tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73934392024-03-14T06:39:54.005+11:00David Nelson's PhotoblogMy photos of the natural world's inhabitants, juxtaposed with what I've discovered about them.David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-55071799305218550012008-12-03T12:03:00.001+11:002008-12-03T12:03:45.149+11:00On the road again...<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Hey guys, I'm currently on the road, living out of my car and driving around Australia. Check out my adventures <a href='https://davotrip.blogspot.com'>here</a><br/></div>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-69601353068971076662008-10-05T17:00:00.002+11:002008-10-06T18:36:56.872+11:00What happened?I'm going to put this out as a reader challenge while I do some research myself. I came across this somewhat disturbing spectacle in a local bit of bushland. The spider (which was on a vertical trunk as it happens) appears to be a huntsman which has been/is being consumed by some sort of parasitic fungus. It certainly makes me shudder. Apologies for the photo quality, I only had my happy snap camera with me at the time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SOm_7kRraoI/AAAAAAAAA7M/BuTKaU_ueG8/s1600-h/P1000935.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SOm_7kRraoI/AAAAAAAAA7M/BuTKaU_ueG8/s400/P1000935.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253941470375406210" border="0" /></a>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-6147356827748238322008-10-05T16:47:00.000+11:002008-10-05T16:49:35.615+11:00This one's done...<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>I'd heard about these and seen photos, but last night was the first time I'd seen the Blue Mountains form of the Sydney Crayfish (<em>Euastacus australasiensis</em>)... truly an astonishing colour.<br/><div style='margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;'><br/><br/><a href='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SOhVGFablZI/AAAAAAAAA7E/Fhh1WjmJ_SU/s1600-h/IMGP4045.jpg'><img border='0' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SOhVGFablZI/AAAAAAAAA7E/Fhh1WjmJ_SU/s400/IMGP4045.jpg' alt=''/></a><br/>Sydney Crayfish, <em>Euastacus australasiensis</em></div></div>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-70610962767256315882008-09-30T19:43:00.001+10:002008-10-06T16:53:39.160+11:00Assorted Simpson desert photos<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>I mentioned that I've done a bit of volunteer work in the Simpson recently - without further ado, here are a selection of photos. Remember to check out the rest of the album for any photos I've deemed less... publishable!<br/><div align='center'><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/Lyku5Nwb4uJ0swGD-YS7hA?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SLixIbJzrFI/AAAAAAAAAcs/B6UuwUEluNE/s400/IMGP2575.JPG'/></a><br/><i>Varanus gilleni</i>, Pygmy mulga monitor<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/PhCL_Q91-eXDAcmIRRFpJg?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SLixJGx_CyI/AAAAAAAAAc0/HoarRBo_ANU/s400/IMGP2580.JPG'/></a><br/><i>Nephrurus laevis</i>, Knob-tailed gecko<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/rMSy7TuiuTscrXgnr5wLbA?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SLixKLcXekI/AAAAAAAAAc8/SvwrlKtvToI/s400/IMGP2585.JPG'/></a><br/><i>Ctenophorus nuchalis</i>, Central netted dragon<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/HYp4YhnbiYHx980PE2w48A?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SLixK_tnIKI/AAAAAAAAAdE/2vhvl1SASsc/s400/IMGP2588.JPG'/></a><br/><i>Morethia ruficauda</i>, Fire-tailed skink<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/6yjZ1GH995RMqmaLiPXo0Q?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SLixLmumTeI/AAAAAAAAAdM/ii3GimA-80Q/s400/IMGP2591.JPG'/></a><br/><i>Ctenotus pantherinus</i>, Panther skink<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/w01ESSOsEgL5-RqOInh_aA?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SLixOippxKI/AAAAAAAAAdc/Jy5MT30xOw8/s400/IMGP2627.JPG'/></a><br/><i>Varanus brevicauda</i>, Short-tailed pygmy monitor - smallest monitor in the world<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/EFZc7518G56nj88HN4mF2g?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SLixRGGhEdI/AAAAAAAAAdk/kNsUi1dnmhU/s400/IMGP2648.JPG'/></a><br/><i>Ctenophorus isolepis</i> - Military dragon<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/EaekcDT4adGV3pGR6X2WyA?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SLixRxsHPrI/AAAAAAAAAds/2MMAyvzIhcw/s400/IMGP2650.JPG'/></a><br/><i>Rhynchoedura ornata</i> - Beaked Gecko<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/OlleDMEp4LReUGfv2wG1Kw?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SLixUP4Ti-I/AAAAAAAAAeA/UT3M5AqYvpw/s400/IMGP2655.JPG'/></a><br/><i>Ningaui rideii</i><br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/3-RAnJpPke0mONNV57vhqQ?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SLixXl4dbEI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/CmSq78gL_wE/s400/IMGP2666.JPG'/></a><br/><i>Varanus gouldii</i>, Gould's sand goanna<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/2at08JdkLu8LBGUYGyWtEA?