Week in pictures
Mid September, 2020
Pandorea pandorana … a species we’d never recorded here before the fire, now growing on the rocky cliffs above the river.
I’m still working on the identity of this little fly. There have been lots about lately. They’re small than the common hover flies. They don’t seem to hover. A mystery for later.
A close-up of the flower shows the “trigger” in its cocked position, folded downwards between the petals at 8 o’clock
Lacewings have appeared in recent days, including this Green Lacewing Pseudomallada edwardsi, seen here during daylight, hiding under a leaf blade.
It was good to see that our resident Fishing Spider (Dolomedes sp.) survived the rebuild of the frog pond. Here she is with her front legs touching the surface of the pond.
See if you can spot the fishing spider eye-shine. I often see it when I’m standing on the deck grilling dinner on the Weber.
Litora peronii. It’s breeding season! There are at least five of these large frogs visiting our small pond each night.
Litora peronii …. like many frogs, these guys seem to quickly adapt their colour to their surroundings.
The first snake we’ve seen here since the fire. It was basking on a sandy patch near the frog pond early in the morning. Disturbed by our presence, it quickly disappeared under water. Sun, water and plenty of frogs = snake paradise.
Austrolestes leda … the first damselfly sighting for the season. Hopefully the first of many!
This nymph (probably Paragryllacrus combusta) dashed out of a hollow burnt casuarina trunk, as I chainsawed it into rounds.
Paropsis maculata, resting (and perhaps grazing) on a Xanthorrhoea leaf.
Family: Chrysomelidae
subfamily: Chrysomelinae
