concrete and steel.

This little beetle had gone through its entire larval stage on the underside of an electric junction box. And here it was finally emerging to live the rest of its life in India's IT capital.

#ladybird #ladybeetle #beetle #coleoptera #natureinthecity #urbanwild #rgsustain#natgeo#india#bangalorebiodiversity #NammaBengaluru #ladybug#gkvk#park#outdoors#nature#naturewalk#community

Fantastic hunting sequences.

On a morning exploring the bustling-with-biodiversity Puttenahalli Lake in J. P. Nagar we met this ambitious jumping spider to the right. She was trying to hunt down the long-jawed orb weaver you see on the left. What's absolutely remarkable was that the jumping spider was pursuing the orb-weaver on a line of the orb-weaver's silk. The whole stalking exercise only lasted about 30 seconds. But time feels dilated when you have your heart in your mouth.

We're going to do a spider-themed nature walk at Puttenahalli this Saturday (Nov 9) with @thegreenersidebyechoes and @echoesofearthfestival Come join us if you enjoy sensations such as a blown mind and a heart in the mouth. 🕷️

DM us for the registration link.

#spider#nature#walk#weekend#plans#saturday#outdoors#wild#photo#wildlife#ecology#education#macro#micro#lake#bangalore#natgeo#bbc#india

Fantastic hunting sequences.

On a morning exploring the bustling-with-biodiversity Puttenahalli Lake in J. P. Nagar we met this ambitious jumping spider to the right. She was trying to hunt down the long-jawed orb weaver you see on the left. What's absolutely remarkable was that the jumping spider was pursuing the orb-weaver on a line of the orb-weaver's silk. The whole stalking exercise only lasted about 30 seconds. But time feels dilated when you have your heart in your mouth.

We're going to do a spider-themed nature walk at Puttenahalli this Saturday (Nov 9) with @thegreenersidebyechoes and @echoesofearthfestival Come join us if you enjoy sensations such as a blown mind and a heart in the mouth. 🕷️

DM us for the registration link.

#spider#nature#walk#weekend#plans#saturday#outdoors#wild#photo#wildlife#ecology#education#macro#micro#lake#bangalore#natgeo#bbc#india

It's been 5 years since we started this page as a way to share our observations of the natural world. It's been 4 years since we started our enterprise, with online classes on spiders and marine life being the first things we did. It's been about 11 years of friendship, exploring the world together and learning each other's quirks along the way. Here's what we've gathered so far!

Unintroduction to John by Chetana

Someone once told us that before they met John, when all their communication with him was over email, they had imagined him to be a retired manager in his 70s. John is kind, polite and his emails are extremely well formatted. He has an eidetic memory, which means he has a story, a fact, a song and a meme ready for the telling at every occasion. I feel this ability brings in a richness to our walks that is hard to replicate. Still, he spends a surprising amount of his time trying to remember why he walked into or out of a room. He taught himself how to swim by following the instructions on a PDF. And if there is anywhere he could be today, he would probably choose to be underwater swimming alongside a boxfish. When he isn't following a line of spider silk or playing the guitar, you can find him in a quiet corner deeply invested in the Microsoft Excel World Championships.

Unintroduction to Chetana by John
Chetana alias Chutney has a superpower unlike any other, the ability to give any situation enough context for a small novel. What's interesting about her superpower is the driving force behind it - thoughtfulness. In any situation, work or otherwise, Chetana is deeply invested in the well-being of those around her. This made her a fantastic dive professional and now makes her a caring gardener and a wonderful educator. Dogs, I suppose, can sense thoughtfulness in a person because they love her. Her reciprocal love for dogs, however, seems to block out her sense of smell - she is a connoisseur of doggy breath.

Image taken with the aid of a twig tripod in 2016 #Andamans.

It's been 5 years since we started this page as a way to share our observations of the natural world. It's been 4 years since we started our enterprise, with online classes on spiders and marine life being the first things we did. It's been about 11 years of friendship, exploring the world together and learning each other's quirks along the way. Here's what we've gathered so far!

