NSS Kids’ Fun with Baby Birds @ Jurong Bird Park
By Gloria Seow, Education Group Chairperson with Timothy Pwee

The new Breeding and Research Centre at Jurong Bird Park (BRC @ JBP) was the main enticement for our visit on 21 July 2012. It is not every day that one gets to see baby birds up close. Only when we arrived did we realise that the BRC can be accessed by any park goer. Still, it was worth paying extra for two guides to walk us through the exhibits, and for a feeding session that the public was not privy to.

Eggs are turned automatically every hour so that the embryonic membrane does not stick to the egg shell.

The BRC is where the JBP conducts its breeding programme, located next to the Kings of the Skies performing arena. We were split into two groups. Our first stop was the Incubation Room. Here, we were told that eggs are incubated at temperatures of between 36.9°C to 37.2°C. The eggs are turned automatically every hour so that the embryonic membrane does not stick to the egg shell. Eggs hatch anytime between two to six weeks, with smaller birds hatching earlier. The new-born chicks are then transferred to the Nursery, and isolated in sound-proof brooders where temperature and humidity are controlled. We saw around 10 brooders containing mostly parrots. The one that drew the most admiring sighs held a most adorable Sunda Scops Owl. 

In the nursery, baby birds are isolated in sound-proof brooders where temperature and humidity are controlled.

When the chicks are old enough, they are placed in the Weaning Room – one for water birds and another for all other birds. Here, we saw two baby pelicans sitting in tubs. Although there looked big, they were still largely featherless. Young Hyacinth Macaws (a rare parrot that has been successfully bred by the JBP) and a whole lot of other parrot species were held in individual cages. The larger the bird, the longer they take to wean, sometimes needing as long as one year. At this point, birds are fed a nutritious mix of nuts, grains, fruits and insects, depending on the species. 

We saw how chicks, like this two month old White Cockatoo, are hand-fed using a syringe filled with liquid formula every two to three hours throughout the day.

In our classroom session, we were shown the gigantic eggs of the Ostrich, Emu and Cassowary, three of the biggest birds alive. In contrast, we also handled the miniscule eggs of the local Tailorbird, barely one centimetre across. The bird keeper then brought in a two month old saccharine-cute White Cockatoo chick. This little fella knew that lunch was close at hand, and was thus calling incessantly and bobbing its head eagerly. The keeper showed us where the baby’s crop was (a food sac near the breast area). Then she filled a syringe with liquid formula food and in one second, emptied its contents in the chick. We could see now that the crop had become swollen. We were told that babies are hand-fed every two to three hours throughout the day. Bird keepers themselves work 14-hour shifts from 7 am to 9 pm.

Before and after the BRC session, we were free to roam the park. Most of us caught the Birds and Buddies show as well as the Kings of the Skies performance. The former is a re-run of popular circus acts with a utilitarian Singapore twist, such as making birds pick up litter. The latter is a much better production with a fetching falconry sub-theme. Several bird handlers were togged up in falconry gear from around the world, namely Mongolia and Arabia, complete with horseback, fake rabbit, and even a bloodhound to simulate a hunt. The world of raptors was encapsulated in a half-hour spectacle of eagles, owls and vultures swooping low on the audience and looking regal with their piercing stares, powerful talons and massive bills. The only local raptor showcased was a flock of Brahminy Kites trained to catch food in mid-air. 

Walking around, we were glad to see that the Bird Park has been improving by phasing out the old practice of small individual cages that allow no more than a few flaps of the wing. There were many more aviaries than before, offering close encounters with free-flying birds in naturalised settings. Still, some old-fashioned coops were cleverly contained within aviaries – giving the impression of wild jungle and faux freedom. Nevertheless, it was better than drab concrete cells with sorry looking birds. Our wish is for JBP to hurry up and build habitat aviaries for the hornbills and larger parrots.

NSS Kids’ Fun at Tampines Eco Green

By Gloria Seow, Education Group Chairperson and Timothy Pwee

Photos by Lena Chow

An iconic feature of Tampines Eco Green is its picturesque snags or dead trees, left standing as perches and nesting sites for birds.

Located at the junction of Tampines Avenues 9 and 12, Tampines Eco Green is unlike the typical public park. It does not boast an orderly landscaping harking back to colonial roots. Instead, it is a ‘show park’ for an ecosystem type often deemed as ‘wasteland’. Here, a mix of grassland, swale, scrub and pioneer secondary forest are all on display, albeit curated to feel like a public park. A small group of NSS Kids and their parents took an eventful stroll here on 3 June 2012 led by Auntie Lena, Uncle Timothy and Auntie Gloria.

