Frog Riding on a Beetle’s Back is Reminiscent of a Wild West Scene

Using macro photography, Hendy Mp captured a bizarre nature scene unlike any we’ve observed before. His colorful images feature a tree frog hitching a ride to the back of a giant horned wood-boring beetle. The adventurous frog, looking like a cowboy at a rodeo, managed to stay on top of the insect for about 5 minutes, even as the beetle tried to fly away. This adorably-strange spectacle was shot near the photographer’s home in Sambas, Kalimantan Barat in Indonesia.
What a fantastic thing to witness! Mp tells Daily Mail, “It was such an amazing moment, the frog just saw the beetle and decided to crawl on top.” Better yet, the skilled photographer showcases the small and gorgeous characteristics of both creatures. Tiny speckles on skin, subtle variations in color, and minute textures are all made visible.
If you’re wondering what kind of frog this is, exactly, it’s a Reinwardt’s Flying Frog that’s native to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The environmentally-threatened species has the impressive ability to glide down from trees with the skin between its fingers and toes.