Unintroduction to John by Chetana

Someone once told us that before they met John, when all their communication with him was over email, they had imagined him to be a retired manager in his 70s. John is kind, polite and his emails are extremely well formatted. He has an eidetic memory, which means he has a story, a fact, a song and a meme ready for the telling at every occasion. I feel this ability brings in a richness to our walks that is hard to replicate. Still, he spends a surprising amount of his time trying to remember why he walked into or out of a room. He taught himself how to swim by following the instructions on a PDF. And if there is anywhere he could be today, he would probably choose to be underwater swimming alongside a boxfish. When he isn't following a line of spider silk or playing the guitar, you can find him in a quiet corner deeply invested in the Microsoft Excel World Championships.

Unintroduction to Chetana by John
Chetana alias Chutney has a superpower unlike any other, the ability to give any situation enough context for a small novel. What's interesting about her superpower is the driving force behind it - thoughtfulness. In any situation, work or otherwise, Chetana is deeply invested in the well-being of those around her. This made her a fantastic dive professional and now makes her a caring gardener and a wonderful educator. Dogs, I suppose, can sense thoughtfulness in a person because they love her. Her reciprocal love for dogs, however, seems to block out her sense of smell - she is a connoisseur of doggy breath.

Image taken with the aid of a twig tripod in 2016 #Andamans.

How often can you say you spotted a cicada from across the road?! We were on a lethargic morning stroll one day in Wandoor in the height of the April summer. That's when we spotted something so deeply and richly red on a tree by a pond in the distance, wondering 🤯Is it a flower? Is it bleeding? Are we hallucinating in this heat?
As we got closer, and a few gasps later we realised that we were just in time (of day and season!) to witness the emergence of a scarlet cicada ❤️

#Huechys#cicada#insect#emergence#metamorphosis#exuvia#andaman#andamannicobarislands #ecology#nature#animal#photography#naturephoto#wildlife#macro#natgeo#yourshotphotographer

How often can you say you spotted a cicada from across the road?! We were on a lethargic morning stroll one day in Wandoor in the height of the April summer. That's when we spotted something so deeply and richly red on a tree by a pond in the distance, wondering 🤯Is it a flower? Is it bleeding? Are we hallucinating in this heat?
As we got closer, and a few gasps later we realised that we were just in time (of day and season!) to witness the emergence of a scarlet cicada ❤️

#Huechys#cicada#insect#emergence#metamorphosis#exuvia#andaman#andamannicobarislands #ecology#nature#animal#photography#naturephoto#wildlife#macro#natgeo#yourshotphotographer

I'm squinting at this weird blob, confused, running through guesses like, 'Is this a kind of jellyfish? A salp? An alien?' Back on the boat, I learn it's a tunicate. It was like Marine Biology 101 all over again.
---@rahuldemello

Despite knowing about them through books and videos, encountering a large colonial pyrosome floating towards you in the wild begins with a 🤯 moment, followed by recognition and awe. And a modicum of eeriness.
This 6 foot long beauty emerged out of the midwater blue after we had begun our ascent from a wreck off Pondicherry. With no bottom in sight, and no points of reference in the water column around us, its true size as it drifted towards us was a beautiful example of some of the uncanny encounters divers can have just floating in the blue.
The "colonial intelligence" of these creatures, and their need and ability to work together towards a more secure life cycle is something that fascinates me.
---@umeed.mistry

Being a drifter in the ocean, is not necessarily a bad thing. “Not all who wander are lost,” remember? Nearly three-fourths of the Earth is covered by the ocean. More than half of this is a vast, deep, open ocean with no sea floor, structures, or shelter in sight. A seemingly endless azure gradually transitions into a deeper blue until it slowly turns into darkness at the bottom of the ocean. In such an environment, resources are sparse and scattered. For a very large group of organisms in the ocean, wandering is a way of life. Read our story for @rgsustain about pyrosomes, salps, jellies and other marine animals who spend most of their lives going with the flow! Link in our bio.

