Category: Insects and Critters

Seen Above: A Malayan banded wolf snake climbing up a tree in Sakon Nakhon province, Northeast Thailand. Most people in Thailand are fearful of snakes, which should come as no surprise. The Kingdom is home to many of the world’s most venomous snakes. I was reminded of this recently when a banded snake slipped into […]

One of the most colorful and interesting caterpillars in Thailand begins to appear during the month of July — in particular in Northeast Thailand and mountain provinces like Sakon Nakhon. This caterpillar will not grow into a Thai butterfly, but rather the Oleander Hawk Moth, which is known in Thailand as the Camouflaged Rocket Moth […]

One of the most common butterflies in Thailand is the Common Mormon, a species of Swallowtail butterfly. One of the most fascinating aspects of the Common Mormon butterfly is its mimicry behavior. It exhibits multiple forms, each mimicking different toxic or inedible butterfly species. This mimicry provides protection from Thai predators as they mistake the […]

If you live in Thailand, you likely have had unwelcome ants in your home, especially on kitchen countertops and cabinets. During the rainy season, ants become even more plentiful as they escape their flooded nests in search of someplace dry, such as behind the ceilings or walls of a Thai house. The Best Ant Killer/Bait […]

Giant millipedes in Thailand have an average length of around 6-8 inches (15 – 20 cm). However, during the rainy season we have seen giant millipedes over 12 inches (30 cm) hanging out on the steps that go up the mountainside of Wat Tham Phu Pha Yon in Sakon Nakhon province. The Thai name for […]

With the rainy season upon us, many people are seeing scorpions in Thailand — as the scary-looking arachnids escape from their flooded burrows. While there are treatments such as hydrocortisone cream to apply to a scorpion sting, Thais have been treating such stings for centuries, long before modern medicines. So, instead of heading to a […]

Now is the start of the red ant egg hunting season in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand. The hunting begins in earnest around mid February, after the first hot period that marks the end of the cool season, especially when the hot weather is accompanied with a bit of rainfall. Both a hot spell and some rain […]

Sakon Nakhon not only is home to the biggest spider in Thailand (The Huntsman). The largest moth in Thailand (The Atlas Moth) also makes its home here. The Atlas Moth (มอดแอตลาส) is recognized as the largest moth in Thailand because it has a wingspan of up to about 12 inches or 30 centimeters. The Atlas […]

The largest spider in Thailand is the Huntsman spider. It can have a leg span up to 12 inches (30 centimeters). The largest version is called the Giant Huntsman, and its said to have been first discovered in 2001 in Laos. However, the mushroom hunters and forest monks of Sakon Nakhon will tell you that […]