Instead of the usual paved path or boardwalk, Tampines Eco Green offers a green trail composed of carpet grass. The trail wends its way in a loop around the park, making for a nice cushioned walk. We visited its flushless eco-toilets. They work by using bacteria to decompose human waste into compost. Surprisingly, despite the absence of cleansing water, the loos did not smell one bit.

Next, we poked at the Giant Sensitive Tree (Mimosa pigra) to watch its leaflets fold up. It did so at a much slower rate compared to the Touch-Me-Not weed (Mimosa pudica) which has attractive pink flowers. The phenomenon of plant movement in response to touch or vibration is called thigmonasty or seismonasty. The Water Mimosa (Neptunia plena), which looks like the Touch-Me-Not except for its yellow flowers, is also sensitive to touch. At night, the leaves of these plants close up (nyctinastic) or go to ‘sleep’.

The highlight was coming across the nest of the Lesser Banded Hornet, and admiring its beautiful scallop patterning

The trip highlight was coming within 30 cm of the nest of the Lesser Banded Hornet (Vespa affinis). At first, we mistakenly identified it as the similar-looking Banded Paper Wasp (Polistes sagittarius), which build open nests with exposed combs. In contrast, the nest of the Lesser Banded Hornet has beautiful scallop patterning enveloping the combs. The imbricate (overlapping) envelope is made of mixed layers of papering. The ‘paper’ fibres are collected from wood and tree bark, and fixed with saliva. On hindsight, we were foolish to approach the nest so closely and were fortunate not to be attacked. Instead, we spent many happy moments admiring and photographing the handiwork of the hornets, truly an artistic masterpiece. There were a few buzzing hornet guards clambering about and flying around the nest, and they too, were a pretty sight to behold. According to http://www.vespa-bicolor.net/, the Banded Paper Wasp is more slender-bodied than the Lesser Banded Hornet, has longer legs in relation to its body size, and flies with its legs extended vertically downwards.

Such open scrubby land is ideal for fast-colonising trees like the Acacia (Acacia auriculiformis) and Albizia (Paraserianthes falcataria) which thrive here. Unfortunately, both are invasive exotics from Australia and East Indonesia respectively. However, they have been naturalised to a large extent, so much so that local birds and other wildlife feed and nest in them. In fact, we saw the hanging nests of many Baya Weavers (Ploceus philippinus) as well as that of the exotic Asian Golden Weaver (Ploceus hypoxanthus) housed in the Acacia tree. Both weavers were seen actively constructing their nests and hunting for insects. The Asian Golden Weaver is an escapee from the caged bird trade, originally from Indochina and Java. Also nesting in treeholes above us were Red-breasted Parakeets and Collared Kingfishers. We encountered typical parkland birds such as the Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Olive-backed Sunbird, Black-naped Oriole and more. Over 70 bird species have been recorded here.

There were ample signages illustrating the wildlife that can be found here.

We then wandered along the swales. These are stretches of water-logged land that gather rainwater. The plants in them cleanse the water by removing any pollutants. The park is home to at least 10 species of Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) including the Yellow-Barred Flutterer, Common Chaser and Coastal Glider. They were zipping about effortlessly, joined by a bevy of butterflies such as the Peacock Pansy, Striped Albatross and the rare Black Veined Tiger.

An iconic feature of Tampines Eco Green is its picturesque snags or dead trees, a surreal sight indeed. These snags were not removed when the park was developed and they now serve as perches and nesting sites for birds. Back at our starting point, we were greeted by a row of exotic parrots. Apparently we had stumbled upon free-flying parrot hobbyists who train their pets to fly around on their own but to return when called. This strange encounter capped an enjoyable morning of exploration.

Fun with Bukit Brown’s Natural and Cultural Heritage

By Gloria Seow, Chairperson of the Education Group


Some of Bukit Brown’s many lion statues.

 

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The rain poured on and on and refused to stop. When it finally gave way to a drizzle, we got out of our cars and cancelled the event on 21 April 2012. However, since five families braved the downpour to turn up, we decided to show them around as private individuals rather than as an official NSS Kids’ outing.

Armed with umbrellas and raincoats, we set off in the gloomy weather, albeit under a lightning-free sky. The walk was led by Uncle Peter Pak, an active Bukit Brown culture guide and NSS member, as well as good old Uncle Tim. Our first stop was a cluster of four tombstones belonging to former Chief Chinese Translator for the colonial government Ho Siak Kuan and his family. This grave group stood out as each tomb is characterised by a rectangular tablet capped with a roof, a style reminiscent of northern China. Sadly, this tiny cluster, as well as some 3,000 odd tombs, are due to make way for an eight-lane expressway that will slice the cemetery in two. The affected tombs are indicated by numbered stakes.