Thank you for sharing these images and your first thoughts upon stumbling upon this beautiful creature Rahul and Umeed! 💙🙌🏿

#tunicate#pyrosome#marine#animal#creature#colony#togetherness#india#bayofbengal#bizarre#nature#photo#wildlife#photography #notsomacro #blue#ocean#underwater#ecology#wanderer#wanderlust

I'm squinting at this weird blob, confused, running through guesses like, 'Is this a kind of jellyfish? A salp? An alien?' Back on the boat, I learn it's a tunicate. It was like Marine Biology 101 all over again.
---@rahuldemello

Despite knowing about them through books and videos, encountering a large colonial pyrosome floating towards you in the wild begins with a 🤯 moment, followed by recognition and awe. And a modicum of eeriness.
This 6 foot long beauty emerged out of the midwater blue after we had begun our ascent from a wreck off Pondicherry. With no bottom in sight, and no points of reference in the water column around us, its true size as it drifted towards us was a beautiful example of some of the uncanny encounters divers can have just floating in the blue.
The "colonial intelligence" of these creatures, and their need and ability to work together towards a more secure life cycle is something that fascinates me.
---@umeed.mistry

Being a drifter in the ocean, is not necessarily a bad thing. “Not all who wander are lost,” remember? Nearly three-fourths of the Earth is covered by the ocean. More than half of this is a vast, deep, open ocean with no sea floor, structures, or shelter in sight. A seemingly endless azure gradually transitions into a deeper blue until it slowly turns into darkness at the bottom of the ocean. In such an environment, resources are sparse and scattered. For a very large group of organisms in the ocean, wandering is a way of life. Read our story for @rgsustain about pyrosomes, salps, jellies and other marine animals who spend most of their lives going with the flow! Link in our bio.

Thank you for sharing these images and your first thoughts upon stumbling upon this beautiful creature Rahul and Umeed! 💙🙌🏿

#tunicate#pyrosome#marine#animal#creature#colony#togetherness#india#bayofbengal#bizarre#nature#photo#wildlife#photography #notsomacro #blue#ocean#underwater#ecology#wanderer#wanderlust

From larvae to lasers, today has been a wholesome day @gubbachi.org.in
In the first half of the morning we set out to see if we can do what it takes to turn kitchen waste into soil, getting to know some beautiful decomposers along the way.

We also asked- ants scuttle, water flows but what does light do? Collectively reasoning that light is essential to nature and how humans see the world around them.

We are grateful for each day that we get to spend time with these children 😭❤️

Thank you dear teachers @ginchumariam @sumaiyasaifi_24 @saahixo_ for supporting us and taking the most amazing photos and videos. 🌸

#nature#education#earth#science#light#physics#humans#world#STEM#reflection#refraction#bengaluru#india

From larvae to lasers, today has been a wholesome day @gubbachi.org.in
In the first half of the morning we set out to see if we can do what it takes to turn kitchen waste into soil, getting to know some beautiful decomposers along the way.

We also asked- ants scuttle, water flows but what does light do? Collectively reasoning that light is essential to nature and how humans see the world around them.

We are grateful for each day that we get to spend time with these children 😭❤️

Thank you dear teachers @ginchumariam @sumaiyasaifi_24 @saahixo_ for supporting us and taking the most amazing photos and videos. 🌸

#nature#education#earth#science#light#physics#humans#world#STEM#reflection#refraction#bengaluru#india

A limpet, an oyster and a snail walk into a bar(nacle).

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of talking about intertidal zones with a wonderful group of people brought together by @indiasnature1

We looked at how a celestial conspiracy between the sun, moon and earth results in the creation of these phenomenal ecosystems. Before diving into the fantastic organisms that inhabit these spaces, we looked at the forces that shape these systems, powerful things like waves and powerful things like limpet teeth - invariably starting our exploration of intertidal inhabitants.

Limpets like the one in this picture have teeth that help them scrape rocks for a nice meal of algae. Their dental rock scrapers, scientists have found, are the strongest biological material on earth - with a combination of hardness and tensile strength they are far stronger than steel and can withstand pressures that turn carbon to diamonds.

This bustling scenery of a limpet alongside an oyster and a group of barnacles is from one of the many stunning intertidal zones at @aquaoutback

#intertidal #intertide #rockpools #intertidalzone #limpet #snail #gastropod #tides #nature #mollusc #oyster #underwater #olympustg6 #india #naturephotography #nature #beach #seaside #macrophotography

A limpet, an oyster and a snail walk into a bar(nacle).

