The bike-path bridge a short distance downstream from us a few hours after its peak. It crosses a storm water channel leading to Phillips Creek about 10m away.
Downstream from the bike-path bridge
Upstream from the bike bridge on Phillips Creek
Downstream from the Gallipoli Rd bridge. The red line shows the high water mark.
Upstream from the Gallipoli Rd bridge
Gooseberry seedlings
Silverbeet seedling
Brussel sprout seedling
Hibiscus stem closeup. It's a spikey one!
I planted it a bit too close to the neighbours fence but after recent persistent rain (over a few weeks) it started leaning out from the fence. It is growing in clay soil. However the top is now pointing skywards again and it seems none the worse for it.
I'm interested to see what comes out of this egg case?
Transient wasp. Possibly a Hatchet wasp? Hatchet wasps attack lawn grubs.
Shy spider. It is probably a Green Jumping Spider, Mopsus mormon (ID source - Brisbane Insects and Spiders)
Transient sap sucking bug
This little spider appears to be camouflaging itself with nearby caterpillar frass... or perhaps the frass just landed there.
I believe this is a Katydid rather than a Grasshopper due to the very long antennae.
I haven't confidently IDed this caterpillar yet but think it might be in the genus Amonis, which is a moth.
I'm assuming this is a later instar (molt). There were about 6 caterpillars when I looked a few days ago but there appear to be only 2 left.
I have no idea what this nymph develops in to, perhaps a ladybug?
What is this? It looks like a cross between a slug and a beetle...
This furry spider likes to hide during the day and spin its web at night. Probably a Garden Orb-Weaver (Eriophora transmarina - ID source - Wildlife of Greater Brisbane).
This little beastie was sitting on a cupboard handle in the kitchen. Its markings almost look like acrylic paint. It is a Green Blotched Moth (Cosmodes elegans - ID - Ozanimals.com). We don't have any Lobelia or Verbena mentioned on the Ozanimals site so it must have come from a neighbouring yard.
This very large moth (probably a Hawk Moth) had the misfortune to be discovered by our cats and is thus looking rather battered. I kindly relieved its suffering by feeding it to our chooks. At least they don't play with their food!
I know it's not really an expression but the moth does look pissed off.
Another small moth attracted to the light in the bathroom. Its colouring is of course brighter but I haven't learnt how to adjust for the necessary flash.
One more moth shot. There were of course many more visitors but I didn't always have a camera nearby and charged. There was a magnificient praying mantis on the front door frame last night but the camera battery was flat!
Most likely a Grass Skink, Lampropholis delicata (ID source, Wildlife of Greater Brisbane).
Most likely a Cuckoo Wasp (ID source - Wildlife of Greater Brisbane). I've seen this wasp several times checking out the holes in the bricks and concrete on the walls. It finally stayed still long enough to have its photo taken.
I never thought there was so much variety in grasshoppers, but here is yet another colour. The poor thing is looking at me perhaps knowing it's about to be fed to the chooks.
My wife tells me this Earwig at the bottom of a bowl of tomatoes I harvested was in the fridge for two days. It seems none the worse for wear.
Every morning and evening this pair of Kookaburras likes to sit on the neighbour's TV aerial and sing, 'This is my spot'. Hopefully their spot is more plentiful if I reduce the cane toad population so that more lizards can eat and grow.
The cane toads are out in force tonight after some rain. Several brave ones attempt crossing the roads into new territory but not all of them make it... I go out a couple of times a month to get a couple of small shopping bags full and stick them in the freezer (for a relatively humane death). They are quite easy to locate and catch. They generally prefer short grass and like to sit on the edge of hedges / flower beds where they can make a quick escape into greenery. Shining a bright torch light on them temporarily keeps them still. Then all you have to do is pincer grab them behind the brown, bony ridge in line with their eyes and front legs. This way you avoid the poison gland and they usually can't get their feet to touch your hand. Take care not to point their bottoms towards you though. Many empty their bladder in fright!
This case moth chose the odd position of next to our front door to do a little rapelling. It went up and down the wall 3 times over the course of 2 days before disappearing.
This small beetle decided to visit our house but fearing it was mistaken as to its lodgings I put it outside to continue its travels (can you tell I've been listening to the Lord of the Rings? There is a fantastic BBC adaption for radio on 13 CDs that Renee gave to me a few years ago. Some of the accompanying music is a bit off the planet when trying to create Elvish singing but that is but a small blemish on its high production values.). My mother tells me it is a Christmas beetle that has a tendency to strip trees bare in Darwin.
My attempt at an arty shot of a sunflower head. Can you spot the grasshopper to the right of the flower's centre and another insect hiding behind the petals in the top right?
St Andrew's Cross spider with one grasshopper already wrapped and another just caught.
Part of our chooks laying mash is sorghum seeds and we've had a few plants spring up from chook compost. The maturing seeds provide great camoflage for an Assassin Bug, Pristhesancus plagipennis (ID source, OzAnimals). I will be interested to see if this nymph survives to adulthood.
