Jayesh Vishwakarma, education officer at Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), tells us that a professor of his used to say that animals essentially need these things for survival — roti, kapda, makaan, aur Zeenat Aman. What he meant was that all that a species needs to continue inhabiting this planet are food, shelter and a partner to mate with. That, Vishwakarma adds, is also why the monsoon is the time when SGNP is teeming with insects, making it the ideal time to spot a multitude of them. Flowers are in full bloom, which means butterflies, for instance, can feed on their nectar and take shelter under plants. Trees have sprouted fresh foliage. That provides ideal fodder to, say, grasshoppers, whose increased presence means that a variety of predatory insects like spiders can look forward to a handy snack, too. The whole place is in fact teeming with all sorts of creepy-crawlies, and a walk promises to open up the world of these tiny creatures for Mumbaikars this weekend.

(Left) The green huntsman spider doesn't build a web, and uses green leaves as a camouflage. (Right) The mantis nymph has enlarged forelegs that it uses for catching and gripping prey