Monsoon Beauty 2026- Teak tree watch

24th August 2026

Such a transformation to the eastern tree - it has caught up with its western counterpart - so much so - they have formed one uniform canopy.

Good evening rains every few days have helped I'm sure.  

The drongos are back in the neighbourhood - they were missing for a few weeks.  Last evening I saw them sitting on the teak and swooping for insects.

I wonder if they also feed on caterpillars - I have spotted teak defoliator moths quite regularly over the last 4-5 days. and I assume the caterpillars must be on the tree.  I have not seen their caterpillars so far - and I must explore.  

These moths have a little orange patch on their hindwing - which my picture has not been able to capture. The caterpillars also have an orange stripe.  I read that they pupate while going down a silk thread into the leaf litter below - I find that pretty marvellous.  Breeding activity is more when the teak tree has more leaf - after the rains.

The wasps and spiders will now be the friends of the teak tree - feeding on the caterpillars and keeping the population in check.  On my balcony - the moth is possibly my garden gecko's dinner.  

30th July 2026

No change in the teak trees over the last ten days.  

I went up to the terrace this morning to take a look.  Very little insect activity around the tree.  

Today morning, the lapwings from the empty plot near the beach seemed very agitated, they were circling overhead and calling in alarm it seemed.  "Didyoudoit"  they seemed to keep asking me, and I protested my innocence to them.

The other familiar neighbours were busy doing their own thing - 

Parakeets checked the mango tree

The sunbirds examined the Cassia flowers

The Treepie carried out is inspection of all the neighbourhood trees.

The crows - cawed and cawed, and then to my horror - a human neighbour came with a casserole of rice and just dumped it on the parapet before I could blink.  The crows were pleased, I was not.

 The bulbuls streaked by not wanting to interfere with the Crow feeding frenzy and even the mynas kept their distance.

20th July 2026

These are the two teak trees in our neighbour's plot.  They seem to be marching  different clocks. The one on the right, already leafy, while the one on the left still dry and scraggly.

The dry one attracts the birds at the moment - all using it as a perch more than anything.  In the morning, it is quite a parade of good mornings - the Red Vented bulbul with its soft chirp, then the loud screeches of the parakeets followed by the tonk tonk of the Coppersmith. Of course the crows are always cawing but now and then a bold koel briefly alights as well.

The Tailorbird and Babblers favour the leafy one more often. The Coucal does not come to the Teak at all.

More next week.