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the.lost.woods

@the.lost.woods

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🐝 Environmental biologist | Entomologist
📸 Macro photographer
🪲 Easily distracted by bugs 🪲

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Baaaaat pictuuures !! 🦇Here’s Cynopterus brachyotis, the lesser short-nosed fruit bat.As its name suggests, this species feeds mostly on fruits and flowers 🥭🌸And here’s a really interesting detail… unlike many other bats, it doesn’t rely on echolocation but instead uses its large eyes, which remain very effective even in near darkness 👀But wait, I’m not done yet… I found something even crazier about this species.It actually builds ‘tents’ using leaves ! ⛺️carefully modifying them into small shelters to roostSome look like little umbrellas, others like cones, depending on the plant used.Unfortunately, I didn’t get to observe this myself… as you can see in one of the photos of the vegetation I took, it’s pretty hard to spot a bunch of leaves in a bunch of leaves 😅According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species C. brachyotis is listed as least concern. However, the species is locally threatened by deforestation resulting from logging activities and conversion of forest to agricultural land and other uses..Thus, it is important that steps be taken to conserve this species for forest regeneration and for future generations too ! 🦇Shot with:📸 @omsystem.cameras OM1 mkII🔭 M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO⚡️FL-700WR💡@cygnustech diffuser#sulawesi #bat #conservation #wildlife by @the.lost.woods

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3 months ago

How can anyone resist these little wonders ?Every evening, we eagerly awaited the return of the chiropterologist who was accompanying us on this expedition. 🤠 The diversity in this region is simply incredible, in just a few days of fieldwork, more than twenty species of bats were recorded !! And among the individuals observed that evening, we discovered this little guy 🦇 It appears to belong to the Emballonuridae, a family of microbats (Most of them weigh under 10 grams !!) These little guy mainly feed on insects, though some may occasionally consume fruit. 🥭(I don’t think I need to explain how I know it’s a male 😬)Also, like all microchiropterans, they use echolocation to locate their prey but interestingly, there is also evidence suggesting that species within this family may use echolocation as a form of communication as well 🦇🦇 Friendly reminder : handling bats is generally discouraged and in many cases even prohibited.As adorable as they may be, these small animals are very fragile and can potentially carry diseases. In this case, we were working under a scientific survey protocol and followed all necessary safety measures. Shot with:📸 @omsystem.cameras OM1 mkII🔭 M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO⚡️FL-700WR💡@cygnustech diffuser😴 Two hours of sleep#bat #sulawesi #conservation #jungle #wildlife by @the.lost.woods

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4 months ago

This bat “screams” through its nose ?!Today’s star is Rhinolophus celebensis, also known as the Sulawesi horseshoe bat, a species endemic to Indonesia ! 🇮🇩Most people might find it far less cute than the previous little stars, but I find its morphology absolutely fascinating ! ✨Like all horseshoe bats, it has a complex leaf-shaped structure on its nose called the noseleaf. And that structure has a truly amazing function !Unlike most bats which emit their echolocation calls through their mouths, horseshoe bats produce their calls through their nostrils with their mouths closed. (Amazing, isn’t it ?) 🦇These ultrasonic pulses pass through this complex noseleaf structure which acts like a biological acoustic lens, shaping and stabilizing the signal.This improves directionality and reduces acoustic “noise” helping the bat detect and locate small insects or obstacles in cluttered environments. 🦇In addition to this remarkable nose, its large ears are perfectly adapted to detect returning echoes, allowing it to navigate and hunt efficiently in complete darkness. Thanks to this adaptation, being insectivorous and mostly cave-dwelling, it relies far more on echolocation than on vision, which explains why its eyes are relatively small. 👀🤏Shot with:📸 @omsystem.cameras OM1 mkII🔭 M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO⚡️FL-700WR💡@cygnustech diffuser🧤 Bite-proof gloves#bat #macrophotography #wildlife #conservation #sulawesi by @the.lost.woods

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5 months ago

Dinner is served ! 🦗Another amazing jumping spider I was lucky enough to encounter during my time in Sulawesi.I have to say… this little predator might have been a bit too ambitious. 😂This little hunter didn’t hesitate for a second to take on a cricket twice its size ! 🕷️(Any ID suggestions are more than welcome!🙏)Shot with:📸 @omsystem.cameras OM1 mkII🔭 M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO⚡️FL-700WR💡@cygnustech diffuser#spider #entomology #conservation #NatGeoYourShotPOY26 #jumpingspider by @the.lost.woods

