Disastrous Flood in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

According to Meteorological Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province received  250 to 300 mm of rain till Thursday, July 29, 2010 evening. This is the highest amount of rain recorded ever in the area in last 35 years. The heavy rain result in disastrous flood in the province. A number of bridges, roads and houses have been washed away. At least 410 people were killed and nearly 400,000 people have been forced to leave their homes. The crops in lower areas have been totally destroyed. The pictures below are taken at District Swabi, a relatively safe district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

View of Flood in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The picture given below is not of a river, canal or lake, but of a maize field covered with rain water.

After the Rain

Acontia lucida

The Acontia Lucida (Pale Shoulder) is a moth of the Noctuidae family (Owlet Moths) found in Pakistan. It's a medium-sized moth with wingspan about 25-30 mm. When at rest, it resemble bird dropping and that is why it is known as bird dropping moth. The resemblance to bird droppings provide them protection against predators. A picture of bird dropping for comparison is given at the end.

Acontia Lucida (Pale Shoulder) Moth

Bird Dropping Picture

Small Brown Praying Mantis

Here is an unknown species of  praying mantis from Pakistan. I used the name "Small Brown Praying Mantis" for it, because of it's small size and brown color. While in rest it grasping front legs and abdomen are attached with thorax in such a way that it looks like an oval. I submitted this species to What That's Bug?, but of no use. Here is there response:

Hi Birdy,
We are posting your Preying Mantis, though we are unsure of the species.  Perhaps one of our readers will be able to assist in the identification.
We wonder, perhaps, it it might be a Dead Leaf Mantis, Deroplatys Dessicata, which is profiled on the Insect Store website.  We wish you had provided additional photos.  Websites with numerous mantis images include Mantis and Dragons and MantisUSA.

Any help in identification will be highly appreciated.

Small Brown Praying Mantis (Unknown Species)

Spotted Eyes Hoverfly

Spotted Eyes Hoverfly (Family: Syrphidae)

Small-branded Swift Skipper Butterfly

The Small-branded Swift Skipper (Pelopidas mathias) is a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae, subfamily Hesperiinae. It's also know as Dark Small-branded Swift, Lesser Millet Skipper or Black Branded Swift. The pictures blow are of the same skipper butterfly setting on the same lantana flower. He was very friendly and let me shoot him with different backgrounds. If the identification is not correct, then fell free to correct me.

Small-branded Swift Skipper Butterfly (Pelopidas mathias)

Tiny Wildflowers

These tiny flowers are of common wild weed that grow almost every where. Personally I have no idea about their names. The first flower is of a weed that have some medicinal properties and is used to treat hepatitis and liver problems in animals.

Tiny Wildflowers

Long-tailed Shrike Nest and Nestling

The Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach) also called Rufous-backed Shrike is a member of the bird family Laniidae (the shrikes). The Long-tailed Shrike is a common and widespread species found in Pakistan. They feed on insects, lizards, mice and small birds or their young. They lay eggs in clutch of four to six eggs (generally 5 eggs). The eggs are white in color with reddish spots. The eggs take about 16 days to hatch and the young leave the nest after about 15-19 days. They raise two broods per year from April to August. I found these nests at a height of about 8 feet and easy managed to take pictures, though not very clear.

Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach) Nest

Long-tailed Shrike Eggs

Long-tailed Shrike Eggs

Long-tailed Shrike Nest and Nestlings

I found this young one of Long-tailed Shrike on the ground, which was not capable of full flight. I searched for its nest and returned it to the nest.

Long-tailed Shrike Young

Long-tailed Shrike

A July Sunset

July is the hottest month with us, if there is no rain. Because of scorching sun the air becomes very hot which turn all the things hot and people say that everything got a fever. So the clouds and the sunset are two things people wish for all the day. I took this sunset picture on July 7th, a bright and hot day.

A July Sunset

White Crab Spider

White Crab Spider (Thomisus spectabilis) also known as White Flower Spider is a beautiful species of spiders in the family Thomisidae. They have a body length from 4mm to 10mm. The male is smaller then female. They are found in white, yellow and greenish colors. They sit on flowers or top leaves of branches and uses camouflage and ambush technique to capture their prey. Flower spiders generally feed on nectar feeding insects such as butterflies, moths and bees.

White Crab Spider (Thomisus spectabilis)

Education Standard In Pakistan

Though this is not a good capture, but it tells us a lot about the education standard in Pakistan. In the picture you see three teachers of Government High School Saleem Khan Swabi, enjoying watching live cricket match from class rooms windows. There is no proper check and balance system in any department. Just join a political party and they will support you.

Education Standard In Pakistan