This unique group of graves will sadly make way for an expressway, as indicated by numbered stakes. It belongs to the family of the former Chief Chinese Translator for the colonial government.


Next, Uncle Tim pointed out the many Rain Trees that line the cemetery along its tarmac path, giving it a park-like feel. The trees themselves are home to epiphytes growing on their branches, such as Bird Nest and Staghorn ferns, as well as Pigeon Orchid. Due to the incessant downpour, the birds were all in hiding.

A typical Hokkien tomb has bricks outlining the womb-shaped mound. Similar-looking Teochew tombs also have womb-shaped mounds but these are not brick-lined.

Bukit Brown is the largest Chinese cemetery outside China housing some 100,000 graves. It is also the oldest surviving Chinese cemetery in Singapore, with certain tombs nearing 200 years old. For the bulk of the graves found here, the building style is predominantly Hokkien or Teochew. Many of these womb-shaped tombs are covered in elegant carvings, far more elaborate compared to their modern counterparts. Both Hokkien and Teochew tombs feature a courtyard in front of the grave slab. The courtyard serves to gather in qi (life force) and good fortune. Directly behind the slab is a mound of earth shaped like a woman’s womb. Hokkien tombs have bricks outlining the womb shape, whereas Teochew tombs lack this feature. The grave slab itself states the deceased’s ancestral village in China, serving to confirm if the tomb is indeed Hokkien or Teochew.

As we sloshed along, Uncle Tim showed kids and their parents plants such as the Croton, a reddish shrub that is toxic but commonly planted around graveyards for luck. As Bukit Brown has been left relatively undisturbed for a long time, it is overgrown with secondary vegetation. These include the Macaranga, Noni tree, mile-a-minute creeper, figs, palms and more. The further one strays from the paved path, the thicker the vegetation becomes. This verdant greenery is home to some 92 bird species, mammals like the Long-tailed Macaque, Sunda Pangolin and Colugo, as well as fishes, eels and frogs in its streams.

Uncle Peter showed us the famous Sikh Guard statues, as tall as a boy, guarding the tomb of a Singapore pioneer.


Uncle Peter was animated in telling the stories behind some of these graves. Many belonged to important personages who were instrumental in building up early Singapore. Kids were intrigued with the famous tomb featuring a pair of Sikh guard statues, vividly painted in red, yellow and black. Those who stayed throughout the walk, were rewarded with a visit to the Ong Sam Leong family grave. It is the largest burial site in Bukit Brown, the size of 10 three-room HDB flats. To reach it, we had to traverse the hilly terrain, passing many smaller tombs that were draped with attractive foliage. We were greeted at the top by a male Crimson Sunbird chirping its lungs out, the only visible bird for the trip. The Ong Sam Leong family tomb has another pair of Sikh guard statues, and is decorated with Chinese carvings of the Classic 24 filial piety acts. We then finished the circuit around the cemetery to end where we had begun.

NSS Kids' Fun at the Butterfly Trail @ Orchard

By Gloria Seow, Education Group Chairperson
Photos by Timothy Pwee

Butterfly host and nectar plants have been planted along and adjacent to Orchard Road to form a 4-km stretch known as the Butterfly Trail @ Orchard (BTO). The ongoing BTO project is spearheaded by the Butterfly Interest Group (BIG) of Nature Society (Singapore). We had the privilege of traipsing along the trail on 12 February 2012, led by BIG Chairperson Gan Cheong Wei, with co-guides Simon Chan and Anuj Jain.

Kids and parents were intrigued by the many caterpillars, butterflies and plants encountered.

Starting at the National Museum of Singapore, we rode the outdoor escalator up to Stamford Green, which itself marks the beginning of the hilly Fort Canning Park area. We encountered the Plain Tiger, Painted Jezebel and Lemon Emigrant in energetic flight. These butterflies were going from plant to plant, poking their proboscis into the many flowers that bloomed freely here. As they paused for a sweet drink, kids and their parents snapped away with their digital cameras.

Uncle Gan also photographed an Apefly at Stamford Green, a new record for the trail! The Apefly is so called because part of its pupa has an ape-like appearance.


We then took a relaxing stroll down the slopes toward Dhoby Ghaut Green. This lovely manicured garden, complete with trellises, is located just outside the MRT station of the same name. Here, we found our first colourful caterpillar, that of the Autumn Leaf butterfly. It turned out that these caterpillars were numerous around the garden, appearing in their various instars. Uncle Anuj explained that this was because the Autumn Leaf’s host plant, the Pseuderanthemum reticulatum was planted in abundance in the area. We even detected the Autumn Leaf’s pupa in quiet repose beneath a leaf.

