Insects is the  group of organisms contributed most to the rich biodiversity in Sabah. The world has more  than a million named insect species. And as exploration of Malaysia fauna advances, this number of insects constantly increases. The high diversity of Sabah insects is something to be proud of, and it is potentially significant in promoting nature tourism, (entotourism)

For insect enthusiasts, the butterfly farm at Poring Hot Springs, the insect exhibits at Gunung Alab Resort (Kota Kinabalu-Tambunan highway), the Insect Museum of the Sepilok Forest Research Centre and the Sabah Museum in Kota Kinabalu are some of the places of interest.

Stick insects are unique. They are usually slow moving relying on concealment for protection from enemies. The elongated body of the stick insect looks like a twig, a remarkable example of natural camouflage. The resemblance is often enhanced by appropriate colors and postures. The longest insect in the world is a stick insect of 555 mm, recorded in Malaysia. Some are spiny and look ferocious such as the endemic Haaniella echinata but they all feed on plants and are harmless. It is best to look for stick insects in the forest at night preferably after an evening drizzle.

PRAYING MANTIDS

Praying mantids ambush their victims. They would wait patiently for insects to settle within their area, in which many are colored to match their background of green or withered leaves, or flowers.  This conceals the mantids from its victims and also from its own enemies, the birds and lizards. It has formidable, spined forelimbs which are specially adapted for seizing and holding prey. These are just some of the highlights of the myriad of insects and their life forms in tropical Sabah.

It is always interesting to know how such a diverse group succeeded and prevailed in this competitive world. It is truly God’s wonderful creation.

	Praying Mantis

More on Praying Mantids of Sabah...

THE BEETLES, BEES, WASPS AND ANTS
Beetles are second to butterflies and moths in terms of popularity. However, beetles constitute the largest and most diverse order of insects. The body is usually armored with its hard forewings and some are often brilliantly colored. The largest in Sabah, a giant long horned beetle can grow up to 100 mm. Many of the larger beetles are attracted to light and thus can be easily spotted at various nature resorts in Sabah, such as Kinabalu Park, Poring Hot Springs and Danum Valley. Among the common ones are the three-horned beetles, stag beetles and also the long-horned beetles.
The bees, wasps and ants are yet another diverse and abundant insect group in Sabah. There are five species of honeybees in Sabah, of which two are common among the local community. Honey produced by the cultured honeybees and also the giant wild honeybees is very much sought after by the local people as health food. The brood is also claimed to be highly nutritious, and is often taken raw, or cooked in porridge or rice. Honeybee breeding in Sabah is practiced by the Rungus community at northern Sabah and also the Kadazandusun community at the Kinabalu foothills. The giant wild honeybee often nests on the ‘mengaris’, the tallest tree species in Sabah.
You may say that ants are small and insignificant. So, there’s nothing special to observe. Perhaps it is true to a certain extent, to appreciate the beauty of this tiny living creature. However, tourists who walk in the rainforests would not have missed the giant forest ant (otherwise you wouldn’t have been into the Sabah rain forest!). It is one of the largest ant species in the world! During daytime, some worker ants can be observed foraging solitarily on the ground. It is actually a nocturnal species where thousands of them would march up to the forest canopy in search of food. The best time to observe this is at dusk, at the base of a fairly large dipterocarp tree in the forest such as at Danum Valley, Sepilok Forest Reserve or Poring Hot Springs.

THE TERMITES AND CICADA CONCERTO
Termites are common in the rain forest but are often mistaken as ants, due to their similar foraging behavior and organization pattern. Surprisingly, they are akin to cockroaches. Although they are often labeled as pests, causing destruction worth millions of ringgit to wooden structures and buildings in Sabah, they are ecologically important as decomposers in the rainforests. Besides, they are great architects too, judging from the variety of nest structures constructed by them in the forest. The collective stridulating sound produced by insects in the evening is a typical ‘concert’ atmosphere of the rain forest in Sabah. The cicadas are one of them. They are actually singing. The mating songs are produced by a pair of abdominal organs of the male cicada to attract the female. If you are standing right below a tree with lots of cicadas, you will feel as though it’s drizzling. This is because of the fine droplets of excess water produced by the cicadas after feeding on the plant sap.