Sunday 11 January 2009

Anglesea wildlife

Before I got distracted by orchids at Anglesea (and before my batteries went flat) I managed to find some insects on the foliage of plants at Point Addis.

This huge bullant (maybe 3cm long) was scurrying across the sand and up and down low plants, carrying what appears to be a bee. I wasn't too worried about it biting me while it had food in its 'mouth'.

Haven't worked out what this is yet, but it was under bark on a eucalypt and I only got one photo before it headed (flew actually) for another dark shelter.

A grasshopper, also unidentified as yet. Any suggestions welcome.

And on a leaf of a wattle I found these Stiletto-flies mating. They belong to the Therevidae family and the adults feed on nectar (their larvae in the soil are carnivorous).

5 comments:

Joanne said...

Wow, great pic of the bullant with the fly.

Duncan said...

Looks like a species of cockroach to my untrained eye Boobook.

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Boobook
I'm with Duncan on the "roach". There are some specialist ones, but I cannot help much there. Very pretty one.
The Grasshopper looks like it is in the "Gum-leaf Grasshopper" group.
http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_grasshoppers/Goniaea.htm
Hope that helps.
Denis

Boobook said...

Thanks Duncan, I'm sure you're right but I don't think my photo is good enough to identify it down to species level.
Great Denis - that's a great help.

CCV said...

The grasshopper is one of the Goniaea genus; commonly known as Gumleaf, or Dead Gumleaf, Grasshoppers. Can't tell you what species, but hth.