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SLixZBQNdYI/AAAAAAAAAeY/T47RbgIawzs/s400/IMGP2673.JPG'/></a><br/>Scorpion<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/CiQU8iHVhjGjXbAjBqurJA?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SLixaPjRJ1I/AAAAAAAAAeg/O_2Cr9_PKR8/s400/IMGP2752.JPG'/></a><br/><i>Varanus eremius, </i>Spinifex goanna<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/RVpGcsPiY-7lSJimo9rjJg?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SOHvuGazwkI/AAAAAAAAA2w/wVzYnf9g1KU/s400/IMGP2640.JPG'/></a><br/>Mantid<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/qi8zkmHKMg12fyUiA7i67Q?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SOHv4S3iNYI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/2IHpgHhQyp8/s400/IMGP2722.JPG'/></a><br/>Sand tracks - lizard<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/2jq7M_z9b-k09kwuqYrCZA?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SOHv_xahAiI/AAAAAAAAA3g/NWVMLhNKVJA/s400/IMGP2728.JPG'/></a><br/>Tenebrionid & tracks<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/sBfzrnRZ5ihQBGu7XNd0wg?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SOHwOEs1UDI/AAAAAAAAA40/TTq2XeLdGcM/s400/IMGP3093.JPG'/></a><br/>Moon and spnifex clump<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/yVhotAMzFEaMLGTklCwxxw?authkey=UG6cm6vd1kM'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SOHwNN8F6tI/AAAAAAAAA4s/apRHJuJbj_I/s400/IMGP3088.JPG'/></a><br/>Moonrise in the Gidgee<br/><br/></div></div>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-12573458067769195042008-09-29T15:32:00.001+10:002008-09-29T15:32:44.820+10:00Strzelecki Gibber<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div align='center'><div align='left'>Spent a bit of time out around Lyndhurst (the start of the Strzelecki track) in South Australia recently. Saw a couple of herps.<br/></div><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/_KQje3hmccc0IwcGMj-znQ'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SOBiZThM1cI/AAAAAAAAAxU/qeqglDO0VmI/s400/IMGP3230.jpg'/></a><br/>Sleepy lizard / Bobtail / Shingleback / Pine-cone lizard (<i>Tiliqua rugosa</i>)<br/><br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/yHoUdgmn8bUjj149Nes7DA'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SOBicr2-5bI/AAAAAAAAAxs/QObdcnVM758/s400/IMGP3249.jpg'/></a><br/>Pebble-mimic dragon, <i>Tympanocryptis </i>sp.<br/><br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/Lo2BDOhTOMpeyG8_U1sPGg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SOBidHHPeuI/AAAAAAAAAx0/2RXJ-ZTbupM/s400/IMGP3253.jpg'/></a><br/>Marbled Gecko, <i>Christinus marmoratus</i>.<br/><br/></div></div>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-49819796247510786812008-09-29T09:05:00.001+10:002008-09-29T09:05:47.659+10:00Curracabundi<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div align='center'><div align='left'>I was recently lucky enough to visit Curracabundi National Park - located out past <a href='http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=-31.620644,151.638794&spn=1.023231,2.081909&z=10'>Gloucester near Nowendoc</a>. The park has been acquired fairly recently, largely for its value as a stronghold for the endangered Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby. I was on a trip studying this species so got to get some great looks at them and spend some time observing and photographing a colony. As always there were lots of other interesting things to see.<br/><br/>N.B. I'm experimenting with a different system of posting images whereby I upload a picasa web album (in this case 17 images) and then embed a selection of the best photos in the blog post itself. Each image you see will link to the photo in the album, from where you can view the rest of the photos. I'm trying this out as a way of making more photos available for viewing - not just the best ones that I want to put in a post. Let me know if you like/dislike/have problems with the system.<br/></div><br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/mM6xEeVkPUziMExMDJu0Uw'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SN3OIA7ntuI/AAAAAAAAAsU/zsTDypyCZ4E/s400/IMGP3599.jpg'/></a><br/>Greenhood<br/></div><br/><div align='center'><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/C-S145FoNP-5glUMZ4cwAQ'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SN3Ob9VxIoI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/mH9e3VTZowA/s400/IMGP3831.jpg'/></a><br/>Lace Monitor, <i>Varanus varius</i> - this big animal was causing some consternation amongst the rock wallabies.<br/></div><br/><div align='center'><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/pIjZGX0sFeH1uQ8SR7M1Gw'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SN3OhZDbnxI/AAAAAAAAAtg/X8gxZJpGDho/s400/IMGP3858.jpg'/></a><br/>Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby<br/></div><br/><div align='center'><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/KGjjw1qlicV-JKGqeg6TcQ'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SN3OlAiv-GI/AAAAAAAAAto/TrwwKZalLSQ/s400/IMGP4012.jpg'/></a><br/>Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies with pouch joey<br/><br/><div align='left'>Rock wallabies spend their days on rocky outcrops, often basking in the sun and squabbling over the best positions on the rocks. When evening comes the wallabies venture out from their refugia to feed.