Chien C. Lee

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  • Wasp-mimicking moth (Atrijuglans hetaohei). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Lichen huntsman spider (Pandercetes cf. nigrogularis). South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
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  • Stag beetle (Prosopocoilus occipitalis), male. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • With over 60,000 currently recognized species (and perhaps double that still awaiting discovery), rove beetles (family Staphylinidae) are without a doubt the most diverse family of organisms on the planet. Most are relatively unnoticed because of their often diminutive size and secretive habits, but a few species such as this predatory one (Actinus imperialis) are larger and more colorful. Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • Huntsman spider (Gnathopalystes sp.), male. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Huntsman spider (Chrosioderma sp.), female guarding eggs. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • The Bullet Ant (Paraponera clavata), a big reason why hikers in the Amazonian rainforest always proceed with trepidation when stepping off the trail into thick vegetation. One of the largest ants in the world, this species is infamous for its ferocious sting which some (unfortunate) individuals consider equivalent in pain to being shot. The ant's sting contains a neurotoxic venom and has been rated by biologists as the only perfect "4+" on the Schmidt Sting Pain Index, making it the most painful of all insect stings. Coca, Ecuador.
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  • A nocturnal Net-casting Spider (Asianopis sp.) lies in wait for an insect to venture beneath. Between its front legs it holds an expandable sticky white web which it will use to fling over its prey, ensnaring it.  These are sometimes referred to as 'Ogre-faced Spiders' because of the extremely large posterior median eyes which allow them to see in darkness. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Flower mantis (Theopropus elegans), female. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Ant-hunting spider (Mallinella sp.) predating a Giant Forest Ant (Dinomyrmex gigas ssp. borneensis), which it also mimics. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Mossy masquerade: a young Moss Mimic Katydid (Championica montana) doing what it does best. If you specialize in eating moss it’s a big plus if you look like it as well. In the damp cloud forests of Costa Rica, every surface is covered with dripping wet bryophytes, such as the leaf this katydid is perched on. Although abundant, it’s not the most energy rich food in the world, so these insects conserve their energy by moving slowly while they graze. Faced with a potential threat, they simply lay flat against the mossy substrate and disappear. Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • Giant silk moth (Grammopelta lineata). Canandé Reserve, Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • Dead leaf mantis (Deroplatys moultoni). Mount Kinabalu National Park, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Asian Ant Mantis (Odontomantis sp.). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Crematogaster inflata, a conspicuous ant with aposematic coloration. The swollen orange metathorax can secrete a sticky substance as a defensive chemical when the ant is disturbed. Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • It’s always important to have a backup plan. The first line of defense for most stick insects is of course their excellent camouflage, but sometimes this just isn’t enough. If this giant Diesbachia sophiae is attacked, it suddenly transforms from a green stick into a startling display by raising its boldly checkered wings. This may be enough to make some predators think twice before going in for the kill, giving enough time for the insects to escape. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • This predaceous ground beetle (Lioptera plato) exhibits a distinctive warning color pattern which is commonly repeated among many different species of beetles (including a commonly associated fungus beetle Epicaustes) that all share a similar habitat niche. Because all species appear to share a distasteful chemical defense this may be a possible example of Mullerian mimicry. Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Leaf beetle (Promechus whitei). West Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • Longhorn beetle (Sphingnotus mirabilis). Waigeo Island, West Papua, Indonesia.
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  • Bornean Oakleaf (Kallima buxtoni), sleeping at night among dead foliage. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Golden Forest Ant (Polyrhachis ypsilon). Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Tortoise beetles (Basiprionota decempustulata), mating. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Dung beetle (Paragymnopleurus sparsus), rolling scat of Sambar Deer. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • With forests full of keen-eyed predatory birds, many of Madagascar’s smaller creatures have evolved incredibly cryptic appearances to evade detection. In the case of this Ghost Mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa), the remarkable leaf like mimicry serves also to conceal it from potential prey, which will be seized and eaten alive if they venture too close. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • Death's-head Hawkmoth (Acherontia lachesis). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • When approached by a potential predator, these amazingly camouflaged leaf grasshoppers (Chorotypus sp.) align their flattened bodies with the leaf they are perched on and remain completely still to accentuate their mimicry. Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Giant ant lion (Palpares amitinus). Amboasary, Madagascar.