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of talking about intertidal zones with a wonderful group of people brought together by @indiasnature1

We looked at how a celestial conspiracy between the sun, moon and earth results in the creation of these phenomenal ecosystems. Before diving into the fantastic organisms that inhabit these spaces, we looked at the forces that shape these systems, powerful things like waves and powerful things like limpet teeth - invariably starting our exploration of intertidal inhabitants.

Limpets like the one in this picture have teeth that help them scrape rocks for a nice meal of algae. Their dental rock scrapers, scientists have found, are the strongest biological material on earth - with a combination of hardness and tensile strength they are far stronger than steel and can withstand pressures that turn carbon to diamonds.

This bustling scenery of a limpet alongside an oyster and a group of barnacles is from one of the many stunning intertidal zones at @aquaoutback

#intertidal #intertide #rockpools #intertidalzone #limpet #snail #gastropod #tides #nature #mollusc #oyster #underwater #olympustg6 #india #naturephotography #nature #beach #seaside #macrophotography

Hypnotic Hypselodoris sp.

In July, I spent a wonderful couple of days diving off Rameswaram along with @dhritiman_mukherjee for @rgsustain with @questacademyasia

We saw things that warmed the heart - aggregations of nudibranchs like these Hypselodoris sp. , cuttlefish and bamboo sharks. We also saw things that did less pleasant things to the heart - trawlers too close to shore and corals bleached to the bone.

It is with mixed feelings that I look forward to going back to dive in the palk bay waters. Its waters are filled with natural wonders and startling representations of the impact our species has on the ocean.

Until we meet again, you little sea jujups. #HypselodorisDontLie

#rameswaram #scubadiving #nudibranch #hypselodoris #aggregation #diving #marinelifeofindia #tamilnadu #palkbay

Hypnotic Hypselodoris sp.

In July, I spent a wonderful couple of days diving off Rameswaram along with @dhritiman_mukherjee for @rgsustain with @questacademyasia

We saw things that warmed the heart - aggregations of nudibranchs like these Hypselodoris sp. , cuttlefish and bamboo sharks. We also saw things that did less pleasant things to the heart - trawlers too close to shore and corals bleached to the bone.

It is with mixed feelings that I look forward to going back to dive in the palk bay waters. Its waters are filled with natural wonders and startling representations of the impact our species has on the ocean.

Until we meet again, you little sea jujups. #HypselodorisDontLie

#rameswaram #scubadiving #nudibranch #hypselodoris #aggregation #diving #marinelifeofindia #tamilnadu #palkbay

A chilly day exploring a mossy and mushroomy shola-pine-tea-scape with the warmest and funnest company.
Thank you @sanjaykhanna27867 @shifali.khanna.9803 and @sahilkhanna496 ❤️
#ecology #nature #india #explore #biodiversity #photo #coonoor#nilgiris #walking #outdoors#hike#hiking#westernghats #wildlife#mushroom#fungi#plants

A chilly day exploring a mossy and mushroomy shola-pine-tea-scape with the warmest and funnest company.
Thank you @sanjaykhanna27867 @shifali.khanna.9803 and @sahilkhanna496 ❤️
#ecology #nature #india #explore #biodiversity #photo #coonoor#nilgiris #walking #outdoors#hike#hiking#westernghats #wildlife#mushroom#fungi#plants

The year was 2014, I stood looking utterly confused as a friend tried desperately to show me a rather conspicuous golden oriole that was sitting ‘right there!’ Several ‘birding’ trips, and a better part of the past five years after, I’m slightly better at spotting the not-so-elusive oriole. 😬 If you live in Bengaluru, there’s a good chance that you can relate to this story or know a friend that has become a birder. I’ve witnessed weekend plans evolve from questions about a pub hop to “Have the baya-weavers started nesting yet?” Over the past couple of decades, Bengaluru has been gripped by ‘birding fever’. If you’re one of the lucky ones that caught it, there’s a very good chance you’ve spent a morning looking at birds at the pleasant Hoskote Lake.