<br/></div></div><br/><div align='center'><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/I3YYtXhONZ5qfigVXbtS2g'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SN3OMxHerZI/AAAAAAAAAsk/csrYC2uJClQ/s400/IMGP3621.jpg'/></a><br/>Monkeycot Bluff & Barnard River<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/JeXbTunHEbbtTr3EBItoTQ?authkey=hC4UyyQNJZA'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SN3OZosbEJI/AAAAAAAAAtE/7k2AKLowqnw/s400/IMGP3802.jpg'/></a><br/><i>Egernia striolata</i> living in the rocky crevices<br/><br/><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/G1NGKUXTPQIfMdJWJPG9dQ?authkey=hC4UyyQNJZA'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/totallyexcellent/SN9QP1ZKlzI/AAAAAAAAAvg/TP_-3lsBkIc/s400/IMGP3635.jpg'/></a><br/>Tongue Orchid, <i>Dendrobium linguiforme</i><br/><br/><br/></div></div>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-51991354035569419402008-09-02T03:03:00.003+10:002008-09-02T03:05:42.802+10:00Quick pic: Aphid close-up<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SLwg3vh0mnI/AAAAAAAAAjw/DEF2ZkXcIXI/s1600-h/IMGP1604.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SLwg3vh0mnI/AAAAAAAAAjw/DEF2ZkXcIXI/s400/IMGP1604.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241100208375634546" border="0" /></a>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-27574311300394692212008-07-28T12:50:00.001+10:002008-07-29T19:07:18.402+10:00Donkey orchid<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SI0z7NVX0oI/AAAAAAAAAb4/YWXxL3rdUx0/s1600-h/IMGP3216.JPG"><img alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SI0z7NVX0oI/AAAAAAAAAb4/YWXxL3rdUx0/s400/IMGP3216.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><em>Diuris</em> <em>maculata, </em>I believe.<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><br /></a></div>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-91531059716727780162008-07-21T11:46:00.003+10:002008-07-21T11:54:43.137+10:00Simpson desert trip highlight<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SIPrr35lirI/AAAAAAAAAbw/7MaMVJap_tU/s1600-h/IMGP3165.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SIPrr35lirI/AAAAAAAAAbw/7MaMVJap_tU/s400/IMGP3165.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225279131652295346" border="0" /></a><br />Together with the frogs, of course, this thorny devil (<span style="font-style: italic;">Moloch horridus</span>) was one of the stars of the trip...David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-12085425818333520532008-07-08T13:08:00.003+10:002008-07-08T13:28:15.925+10:00Simpson Desert part 2: Frogs!I've just got back after another trip into the Simpson. Luckily there was a bit of rain out there before we arrived which resulted in a couple of frogs being active!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SHLcz36VGxI/AAAAAAAAAWI/lnN-WsFKRCI/s1600-h/IMGP3021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SHLcz36VGxI/AAAAAAAAAWI/lnN-WsFKRCI/s400/IMGP3021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220477701815868178" border="0" /></a><br />The first I found on the trip out there when we stopped for the night - between Nyngan and Bourke. It's <span style="font-style: italic;">Neobatrachus sudelli</span>, the Painted Burrowing Frog. I could hear frogs calling but they were a long way off.<br /><br />In the Simpson there was only about 15 mm, enough to wet the sand but not enough to fill clay pans where frogs would breed. I searched at night but it was actually thanks to our pitfall traps that we caught two frogs.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SHLejT_bSCI/AAAAAAAAAWo/tpDbmzQRTMY/s1600-h/IMGP3043.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SHLejT_bSCI/AAAAAAAAAWo/tpDbmzQRTMY/s400/IMGP3043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220479616318916642" border="0" /></a><br />One was the beautiful <span style="font-style: italic;">Notaden nichollsi</span>, the Desert Spadefoot Toad (a close relative of <span style="font-style: italic;">N. bennetti</span>, the Holy Cross Toad). Of course these frogs aren't real toads, but rather ground frogs in the Myobatrachid family.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SHLc0sNwzkI/AAAAAAAAAWY/XJua85hOaoY/s1600-h/IMGP3053.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SHLc0sNwzkI/AAAAAAAAAWY/XJua85hOaoY/s400/IMGP3053.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220477715856019010" border="0" /></a><br />The other was a <span style="font-style: italic;">Neobatrachus </span>species like the first I saw, but it's <span style="font-style: italic;">N. centralis</span> this time, the Trilling Frog. Check out the vertical pupil!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SHLc1JfzLUI/AAAAAAAAAWg/YMHfImplIcA/s1600-h/IMGP3064.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SHLc1JfzLUI/AAAAAAAAAWg/YMHfImplIcA/s400/IMGP3064.