 
The spiny and colourful caterpillar of the Autumn Leaf butterfly was numerous around Dhoby Ghaut Green, the manicured gardens just outside the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station.


Surprisingly, some of the kids present were already little experts in their own right. Their experience stem from observing and rearing butterflies in their grandma’s garden. One of these kids even shared tips on how to spot caterpillars. The first clue: holey, half-eaten leaves. Then, look for caterpillar droppings that typically appear as clusters of tiny black balls. Finally, turn the leaves over and you will likely find the chomping culprits. As Lena Chow attests, the best way to interest kids in butterflies is to rear caterpillars at home, and watch their fascinating transformation into the adult form. She has already distributed a few dozen caterpillars of the Lime Butterfly and the Common Mormon to several kids and even to a teacher for his science lessons. As a result, one of these recipients, 10-year old Tan Teong Seng, has since been inspired to learn all about butterflies, and has developed a knack for spotting and identifying them.


We ambled through the Istana Park to reach the Penang Road Open Space. This is another garden that is the size of nearly two basketball courts, located across the street from Orchard Central. BIG had the Aristolochia acuminata planted here, the host plant for the Common Birdwing. The ultimate dream is to see the large and easily-recognisable Birdwing, a black-and-yellow beauty with a stunning 14-cm wingspan, fluttering along Orchard Road. (PS: This happy sighting has since occured). Over here, we spotted the caterpillars of the Plain Tiger that feed off the leaves of the Crown Flower. Anuj also showed us the Cycad, an ancient plant that hails from the age of the dinosaurs, host to the Cycad Blue butterfly.

Penang Road Open Space is a green oasis in the middle of Orchard Road, located across the street from Orchard Central.


In all, the BIG has recorded 60 butterfly species along the BTO, up from a paltry 20+ species before the plantings. Butterfly watching is attractive to late risers as walks typically start at 9.30 am. This is because the butterflies themselves need ample sunshine and heat before they come out to feed. After two hours of butterflying, we became familiar with references to butts, cats and pups, short for butterflies, caterpillars and pupas. We left feeling a greater affinity for these delicate painted wings and a burning interest to learn more about them.

NSS Kids’ Birding Fun at Lorong Halus

By Gloria Seow, Education Group Chairperson

Photos by Lena Chow

 

Kids and their parents crowded around Uncle Alan as he guided us on Lorong Halus’ exciting birdlife.

NSS Kids had an eventful outing to Lorong Halus Wetland to take in its riverine and grassland birdlife. This took place on 11 December 2011, led by none other than Bird Group Chairperson Alan Owyong.

Lorong Halus, a former rubbish dump, now sits next to Singapore’s 17th and newest reservoir – the Serangoon Reservoir (previously known as the Serangoon River). How does national water agency PUB purify the run-offs that flow through the old dump into the reservoir? It built Lorong Halus Wetland. Opened in March 2011, the wetland comprises a series of holding ponds with plenty of water plants that filter and absorb pollutants from the water. Long before the current wetland came to be, birders have been visiting Lorong Halus for its plentiful birdlife. Its claim to fame is its Grebe pond. Here, our rare resident, the duck-like Little Grebe has been living and breeding for years.

  

A dirt path led us towards the Grebe pond. Along the way, we spotted grassland birds such as munias.

 

We met at the newly-built Visitor Centre and took a stroll to the scenic bridge that spans the Serangoon Reservoir. By simply standing on the bridge alone, we recorded close to 10 species of birds. We quickly saw our first avian star, the White-throated Kingfisher perched in a nearby tree. The keen eyes of 11-year old De Xuan Tranter picked up a Common Kingfisher out hunting on a faraway buoy. Auntie Gloria then found a Striated Heron that blended perfectly with the vegetation that lined the river bank. It stood stock still, waiting to spear its fishy prey with its lethal beak. Uncle Hang Chong and Uncle Kum Sang helped scope the birds spotted, while Auntie Lena and Uncle Timothy busied themselves snapping photos and finding more birds.

The bridge across Serangoon Reservoir was a good vantage point to spot birds.