As dawn cracks on the glassy body of water, a vast sheet of gold shimmers, revealing silhouettes of hungry beaks that welcome the warmth of the sun with open wings. With a large water body and a healthy marsh on its banks, Hoskote Lake is a haven for wetland birds. Pelicans glide in for a dramatic landing as cormorants spread their wings to catch the first rays of the sun. White-breasted and common kingfishers sit on the banks waiting for an opportune moment to strike while pied kingfishers choose instead to hover in flight to spot their next target. Painted storks wade into ankle-deep waters and pheasant-tailed jacanas move closer to shore.

Read our full story about Hoskote lake @rgsustain. 🔗 In our bio.

Pied kingfisher at Hoskote lake back in 2016 with @alokagloriadsouza !

#pied#kingfisher#bird#birding#nature#lake#bangalore#biodiversity #naturewalk #ecology#freshwater#wetland#river#threats#habitat#india#birdsofkarnataka #birdsofbangalore #birdphotography

The year was 2014, I stood looking utterly confused as a friend tried desperately to show me a rather conspicuous golden oriole that was sitting ‘right there!’ Several ‘birding’ trips, and a better part of the past five years after, I’m slightly better at spotting the not-so-elusive oriole. 😬 If you live in Bengaluru, there’s a good chance that you can relate to this story or know a friend that has become a birder. I’ve witnessed weekend plans evolve from questions about a pub hop to “Have the baya-weavers started nesting yet?” Over the past couple of decades, Bengaluru has been gripped by ‘birding fever’. If you’re one of the lucky ones that caught it, there’s a very good chance you’ve spent a morning looking at birds at the pleasant Hoskote Lake.

As dawn cracks on the glassy body of water, a vast sheet of gold shimmers, revealing silhouettes of hungry beaks that welcome the warmth of the sun with open wings. With a large water body and a healthy marsh on its banks, Hoskote Lake is a haven for wetland birds. Pelicans glide in for a dramatic landing as cormorants spread their wings to catch the first rays of the sun. White-breasted and common kingfishers sit on the banks waiting for an opportune moment to strike while pied kingfishers choose instead to hover in flight to spot their next target. Painted storks wade into ankle-deep waters and pheasant-tailed jacanas move closer to shore.

Read our full story about Hoskote lake @rgsustain. 🔗 In our bio.

Pied kingfisher at Hoskote lake back in 2016 with @alokagloriadsouza !

#pied#kingfisher#bird#birding#nature#lake#bangalore#biodiversity #naturewalk #ecology#freshwater#wetland#river#threats#habitat#india#birdsofkarnataka #birdsofbangalore #birdphotography

Taking the time to compost includes gathering your greens, foraging for browns, and loving your composter!

#khamba #composting#learning#outdoorscience#education#experiential #practice

Taking the time to compost includes gathering your greens, foraging for browns, and loving your composter!

#khamba #composting#learning#outdoorscience#education#experiential #practice

On a jagged mossy rock,
a Reef Egret leans forward,
motionless. As though admiring its own
reflection. A wave breaks against the
rock, sending salt spray and fish towards
the patient hunter. Snap! Fish make their
way into the hungry predator’s mouth.
Binoculars down. Pan out. Two
plainclothes researchers (GK and
Chutney) jump out from behind a fallen
bulletwood tree onto a south Andaman
Island beach.

GK: Whoa! Did that egret just catch a
fish out of the sea? I thought they stick
around forests and fields in the company
of deer and cows.
Chutney: True… but here we are where
forest and sea meet.
And so, when I’m not
diving, I go birding.
GK: I don’t know, I like birding here, but
shore birds are confusing. And frankly I
know nothing about the sea.
Chutney: Learn to dive. It’s a different
world underwater. Corals are ‘rainforests
of the sea’.
GK: Are you serious?
Chutney: I am. Natural selection rules
apply similarly. Plants and animals
exhibit similar adaptations. Safety in
numbers, colour means poison, symbiosis!

🌊🌴

This exchange took place one sunny morning in Wandoor, Andaman, seven years ago. A conversation between two friends on a bird walk gradually turned into a debate over weeks, requiring background research and back and forth emailing. It all eventually culminated into an article for @sanctuaryasia where we compare between and each argue for forests and oceans 🌴 🌊

Drop us a message to read the full story and find out which one of us won the debate!