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220477723716300098" border="0" /></a><br />These desert frogs are all burrowers - they dig downwards through the sand and sit out the dry periods. With a bit of rain they surface, feed (largely on termites and ants), breed if they can, then dig themselves back under the sand to wait.<br /><br />I was very happy to see these gorgeous little frogs - there are many desert adapted species in Australia that I've heard a lot about but this was the first time I'd seen any.David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-59408692082181724822008-06-05T09:38:00.003+10:002008-06-05T09:49:30.901+10:00Broad headed snakes rock on<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SEcoTwtUBhI/AAAAAAAAAVo/YDI8Sch1QCc/s1600-h/IMGP3009_1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SEcoTwtUBhI/AAAAAAAAAVo/YDI8Sch1QCc/s400/IMGP3009_1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208175814034851346" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I've just been out at Yengo helping a fellow student with some field work - you can read about the project in today's Sydney Morning Herald article <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/room-and-board-for-the-fussy-between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place/2008/06/04/1212258909620.html">here</a>. It was a real treat to see my first broad-head (<span style="font-style: italic;">Hoplocephalus bungaroides</span>): this one was nestled in a rock crevice.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SEcoUHTROiI/AAAAAAAAAVw/mGXr9Ps88Zs/s1600-h/IMGP2985.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SEcoUHTROiI/AAAAAAAAAVw/mGXr9Ps88Zs/s400/IMGP2985.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208175820099631650" border="0" /></a><br />Another highlight was this Thick tailed (or Barking) gecko (<span style="font-style: italic;">Underwoodisaurus milli</span>) which we found under a piece of tin. He put on this impressive threat display and even barked and lunged at me a few times as I took his picture.David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-80599593466214345732008-05-29T10:14:00.007+10:002008-05-29T12:01:59.187+10:00Trip report: Simpson desert, part 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SD4N8dUQnZI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/DEXg-Y6XZak/s1600-h/P1000684.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SD4N8dUQnZI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/DEXg-Y6XZak/s400/P1000684.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205613551599787410" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Back in April, immediately after handing in my thesis, I bought myself a swag and headed out to the Simpson desert. I was a volunteer on a trip run by the <a href="http://www.bio.usyd.edu.au/dickmanlab/index.htm">"Dickman Lab" aka the Institute of Wildlife Research at Sydney Uni</a>. This group of researchers carries out a range of ecological studies in the arid zone, from the effects of feral cats and foxes, fire ecology, population dynamics and the effects of grazing. Chris Dickman has been leading research the particular study area that I was visiting in the Simpson for around 20 years.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SD4N89UQnaI/AAAAAAAAAVY/FoV9WFgs93s/s1600-h/P1000694.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SD4N89UQnaI/AAAAAAAAAVY/FoV9WFgs93s/s400/P1000694.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205613560189722018" border="0" /></a><br />It was great to see the country change - dry up - flatten out - as we headed out of Sydney, through the mountains and across the western plains. Through Bourke, Cunnamulla, Charleville, Windorah and Bedourie. Lying under the starry sky on the first night, just over the NSW-Queensland border, I could feel the tension of weeks in front of a computer in the city slide off me.<br /><br />Highlights of the drive:<br />- first nights under the stars<br />- Mulga (King brown) snake on the road (above)<br />- channel country<br />- Wedge-tailed eagle nest (below)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SD4N9NUQnbI/AAAAAAAAAVg/G07S1RtQaJ4/s1600-h/P1000705.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/SD4N9NUQnbI/AAAAAAAAAVg/G07S1RtQaJ4/s400/P1000705.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205613564484689330" border="0" /></a><br />After two and a half days on the road we had arrived!David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-25566313609900454692008-05-27T10:37:00.002+10:002008-05-27T11:06:06.582+10:00Miscellaneous updateAssuming there are still some people that either subscribe or occasionally check this blog for updates, I thought I'd provide a brief rundown of my activities recently.<br /><br />Honours is all handed in and I'm awaiting my mark. My vague ambition for the next year or so is to see as much of Australia as possible (road trip!), do some volunteer work, and maybe think about what I want to do next (PhD? Work? Continue avoiding either?).<br /><br />Since handing in I've been on some field trips - to the Simpson desert, the Warrumbungles and out to Wellington caves. I'll post some photos from the desert along with some comments in the near future.