Anglesea heath in early spring

It's officially spring but the last week has seen driving rain, hail, snow in the Otways and strong winds. But today the sun was shining so I went to some heathy areas near Anglesea to see what was flowering.

I wasn't the only creature out and about. This caterpillar was on a Hakea shrub. I think it's a Oenochroma vinaria.

Caterpillar on hakea (Oenochroma vinaria)

Caterpillar

Bushy Needlewood Hakea decurrens ssp. physocarpa

And a Scorpion Fly was just hanging about like they do. It looked like it was caught in a web but soon flew on to a new spot.

Scorpion Fly

Scorpion Fly

There were mosses and lichens, several types of orchids flowering and a few other plants as well but the flush of spring has not reached us yet.

Lichen and moss

Lichen

Lichen

Lichen

Lichen

Moss

Moss

Pterostylis nutans Nodding Greenhood, with visitor.

Trim Greenhood Pterostylis concinna

Small Gnat Orchid Cyrtostylis reniformis

Creamy Candles Stackhousia monogyna, is just starting to flower.

Poranthera microphylla Small Poranthera

Hibbertia sericea var. sericea Silky Guinea-flower

Drosera aberrans Scented Sundew

Wattle

Heath Teatree  Leptospermum myrsinoides

Running Postman Kennedia prostrata

Some Otway orchids

We walked about 200 metres along a track in the forest north of Anglesea on Victoria's south coast but it took a while because we found a few orchids flowering, about ten species in all. Am I repeating myself when I say this area is a marvellous floristic treasure?

Eastern Bronze Caladenia Caladenia transitoria

Large Duck Orchid Caleana major

Plain Fingers Caladenia sp. aff. vulgaris

Spotted Sun Orchid Thelymitra ixioides

Slender Sun Orchid Thelymitra pauciflora

Salmon Sun Orchid Thelymitra rubra

We also saw two species of bearded greenhoods, Pink Fingers and the small duck orchid Caleana minor as well as leaves of several other species. A friend was along the same track a month ago and saw an entirely different suite of orchids and other plants flowering.

Harvey Street

It was a beautiful morning and I was in Anglesea with some spare time. Perfect. The woodland off Harvey Street seemed like a good option and it proved to be a good choice.

The austrostipas, poas and austrodanthonias were flowering and waving in the slight breeze and as always look spectacular when backlit. There were a few plants flowering (pimeleas, peas, lomandras, an orchid or two, fringe-lilies, daisies and even a few violets), there were a few insects on the shrubs (dragonflies, damselflies, wasps, flies, ants, bees, moths and butterflies), there were one or two birds calling (but as it was midday I wasn't expecting too many) and I had the bush track all to myself. It was a delightful hour.

Thysanotus tuberosus subsp. tuberosus, Common Fringe Lily

Caladenia tentaculata Mantis Orchid

Spider

Day-flying moth. Family Crambidae, Corynophora lativittalis. Thanks MH.

Male Common Brown Heteronympha merope

Varied Sedge-skipper Hesperilla donnysa.

Metallic Jewel (Shield) Bug Scutiphora pedicellata

PS I'll update the IDs when I've done some homework. Any ideas?

Update: All sorted now. Thanks CT for help on the bug, MH for the moth and VWD and DM for the sedge-skipper butterfly.

Green-combs

One of the orchids we found at Anglesea on Sunday was Caladenia tentaculata, the Mantis Orchid (or Large Green-comb). There were quite a few, tucked away in the heath, looking very beautiful.

But there were two that have me confused. I can't decide what they are. The combs of C. tentaculata extend above the tip of the anther whereas those of the one below are quite short. The bottom photo may just be a Mantis Orchid past its prime, but the one immediately below is different. It could be C. phaeoclavia or C. dilatata. And I've just noticed the lack of wings on the column of the flower above. Now I'm really confused. Maybe it is C. dilatata. I think I'll take up a different hobby :(

Birds of a different kind

Yesterday we wandered at field nats' pace through trees on the property east of Anglesea so I don't think we missed much. We saw quite a few species of orchid including a big patch of the Common Bird Orchid Chiloglottis valida. They're called 'bird' orchids' because the flowers look like young birds opening their beaks. 'Valida' means strong, and they certainly are a robust looking orchid, especially the leaves. We saw the paired leaves first - they can be up to 10 cm long - and then hunted for the flowers. There were a few fully open. This genus of orchid spreads vegetatively, producing clones of itself from tubers, so you often find it in large numbers in one area. (It also produces seed but very little of it germinates.) It's pollinated by sexually-deceived male wasps apparently. I'd like to see that.

Hiding its face

It's a bit like reading a word for years but never hearing it said so it's a big surprise when you hear it pronounced properly. That's how it was for me today when Polly found a Hidden Violet Viola cleistogamoides. I've seen photos and read descriptions but never would have recognised this little beauty if I'd been by myself. It's a tiny plant, the flowers face downwards and it's the leaves you notice first. My highlight of the club excursion to a private property near Anglesea - although it was hard to beat the killer view of an Australian Owlet-nightjar sitting on a low branch.

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).

Spring at Anglesea

The heath at Anglesea is on the verge of breaking out into its usual spectacular spring display. We've had a little more rain this year so it should be great. There were enough spots of colour to give us a taste of things to come.

My daughter in WA told me last night that they're having the best wildflower season in 12 years over there. I knew I should have booked a ticket. But right here is pretty good.

Here are some of the plants we found flowering. I'm happy to be corrected on any of the names.

Hibbertia riparia Erect Guinea-flower

Leucopogon ericoides Pink Beard-heath

Pultenaea dentata Clustered Bush-pea

Billardiera scandens Common Apple-berry

and, I had to add an orchid of course.

Cyrtostylis reniformis Gnat Orchid