HORTPARK 3

Unlike the two earlier posts on HortPark, this one focuses more on pests and diseases and nutrient deficiency symptoms.

There is a wide range of scale insects shown here. Some even look like barnacles on the stems and branches of the plants. The blackish soot-like layer on the leaves is the sooty mould, brought about by the scale insects. Usually, sucking insects like scales, aphids, mealy bugs secrete a honey dew-like substance that attracts ants. The ants harvest the substance and in turn farm these insects and protect them from other predators.


There was also a grasshopper, spotted on the leaf of a Canna plant, which typically chews the leaves causing extensive damages.


The variegated and non-variegated Manihot esculenta (common name: Tapioca) is also a nest bed of mealy bugs.


The leaves of the Diospyros malabarica tree were also badly damaged by the Bagworms.


The 3 stages of the Ladybird were also captured by the camera. Who would have thought that their larval stages look entirely different from the winged insect?


The reddish edge of the leaves of this particular Tristaniopsis whiteana tree was showing symptoms of possibly phosphorus deficiency.


Hispid beetles were found on the badly damaged fronds of the Coconut Palm.


Finally, this alien like moth caterpillar, which I captured before, was busy eating the leaves of the Ardisia elliptica.

CHANGI VILLAGE - FOOD

I have not been here at the Changi Village hawker centre for a while now although I was here thrice in these 2 years, I think. But before that, I had not visited this place for at least a decade, I gathered.

When I was in the army, I had to book in to my camp at the end of the one of the roads everyday and I would drop by this stall, rain or shine without fail, for their wanton noodles and soup wantons and a neighbouring stall for their coconut drink on a daily basis. Since leaving the army, I only came by the few times for the food and the coconut drink.

But this time round, I had no luck. The stall was closed, and it seemed for good because the signage no longer featured the wanton noodles etc. I guessed the elderly couple retired after so many years of being hawkers.

So I ordered fish ball noodles instead and took away several flavours of pancakes, like what I did the last couple of times. I have a soft spot for the authentic peanut pancakes, and not the types with peanut paste in shopping malls etc.