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  • Leaf katydid (Cratioma oculatum), female. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • A master of camouflage, this praying mantis (Theopompa borneana) conceals itself against the bark of a tree. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Marauder Ants (Carebara affinis) attacking a beetle grub. The minor workers are assisted by their larger sisters, the majors and super-majors, which use their powerful mandibles to cut the grub into smaller pieces. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Leaf katydid (Tympanophyllum arcufolium), female. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Camouflaged fulgorid planthopper (Episcius sp.). Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • Wasp-mimicking moth (Xestocasis sp.). Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • Slug moth caterpiller (Parasa sp.). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Longhorn beetle (Mallodon chevrolatii). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • With over 700 described species, the ant diversity of Borneo is extraordinarily rich. Although many ants defend themselves with toxic compounds or painful stings, some such as this species (Meranoplus mucronatus) are protected by sharp spines to deter predators. This group of workers is attending to a herd of extremely small planthopper nymphs, from which they take secreted honeydew. Deramakot Forest Reserve, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Lanternfly (Pyrops heringi), displaying its brightly colored hind wings when disturbed in an attempt to startle predators. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Warning colorations, such as those exhibited by these tiny fungus beetles (Corynomalus marginatus), which exude a foul chemical when disturbed, doesn’t always guarantee immunity from predators. To enhance their defense, many such insects often cluster in aggregations; not only is there greater safety in numbers but the combined colorations of all the individuals together results in an amplified warning signal that encourages even naive predators to get the message. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Although perfectly camouflaged among lichens when at rest, if a threat is detected this stick insect (Pseudodiacantha chieni) raises its butterfly-like wings as a warning to predators, whilst simultaneously emitting a strong chemical odor. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • An elegantly camouflaged katydid from the rainforests of Borneo: Despoina spinosa. This species feeds primarily on the foliage of figs (Ficus spp.) and can somehow get past the toxic white latex that protects these leaves from most other insects. Some 'sylvan katydids' (Pseudophyllinae) such as this are able to rotate and flatten their wings, enabling them to conceal their profile against the surface of a leaf when at rest. Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Leaf insect (Phyllium agnesagamaae) , male. Unlike their larger and more heavily bodied female counterparts, male Leaf Insects (family Phyllidae) have fully developed wings and are capable of flight. Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Mantis (Mythomantis serrata). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Named in honor of singer-songwriter David Bowie, this large huntsman spider (Heteropoda davidbowie) occurs in rainforests from Thailand to Sumatra and Borneo.
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  • Velvet ant (Hoplomutilla xanthocerata). Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • Bird Dropping Crab Spider (Phrynarachne sp.). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Newly emerged cicada perched on its exuvia. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Elibia dolichus, caterpillar. Although large and seemingly intimidating, this sphinx moth caterpillar is completely harmless and relies entirely on camouflage and eyespots to deter predators. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Green lacewing (Ankylopteryx sp.). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Huntsman spider (Heteropoda sp.). Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Treehoppers (Alchisme inermis), adult with nymphs. Parque Natural Chicaque, Cundinamarca, Colombia.
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  • Common Mormon Swallowtail (Papilio polytes). This young butterfly caterpillar avoids predation by appearing unappealingly similar to a bird dropping. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Huntsman spider preying on camel cricket, with parasitic midge. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Fruit-piercing moth (Eudocima phalonia) using its stout proboscis to feed on the sweet juice of wild figs (Ficus fistulosa). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Tiny, ubiquitous, and comprising many thousands of species, parasitoid wasps extract a heavy toll on their hosts, with many species responsible for keeping other insect populations in check. Here, a female wasp (Anastus sp.), just a few millimeters in length, drills her ovipositer into the eggshell of an Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas), the world's largest moth. Her developing larvae will consume the contents of the egg and pupate therein before emerging as adults. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Grasshopper (Helolampis coloniana). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Humpback Cyclosa (Cyclosa insulana). Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Trilobite beetle (Platerodrilus foliaceus), female. East Kalimantan, Indonesia (Borneo).
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  • Stick insect (Dinophasma braggi), male. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Click beetle (Campsosternus templetoni). Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka.
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  • Pompelon marginata. This beautifully colored day-flying moth is a member of the Burnet Moth Family (Zygaenidae). It is widespread in Southeast Asia where its caterpillars feed on the leaves of wild cinnamon. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Pleasing fungus beetle (Erotylus incomparabilis). Orellana, Ecuador.
