Khoj-aao Adventures

26/08/2024

INSECTS! 🪲🐜🐞

The closer we look, the more we see! Take time to observe the interesting insects all around.

Join us on a ‘Backyard Nature Trail’ to learn more about the fauna, flora and funga around. DM us for bookings for nature experiences for your friends & family.

Photo 1: Tortoise beetle
Photo 2: Jewel bug
Photo 3: Man-faced stink bug / cotton stainers

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12/08/2024

Mushroom magic is all around. 🍄‍🟫

Sharing a few photos from our Myco Series on Fantastic Funga, Session #2: Forest Foray (P1: Panus velutinus, P2: Microporus sp, and P3: Mycena sp).

Thanks to all those who joined, learned, explored and shared with us. 🍄💚

Stay tuned for the next session in our fantastic funga Myco series!

18/07/2024

Lush, green, misty trails full of and incredible life, everywhere! Monsoon is indeed a magical time 🌿

Thank you for joining us and for sharing these lovely photos 💚🍄‍🟫

01/07/2024

Oh, the monsoon colors!

Aside from 50 shades of green, the insects, wildflowers and funga are dotting the landscape with their brilliance. Check out this photo of Dacrymyces spathularia, fan-shaped jelly fungus, observed on a rotting log, on a backyard nature trail in Assagao. Stay tuned for news about our upcoming fungus sessions!

🌈 🍄

23/06/2024

Home is where the heart is. 💚

Grateful to be back in Goa and excited to explore. 🌿

Here’s to our 10th season (running!) — let’s Khoj-aao!

Whatsapp us 📲 8080930669 for details and bookings.

03/03/2024

Scenes from our campsite at the foothills of the

Just wrapped up our 7th season of 🏕️

Thanks to all who joined us for overnight adventures. From night trails (scorpions! spiders!) and stargazing (shooting stars! so many constellations!) to river walks and exploring incredible biodiversity (snakes! birds!)— Goa’s forests are indeed beautiful. 💚🥰

Happy Summer!

02/03/2024

Early morning birdwatching trails along the mangroves are the best!

Such a pleasure participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count, a citizen science initiative to document bird populations and species across the globe, with a group of folks (ages 4 to 47!) from around the world.

We spotted 35+ species of birds highlights included Malabar Pied hornbills, a Stork billed Kingfisher, Painted storks and the majestic Purple heron.

27/02/2024

Village views — green hues and sky blues.

On your next visit to come explore the greener (and bluer) side to learn more about local culture and heritage. You’ll be glad you did!

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16/02/2024

Of the 173 spider species found here in Goa, these must be two of the coolest!

Meet the Snail mimic spider (Cyrtarachninae sp) in Photos 1 & 2 and the Bird dung spider (Pasilobus sp) in Photos 3 & 4. Both of these are orb-weaver spiders— those that build circular wheel-like webs, many having to build new ones every day.

These were spotted on a Khoj-aao! Backyard Nature Trail in with (great spotting and amazing photographs!)

05/02/2024

Slithering into February, this one is a throwback to one of our favorite snake encounters of the season. Known to be quick on the ground and in trees, this juvenile Common bronzeback tree snake, non-venomous and found throughout India, fell onto us from a tree!

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24/01/2024

Crazy. Cool. Caterpillars [and, cocoon!]

The most amazing thing is that they are all moth caterpillars! It’s so special to find and observe these cool creatures on backyard trails across Goa.

Photo 1: Slug moth caterpillar
Photo 2: Red slug caterpillar
Photo 3: Bagworm caterpillar cocoon



Which is your favourite?

16/01/2024

A beautifully photographed insect with the most curious name, an Antlion!

As larvae, they are known for their predatory habits — digging small holes in the sand to ambush ants or other insects. In North America, they are often referred to as ‘doodlebugs’ for the trails they leave in sand. The adults are often confused for odonates (dragonflies or damselflies) with their lacewings.

Saw this antlion on such a fun reunion walk with the lovely . Thanks for sharing this stunning capture, and, for joining us! 💚

🐛🐜🐞

06/01/2024

Join us! Looking forward 💚

28/12/2023

Moths and butterflies🦋

One of our favourite moths, the Blue tiger moth, diurnal and common throughout Goa, as seen at our campsite. On the same species of [invasive?!] plant, Billy goat w**d, we saw one of our favourite butterflies, the Common jezebel.

These lovely flying insects reminding us we're all guests here. 💚

Happy holidays to all 🌱

18/12/2023

Come camping this holiday season!

08/12/2023

We 💚 adventuring with young explorers.

Join us for a 'Backyard Biodiversity walk' in collaboration with .bound.life and .eff, this Saturday, December 9, 4:15pm-5:30pm, in Quitula village for young explorers ages 8-14.

We'll be exploring flora, fauna and funga all around, taking a closer look at the interconnectedness of the ecosystem. 🔍

Register here: https://forms.gle/RivpkoqfckCet4Aa8

02/12/2023

24/11/2023

The rising waxing gibbous moon behind the fruiting Saptaparni tree.

Alstonia scholaris, commonly called blackboard tree or devil's tree in English, has the most divine scented flowers post monsoon. Now, check out its dangling brightly-coloured green fruits. Though toxic in high doses, the bark of the tree is used for a myriad of medicinal uses and to make blackboards! This tree has so many stories to tell🌳

15/11/2023

Let's go birding! This Sunday... Whatsapp 8080930669 for details.

14/11/2023

🦀 Home sweet home 🦀

This is a tiny burrow built by a sand bubbler crab to hide during the high tide.

During the low tide the crabs emerge from their homes and quickly sift through sand looking for microscopic food and leave behind tiny sand grain balls, often in cool radial patterns!

We observed hundreds of these crab homes across a riverine sandbank (AND, a juvenile crocodile in the mangroves!) on our recent River Boat Experience. Join us!

10/11/2023

Join us for a Birdwatching mini-course (aka Birding 101) in North Goa this November (18, 19, 25 & 26).

A fun, curated set of 4-sessions to explore, learn and enjoy the birds of Goa facilitated by naturalists and bird experts.

DM us at 8080930669 for [lots of] details!

30/10/2023

What a beak, what a bird!

Meet the Eurasian Curlew (named for the sound of its call) and check out its long curved bill that helps it probe in the soft mud for food. These shorebirds or waders are winter migrants and can be spotted all along Goa’s coastline in lowland mudflats and marshy areas.

Join us for our *Birding Basics* mini course this November to spot this and other amazing birds in Goa.

Photo credit:

30/10/2023

Hi Goa folks!

Super excited to share this 'Birding Basics' mini course with you all.

DM us at 8080930669 for [lots of] details!

24/10/2023

Setting Sun and its unending mirrored ripple.

06/10/2023

Not JUST a Plain Tiger!

Check out the pattern (and, eye!) in photo 2 of this brush-footed butterfly, Danaus chrysippus, spotted on a Silver cockscomb flower.

This species of butterfly is unpalatable (also inedible) to potential predators because of toxins they consume. Plain tigers have different types of mimics across geographical regions. They also exhibit slight sexual dimorphism (male and female butterflies look different).

Join us with for our upcoming 'Community Wildlife Session: Butterflies' this Sunday, October 8, at .earth . A great opportunity to explore these beautiful and fascinating insects. DM for details.🦋

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