This cute little spider helps human rid their houses of houseflies, mosquitoes and many other insect pests. So please don't harm them!

A male Greater Housefly Catcher (Plexippus paykulii).

This particular species of Jumping Spider can be commonly found on buildings of houses, feeding on houseflies, hence the name. Plexippus paykulii often compete with Plexippus petersi for the same microhabitat.

A mother, leaf-footed bug caring for her many eggs.

You can often see these neatly-arranged egg sacs on the walls of buildings in UTAR.

(Tan Ji, 2022)

Flesh flies are common around compost piles, rotten vegetables or dung.

Banded bullfrog - Kaloula pulchra ♀ 

This cute and chubby frog is pretty well adapted to urban environments and often come out before heavy rains during the night. Banded bullfrogs let out a loud and distinctive calls at night which we are all very familiar with. When threatened, Banded Bullfrogs will inflate itself and becoming even rounder (and cuter!), and at the same time releasing sticky, and irritating goo from the skin of its body.

(Tan Ji, 2022)

Black Solider Flies (BSF) are gaining a lot of popularity these days.

Mainly because of their voracious eating habits of their larvae, which are widely used as a rapid form of composting. The compost is used to fertilize plants and crops, while the larvae themselves, which contain up to 50% protein, are used as feed for typically chickens and fish.

Dysdercus cingulatus (red cotton stainer) nymphs on an okra plant.

Beautiful as they are, these true bugs can cause immense damage especially to cotton plants within the vicinity.

(Tan Ji, 2022)

An aphid infestation - a colourful assortment of aphid pests on a yam plant. Aphids are serious pests to the agricultural sector as they are capable of reproducing really quickly, with or without sex!

Ant-mimicking Spider (Myrmarachne ♀).

Not every 'kerengga' ant (Oecophylla) you see is an ant. Certain spiders from the family Salticidae and Thomisidae have evolved to greatly resemble Weaver ants, both for protection and predation (on Oecophylla). These ant-mimicking spiders can be easily identified by their 4 pairs of legs (instead of just 3)!

(Tan Ji, 2022)

Dang’s Cross Spider (Argiope dang) is seasonal in the area surrounding the Faculty of Science.

Here you can see an adult female releasing dragline silk. The silk is released into the air and carried by the wind until it sticks to any surface (far from the spider), forming a “bridge” where the spider can use to start building a cobweb, or simply to escape deathtraps. Most web-building spiders will do this when there is wind movement.

(Tan Ji, 2022)

This is one of the most common and successful huntsman spiders originated from China and can be commonly seen in UTAR. These spiders are nocturnal and hunt during the night.

(Tan Ji, 2022)

The female (bottom) is seen receiving sperm from the secondary genitalia of the male (top). Fertilization of eggs only takes place when the eggs are being laid.

(Tan Ji, 2022)