<br /><br />I also have a backlog of photos (e.g. from the top end and some frogging trips here in Sydney) that I may get around to posting.David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-51647975261266540272008-02-27T15:57:00.000+11:002008-02-27T15:57:35.173+11:00Coat of many colours<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/R8TtvlqNMTI/AAAAAAAAAUw/Va0UOVlJf7U/s1600-h/IMGP2528_1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/R8TtvlqNMTI/AAAAAAAAAUw/Va0UOVlJf7U/s400/IMGP2528_1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I'm back in Sydney! I have lots of photos from the top end that I'll probably throw up from time to time, though I'm rather busy for the moment with uni work.<br /><br />Almost immediately after getting back I went for a trip up to the mid-north coast. On the way, picnicing at Karuah, I spotted this lovely moth.<br /><br />A quick look on <a href="http://australian-insects.com/lepidoptera/agar/agricol.html">Don Herbison-Evans' site</a> revealed what it was - <em>Agarista agricola, </em>'Joseph's coat moth' (Noctuidae).<br /><br />This one is a male - and it was very flighty though always returned to this creeper (I assume a food plant). It finally stayed put and I snuck up with guerilla stealth. A fraction of a second after I took this shot it was suddenly off again - this time because a female had turned up and he was in pursuit!<br /><br />The pair fluttered around for a while though the female seemed to show no interest in her suitor. She did however lead me to another food plant in the area.<br /><br />This vine was almost entirely defoliated, and I spotted the caterpillar below as well as a few of the same species that had only hatched recently.<br /><br />Not great photos, happy-snaps only, though I was very impressed with the colouration on both the adult and the larval forms.<br /><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/R8Ttu1qNMSI/AAAAAAAAAUo/uH_Tw6cSYAo/s1600-h/IMGP2530.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/R8Ttu1qNMSI/AAAAAAAAAUo/uH_Tw6cSYAo/s400/IMGP2530.JPG" border="0" /></a><div style='clear:both; text-align:LEFT'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-63490887413051075982008-02-01T15:52:00.000+11:002008-02-01T16:05:17.041+11:00Night Tiger<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">This snake is a real beauty - it's the brown tree snake, <span style="font-style: italic;">Boiga irregularis</span>. You might recall it's the species that has caused ecological havoc on Guam where it's introduced. In Australia however, it's native, and up here in the top end we have the so-called 'night tiger' form.<br /></div><br /><br /><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/R6KlwKd3N9I/AAAAAAAAAUY/hxN3lJorr7w/s1600-h/IMGP2411.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/R6KlwKd3N9I/AAAAAAAAAUY/hxN3lJorr7w/s400/IMGP2411.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/R6Klwqd3N-I/AAAAAAAAAUg/xRJ2ixCumds/s1600-h/IMGP2419.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/R6Klwqd3N-I/AAAAAAAAAUg/xRJ2ixCumds/s400/IMGP2419.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><br /></a></div>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-41980994720739595482008-01-28T21:29:00.000+11:002008-01-28T22:12:40.011+11:00Big, scary arthropodsSaw these two impressive creatures on the road last night.<br /><br />Possibly this one could be called a bird-eating spider?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/R520r6d3N7I/AAAAAAAAAUI/n5e7fJ_pAFk/s1600-h/IMGP2378.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/R520r6d3N7I/AAAAAAAAAUI/n5e7fJ_pAFk/s400/IMGP2378.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160479414558341042" border="0" /></a><br />Scutigeromorph centipede:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/R520sad3N8I/AAAAAAAAAUQ/WK1ewL6Nvx4/s1600-h/IMGP2360.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/R520sad3N8I/AAAAAAAAAUQ/WK1ewL6Nvx4/s400/IMGP2360.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160479423148275650" border="0" /></a>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-42347712578659176032007-12-14T13:00:00.000+11:002007-12-14T13:12:26.663+11:00Busy Buildup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/R2HmWQ7l8_I/AAAAAAAAAUA/uANZzC4EbfY/s1600-h/IMGP2171.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/R2HmWQ7l8_I/AAAAAAAAAUA/uANZzC4EbfY/s400/IMGP2171.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143645519610246130" border="0" /></a>The rains have only been tantalising so far - puddles form then dry up in the baking sun of the following day. Frogs breed only to have their progeny fossilised in mud as it dries. Lightning fills the horizon as a storm approaches, but it is reduced to nothing but a breeze by the time it gets here.<br /><br />There are plenty of animals out and about but I haven't been too active with the camera so far. The sight of these blue-triangle butterflies today inspired me to grab a photo.David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-62145080116536133652007-11-13T18:19:00.000+11:002007-11-13T18:51:53.450+11:00Back in the Top EndAs of about a week ago I've been back up in the Northern Territory. I'm up here to conduct my honours field work and will be returning south in mid-february.