27-NOV-2015
Infestation
Of tiny caterpillars, about a centimeter in length... I didn't notice them until I
put this photo up on the screen and there they were! I discovered they were on nearly
all the potted cuttings of zonal pelargoniums I had sitting on the racks, so I went
over every bud and removed each stem, but didn't kill the caterpillars in case they
belonged to the "good" guys e.g., predatory wasps. If Christine sees this she may
recognise them as being similar to some she has seen? Anyone else got any ideas - I
don't want to spray any insecticides as I have such a good ecosystem going here.
01-JAN-2015
Skink
This one was half way up the wall on our side balcony, and I managed to get up
quite close for this image. We have thousands of these throughout the garden,
but occasionally one comes inside, not good because Flossie is very taken with
trying to catch them. When this happens they will discard part of their long
tail to give them the option of moving much faster to escape.
18-SEP-2014
Spitfires - defoliating sawflies
Dick called me out to see this clump of writhing larval caterpillars
they are the the larva of a wasp related to the Cherry and Pear Slug.
This particular clump is of the Eucalyptus Sawfly (Perga Kirbyi)
When disturbed larvae tap their abdomens up and down and regurgitate a thick,
greeny-yellow juice. This is a very effective deterrent for would-be predators and parasites.
Eucalyptus trees have a great ability to recover quickly after the initial attack
unless such factors as drought or other insects further weaken the trees.
Predators, many birds find the larvae distasteful but currawongs and cuckoo-shrikes will eat them.
Pardalotes, honeyeaters and fantails will occasionally feed on the eggs and several birds will eat the adults.
Larvae will also be eaten by lizards and frogs.
[Info via Primary Industries and Resources, S.A.]
16-OCT-2010
The workers
Ladybird doing her job of cleaning my roses. They have been impressive this
year, the roses are really clean. Besides ladybirds we also have predatory
wasps who lay their eggs inside the aphid, and as the baby wasp grows it
feeds on its host and you find these empty shells left behind.
(A hand-held shot, I have problems with these)
05-OCT-2010
Aphids
Aphids on a rosebud in early spring. We have so many predators who look after
our roses - e.g., ladybirds, wasps, small birds, that we don't spray insecticide
on the rose garden. We get a handful of spoilt roses early in the season,
but the predators soon clean up the aphid & thrip.
29-JAN-2007
Garden spider on a rose
This is Lady Hillington, a fragrant old climbing tea rose
with a tiny passenger.
23-JAN-2007
Spider & web
The web was quite extensive, and there's food in the "larder"
23-JAN-2007
Spider on Crepuscule
This quite large garden spider had the web wound between canes on my
weeping Crepuscule rose.
17-JAN-2007
This odd looking thing has spider legs!
It had strung its web across the garden path and I had to break the web to get through to the other side, that's when I noticed it had spider legs! SEE NEXT
02-JAN-2007
Something odd in a spider web
Discovered this odd looking thing in the centre of a spider web strung across
one of the patheways in the rose garden. I have no idea what it is!
30-DEC-2006
Sulphur crested cockatoos
We passed a flock of these on our way out to a meal last night, but even though
I crept closer, they took flight and some landed in this tree - unfortunately
not close enough for me to get a steady hand-held shot of them.
20-DEC-2006
Busy bee...
Nuzzling into a blossom of the rose called "Ballerina"
