Along the Evergreens: Bangalore to Sullali

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Hunt for the elusive black morph Jumping Ant started off where I had seen it last time, a good 4 years back, in the valley of Evergreen forests in a village called Sullali, some 2 hours away from Sagar, Shimoga. We measure distance there by the time taken to travel rather than actual meters itself. Reached Sagar early in the morning with a bad tummy (groan...) and had the best food one can with a bad tummy, idli, vada, sambhar..yumm.. It was heavenly to get back to paying 5 Rs for a plate, compared to exhorbant prices in Bangalore. With still 3 hours to kill before catching the first bus to get to Sulalli, I walked down on those familiar streets in the early hours of the morning. The familiar shops, the ice cream place, the petrol station, the bakery in the alley beside the temple, the phone booth...felt as if I had never left this place. But still felt out of place, without my customary yamaha bike which was so much a part of me up in these Ghats. Spent quite sometime watching the Beeaters, the swallows, the shrikes..was wonderful to be back and I still hadnt stepped into the forest!

Took the bus finally and headed off to Sulalli. Crossed the Launch, watching those familiar faces smile when issuing me a ticket, and watched the river, the Sharavathi. it was merely stunning to watch the river flow in such flow. This was the first time in the last 16 years that the Linganamakki dam was opened and the water level had risen by atleast a 5-8 meters and it was a sight!! Several of the islands where I had worked were now nearly covered with water, completely cut off from the main land now. Got off from the launch and took the bus again to reach Sulalli. Luckily it was not raining yet and I was hoping it would remain the same for the next few hours atleast. Got off at Sulalli and went straight to the person's house where I had stayed for over 3 months. They took a while to recognise me, especially since I was minus my beard and glasses and a couple of inches taller aswell..but once they did it was great. As they alway do, they treated me with coffee and biscuits and asking my wellbeing.

Headed off to the forest from there..and then it started raining. Some amount of logging over the past 4 years in this place had created some paths, while in some parts the undergrowth was enormous. Treading carefully keeping my eyes open for the jumping ant, walked and walked. As I rested at one point below a thick canopy, saw something familiar. No,not the ant, but the nest. Colourful petals aranged around a grainy mound like structure at the base of a tree, exactly the way it used to be. Jubiliation led to curiosity and spent a long time watching this nest waiting for some sign of activity. The rain however dampened any hope I had, as it poured relentlessly from then on. Just when I was about to give up, got a glimpse of the ant crawling out of the nest entrance. Went down again on my knees, trying to be as still as possible, watching and hoping this is THE ANT. After a few more minutes, yes, I confirmed it. It was a Jumping ant. but not the black morph but was a red morph, which I had not recorded from this part of the forest during my earlier surveys. With a mix of feelings, headed down into the valleys looking for more of them, but the rain completely stopped any more sightings possible. However got to see several other signature species of this patch of rain forest, a weaver ant, some harvestor ants some specialist predatory arboreal ants and of course a bizzare looking spiny ant called Polyrhachis.

Despite the rain, it turned out to be a good trip, alteast now I know why I miss this place so much.

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Photos

Lake at sagar
My favourite birding spot, home to several species of birds.

With the rise of Sun
A temple down on the street, diagonally opposite the bakery

Half-submerged islands
One of "my islands" sumberged in the Sharavathi

Here was the first stop
Rotting logs..humid forest floor..brilliant!!

Wierd architectures eh?
Monomorium species nesting on the forest floor.

Spiny fellow
Polyrhachis..a specialist arboreal ant

Comments

[sam]

nice pics
Hey great pics... Am from sagar too... And all the places in ur pics seem very familiar... Hey thats marigudi i believe... and which bakery are u talking bout???

[Aj]

sagar too!!
this was the temple in the town and directly opposite to it was the bakery..can't get its name though..