It’s been hot, hot, hot out there over the summer months but there was still plenty to get out and see! Our parks and reserves offer a wide selection of walking trails which you can either use to get your heart rate up, or you can wander along slowly and discover the smaller details of nature. There’s something for everyone! You can find information on the parks, trails, and what to look for under Explore Your Parks on our website. We hope you enjoy a sample of observations recorded over the summer.
The smooth darling peas (Swainsona galegifolia) graced us with their bright orange flowers in November and begun to drop their seeds in January, ensuring the next generation of these endangered plants can persist. You can check out the flowers in our Noticing Nature in November article.
The Christmas jewel spider (Austracantha minax) is mostly seen around the summer months. This spider is distinctive with spikes on its abdomen, but despite looking formidable, it is harmless to people. Females are around 12 mm long while males are smaller at around 5 mm. Females will mate over the summer and then hide their egg sacs near their webs. The spiderlings won’t hatch until the following spring. These spiders are not that easy to photograph because they will scurry off along threads of silk when approached!
This is a blue eyes lacewing (Nymphes myrmeleonoides). Lacewings belong to the order Neuroptera (or net-winged insects) which also includes mantidflies, antlions, and their relatives (around 6000 species all together). The larvae of lacewings are wingless and may be beneficial in the garden as they prey on pests such as aphids. Adults generally feed on nectar and pollen. This one was seen at Swainsona Conservation Reserve.
The beautiful colours of nature! This is the underwing of a stick insect in the genus Podacanthus. Stick and leaf insects are known as phasmids (order Phasmatodea) and are hard to spot as they are usually brown or green and as their name suggests, resemble twigs and leaves! They mostly eat gum tree leaves and hence this is where you will mainly find them, however they do sometimes appear in suburban gardens on other plants. There are around 150 species of phasmids in Australia with the longest being the titan stick insect at around 25 cm long! Interestingly, many female phasmids do not require a male to produce eggs (known as parthenogenesis) and in this case all eggs will be female. There is no larval stage and freshly hatched young (called nymphs) are mini versions of the adults.
The Australian red bull ant (Myrmecia simillima) has strong jaws, keen eyesight, and a venomous sting that can cause severe pain! These ants can be up to 30 mm long and are abundant throughout eastern Australia. The first specimen was collected in 1770, making it one of the first insects to be described by a European.
There are around 100 species of mistletoe in Australia and they are found all over the country except in Tasmania. While they are parasitic, they are not introduced species and they don’t normally cause the death of their host. Their seeds are carried by birds such as the mistletoe bird and some honeyeaters. These birds swallow the fruit whole and then the sticky seeds are deposited onto a branch in their droppings. Most mistletoes have green leaves and can photosynthesise, however, they rely on their host for water and mineral salts via a connection to the xylem of the host. Mistletoes are important plants in the ecosystem and provide many benefits to a range of animal species. The endangered regent honeyeater depends on mistletoes as a source of nectar along with around 23 butterfly species. Other animals such as beetles, spiders, moths, and other birds also rely on mistletoe for food, shelter, and nesting sites.
Watch where you step because you don’t want to squish one of these cute little pie-dish beetles (Genus Helea) which seem to be out in numbers at the moment, especially at Castle Creek Conservation Reserve! These beetles have broad rims around their thorax and around the forewings which are hardened and thickened. There are around 50 flightless species in this genus which are mainly found under rocks, logs, and leaf litter.
A slow walk, paying attention to the sights, sounds, and smells of nature does wonders for your mental health. The Kiewa River Nature Trail is a great place to start! This track is flat (unless you go off on the Huon Hill trail) and follows the river to the junction with the Murray.
Leaf-curling spiders (genus Phonognatha) lift a leaf from the ground using their silk threads and then stitch it together to make a safe refuge in which to hide from predators. They will then sit inside the curled hideaway with only their legs exposed and touching the web, feeling for vibrations of an insect that has been caught. The female will make a separate curled leaf for her eggs and attach this away from the web in nearby foliage.