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2 days ago

Happy world snake day 2026 ! 🐍Nothing could be more fitting for today than this adorable baby mangrove snake I came across during a night walk on Pulau Labengke. 🐍🌙✨Shot with:📸 @omsystem.cameras OM1 mkII🔭 M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO⚡️FL-700WR💡@cygnustech diffuser#worldsnakeday #snake #NatGeoYourShotPOY26 #bbcwildlifepotd by @the.lost.woods

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8 days ago

Just a tiny huntsman spider I found on a tree trunk just a few steps away from my hammock. 👀🕷️Shot with:📸 @omsystem.cameras OM1 mkII🔭 M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO⚡️FL-700WR💡@cygnustech diffuser📍 Arupe !#spider #entomology #huntsman #wildlife by @the.lost.woods

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10 days ago

I found these two little guys on a beach naupaka (yeah its the name of the plant)🌱 They were both wandering around on their own when they suddenly ended up face to face for a few seconds They almost look surprised to see each other The spider is a jumping spider that I haven’t been able to identify yet. 😅Maybe it’s even an undescribed species? For now, I’ve been calling it the “pajama jumping spider” because of its striped pattern. As for the ant, it has the rather charming common name robust crazy ant. 🐜The “robust” part refers to its relatively large size and stockier build compared to other species in the genus, while “crazy” comes from the fast, erratic movements that are characteristic of Nylanderia ants.Although this species appears to have quite a wide distribution, it seems that this is the first recorded observation from Sulawesi ! 😎Shot with:📸 @omsystem.cameras OM1 mkII🔭 M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO⚡️FL-700WR💡@cygnustech diffuser📍Pulau Labengke#entomology #wildlife #jumpingspider #spider #natgeoyourshotpoy26 by @the.lost.woods

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15 days ago

A closer look at this tiny armored creature 🌀I still can’t get over the details on these little Zephroniidae. Such a strange and fascinating design hidden on the forest floor. 🍃Shot with:📸 @omsystem.cameras OM1 mkII🔭 M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO⚡️FL-700WR💡@cygnustech diffuser📍 Sulawesi#entomology #millipede #pillbugs #natgeoyourshotpoy26 #rollypolly by @the.lost.woods

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18 days ago

It’s amazing how much life can be hidden in just a few square meters of rainforest. This tiny jumping spider is one of countless little predators roaming the jungle every day, almost invisible unless you finally slow down enough to notice them.I still have no idea which species it is, but that’s part of the fun i guess ..The diversity hidden in these forests never ceases to amaze me. 🕷️🌿Shot with:📸 @omsystem.cameras OM1 mkII🔭 M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO⚡️FL-700WR💡@cygnustech diffuser📍Sulawesi#entomology #jumpingspider #bbcwildlifepotd #spider by @the.lost.woods

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22 days ago

We found a skink !! 🦎This little lizard seems to belong to the genus Sphenomorphus, a diverse group with dozens of species spread across Southeast Asia and the Pacific.They’re incredibly fast and spend most of their time darting through the leaf litter in search of tiny insects and other invertebrates.They’re easy to overlook… but once you spot one, good luck taking your eyes off it ✨Shot with:📸 @omsystem.cameras OM1 mkII🔭 M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO⚡️FL-700WR💡@cygnustech diffuser📍Sulawesi #skink #lizard #wildlife #natgeoyourshotpoy26 #sulawesi by @the.lost.woods

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a month ago

During this week dedicated to insects, I had to share this (quite incredible) observation with you ! 🪲This little weevil I found in the jungle during our expedition in the Tengkelemboke Massif turned out to be an undescribed species belonging to the genus Acorynus ! So as far as we know, this is the first individual of this species ever to be photographed alive 👀I’m not going to lie, now that I know that, I kind of regret not taking more photos of it 😅Anyway… What species name would fit this little guy ? 🧐Set up :📸 @omsystem.cameras OM1 mkII🔭 M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO⚡️FL-700WR💡@cygnustech diffuser📍 Sulawesi#insectweek #weevilwednesday #entomology #standtallforthesmall #bbcwildlifepotdLittle guy on his leafBONUS PHOTOS !My 5-star bed 😎…and a bit of the forest around it. 🌿 by @the.lost.woods

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a month ago

Beautiful photos by @the.lost.woods Thank you for sharing. Be sure to extend your support by visiting this beautiful gallery and photographer.Wild bees play a vital role in our ecosystems by pollinating a vast array of wildflowers and crops, though they rarely produce honey in quantities humans can harvest. Instead, the sweet honey we typically enjoy is crafted by domesticated honeybees, who meticulously collect nectar from thousands of blooms to sustain their hives through the winter.Do you want to support my page? Please check out the link in my bio and buy me a coffee 💚#insects #spiders #nature #arthropods #facts by @the.lost.woods

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a month ago