Warm days have been hard to come by this September, and consequently invertebrate life has also been hard to come by. However, good things come to those who wait, and a sunny day with a light breeze saw things change. The Gold Dust Wattle, Acacia acinacea is in full flower attracting native bees, Lasioglossum subgenus Homalictus. The breeze foiled attempts at a sharp photo of the fast moving little bees, but a flower fly, Lauxaniidae species was an easier target. As with many of the photos taken, the foliage had to be steadied with one hand while the camera was operated by the other.

Flies in the Therevidae family are commonly known as Stiletto Flies, and are frequent visitors to the moth light. On this occasion quite a number were gathered around the Leptospermum macrocarpum with mating in progress.

A different native bee species was seen,  Hylaeus (Prosopisteron) littleri, and eventually photographed sitting on a grevillea. It is concentrating a droplet of nectar  by evaporation of excess moisture.

The warmer temperature saw jumping spiders out and about. This Jovial Jumping Spider, Ocrisiona jovialis was roaming on the wall of the house. An attractive species, it is commonly encountered.

Also commonly encountered on the trunks of the garden trees is the Hoary Servaea, Servaea incana. A male and a very fat female were photographed.

There are a good number of the often featured Two-tailed Spiders, Tamopsis species on the trees. These speedy hunters never fail to intrigue with their superb camouflage.

This picture shows a female being courted by a male. The smaller male was gently tapping the tips of her hind legs with his front legs.

Larvae of Sparshall’s moth, Trichiocercus sparshalli are spectacular and are often found on the trunks of the red gums.

The “green drought” the local area is experiencing has coincided with the appearance of many Horse Dung Fungi, Pisolithus species in the bare ground under the trees. This one is just emerging.

Click fauna pictures to enlarge.

With Spring officially here a visit to some favourite wildflower spots was in order, starting with a couple of locations in the Stradbroke Flora and Fauna Reserve. The only flowering plants seen there were Acacia oxycedrus and an occasional Leucopogon ericoides. Disappointing but not entirely unexpected due to the dry conditions we have been experiencing. North then through Willung into Holey Plains State Park, and along the South Boundary Track to check a spot that in the past has held a small population of the Wellington Mint-bush, Prostanthera galbraithiae.  No luck with the mint, although plants yet to flower may have been missed. Another check later may be in order to see if any plants of this rare and beautiful species are still holding on. Bossiaea cinerea was just starting to flower, and a white Epacris impressa lighting the shade was also worth a picture.

Back along the bitumen to the Honeysuckle Hill Track en route to the “Berlin Wall” where a mint population is enclosed by a netting fence to keep browsers out. Photos of Acacias oxycedrus and longifolia were taken along the way.

Here at last on the north facing sandy slope was a variety of plants in flower, Leucopogon ericoides, Acacia brownii, and an Hibbertia species standing out.

The Holey Plains form of Grevillea chrysophaea is interesting, as the growth habit is very low to prostrate as in this example.

Inside the enclosure a very vigorous sprawling plant was only slightly more upright.

Boronia anemonifolia grows luxuriantly in this area and especially in the enclosure.

With close by, the mint-bush, just starting to come into flower.

Beside the track a tree with low Amyema pendula in flower, a valuable resource for honeyeaters.

One more photo for the day was taken where a kangaroo had made its way down the slope, the distance between this pair of prints and the next was four metres, quite a bound.

Click flower images to enlarge.