Uncle Alan was the jovial Santa Claus, giving out bookmarks to kids who answered his pop quizzes correctly. He pointed out the Grey Heron, one of Singapore’s largest birds that live around our coastal waters. Later on, we found 23 of these biggies perched on a long row of buoys that snaked across the breadth of the river. While still on the bridge, two raptors soared by. The majestic White-bellied Sea Eagle drew gasps of wonderment, followed by three Black Bazas, decked in their black-and-white striped belly feathers. Lots of Pacific Swallows circled the skies. Some of them afforded us good views through the scope as they landed on buoys and trees. A good number of swiftlets (Germain’s and Black-nest) also patrolled the air space above us, hawking constantly for flying insects. All this while, Uncle Alan flashed bird photos from the accordion-like compact publication ‘A Field Guide to the Birds of Singapore’. This guide features the commoner 106 of the 370 odd species that have been recorded in Singapore. It is available for just $5 at the NSS Office (members only) or $10 in bookstores.

 Uncle Alan engaged the kids with bird photos and birdy bookmarks as quiz prizes.

We also binoculared the Little Egret, the Common Sandpiper and White-winged Tern. Moving inland, we caught sight of several Scaly-breasted Munias feeding on grass seeds, as well as commoners such as the Eurasian Tree Sparrow, White-vented Myna, Common Myna and Spotted Dove. Before the rains descended, we squeezed in one last stop, the Grebe pond itself. We found a single Little Grebe warming a nest made of reeds and water plants, while another was merrily swimming and diving for food. Satisfied, we happily trooped back to the Visitor Centre where Uncle Alan had in store a barrage of birdy questions with accompanying bookmark prizes.

This pastoral pond is home to the Little Grebe.

NSS Kids’ Fun at the Botanic Gardens with Dr Shawn Lum

By Gloria Seow, Education Group Chairperson
Uncle Shawn pointing out the distinctive features of Dipterocarp (primary forest trees) leaves.

Plants are usually seen as less interesting than fauna like birds or butterflies. This misperception was dispelled by none other than NSS President Dr Shawn Lum himself, when he guided a small group of kids and their parents in a show-and-tell tour of the Singapore Botanic Gardens on 15 October 2011.

Instead of taking the beaten trail to the left of the Visitor Centre as most people would do, Uncle Shawn, a botanist by training, decided to show us his ‘secret garden’. We took the sheltered path to the right, climbing up some stairs until we hit the elevated car park. Here, he introduced us to the Caribbean pine, a native of Central America, Cuba and Jamaica, among other areas in the region. Kids were asked to pick up the aromatic pine needles that littered the ground. With a sniff and some imagination, one could be transported to the coniferous forests of faraway lands.

We traversed the hilly terrain and descended upon the 2.5 hectare Healing Garden that was scheduled to be open a few days later on 21 October 2011. This garden forms the largest collection of healing plants in Singapore, showcasing 500 species from Southeast Asia. There is even an iPhone app by NParks for visitors to learn more about its medicinal wonders. Uncle Shawn was slightly disappointed to find the Garden locked.

Still, it did not stop him from enlightening us on the interesting specimens at its periphery. One such tree was the Buah Keras or Candlenut (Aleurites moluccana). Its fruit is used by the Malays, Nyonyas and Indonesians to cream, thicken and flavor their curries. Candlenuts are toxic when raw. They are so named because of their oily seeds. Hawaiians string them together, stick in a wick, and use them as candles. Uncle Shawn revealed that as a boy growing up in Hawaii, he failed numerous times to light the seeds. He only succeeded doing so 40 years later, an episode that brought him great delight.

We felt lucky to see the ephemeral and elusive Stinkhorn Mushroom which usually springs up in the night and is wilted by midday.

We then came across an Annatto tree which has fruits with an attractive reddish pulp around the seeds. These make a yellow dye that is used as a food colouring agent for some cheeses, butter and more. Natives of Central and South America use the pulp to make red body paint and lipstick. We then spied the familiar Blue Pea (Clitoria ternatea) climbing freely on a nearby fence. The water-extracted blue dye from its flowers is employed in Malay and Nyonya cooking to colour glutinous rice for Kuih Ketan and Nyonya Chang. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is used as a memory enhancer, antidepressant and sedative agent. Uncle Shawn suggested that the Education Group could hold an art session centred entirely on natural plant dyes. What a brilliant idea!

The Nutmeg fruit, seed and (reddish) aril can be used to make three cherished food ingredients.

As we moved along, Uncle Shawn picked up a couple more leaves, pods, seeds and fruits to show the kids. These included rubber seeds, leaves of Dipterocarps (primary forest trees) and fruits of the Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans). In fact, the sprawling Nutmeg tree proved to be most fascinating. It is the only tropical fruit that is the source of two different spices: Nutmeg and Mace. Both have similar flavours, with Nutmeg being slightly sweeter while Mace is more delicate (and expensive). Nutmeg powder is made from the seeds of the tree, while mace is derived from the lacy reddish aril of the seed. Mace is also cherished for the orange hue it imparts to food. The Nutmeg fruit itself can also be eaten. It is typically cooked in sugar to make the candy Manisan Pala, a familiar preserved fruit.

