More general Nature Study

This post will contain a few odds and ends that I see around the place.

I will begin with some fungi seen ascending the bark of a Red Box (Eucalyptus polyanthemos) in our top paddock.  They went at about this density from near Ground level to the top of the fibrous bark (say 2,5m up).
What has caused (and is still causing) me difficulty in identifying the beastie is that it clearly has gills (so not a typical bracket fungus) but doesn't seem to have a stem (so not like any of the bark dwelling agarics).  These features show up better in this close up.
This next fungus fits reasonably well to Coltricia cinnamomea.  Judging by its appearance in mossy sites it appreciates the current soggy conditions.

The next one has defeated my ID skills completely!
It did have a very keen looking fly perched on top of it!

Some ants were busy tidying up around scale insects.
My expectation is that ants would also be pleased to see the colony of Eurymeloides pulchra found investigating - by running rapidly when I pointed my camera them - an Acacia dealbata.
 Also on an A. dealbata was this specimen.  I will take a big punt on it being a larva of something or another!  At least they didn't move too quickly!


A moth came and settled on one of the posts around our deck.  From looking at Donald Hobern's photostream it looks rather like Scioglyptis chionomera

Comments

Denis Wilson said…
Hi Martin
Nice report.
Your larva is probably a Ladybird larva.
http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_ladybirds/index.html
I should be able to give you a clue on the gilled fungi without a stem. Similar shaped fungi are routinely found in the Rainforest in Robertson.
I will check further and get back to you.
Regards
Denis
20 March 2012 at 01:42:00 GMT+11
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