April 2020- finding little things in our world outside, but not too far from home, while we are following the new social isolation rules.
Meadow Argus
Junonia villida. A common butterfly and a good poser.
Pasture Day Moth
Apina callisto. This one is freshly hatched. The caterpillars that are busy digging little holes in the ground in spring are now these guys.
This is a video of the
Apina callisto caterpillar taken late August 2019 digging its hole. This video taken very close by to where this moth was today.
Caper White Butterfly
Belenois java. This is a female.
This is a male. They were hanging on for dear life in the wind today.
Nine Spotted Leaf Beetle
Phyllocharis cyanicornis. He is just 7mm long.
Another chapter in the story of
Apina callisto. An introduced European Wasp
Vespula germanica is tearing into this moth. We watched as the moths wing fell off.
The wasp continued to attack the moth. We realised that the wasp was removing the wings on purpose, most likely to carry the body back to feed larvae.
The tiny Lucerne Leaf Roller
Merophyas divulsana. The caterpillars like Honeysuckle and Abelia, of which there is plenty around here in the suburbs.
White-patch Bark Moth
Scioglyptis lyciaria
The same type of camouflage colourings, but this moth is much tinier, and rests with abdomen sticking up, and has bent antennae
Nacoleia rhoealis
Mayfly -order Ephemeroptera- the adult lives only about 2 days. The long, white-tipped cerci (tails) indicate this is a male.
Nest of Paper Wasps Polistes humilis from the eves of the house, with grubs visible. The nests never get to a great size, as sooner or later a magpie will come along to pull one down and stab at it for the wasp grubs inside.