Pictured here-
A stunning reef to ridge portrait by @umeed.mistry 🕺🏿
A field GK a.k.a Krishna @localconservation and field Chutney a.k.a Chetana.

Thank you @sanctuaryasia for giving this conversation space 💚

#forest#sea#jungle#ocean#nature#ecology#conservation #sanctuary #earth#birds#corals#climatechange #debate#photography #naturewalks#conversation#friends#andaman#andamannicobarislands #india

On a jagged mossy rock,
a Reef Egret leans forward,
motionless. As though admiring its own
reflection. A wave breaks against the
rock, sending salt spray and fish towards
the patient hunter. Snap! Fish make their
way into the hungry predator’s mouth.
Binoculars down. Pan out. Two
plainclothes researchers (GK and
Chutney) jump out from behind a fallen
bulletwood tree onto a south Andaman
Island beach.

GK: Whoa! Did that egret just catch a
fish out of the sea? I thought they stick
around forests and fields in the company
of deer and cows.
Chutney: True… but here we are where
forest and sea meet.
And so, when I’m not
diving, I go birding.
GK: I don’t know, I like birding here, but
shore birds are confusing. And frankly I
know nothing about the sea.
Chutney: Learn to dive. It’s a different
world underwater. Corals are ‘rainforests
of the sea’.
GK: Are you serious?
Chutney: I am. Natural selection rules
apply similarly. Plants and animals
exhibit similar adaptations. Safety in
numbers, colour means poison, symbiosis!

🌊🌴

This exchange took place one sunny morning in Wandoor, Andaman, seven years ago. A conversation between two friends on a bird walk gradually turned into a debate over weeks, requiring background research and back and forth emailing. It all eventually culminated into an article for @sanctuaryasia where we compare between and each argue for forests and oceans 🌴 🌊

Drop us a message to read the full story and find out which one of us won the debate!

Pictured here-
A stunning reef to ridge portrait by @umeed.mistry 🕺🏿
A field GK a.k.a Krishna @localconservation and field Chutney a.k.a Chetana.

Thank you @sanctuaryasia for giving this conversation space 💚

#forest#sea#jungle#ocean#nature#ecology#conservation #sanctuary #earth#birds#corals#climatechange #debate#photography #naturewalks#conversation#friends#andaman#andamannicobarislands #india

A small gliding frog glides into my heart.

Through my time in the Nilgiris, I was used to seeing Rhacophorus malabaricus (Malabar gliding frog) almost everyday during the monsoon so when I walked by this fellow one evening I had to do a double take before noticing the nuances. I put down the food I was carrying, grabbed a torch and saw my first R. lateralis (small gliding frog)! Food got cold but heart was generously warmed. As much as I fully appreciate the wilderness that exists everywhere, every once in a while I do find my mind yearning for the sensory overload that is the Western Ghats. Where frogs that could glide from one plant to another were dinner company.

Perhaps it's time for us to plan a few getaways to experience the inimitable Western Ghats. Have you had unforgettable experiences in the Ghats? Do you have a bucketlist spot in the Ghats that you would like to visit? Let us know in the comments!

#frog#glidingfrog#rhacophorus#westernghats#endemic#iucn#redlist#endangered#ecology#india#southasia#naturephoto#naturephotography#explore#expedition#camping#adventure#naturelovers#love#photography#instagood#photo#travel#travelphotography#nilgiris#tree#herps#amphibian#earthpix

A small gliding frog glides into my heart.

Through my time in the Nilgiris, I was used to seeing Rhacophorus malabaricus (Malabar gliding frog) almost everyday during the monsoon so when I walked by this fellow one evening I had to do a double take before noticing the nuances. I put down the food I was carrying, grabbed a torch and saw my first R. lateralis (small gliding frog)! Food got cold but heart was generously warmed. As much as I fully appreciate the wilderness that exists everywhere, every once in a while I do find my mind yearning for the sensory overload that is the Western Ghats. Where frogs that could glide from one plant to another were dinner company.

Perhaps it's time for us to plan a few getaways to experience the inimitable Western Ghats. Have you had unforgettable experiences in the Ghats? Do you have a bucketlist spot in the Ghats that you would like to visit? Let us know in the comments!

