Oh! to be named common.

A moth arriving yesterday evening on the flyscreen was easily trapped by closing the window and was released this morning for a photo session. Quite an attractive moth with distinctive markings so when it came to identification the first moth I looked at in the family I thought it might belong to, was spot on. A "Common Anthelid" Anthela acuta, and this one a male as there is quite a colour and pattern variation between the sexes and I must say it does not look common to me.

One of the food plants for the caterpillars are wattles and we have quite a lot of naturally occurring species as well as ones we have planted in the gardens, so should not be surprised to see this moth.

A sunbaking day

A touch of warm weather brought out one of our Lace Monitor lizards for an early season sunbake. This is the first sighting for this season of one of our younger residents, who has spent the winter season in a hollow log that is in our pool garden area. This one is probably the least timid and will generally stay put, as long as you don't make sudden movements. I was reasonably close for the photo and it was generally unconcerned, but at one point it did give a warning hiss. (not really a hiss more the sound you make if you close your throat and breath out)

As you can see the skin is bright and clear after last season's had been shed and the coloured patterns showing good contrast. I cropped  for a close-up of the face and the markings around the eye.

Twisted Moth on a pointer

A new moth fluttered against the window yesterday evening and I brought it inside to photograph but it promptly escaped and disappeared. However this morning I found it on the window frame and was able to get it onto my finger for a photo before releasing outside.
So far I haven't been able to identify the species but will keep looking.
 

Thanks to Denis, we have identification, "Twisted Moth" Circopetes obtusata

Pollination in progress

Our most prevalent honeyeater is the Eastern Spinebill, Acanthorhynchus supercilious that are around the garden year round, attracted by our plantings of many nectar producing native plants. Grevilleas are particularly attractive and the Spinebills spend their day moving around from plant to plant. In one of our gardens we have a Banksia when in flower, the Eastern Spinebills cannot go past without having a nectar break. The shrub is "Hinchinbrook" Banksia, Banksia plagiocarpa "Hinchinbrook" a most attractive Banksia, that in the wild is restricted to parts of Hinchinbrook Island and adjacent mainland areas of Queensland. However it is not all take as the Spinebills do a great job of pollinating the Banksia; as on each insertion of the bill into the flower, pollen is deposited on the base of the bill. (as can be seen in the photo)

An eye on the prize

Have been quite busy around the property and have not had much time for photos, but today I had the camera handy as I was at the wood heap splitting logs for the fire. A couple of yellow robins were keeping a close watch ready to pounce on any grubs as the logs split.