The sighting of a Black Spitting Cobra evoked feelings of excitement and terror in equal parts.

Kids were not only thrilled by the many plants we saw, we also had our fair share of animal encounters. These included an Asian Toad, several Changeable Lizards and even a one metre long Black Spitting Cobra that slithered across our path! This snake is supposed to be common in gardens, scrubland and forests. When provoked, it would spit its venom at the eyes of victims, temporarily blinding them. Thankfully, all we saw was the retreating form of the snake as it disappeared into some bushes. Indeed, we had a very fine morning exploring one of Uncle Shawn’s favourite hangouts!

NSS Kids’ Fun with Dragons and Damsels

By Gloria Seow, Education Group Chairperson

The dragonfly and damselfly world is populated by mystifying characters with names such as Treehugger, Telephone Sylvan and Crimson Dropwing. These names remain perplexing until one discovers that they perfectly describe the unique characteristics of particular Odonata (dragonfly) species. We learnt that the Treehugger (Tyriobapta torrida) is almost always found resting on tree trunks; the Telephone Sylvan (Coeliccia octogesima) has a pair of blue markings on its upper thorax that resemble the handles of telephones; and the Crimson Dropwing (Trithemis aurora) has the habit of gradually folding its wings downward when it lands.


Telephone Sylvan has a pair of blue markings on its upper thorax that resemble the handles of telephones.

Not only did we get close-up views of our three protagonists, the kids were also entertained by a supporting cast of 13 winged wonders on 13 August 2011 at the sparkling Venus Drive stream. We had the pleasure of being guided by four dragonfly enthusiasts: Tang Hung Bun, Dr Cheong Loong Fah, Robin Ngiam and Cheong Yi Wei.

The excitement began within metres of the Venus Drive car park. Here, the stream appeared inconspicuous, partially hidden by overgrown grass. This did not deter our guides. They gamely descended its steep slopes to point out the various delicate creatures that abounded around its clear waters. We gasped at the size of one of Singapore’s tiniest damselfly, the Variable Wisp (Agriocnemis femina), which measured just 2 cm from head to tail.

Auntie Gloria helping to show kids a forest dragonfly.

As expected, dragonflies were relatively difficult to tell apart. Many of the common ones were mostly red or mostly blue. Uncle Tang, who is also the author of the book “A Photographic Guide to the Dragonflies of Singapore”, brought along his brilliantly-photographed guidebook to help us identify the creatures.

On average, dragonflies spend about six months of their lives residing as larvae at the bottom of streams and stagnant waters. They feed on tadpoles, small fishes, water beetles, fleas and mosquito larvae, amongst other things. They can even turn cannibalistic if food is scarce. Like butterflies, they undergo metamorphosis, transforming from swimming juveniles into flying adults. After this, they only live on for one to two more months. This is just enough time to find a mate and perpetuate the next generation.

As adults, dragonflies are top predators in the insect world. They hunt down pesky mosquitoes, small butterflies, spiders and damselflies. There is even a record of a dragonfly killing a hummingbird in the US. Singapore has at least three Odonata species that are migratory, invading our air space in large numbers during the monsoon months. In the US, certain dragonflies are fondly called mosquito hawks.

Uncle Loong Fah pointing out the dragons and damsels of Venus Drive Stream.

We followed the stream from the sunny grassland into the gloom of the forest. Here, we saw a different cast of dragonflies from the open country variety. Instead of congregating around water, the forest dwelling ones are more isolated and less conspicuous. This gives the impression that there are fewer species living here, although it is not true. Both the Telephone Sylvan and Treehugger are forest varieties. We also located the uncommon and beautiful Blue sided Satinwing (Euphaea impar) after some hard searching. Altogether, it was a fruitful morning with most of us experiencing dragonfly watching for the first time. Indeed, the insect world is far more deserving of our attention given its tremendous diversity and beauty.

Fun with Hydroponics Farming & Butterflies

By Amy Tsang and Gloria Seow, Education Group Chairperson
Photos by Lena Chow and KC Tsang

Our affable guide Adrian with his rapt audience.

We had an unlikely combination of a butterfly and hydroponics adventure in our NSS Kids’ outing on 18 June 2011, to Oh Chin Huat Hydroponics Farm located near Yishun. The laid back vibe of the place was a natural balm to our frazzled city souls.