#frog#glidingfrog#rhacophorus#westernghats#endemic#iucn#redlist#endangered#ecology#india#southasia#naturephoto#naturephotography#explore#expedition#camping#adventure#naturelovers#love#photography#instagood#photo#travel#travelphotography#nilgiris#tree#herps#amphibian#earthpix

We are excited to announce that our next Urban Nature Walk will be at the JP Nagar Puttenahalli Lake! 🐦🪲🐝🌱

Location - JP Nagar Puttenahalli Lake
Date- Aug 3, Saturday
Time- 7am to 9am
Age - 12 years and above
Program fee- ₹1000 per person

To sign up drop us a message here, WhatsApp us at 6364076683,
or write to us at chetana@spidersandthesea.com
-------
Growing up in Bangalore city in the '90s, two popular phrases about the city - ‘The garden city’ and ‘The city of a thousand lakes’ — were popular. Some 30 years later, the dominant narrative is the city's rapid economic growth into a global IT powerhouse and its many consequences — urbanisation of vast tracts of land, traffic that makes you question your will to live, and unprecedented environmental degradation. “The garden city” is now mostly concrete and tar. “The land of a thousand lakes” is now famous for lakes that go up in flames, spew foam, or carry a strong stench of sewage.

While Bellandur Lake captures a lot of attention for catching fire, most lakes in and around the city are pumped full of effluents and in equally bad shape. Through the decades of gradual destruction of our natural environment that I have witnessed in the city, I am admittedly guilty of doing little more than complaining about how "this is not the Bangalore I grew up in". Fortunately, Bangalore is also home to several environmental activist groups that have come together to protect their neighbourhoods and their city. One such group is the Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT).
Through a decade of tireless work, the team has revived the lake in their JP Nagar neighbourhood into an oasis of clean water surrounded by lush vegetation. It has become a space that gives life to birds, spiders, insects, and passionate debates about where one can find the best masala dosa in south Bangalore. Puttenahalli Lake lets me time travel to a Bangalore that otherwise exists only as a memory. - John

Find the full story at the link in our bio! And hope to have you join us on the walk 💚

#nature#city#urban#bangalore#lake#birding#ecology#stories#walking#outdoors#education #bugs#insects#spiders#plants#community

We are excited to announce that our next Urban Nature Walk will be at the JP Nagar Puttenahalli Lake! 🐦🪲🐝🌱

Location - JP Nagar Puttenahalli Lake
Date- Aug 3, Saturday
Time- 7am to 9am
Age - 12 years and above
Program fee- ₹1000 per person

To sign up drop us a message here, WhatsApp us at 6364076683,
or write to us at chetana@spidersandthesea.com
-------
Growing up in Bangalore city in the '90s, two popular phrases about the city - ‘The garden city’ and ‘The city of a thousand lakes’ — were popular. Some 30 years later, the dominant narrative is the city's rapid economic growth into a global IT powerhouse and its many consequences — urbanisation of vast tracts of land, traffic that makes you question your will to live, and unprecedented environmental degradation. “The garden city” is now mostly concrete and tar. “The land of a thousand lakes” is now famous for lakes that go up in flames, spew foam, or carry a strong stench of sewage.

While Bellandur Lake captures a lot of attention for catching fire, most lakes in and around the city are pumped full of effluents and in equally bad shape. Through the decades of gradual destruction of our natural environment that I have witnessed in the city, I am admittedly guilty of doing little more than complaining about how "this is not the Bangalore I grew up in". Fortunately, Bangalore is also home to several environmental activist groups that have come together to protect their neighbourhoods and their city. One such group is the Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT).
Through a decade of tireless work, the team has revived the lake in their JP Nagar neighbourhood into an oasis of clean water surrounded by lush vegetation. It has become a space that gives life to birds, spiders, insects, and passionate debates about where one can find the best masala dosa in south Bangalore. Puttenahalli Lake lets me time travel to a Bangalore that otherwise exists only as a memory. - John

Find the full story at the link in our bio! And hope to have you join us on the walk 💚

#nature#city#urban#bangalore#lake#birding#ecology#stories#walking#outdoors#education #bugs#insects#spiders#plants#community

A pair of resident checkered keelbacks basking one balmy morning on the warm stony slabs abutting the #LalBagh lake. We are so grateful to have a space like Lal Bagh in our lives. A peaceful oasis in the heart of the city, where people can walk, run, dance, play, meditate, read, nap and observe snakes at leisure.