<br /><br />It's nice to be re-acquainted with the heat, the storms, frogs, reptiles, plants and birds that I became used to during my last stay up here, though there are lots of other exciting things that I'm experiencing now that I didn't encounter then. The landscape has definitely changed in my absence and it's fascinating to see the biological changes that are driven by the seasons.<br /><br />Below are a few photos from the last couple of days. Hopefully I'll keep the blog updated intermittently while I'm up here though I expect that as time goes on (and runs out) that I'll have few spare minutes to do so.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RzlVOpZW_iI/AAAAAAAAATo/OBpAEA918aA/s1600-h/IMGP2011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RzlVOpZW_iI/AAAAAAAAATo/OBpAEA918aA/s400/IMGP2011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132226960484138530" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Litoria meiriana</span>, the Rockhole Frog, from Litchfield National Park.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RzlVPJZW_jI/AAAAAAAAATw/SaWcSuDveWI/s1600-h/IMGP2054.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RzlVPJZW_jI/AAAAAAAAATw/SaWcSuDveWI/s400/IMGP2054.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132226969074073138" border="0" /></a><br />Spiny-tailed Gecko, <span style="font-style: italic;">Strophrurus ciliaris</span>.<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RzlVWpZW_kI/AAAAAAAAAT4/okUioJvb6bM/s1600-h/IMGP1983.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RzlVWpZW_kI/AAAAAAAAAT4/okUioJvb6bM/s400/IMGP1983.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132227097923092034" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Frill-Necked Lizard, <span style="font-style: italic;">Chlamydosaurus kingii</span>.<br /></div>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-49531005275086504952007-10-22T22:15:00.000+10:002007-10-22T22:17:36.229+10:00Harlequin<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RxyUt3a0JuI/AAAAAAAAATg/WIQdNmdFWCI/s1600-h/IMGP1894.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RxyUt3a0JuI/AAAAAAAAATg/WIQdNmdFWCI/s400/IMGP1894.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124133991732225762" border="0" /></a>Ah, the things that excite me... A group of harlequin bugs (family Scutellidae) are growing up on my rosella bush this year. These insects seem to have a particular disposition for members of the hibiscus family (Malvacae), so they're often found on things like cotton plants and cow-itch trees.David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-62121771035375736572007-10-18T11:33:00.001+10:002007-10-18T11:44:24.887+10:00Mantispid<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/Rxa4OHa0JtI/AAAAAAAAATY/GYSCnxnabZM/s1600-h/IMGP1853.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/Rxa4OHa0JtI/AAAAAAAAATY/GYSCnxnabZM/s400/IMGP1853.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122484178829715154" border="0" /></a>Just spotted this little insect in the garden. It's a mantispid or mantis-fly. I'd forgive you if, after a casual glance, you were to call it a mantid, however it actually belongs in an entirely different order - Neuroptera - which contains the lacewings. I was going to write more info on these critters however the <a href="http://budak.blogs.com/the_annotated_budak/2006/01/a_mantispid.html">annotated budak has already done so.</a> So click the link to see another species and find out more.David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-31844030555064403092007-10-15T18:19:00.000+10:002007-10-15T18:59:36.798+10:00Another successful field tripHad the weekend away up in the vicinity of Smith's Lake - I normally go up there a couple of times a year and spend some time frogging, herping, insecting, birding etc. and generally see at least something of note. The trip this time was particularly noteworthy for two quite interesting reptiles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RxMkqHa0JnI/AAAAAAAAASo/lspOU_YAH04/s1600-h/IMGP1803.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RxMkqHa0JnI/AAAAAAAAASo/lspOU_YAH04/s400/IMGP1803.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121477507215009394" border="0" /></a><br />The first was this dragon - the southern forest or angle-headed dragon (<span style="font-style: italic;">Hypsilurus spinipes)</span>. I'd never seen one of these before so was stoked to discover it in a patch of rainforest. It's a species that can be quite hard to spot due to its good camouflague and arboreal habits, luckily this one was just at knee-height clinging to a small tree-trunk.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RxMkq3a0JoI/AAAAAAAAASw/5duEVnP3EQk/s1600-h/IMGP1834.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RxMkq3a0JoI/AAAAAAAAASw/5duEVnP3EQk/s400/IMGP1834.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121477520099911298" border="0" /></a><br />The second reptile of note was a rough-scaled snake (<span style="font-style: italic;">Tropidechis carinatus)</span>, another 'lifer'* for me. This snake is known to be very venomous and is known to have caused human mortalities. We came across this individual sitting on a palm-frond just beside a pond - it's likely that it was sitting in wait for a frog to hop past.