ANPS does the insects of the Tinderries

This is part 2 of the blog on this outing.  I took so many (usable) images that putting everything in one post would have blown any dial up connections out of the atmosphere.

Many thanks to Roger for pointing out the diversity of these animals and providing identities for many of them.  Any errors in hearing or transcription are of course my own!

I should offer a couple of viewer advisories.  A couple of the images shown below shows insects doing what comes naturally so if that sort of thing annoys you (interestingly, watching insects or other animals do "it" doesn't seem to require the same sanctions as if it was hairless apes) perhaps do not read on.  There are also images of dead insects - part of the natural processes as well!

There were many species of dragonfly of which this was the largest.

This is a male, of a much smaller species, seen in large numbers in the higher swamp.

A wasp of unknown to me at this stage family!

 A member of the Pompilidae (Spider wasps)

A member of the family Sphecidae.

Sawfly larvae (aka 'spitfires due to the stinging effect of the chewed up gum leaves they excrete as a defence mechanism.

A big black wasp!

Mating Thinnine wasps.  Not the lack of wings on the female, but the male is capable of Flying United!  These are the pollinators of the Thinninorchis (which along with most other orchids were well absent today).

This is a Hanging Fly which (from the images in Brisbane Insects) may be Harpobittacus tillyardi or a close relative thereof.

 The males of this species present food items as a nuptial gift to the females.  The gift here is a bee.

Jewel bugs seem to be more effective!  I still think a box of chocolates would be better.

This a Jewel Beetle (Castiarina rufipennis ?) mimicking a Lycid beetle.

Here are the Lycids (Porrostoma rhipidium?), also making babies while the sun shines.  I am intrigued that the mimic gets the big picture (wing cases) correctly but fails miserably to mimic the shape of the antennae.  Presumably this is to make life easier for entomologists.

I prefer the vernacular name of these Fiddle Beetles because it is:

• easier to spell than Eupoecila australasiae! and
• does reflect the pattern rather well!

These are Jewel bugs (as opposed to Jewel Beetles) Scutiphora pedicellata.

Although the exposure is very dodgy I like this head on shot!  It is easy to end up with shots like this when the #%$%^% subject won't stay still!