Forget the tigers, look out for these creepy crawlies on your next Indian safari

On a tree trunk, stretched between two branches or tucked into the undergrowth, you could find creatures that are stranger, brighter and sometimes far more fascinating than the animals competing for your attention. India’s protected forests are home to an extraordinary diversity of these tiny creatures, several of which have been documented in the very reserves visitors head to for safaris today. The forest has quite an ensemble cast. Here are a few stars to look out for on your next safari. 

Also known as the golden orb-weaver, Nephila pilipes is one of those spiders that makes you wonder how you missed it. Its golden webs can stretch between trees, while the female is dramatically larger than the tiny male. It is found across several parts of India, including Kanha and Pench in Madhya Pradesh, and Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, as well as protected forests in Assam such as Kaziranga and Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary.

The aptly named Chrysocoris stollii looks almost lacquered, with a metallic green body that catches the light. This shield-backed bug has been recorded in Kanha Tiger Reserve and was subsequently reported elsewhere in Madhya Pradesh, with Kanha cited as its earlier state record.

The Hersilia genus has a rather excellent trick up its sleeve. These flattened spiders hug tree trunks so closely that they can pass for bark, while their unusually long spinnerets trail behind them like two tails. Hersilia sp. is recorded in the fauna of Pench Tiger Reserve, making tree trunks another place worth scrutinising when the larger wildlife is keeping out of sight.

When threatened, these millipedes curl their many legs around themselves and roll into a neat little ball, much like a tiny armoured capsule. Four species of Arthrosphaera have been documented in the forests of Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu, adding the Southern Western Ghats to this tiny safari cast.

During the right conditions, the forest floor can produce something that looks almost improbable — a tiny, intensely red, velvety mite. Dinothrombium grandissimum has been documented in the National Chambal Sanctuary forest in Uttar Pradesh. Against the muted browns of the forest floor, its vivid red colour makes it a striking sight.

Email: anoushkakundu@newindianexpress.com

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