authors' picksPaul & Kerri-Leegallery batch 2

May in Pictures

authors' picksPaul & Kerri-Leegallery batch 2
May in Pictures

May 2021

Winter is coming and the forest is wet. A record 250mm in one day last week! Fungi are making an appearance, insects are breeding and we continue to add new sightings to our plant list. Wasps have been a major focus lately – but for their photo gallery, see Wasp Week.

Featured
a Spotted Swift Spider, hunting (Nyssus coloripes)
a Spotted Swift Spider, hunting (Nyssus coloripes)


see iNaturalist record

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another, even faster species of Swift Spider (Nyssus albopunctatus)
another, even faster species of Swift Spider (Nyssus albopunctatus)
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so many legs! spiderlings feast on an orange-legged spider ... while the striped-leg mother stands guard below
so many legs! spiderlings feast on an orange-legged spider ... while the striped-leg mother stands guard below

well, that’s what we think was happening

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tiny, hairy lacewing larvae just starting to hatch
tiny, hairy lacewing larvae just starting to hatch

Neuroptera - see our earlier blog about lacewing larvae

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the Epacris is flowering
the Epacris is flowering

Epacris impressa

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a new species for the home list!
a new species for the home list!

Pomax umbellata
see iNaturalist record

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first glimpse of Variable Bossiaea flowering, post-fire
first glimpse of Variable Bossiaea flowering, post-fire

Bossiaea heterophylla
see iNaturalist record

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huge male batwing moth (Chelepteryx collesi)
huge male batwing moth (Chelepteryx collesi)

Family Anthelidae
one of 7 males drawn to the lightsheet during a moth survey this week

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another of the Batwing moths
another of the Batwing moths

Chelepteryx collesi
Family Anthelidae
drawn to lights at night

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a second Chelepteryx makes an appearance, this one C. chalepteryx
a second Chelepteryx makes an appearance, this one C. chalepteryx

Chelepteryx chalepteryx
Family Anthelidae
A single male of this species came to the moth lightsheet this week

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winged ant on a mating flight (species unknown ... yet)
winged ant on a mating flight (species unknown ... yet)
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lone ant tending aphids on a seeding grass , with honeydew the reward
lone ant tending aphids on a seeding grass , with honeydew the reward

Grass is Wiry Panic, Entolasia stricta

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spiny Dolly Ants massing on a log
spiny Dolly Ants massing on a log

Dolichoderus doriae
subfamily Dolichoderinae

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an ant harassed this spider wasp as she collected mud for a nest
an ant harassed this spider wasp as she collected mud for a nest

Fabriogenia
Family Pompilidae
see iNaturalist record

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a common hover fly feeding at wattle nectary
a common hover fly feeding at wattle nectary

Melangyna viridiceps (on Acacia terminalis).
Such extrafloral nectaries are common on Acacia, producing lipids as well as sugars.
see iNaturalist record

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seriously tiny flies, hovering in tandem
seriously tiny flies, hovering in tandem
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a fat-bodied Signal Fly, wings waving
a fat-bodied Signal Fly, wings waving

Family Platystomatidae

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wingless native cockroach, the Common Eastern Litter Runner
wingless native cockroach, the Common Eastern Litter Runner

Platyzosteria melanaria
see iNaturalist record

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the leaf beetles are still around
the leaf beetles are still around

Paropsis atomaria (?)
Family Chrysomelidae

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a native snail, active after the wet weather
a native snail, active after the wet weather

Pommerhelix mastersi
Family Camaenidae
see iNaturalist record

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a jelly fungus commonly called Witch's Butter or Yellow Brain
a jelly fungus commonly called Witch's Butter or Yellow Brain

Tremella mesenterica
growing on a dead casuarina (Allocasuarina)
see iNaturalist record

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a hairy splitgill mushroom, growing on fire-killed tree trunk
a hairy splitgill mushroom, growing on fire-killed tree trunk

Schizophyllum commune
see iNaturalist record

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a common leather fungus, Hairy Curtain Crust
a common leather fungus, Hairy Curtain Crust

Stereum hirsutum
growing at the base of a dead tree
see iNaturalist record

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a coral fungus, looking rather like cauliflower
a coral fungus, looking rather like cauliflower

Ramaria, perhaps Ramaria capitata
see iNaturalist record

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a mycorrhizal fungus of eucalypt forests across southern Australia
a mycorrhizal fungus of eucalypt forests across southern Australia

Amanita xanthocephala
see iNaturalist record

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a particularly tall species, growing on dead, buried wood
a particularly tall species, growing on dead, buried wood

Oudemansiella radicata (‘Rooting Shank’)
see iNaturalist record

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yet another mushroom
yet another mushroom

Laccaria ?
see iNaturalist record

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extremely small but hard to overlook ... a waxcap, we think
extremely small but hard to overlook ... a waxcap, we think

Hygrocybe firma
see iNaturalist record

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I'm so tempted to caption these two ...
I'm so tempted to caption these two ...

Red-browed Finch (left) with Superb Fairy-wren (right)

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... but I'll resist
... but I'll resist

Red-browed Finch (left) with Superb Fairy-wren (right)

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