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RxMkq3a0JpI/AAAAAAAAAS4/8H9Xg96Zbfg/s1600-h/IMGP1800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RxMkq3a0JpI/AAAAAAAAAS4/8H9Xg96Zbfg/s400/IMGP1800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121477520099911314" border="0" /></a><br />This is the red-eyed treefrog (<span style="font-style: italic;">Litoria chloris</span>). Only when it rains a lot does this species suddenly appear, breed, and disappear again. I suspect it lives the majority of its life in the canopy. Luckily we had some good rain and a few individuals showed up despite the somewhat cool temperatures.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RxMkrna0JqI/AAAAAAAAATA/DKlfCmXv950/s1600-h/IMGP1798.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RxMkrna0JqI/AAAAAAAAATA/DKlfCmXv950/s400/IMGP1798.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121477532984813218" border="0" /></a><br />Photographed here is <span style="font-style: italic;">Litoria barringtonensis</span>, one of the frogs in that confusing group of green stream frogs. The black spots distinguish this species from...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RxMkr3a0JrI/AAAAAAAAATI/SIoTjJdSToU/s1600-h/IMGP1789.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RxMkr3a0JrI/AAAAAAAAATI/SIoTjJdSToU/s400/IMGP1789.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121477537279780530" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">... Litoria phyllochroa</span>. Interesting to get these two species together at the one site. Despite their similar appearance they do have distinctive calls.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RxMljXa0JsI/AAAAAAAAATQ/GKXFdb5SMSY/s1600-h/IMGP1768.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RxMljXa0JsI/AAAAAAAAATQ/GKXFdb5SMSY/s400/IMGP1768.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121478490762520258" border="0" /></a>Finally, a photograph of a spawn mass of the tusked frog (<span style="font-style: italic;">Adelotus brevis).</span> Unlike the more familiar spawn of <span style="font-style: italic;">Limnodynastes </span>species, the eggs of <span style="font-style: italic;">Adelotus </span>are entirely unpigmented.David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-40555265023920784432007-10-09T09:45:00.000+10:002007-10-09T10:11:46.439+10:00Inside the hive<div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RwrBKna0JkI/AAAAAAAAASQ/3KYFiFDGOkU/s1600-h/IMGP1747.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RwrBKna0JkI/AAAAAAAAASQ/3KYFiFDGOkU/s400/IMGP1747.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>I got my colony of the native stingless bee <span style="font-style: italic;">Trigona carbonaria </span>in late November last year. The housing for <span style="font-style: italic;">Trigona</span> is two half-boxes on top of each other, (an optional small third box can be placed on top for honey), so when a colony is doing well it can be 'split' by separating the two boxes and placing them on corresponding empty boxes.<br /></div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"> </div><br />My colony was a 'split', so it was composed of a full bottom box and an empty top box and 'honey super' on top, and seemed to be going very strong from the activity around the entrance. So, I thought I'd take the honey box off and see how the inner workings of the hive were going. Here are some photos from the event.<br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RwrBJ3a0JhI/AAAAAAAAAR4/67uKAXrVc4k/s1600-h/IMGP1742.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RwrBJ3a0JhI/AAAAAAAAAR4/67uKAXrVc4k/s400/IMGP1742.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">This is the main cavity of the box - you can see that it's nearly full of brood (the spiral structure up the top of the photo), pollen and nectar pots. Close-ups to follow.<br /></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RwrBKHa0JiI/AAAAAAAAASA/op8OAH9JZG8/s1600-h/IMGP1744.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RwrBKHa0JiI/AAAAAAAAASA/op8OAH9JZG8/s400/IMGP1744.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">This is the 'honey super' which sits on top. The piece of board in the photo below sits between this and the rest of the box cavity with small spaces at each end - the idea is that the brood spiral doesn't extend into the honey box, but honey and pollen are stored here, so the honey can be harvested without damaging the brood.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RwrBKXa0JjI/AAAAAAAAASI/aq4pFCFPnRU/s1600-h/IMGP1746.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RwrBKXa0JjI/AAAAAAAAASI/aq4pFCFPnRU/s400/IMGP1746.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Divider board with amazing wax structure.<br /></div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RwrBKna0JkI/AAAAAAAAASQ/3KYFiFDGOkU/s1600-h/IMGP1747.JPG"><br /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RwrBs3a0JlI/AAAAAAAAASY/9jjBO4B5pdY/s1600-h/IMGP1749.