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)
another, even faster species of Swift Spider (Nyssus albopunctatus)
another, even faster species of Swift Spider (Nyssus albopunctatus)
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
tiny, hairy lacewing larvae just starting to hatch
tiny, hairy lacewing larvae just starting to hatch
the Epacris is flowering
the Epacris is flowering
a new species for the home list!
a new species for the home list!
first glimpse of Variable Bossiaea flowering, post-fire
first glimpse of Variable Bossiaea flowering, post-fire
huge male batwing moth (Chelepteryx collesi)
huge male batwing moth (Chelepteryx collesi)
another of the Batwing moths
another of the Batwing moths
a second Chelepteryx makes an appearance, this one C. chalepteryx
a second Chelepteryx makes an appearance, this one C. chalepteryx
winged ant on a mating flight (species unknown ... yet)
winged ant on a mating flight (species unknown ... yet)
lone ant tending aphids on a seeding grass , with honeydew the reward
lone ant tending aphids on a seeding grass , with honeydew the reward
spiny Dolly Ants massing on a log
spiny Dolly Ants massing on a log
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
a common hover fly feeding at wattle nectary
a common hover fly feeding at wattle nectary
seriously tiny flies, hovering in tandem
seriously tiny flies, hovering in tandem
a fat-bodied Signal Fly, wings waving
a fat-bodied Signal Fly, wings waving
wingless native cockroach, the Common Eastern Litter Runner
wingless native cockroach, the Common Eastern Litter Runner
the leaf beetles are still around
the leaf beetles are still around
a native snail, active after the wet weather
a native snail, active after the wet weather
a jelly fungus commonly called Witch's Butter or Yellow Brain
a jelly fungus commonly called Witch's Butter or Yellow Brain
a hairy splitgill mushroom, growing on fire-killed tree trunk
a hairy splitgill mushroom, growing on fire-killed tree trunk
a common leather fungus, Hairy Curtain Crust
a common leather fungus, Hairy Curtain Crust
a coral fungus, looking rather like cauliflower
a coral fungus, looking rather like cauliflower
a mycorrhizal fungus of eucalypt forests across southern Australia
a mycorrhizal fungus of eucalypt forests across southern Australia
a particularly tall species, growing on dead, buried wood
a particularly tall species, growing on dead, buried wood
yet another mushroom
yet another mushroom
extremely small but hard to overlook ... a waxcap, we think
extremely small but hard to overlook ... a waxcap, we think
I'm so tempted to caption these two ...
I'm so tempted to caption these two ...
... but I'll resist
... but I'll resist