We started the day in an outdoor classroom where Oh’s Farm guide Adrian conducted a fascinating show and tell session on butterflies. He took us through the butterfly’s life cycle, from miniscule eggs deposited on host plants, to the caterpillars' metamorphism through various 'costume' or instar changes, their pupation and finally their eclosure as beautiful butterflies. A few brave kids even allowed the prickly-looking Mime and Autumn Leaf caterpillars to crawl all over their arms. However, mostly ‘spiky’ caterpillars have skin irritants and should not be handled.

Some girls have no fear of caterpillars, allowing them to crawl all over their arms.

Kids had an exciting time exploring the Butterfly Enclosure. Here, beauties such as Autumn Leaf, Lime, Plain Tiger, Tawny Coster and Jacinta Eggfly flit freely amongst their host and nectar plants. Some of us even caught the rare sight of an Autumn Leaf caterpillar transforming into a pupa, by doing a writhing ‘belly’ dance. A butterfly quiz had kids vying for plant prizes including some butterfly host plants. KC and Amy Tsang were great at promoting butterfly watching. They handed out information sheets, recommended various field guides, as well as sold copies of the pocket-sized “NSS Field Guide to the Butterflies of Singapore”.

We even saw a Tawny Coster Butterfly eclosing from its pupa case.

The adults particularly enjoyed the hydroponics tour. We learnt that Oh’s Farm grows six types of vegetables including Kang Kong, Chye Sim and Xiao Baicai, as well as 10 types of herbs such as Italian Basil, Sweet Basil and Stevia. We were astounded that the farm sells about 1,000 kg of produce daily, to supermarkets such as NTUC where it is marketed under the ‘Pasar’ brand. Our guide shared with us that the soil-free nutrient solution comprises 16 minerals. Minerals essential for vegetable growth, such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorous, are present in high concentrations. These are mixed together with trace elements such as copper, molybdenum, iron and manganese.

Vegetables are grown from seeds sown into sponges. These are placed in a dark, moist and warm Germination Room for two to three days, where 95% of them will sprout leaves. The seedlings are then transferred to a nursery where they are kept until they develop four leaves. These plantlets are then transplanted into greenhouses where cultivation occurs for another three to four weeks.

Lush, pesticide-free hydroponics vegetables grown right here in Singapore.

Vegetables and herbs are grown using the DRF (Dynamic Root Floating) hydroponics technique whereby a nutrient solution is circulated under the culture boards. This induces the plants to develop an air root system (numerous fine roots) in the humid space between the underside of the culture board and the surface of the nutrient solution. The plants are protected by black netting that covers the greenhouse, which negates the need for pesticides, lowers the amount of sunlight, as well as reduces the buildup of heat. These modified conditions are necessary as most vegetables and herbs consumed in Singapore originate from cooler climes such as South China. It takes about 28 days for Kang Kong to mature, which is a full week shorter than if it were grown in a regular farm. However, detractors claim that hydroponics-grown Kang Kong tastes more ‘watery’, less fibrous, and even less ‘delicious’ than the soil-grown variety. We sampled the Sweet Basil with relish.

We had fun sampling some of these produce. The Italian Basil had a numbing effect on our tongues, where purportedly only the healthy can detect. We enjoyed the taste of Stevia, a herb that is 250 times sweeter than cane sugar. It is sometimes used by diabetics as a sugar substitute. We were even allowed into the Cold Room (4°C to 8°C), which is essentially a walk-in misty refrigerator. Here, harvested vegetables are left for a day to rehydrate, so that their leaves do not tear as easily. Participants snapped up vegetable seeds, plantlets and fresh greens at the farm shop. Kids were encouraged to experiment with hydroponics at home, using a cut-up water bottle and some seeds. The tour aptly rounded off with each of us getting two free packets of leafy Xiao Baicai.

Fun at Chek Jawa

By Gloria Seow, Education Group Chairperson

Chek Jawa’s coastal boardwalk enabled us to admire marine life such as Purple Climber Crabs and Rock Oysters.

There was a major stampede to see the splendid marine life of Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin when it was first ‘discovered’, which ironically killed off a good portion of the ‘discovery’. In order to protect this fragile inter-tidal treasure from further damage, NParks implemented restricted access. It built an elevated coastal and mangrove boardwalk as compensation. The Education Group visited the area during the spring low tide of 10 April 2011, guided by Tan Hang Chong, Edzra Iskandar, Boon Peiya, Timothy Pwee and myself.

As chief guide, Uncle Hang Chong was superb with the kids. He peppered our walk with lots of stimulating edutainment. Kids learnt that the giant Orb Web Spider that we usually see is actually the female. The males are the tiny ‘babies’ that hang around the periphery of the web, essentially leeching off the female’s catches. They have to be careful not to get chomped on by their ‘wife’ after mating, which unfortunately happens sometimes. Auntie Gloria then spotted a Water Monitor Lizard climbing up a coconut tree, an arresting sight to say the least.

