Bird mystery, Rosella...behind the snake-wire fence...
LIttle photobomber on the abdomen of Stephanopis altifrons.
Keep hoping to find a Rainforest Peacock Spider, but alas, I guess this is the old gotcha' Jotus! Lovely tiny jumper...
The sound of buzzing down near the ground led me to photograph this lovely wasp on the wing, hanging vertically while checking the leaf litter...
Found on Silver Wattle
Bit excited to see this one, not sure that I've seen it previously. It was very patient with me while I ducked around photographing it. I have seen one with one orange spot (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/25863198), so listed this one as the same genus.
A clerid beetle, found under Eucalypt bark. A tiny Assassin bug was attempting to attack it. Its it Orthrius sepulcralis, which I saw near Toowoomba a couple of years ago. This one was about 10 mm long.
Not a Kangaroo vine leaf beetle, but so similar-looking.
Great legs like crab legs...wonder if they're as nutritious??? Sorry Bug, but don't worry, you're safe here...
Tiny beetle about 3 mm long, found in bushland
Gotra sp.KH01
Bugs, Hemiptera, cranky-face (or a cat with a bow-tie) again...
Beetles, Pill, Histeridae, probably Chlamydopsis, about 3 mm
Identified as Histeridae on Bowerbird by Nick Porch: "Chylamydopsine histerids. Probably Chlamydopsis but there are several related genera which these could belong to. Live in ants nests. They're v. cool beetles."
:(
Red-tipped Soldier Beetle? The only place I've seen other photos of this one is Brisbane Insects: https://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_clickbeetles/RedTippedSoldierBeetle.htm Can anyone tell me if this is correct, and can anyone give the actual scientific name?
A small lacewing on my laptop screen in the evening.
On trunk of Stringybark eucalyptus.
So tiny! Scary face on back...
Very shiny beetle, found under rocks. It was about 12 mm long and accompanied by a juvenile assassin bug.
Beetle larvae, munching into wood under the bark of an unidentified tree,
Flat White Jumping Spider in retreat on Northern Scribbly Gum
These spiders scrape off the outermost fine flaky semi-reflective layers of the bark to coat their silk retreats
A lauxaniid that I think we've found before, but not found the ID.
Very small, about half the size of others I've seen here.
Papuan Frogmouth
Is it a Giant King??? Fence mesh 6 mm.
Is this almost eagle-beaked beetle a weevil?
Perhaps winged ant?
Does everyone have childhood cicada memories???
Juvenile Black Butcherbird, calling to its parent (next photo)
More moth excitement! I think s/he the same as this previous sighting of mine: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/25838141
sorry it was on the move then flew, but the patterns were beautiful.
Host tree, Eucalyptus viminalis.
Young plant. Host tree, Acacia melanoxylon.
Spider, Prostheclina, most likely Prostheclina pallida, thanks Liz O'Donnell, continuing an orange theme...
Identified as Prostheclina on Bowerbird by Liz O'Donnell: "Most likely Prostheclina pallida given the location and colouration. See http://www.arachne.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=2145 for more information."
Unfortunately this is the only photo I got
Some sort of sea snake? It was swimming in the shallows at low tide in a sea grass area. bout 50cm long. Sadly I just had my phone with me.
Small specimen found under a rock.
Spider, Orb Weaver, Green, Araneus praesignis (Eriophora praesignis)
Beige Nemertean Worm
Identified as Argononemertes australiensis on Bowerbird by Dr Leigh Winsor: "Reiner's excellent images are of one of the four Australian species of nemerteans or proboscis worms, Argonemertes australiensis. The photo of the head clearly shows the numerous eyes, the character alluded to in the genus name, from Argos of the Hundred Eyes, in Greek Mythology. Reiner's specimen exhinits the most commonly encountered colour and pattern - pale cream to dark-reddish brown, darker at the head end. The pale blotches present along the sides of the specimen are ova showing through the translucent tegument. The nemerteans crawl, like land planarians, by a combination of fine cilia on their belly, and internal muscles. If disturbed, the nemertean may evert its sticky proboscis with lightning rapidity; this sticks to litter or similar material, then the worm rapidly pulls its body over the proboscis as an escape reaction from the perceived threat. The proboscis is armed and is used to capture and kill prey that comprises small arthropods such as collembola in the same micro habitat. Argonemerteas australiensis has been found is a variety of habitats from the coast to alpine plains, and dry sclerophyl forest to temperate rainforest in the Cool and Cold temperate regions of the Bassian zoogeographic subregion. An account of the species and references to the literature can be found in the book Worms to Wasps by Harvey and Yen, and more recently on page 16 in Melbourne's Wildlife published by Museum Victoria and CSIRO."
Almost stepped on this one – he leapt one way and I leapt the other, thinking it was the resident Yellow-faced Whip Snake and feeling indignant about him reacting like that when he sees me regularly - then I noticed the black pattern…uh oh…this is a Rough-scaled Snake, who apparently “...has relatively large fangs and highly toxic venom with coagulant, neurotoxic, haemolytic and cytotoxic properties. One human fatality has been attributed to this species, and anyone suspected of being bitten should seek urgent medical attention.” (Australian Museum).
I saw one of these the first morning after we moved in here many years ago. It slipped away across the unfenced boundary in the front yard and I called out to warn a neighbour who happened to be standing not far away. He just smiled and said there were lots of snakes here and I remember thinking ‘it’s a healthy place where there are lots of snakes’...yep, a very healthy environment indeed!
Fly, Sawfly, Polyclonus atratus, feathery antennae
Identified as Polyclonus atratus on Bowerbird by Kimberi Pullen: "Styracotechys males have bipectinate antennae; this one has them unipectinate."
The sparkly green patches make me think this is a Zebra Shield Bug instar...can anyone confirm or correct?
Leaf Beetle, Callidemum hypochalceum or Callidemum Blanchard 1853??? ALA link shows both (click Gallery to see more) and I can't work out the difference: https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:ddf5cb7f-b272-476d-a0ad-b03c58d1d64a
Greetings of the season for all who celebrate Christmas...may you see many beautiful creatures and honour their beauty and interconnectness in nature. Update: Shining Leaf Chafer, Schizognathus compressicornis.
Beetles, Golden Christmas, Anoplognathus punctulatus, first of the season!
Photographed through a window.
Chrysomelidae (family), thanks Nick Porch!
Identified as Chrysomelidae on Bowerbird by Nick Porch
He's not heavy. (Cryptocephalinae on weevil)
Identified as Chrysomelidae on Bowerbird by Ken Walker
What a spectacular click beetle! About 20 mm long, resting quietly on a leaf in rainforest
I didn't realise that these are "frothers" until I turned this one over.
The dam water was absolutely full of these pin-head sized water fleas. I was surprised that the camera could get any detail at all on lowest zoom (to keep the lens dry).
Spider, Salticidae, Simaethula?
Robber Fly, Asilidae, maybe Small Wasp-mimic, Laphria hirta???