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  • Tiger moth (Correbidia sp.) which mimics a toxic net-winged beetle (Lycidae). Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • Katydid (Eurymetopa obesa). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Superbly adapted for its specific microhabitat, this Bornean Bark Mantis (Theopompa borneana) blends almost seamlessly with the tree where it lives. These efficient predators hunt for insects on the sides of trees using their superb vision, speed, and spiny raptorial front legs. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Leaf-like pygmy grasshopper (Holoarcus belingae). Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • A female katydid (Diophanes salvifolius) deposits her eggs inside the soft rotting wood of a tree stump to hide them from predators. Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Violin Beetle (Mormolyce matejmiciaki). Violin Beetles are found in forested habitats in tropical Southeast Asia. Their bizarre flattened wing-sheaths allow them to maneuver under tree bark and cracks where they hunt for other insects. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Monsters do exist - at least in the Borneo rainforest. Another of the island's amazing katydids, this is the Malaysian Giant Katydid (Arachnacris tenuipes), one of the world's largest insects (measuring 15cm in length without the wings open). Despite their alarming size they are rather gentle herbivores, that is unless you make the mistake of trying to grab one with your bare hands. Kicking with their powerful spiny hind legs they can inflict some serious pain, but at least they usually warn predators first by emitting very loud raspy clicks with their wings. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Few things exemplify the incredible complexity of rainforest ecosystems more than that of mutualisms between species. Here, a group of Giant Forest Ants (Dinomyrmex gigas) tend to a pair of lanternflies (Pyrops cultellatus), a relationship that has a net benefit for both species. The lanternflies, feeding directly from the phloem of the tree with their piercing straw-like mouthparts, harvest much more sugar-rich fluid than they actually need; the excess being excreted intermittently as a squirt of honeydew droplets from their abdomen. The ants position themselves directly behind and below the lanternflies and intercept these droplets with their heads, then consume the fluid and share it with their nestmates. In return, the ants guard the lanternflies and will ferociously attack any potential threat. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Research has revealed that the marginal eyespots in butterflies can serve to deflect bird attacks away from the insect's vital spots, thereby allowing escape. This effect is particularly effective in the low light intensities of the dim forest understory and at dawn or dusk when the resting butterflies are particularly prone to predation by birds. This individual (Faunis stomphax) shows evidence of having escaped two attacks by birds which attempted to grab the butterfly by the wing eyespots. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Net-casting Spider (Deinopis madagascariensis), at rest. Isalo National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Wax-tailed Planthopper (Pterodictya reticularis). The waxy filaments may serve to mimic an insect that has been keeled by parasitoid fungi, and thus dispel a predator's interest. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Bullet Ant (Paraponera clavata) killed by parasitoid fungi (Ophiocordyceps sp.). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • A fly-mimicking weevil (Hoplocopturus sp.) from the Ecuadorian rainforest. Most cases of insect mimicry involve the imitation of a toxic or distasteful species as a model, so the reason for this beetle to appear like an entirely edible fly is not immediately apparent. However, entomologists studying these insects suggest that because flies are so agile and quick, most visually-oriented predators (particularly birds) probably learn to avoid wasting their time pursuing them, hence the incentive for this “evasive mimicry”. Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park, Napo, Ecuador.
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  • Although cryptically disguised as a dead leaf when at rest, the Peacock Katydid (Pterochroza ocellata) packs a big surprise for its secondary defense. When disturbed, it raises its wings to expose strikingly colored eyespots, which can be enough to startle a potential predator away. This large katydid exhibits a great deal of intraspecific variation such that the wing patterns and camouflage of no two individuals are ever the same, and entomologists at one time had described over a dozen species that are now attributed to P. ocellata. These variations in coloration help to prevent any predator from learning a search pattern to recognize this species and its defense. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Parastheneboea neglecta, a rare stick insect known from only a few specimens from the rainforest of western Borneo. Batang Ai, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Hidden from predators and prey alike, a brown leaf mantis (Brancsikia aeroplana) is almost indistinguishable from the dead leaves of the rainforest floor. Once believed to be related to Southeast Asia’s brown leaf mantids (Deroplatys) this species is now placed in the unrelated Madagascan endemic family Majangidae; its cryptic appearance thus representing another case of convergence. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • Earth-boring dung beetle (Blackburnium rhinoceros), male. This unusual dung beetle is a member of the family Geotrupidae, often referred to as the earth-boring dung beetles. They are known for laying their eggs in burrows which are sometimes provisioned with leaf litter or dung. Wasur National Park, Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • The complex ecosystem of the rainforest is filled with such a plethora of tiny hungry creatures that many predators may themselves become victims to something larger. Here, in the humid jungles of southern New Guinea, an unfortunate tree frog is being devoured by a large huntsman spider (family Sparassidae). With leg spans sometimes exceeding 15cm, these spiders spin no webs and instead rely on speed to catch their prey. Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • Scarcely larger than your thumb, the Buff-faced Pygmy Parrot (Micropsitta pusio) is the world’s smallest parrot. Here, a mated pair peer out from their nest hole that they have excavated in an arboreal termite mound within the lowland rainforest of western New Guinea. Papua, Indonesia.
