Tiny Boxer

 Noticed a movement on the floor at the entrance to our garage and a closer look revealed a small Mantis hunting ants.

 At about 3cm in length it is one of the smallest mantis and as this is wingless it is a female and a very adept hunter as as I watched it quickly caught and devoured two ants.

It is one of the Boxing Bark Mantis of the genus Paraoxypilus, and the large forelegs when held out resemble boxing gloves and give its common name.

They are widespread around the coastal regions of Australia.

Many Blue Tigers seen today

Today we had numerous Blue Tigers Tirumala hamatus flying around and only alighting briefly to take in some sun. It was quite an occasion as I have rarely seen them on our property and I was keen to get a photo or two as the only time of managed to photograph one it was partly hidden by foliage. Today the first one that I saw taking a break from flying only stayed long enough for a shot with wings together.

 After some time seeing many flying around but not stopping I finally saw one rest on acacia foliage and spread its wings to the sun.

I only managed to get the one photo before it was on the wing again but pleased with the result. These butterflies are found from northern Australia to as far south as eastern Victoria, however they are more numerous in northern regions, sometimes in large numbers.

Return visit with partner

The ripening fruits on the Strawberry Guava Psidium cattleianum are proving attractive to the bower birds, the Regent and the Satin, but this visit it was the female bird that I noticed in the bush feeding on a piece of fruit.

However it until I looked at the photo I wasn't sure which species, as both are brownish but the Regent has the black patch on the crown and the mottled back where as the Satin is more olive coloured and mottled on the breast.

Shortly after she was joined by the male back to enjoy the fruit.

Exciting regal visit.

This afternoon we were discussing some fruit in the orchard when I happened to get a glimpse of a bright yellow splash of colour at the top of the Strawberry Guava bush. First thought was a bird with a fruit from the adjacent calamondin bush, then suddenly thought, Regent Bower Bird and dashed for the camera.

The bush is some distance away and the zoom is at full 65x optical and the photo quite heavily cropped.

Definitely a male Regent Bower Bird Sericulus chrysocephalus and only the second time I have seen one on our property. They are generally found in the rainforest and adjacent forest areas of coastal Queensland and NSW.

The female is not brightly coloured being olive green to fawn with mottled and scalloped markings.

Their natural food are the fruits of rainforest trees but they are very partial to exotic fruits much the the chagrin of orchardists.

It quickly flew off into the trees where I managed to get another photo before it left the area.

 

Difficult ID

Another moth photograph taken last week and I had a difficult time trying to identify the species as there are a number of similar coloured and patterned moths.

Finally I thought I had it nailed but then I was worried as there had been few sightings so had to ask an expert. He thought it was a different species and looking at the reference he gave I found a better match. A female moth in the CATOCALINAE family  Ericeia plaesoides.