#snakes#city#bangalore#checkeredkeelback#lake#lalbagh#home#water#reptile#urban#explore#nature#ecology

Have you seen a checkered keelback in your city?

A pair of resident checkered keelbacks basking one balmy morning on the warm stony slabs abutting the #LalBagh lake. We are so grateful to have a space like Lal Bagh in our lives. A peaceful oasis in the heart of the city, where people can walk, run, dance, play, meditate, read, nap and observe snakes at leisure.

#snakes#city#bangalore#checkeredkeelback#lake#lalbagh#home#water#reptile#urban#explore#nature#ecology

Have you seen a checkered keelback in your city?

When a routine watering of plants provides us front row seats to a thrilling @natgeo -esque sequence!

Table roses do well in the sun, said @sudhaplantlady. Sure enough, the plant looks happier now, with many more, big flowers. It was only a matter of time before this plant fell on the radar of pollinators like bees, flies, butterflies and their predators!

What absolutely blows my mind is how in the sea of terraces, canopies, and gardens, a small yellow coloured crab spider is able to detect, locate and arrive at a flower that's a perfect match! 🤯

There were about 4-5 bees hovering and visiting different table roses in this pot. Only this flower had a crab spider waiting.
Note the pollen bits still stuck on the body of the bee.

#insect#spider#crab#spider#bee#flowers#garden#plants#urban#city#wildlife#nature#photo#naturephotography#animal#animalportrait#animalbehaviour#nikon#d850#ecology#inia#nammabengaluru

When a routine watering of plants provides us front row seats to a thrilling @natgeo -esque sequence!

Table roses do well in the sun, said @sudhaplantlady. Sure enough, the plant looks happier now, with many more, big flowers. It was only a matter of time before this plant fell on the radar of pollinators like bees, flies, butterflies and their predators!

What absolutely blows my mind is how in the sea of terraces, canopies, and gardens, a small yellow coloured crab spider is able to detect, locate and arrive at a flower that's a perfect match! 🤯

There were about 4-5 bees hovering and visiting different table roses in this pot. Only this flower had a crab spider waiting.
Note the pollen bits still stuck on the body of the bee.

#insect#spider#crab#spider#bee#flowers#garden#plants#urban#city#wildlife#nature#photo#naturephotography#animal#animalportrait#animalbehaviour#nikon#d850#ecology#inia#nammabengaluru

Fan-throated/tastic lizard encounters.

I recently spent a day exploring the red sand dunes of Theri Kaadu with @dhritiman_mukherjee We looked for just about anything we could find and found this! Male fan-throated lizards in full display - opening their dewlaps to signal other members of the species to attract some members and warn others. And as I found out from lying motionless next to a bunch of lizards, they also open when males engage in combat! I watched two youngish males battle it out amid flashes of red fans.

Can't wait to go back and explore this peculiar habitat for @rgsustain

Thank you @aquaoutback for always being home.

#IsThereLifeOnMars

#lizard #fanthroatedlizard #reptile #wildlife #desert #reddesert #sanddunes #arid #tamilnadu #tuticorin ₹coastaldunes

Fan-throated/tastic lizard encounters.

I recently spent a day exploring the red sand dunes of Theri Kaadu with @dhritiman_mukherjee We looked for just about anything we could find and found this! Male fan-throated lizards in full display - opening their dewlaps to signal other members of the species to attract some members and warn others. And as I found out from lying motionless next to a bunch of lizards, they also open when males engage in combat! I watched two youngish males battle it out amid flashes of red fans.

Can't wait to go back and explore this peculiar habitat for @rgsustain

Thank you @aquaoutback for always being home.

#IsThereLifeOnMars

#lizard #fanthroatedlizard #reptile #wildlife #desert #reddesert #sanddunes #arid #tamilnadu #tuticorin ₹coastaldunes

🕸️Spiders And The Sea 🪼

Photo by dear frand @sahilkhanna496

🕸️Spiders And The Sea 🪼

Photo by dear frand @sahilkhanna496

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