Looking deceptively like the female cones of this Allocasuarina sapling, this is a gall housing a female ‘bug’ (Hemiptera). She will spend her life inside, producing tiny offspring that will eventually crawl out and disperse.

Cylindrococcus spiniferus [29th Aug]

Older galls are arguably even more plant-like. Some of our Allocasuarina saplings carry a surprisingly large load of these long-lived bugs.

Cylindrococcus spiniferous [3rd Sept]