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RwrBs3a0JlI/AAAAAAAAASY/9jjBO4B5pdY/s400/IMGP1749.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119116902994814546" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Pollen pots with some spilt honey.<br /></div></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RwrBtHa0JmI/AAAAAAAAASg/G564kB0UcNw/s1600-h/IMGP1752.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RwrBtHa0JmI/AAAAAAAAASg/G564kB0UcNw/s400/IMGP1752.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119116907289781858" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The spiral brood. Each little pot, when sealed, contains an egg or larva and enough supplies for it to develop into an adult. You can see some of the pots around the edges are open, still being stocked or waiting for the queen to oviposit.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Looks like the colony's doing very well - I expect they will stock the honey super more in the coming months, and it will be ready for a split before too long.<br /></div></div></div></div>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-5186816000423124152007-09-20T11:36:00.000+10:002007-09-20T12:16:44.659+10:00Update... Pectinate...Okay, it's been a shockingly long time since updates of any regularity. I've been back down here in (cold) Sydney since early July, starting honours. I'll be heading up to the top end again in about a month for honours field-work. Coming back mid-February, writing up for about a month, then I'll be free. Now that will feel weird!<br /><br />As for the future of this blog... well for now I don't see any point in shutting it down despite the fact that posts are likely to be rather infrequent. We'll see what happens.<br /><br />Got a photo <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/snakes-let-meat-rest-before-serving/2007/09/03/1188783158658.html">published in the Sydney Morning Herald</a> recently, thanks to my supervisor.<br /><br />Had a photo used in a recent publication - remember <a href="http://davidavid.blogspot.com/2006/07/mighty-mite.html">that big beautiful mite,</a> well turns out that similar looking things were around in the Early Cretaceous.<br /><br />Dunlop J. A. (2007) A large parasitengonid mite (Acari, Erythraeoidea) from the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil. Fossil Record 10, 91-8. doi: 10.1002/mmng.200700001<br /><br />Took the camera out a couple of days ago, it's been hibernating since being back in Sydney. Snapped this shot of a beetle's antennae. Not a technically great photo but I thought I'd share it anyway as the structure ('pectinate' meaning comb-shaped) is quite impressive.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RvHXpfo7tDI/AAAAAAAAARw/DChDPbEUTrM/s1600-h/IMGP1591.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/RvHXpfo7tDI/AAAAAAAAARw/DChDPbEUTrM/s400/IMGP1591.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112104159910016050" border="0" /></a>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-39545054109144530852007-06-25T23:45:00.000+10:002007-06-25T23:48:30.071+10:00Fire!<div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/Rn_HrLJRekI/AAAAAAAAAQU/_kZRD_KCk6w/s1600-h/IMGP1140.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/Rn_HrLJRekI/AAAAAAAAAQU/_kZRD_KCk6w/s400/IMGP1140.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br />Just thought this one taken tonight by the side of the road was apt, following the previous post on <em>Macrozamias</em> resprouting.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7393439.post-5465380393405090702007-06-19T21:12:00.000+10:002007-06-19T21:50:27.241+10:00Assorted<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/Rne8xbJRefI/AAAAAAAAAPc/osv-Ai4R4JU/s1600-h/IMGP0157.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/Rne8xbJRefI/AAAAAAAAAPc/osv-Ai4R4JU/s400/IMGP0157.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br />A biting fly was annoying me as I walked along a fenceline a couple of weeks ago. I paused to photograph this <span style="font-style: italic;">Nephila</span> and the fly blundered into the web! Bonus! You can see that the spider was actually already eating something.<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/Rne8x7JRegI/AAAAAAAAAPk/LTxVW2FmUqM/s1600-h/IMGP0197.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/Rne8x7JRegI/AAAAAAAAAPk/LTxVW2FmUqM/s400/IMGP0197.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/Rne8zrJRehI/AAAAAAAAAPs/QIT53qzfwX4/s1600-h/IMGP0211.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/Rne8zrJRehI/AAAAAAAAAPs/QIT53qzfwX4/s400/IMGP0211.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/Rne8z7JReiI/AAAAAAAAAP0/TRsHEkOkAQY/s1600-h/IMGP0247.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_h9lX5jsqCiE/Rne8z7JReiI/AAAAAAAAAP0/TRsHEkOkAQY/s400/IMGP0247.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A Rainbow Bee Eater. I've never seen them down in Sydney and have really fallen in love with their colours, voices, flight and tail-feathers (hidden in this shot).<br /></div>David Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04446321170641819188noreply@blogger.com2