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  • Stick insect (Orthomeria superba), male showing parasitic mites. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Sphinx moth (Marumba tigrina). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Epidares nolimetangere, male. With over 300 recognized species, Borneo is the richest area in the world for stick insects (order Phasmatodea). This species is endemic to Borneo and a number of color variations have been found throughout the island, such as this pure red form originating from central Sarawak.
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  • The enormous caterpillars of the Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas) consume huge amounts of leaves before they will pupate. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Two Giant Forest Ants (Dinomyrmex gigas) from different colonies confront each other in a territorial dispute.  Rather than engage in full combat, this species usually resolves such conflict in a series of ritualistc fights. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • A juvenile Broad-headed Bug (family Alydidae) showing mimicry of a small ant. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Lantern Bug (Pyrops candelarius) from Indochina.  Like other planthoppers, this insect feeds on tree sap by means of its piercing mouthparts.  The name refers to the erroneous belief that the snout-like projection emits light. Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam.
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  • Geometrid moth (Agathia deliciosa). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • This small dung beetle (Paragymnopleurus maurus) is preparing a ball made from monkey droppings in which it will deposit its eggs and then bury. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Red Lacewing (Cethosia cydippe). West Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • Leaf grasshopper (Systella sp.). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • You might think that an animal with an excessively long neck would be predisposed to unfortunate injuries, but such eccentricities in body form can become justified in the competitive arena of sexual selection. This tiny Bornean weevil (Cycnotrachelus satelles), closely related to the famous Giraffe Weevil of Madagascar, uses his lengthy neck in wrestling matches to dislodge rival males off their food plants during mating season. Having intimidating physical attributes can sometimes mean combat is not even necessary: males have been observed facing off, nodding their heads (the necks are hinged in the middle) before one makes a retreat. The females, which are not thus pressured by competition, have much shorter necks. Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • A Red-bearded Bee-eater (Nyctyornis amictus) living up to its name: here with a large black carpenter bee (Xylocopa sp.) it has caught in mid-air. While most bee-eaters prefer open woodlands and forest edges, this species is unusual in that it is typically found deep within rainforest. Flashy colors in birds are often possessed only by the males and typically function as a means of advertising for a mate. However, in this species both males and females sport a bright red face, which suggests that the coloration may serve a different purpose. One theory is that this may serve to attract flower-feeding insects to venture closer for a look - a convenient way for the bird to catch an easy meal. Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • The highly specialized antennae of many beetles can reveal much about each species’ particular lifestyle. Here, a Malayan Giant Click Beetle (Oxynopterus audouini) shows off his impressive comb-like antennae, a feature only males possess and which are used to increase their ability to detect the faint pheromones of females in the dense vegetation of the rainforest. Reaching lengths of over 6cm, this is one of the world’s largest species of click beetles (family Elateridae), and is known for having larvae which predate on termites. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • A Giant Forest Ant (Dinomyrmex gigas) receives a droplet of sweet honeydew from the abdomen of a juvenile leaf-footed bug (Notobitus sp.). The bugs, which obtain more sugar than they need from the plant juices they feed on, are fiercely guarded by the ants in return. Mutually beneficial trophobiotic relationships such as this are very advantageous in the competitive ecosystem of the rainforest. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Bagworm caterpillars (moths of the family Psychidae) are known for their habit of hiding themselves in a portable shelter of plant materials that they secure with silken threads, with each species having its own preference of design. This species begins with small accurately trimmed twigs formed in a 3-sided spiral pyramid, and adds additional larger twigs at the end as the caterpillar grows in size, in a masterful example of miniature craftsmanship. East Kalimantan, Indonesia (Borneo).
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  • Magnetic termite mounds (Amitermes laurensis), aligned to avoid the intense heat of the summer sun. Queensland, Australia.
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  • Crab spiders of the genus Amyciaea are excellent mimics of Weaver Ants (Oecophylla), their preferred prey. In this manner they are able to both avoid predators and easily approach within striking distance of the ants. North Maluku, Indonesia.
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  • A predatory Robber Fly (Cophinopoda sp.) waits on a blade of grass for passing insects. Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • A predatory Toxorhynchites mosquito emerges from the liquid in a pitcher of Nepenthes ampullaria. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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