The small birds seem to have have completely deserted us, there is probably plenty of food in the bush with the red gums in full flower at the moment. On the other hand it’s been a bumper season in the garden for invertebrates, starting with the hover flies and the long-legged green flies. They have diminished greatly, but other species are in numbers not seen before, eg. sand wasps, Bembix species, and drone flies, Eristalinus species. Wherever we look on the bare ground the sand wasps are excavating nursery burrows.

Opening the burrow to do further tunnelling,

After disappearing for a time and shovelling sand out, she conceals the entrance.

Drone fly, many more than we’ve seen previously.

With hot weather upon us the cicadas are of course making their presence felt with their shrilling.
This is a small species not much more than an inch long.

Also clinging to the brick wall, a magnificent robber fly.

A night walk with the camera was productive, this Eurymela species on the Brittle Gum trunk was being attended by sugar ants.

The homes of case moth caterpillars come in many shapes, sizes, and appearances, this one was living on the Grevillea asplenifolia.

And of course night time is ideal to photograph spiders, like this very striking Eriophora pustulosa.

A very large wolf spider has made her home in the prostrate Pultenaea pedunculata. She can’t be seen during daylight hours, but was snapped at her burrow entrance at night.

Male and female Helpis species were recently photographed on the meter box door, this is the feisty little female challenging the photographer.

Getting away from invertebrates, the Red Wattlebirds have been efficiently pollinating the Grevillea Moonlight.

And down near the river the flying foxes are well settled in for Christmas. A chance photo caught a mother and baby side by side with an expectant mother.

Click pictures to enlarge.

A visit to a friend’s garden was productive, butterflies were nectaring on some tall everlastings, making for some nice pictures.

Painted Lady, Vanessa kershawi, a pristine specimen.

And on the fishpond, floating Nardoo foliage.

It is always good to find a St. Andrews Cross spider, Argiope keyserlingi, in the garden, and this one came with a bonus, the male in position on the decorative silk cross behind the female.

This is the time of year for the Australian Jewel Spider, aka Spiny Spider, Austracantha minax, and there is what can only be described as a colony in the Burrendong Beauty hakea. Strangely, the twenty or so spiders are all facing into the shrub, south, away from the sun, meaning only their interesting under-sides could be photographed.

Out in the paddock there is plenty of seed available for cockies and friends,

however, on a showery morning the Little Corellas found the seed on the Snowy River Wattle to be more inviting.

And with plenty of grevillea flowers on tap the young Red Wattlebirds have been growing quickly and becoming independent,

and learning to be wary.

Click pictures to enlarge.