Ever wanted to know what were the dark shadows circling above you in the sky? How about the different butterflies often seen skittering around flower patches? The dragonflies (or damselflies) swiftly teleporting from one area to another? Or do you simply fancy taking a leisurely nature walk to relax after the stressful semester?
Earthlink organised a Biodiversity Audit Training Programme at the Jurong EcoGarden (JEG) to teach participants about how to identify and distinguish between different bird, butterfly, and dragonfly species found in the garden. It was held over two days: the first being a thorough educational lesson on some aspects of identification and morphology, plus a leisurely sightseeing stroll through the garden; the second being the actual audit of the biodiversity found there.
But first, did you know that there was a garden teeming full of life just right next to the NTU? The Jurong EcoGarden is located just beyond the perimeter of the campus, at the Cleantech One building. It is an easily accessible green space, a home for a wide variety of species, and a respite from our stressful student lives. This means that you can just go on and head there right now!
Anyhow, coming back onto topic, the general principles of bird, butterfly, and dragonfly and damselfly identification are size, shape, and colour. Armed with just this knowledge, one can already go trekking through a jungle and differentiate many species from one another.
Just by carefully looking at its size, we can distinguish the smaller tree sparrows from the Javan Myna we often see crowded around food places. For butterflies, the wingspan of the Common Birdwing are much larger than that of the tiny Grass Yellow. We can also tell apart a dragonfly from a damselfly by its abdomen. Damselflies have much longer and slender bodies, as well as closed wings when at rest.
The shape of a bird varies widely over different species. Tree Kingfishers have longer beaks, Sunbirds have hooked ones, and Zebra Doves have longer necks. Butterflies do not only have B-shaped wings; the Common Rose can be distinguished from the similar-coloured Common Mormon by its rounder forewings.
Colour plays a big role in setting apart species. The Oriole is a bird with a unique yellow plumage, the Crimson Sunbird has a red collar, while the Olive-backed Sunbird has, well, an olive back. No doubt one has admired butterflies for their beautiful colours and patterns. Streaks of white and green across a butterfly s wings suggest a Psyche, spots suggest a Leopard (the butterfly kind, not the animal), and the Bush Brown can be identified by its glaring eye spots on its forewings. Dragonflies and Damselflies also have beautiful distinguishing colours. The Common Parasol has a dark red body and wings, the Yellow Featherlegs has a yellow thorax, while the Blue Sprite has a blue thorax and a blue anal appendage.
Knowing the morphology, or names of the specific body parts, of birds for example, can help us to identify and describe their various unique features. Do look it up if you re interested!
Equipped with this knowledge, we were ready to go hunt down and identify all kinds of species we learnt about. It was a truly marvellous sight. Instead of simply walking past the amazing biodiversity flying all about us as we often do in our daily lives, everyone slowed down and took everything in the sights, the sounds, the sunshine. The child in us couldn t keep still as we eagerly tried to spot all the birds, butterflies, and dragonflies. The photographer in us emerged at the ready, cameras in hand, focused on capturing moments of Nature s intrinsic beauty in permanent photographs. Ultimately, everyone enjoyed themselves.
– The more scientific knowledge one has of the natural world, the more intelligible it becomes, and the more beautiful it appears (Allen Carson, Nature and Positive Aesthetic). This is a very true idea, one that resonates strongly with me and I believe every participant as well personally. Have you ever felt lost in green spaces? Not the kind of lost as in lost in the wondrous beauty of nature, but rather lost in ignorance of what s there. I don t think many of us can distinguish the bird calls from bird songs, or those of different birds, or even one bird species from another. No, not the yellow butterfly , or the spotty one , but the Common Grass Yellow, and the Peacock Pansy. No, dragonflies (or perhaps Damselflies actually) are not a nuisance, but rather an amazing insect with unique, vibrant colours. After the Biodiversity programme, I can say that everyone could actually see and really admire the natural life around them. A bridge was connected between our ignorant selves and the real beauty of Nature, allowing us to indulge in not only aesthetic pleasure, but also a profound sense of understanding and appreciation. Hence, I sincerely wish for everyone to go and learn about the biodiversity of Nature, and be truly amazed at what has always been around us.