At the start of the coastal boardwalk, we came across the inedible Sea Nutmeg and Sea Mangosteen. We then spied several Carpet Anemones with tentacles swaying in the incoming tide. Purple Climber Crabs scrambled on sea boulders, which themselves were plastered with huge Rock Oysters. A stately Great-billed Heron, Singapore’s largest bird, was seen striding the distant mudflats, accompanied by a Little Heron and Whimbrel. Fiddler Crabs went about their daily business eating the coating of detritus on sand grains. Males cheerily waved their enlarged bright orange pincers in the hope of attracting the ladies.
As chief guide, Uncle Hang Chong even brought along a stash of ‘attap chee’, which comes from the Nipah Palm found also at Chek Jawa.

Kids found out that mangrove trees can thrive in poorly-oxygenated mudflats because they have aerial (air breathing) as well as buried roots. Depending on the species, the aerial roots can be pencil shaped or prop like. We were introduced to the Nipah Palm, source of the Ice Kachang must-have ‘attap chee’. Uncle Hang Chong even brought along a stash of these sugared treats, which were eagerly gobbled up. We rounded off the tour with a stop at the NSS Green Hub @ Ubin. Everybody was wowed by the surprisingly bright lighting system that uses diffused daylight. A big tube punched through the roof channels sunlight through a diffuser which also functions to remove the sun’s heat.

Fun in the Forest

By Gloria Seow, Education Group Chairperson
Photos by Timothy Pwee

How would you describe a forest? Dark, mysterious or fun? Led by veteran nature guide Goh Si Guim, a chirpy group of kids and their caregivers chose the last adjective of 'fun' to describe their forest foray on 19 February 2011.

Uncle Si Guim briefing kids and their caregivers at the work-in-progress submerged boardwalk.

Circumventing MacRitchie Reservoir’s work-in-progress submerged boardwalk, we proceeded towards the Lornie Trail. Here, hundreds of joggers and trekkers zipped pass, quite unaware of the intriguing life forms that co-existed in the trees and undergrowth.

Near the trailhead, we visited our favourite patch of Slender Pitcher Plants. This carnivorous climber lures unwary insects with sweetened droplets, invariably leading them to a watery deathtrap. Digestive juices reduce the drowned insects into a nitrogen-rich supplement for the pitchers. As a result, pitchers typically flourish in nitrogen-poor soils where most plants cannot grow.

Uncle Si Guim pointed out the contrast between the hot and unsheltered landscaped garden that we had passed, with the cool and canopied forest that we had entered. Waving his hands animatedly, he explained in simple terms the role of plants in the ecosystem and the amazing biodiversity that it supported. Then we started poking around the undergrowth.

The cool and canopied forest revealed life forms that go unnoticed by most.

Kids grew increasingly fascinated with the micro organisms that Uncle Si Guim uncovered. They learnt that Jumping and Wolf Spiders did not build webs, but prowled the forest floor to hunt for insect prey. They saw a ‘ladder’ of bracket fungi, forming a ‘stairway’ up a dead tree that had possibly been zapped by lightning. Peering closely with torch and magnifying glass at the uneven bark of a Pulai tree, we found a well-camouflaged Whip Scorpion and several pinkish Forest Silverfish. Different species of Forest Cockroach (adults and nymphs) scampered amongst the leaf litter, quite unlike their American Cockroach cousins that live in our houses.

An entomophagous (insect-eating) fungus slowly snuffed out the life of this fly.

Next, Uncle Si Guim stumbled upon the ultimate find in the insect world. On closer examination of an innocuous-looking dead fly resting on a twig, he was ecstatic to witness for the first time, an entomophagous (insect-eating) fungus growing out of its head and body. A spore of this fungus had landed on the unfortunate fly. Its deadly mycelia had spread inside the fly, slowly drawing the nutrients and life out of its unsuspecting host. We could only see the fruiting bodies (“mushrooms”) of the fungus that had sprouted on the fly’s desiccated exoskeleton. These “mushrooms” were laden with spores that could infect the next victim. Kids learnt from Auntie Gloria that Cordyceps is a famous example of a medicinal entomophagous fungus.On the way out, some of us found a Kendall 's Rock Gecko resting in the branched crevice of a huge Callophyllum inophyllum tree near the exercise corner. In all, this trip cultivated an appreciation for the seemingly insignificant world of insects - a microcosm that can turn out to be terribly intriguing too.