Always Something Interesting

Koondoola

Having another go today at finding sciron. Parked at the NE corner again, this time following the firebreak in a NW direction, as suggested by Matt and Martin. Good looking spots on both sides of the track,

Firebreak, looking NW

Still plenty of wildflowers to enjoy

First item of interest is a Lycaenid behaving differently to boeticus, less frenetic. It's in the same area that I found agricola on the previous trip, but this looks a little large and lighter. It perches, and I can see two obvious spots on the underside of the forewing. I'd seen one of these earlier in the week, but had been unable to photograph it. Candalides acastus. I also stuff  up the photograph this time, in spite of it perching perfectly for me, I manage to miss focus on my first attempt, and by the time I got it sorted out the butterfly's gone. Ah well.

Ultimate fail! Candalides acastus - Blotched Dusky-Blue

It's 11:30, and getting warm. The bureau says 31.9C - but in my backpack it climbs to 34.5C. I'm not going to be too ambitious today.

Regrowth after fire

I discover an interesting looking area that had clearly been burnt some months back. Regrowth is beginning, but it's left plenty of bare patches. The Synemon moths seem to have taken it over, which makes life that much harder. If they are going to flourish like this, they need to stop behaving like butterflies. I keep thinking a Satyrid, maybe a small ringlet or a dark gatekeeper.

My route for today

There's an arrogant kershawi that's enjoying feeding from a flowering spike of Xanthorrhoea. It's a good looking specimen. Like many of the Vanessids, it has the habit of suddenly opening its wings for a split second, causing any number of slightly too late photographs. Thank god for digital photography - I finally manage to get a shot with wings spread.

kershawi feeding

Vanessa kershawi - Australian Painted Lady

Interesting to compare kershawi with the European version, cardui. The only apparent differences are the black ringed blue spots on the Aussie ones, which are just black filled on the European. Cardui does establish colonies on our western coast, and I have seen migrating specimens of Painted Ladies in some numbers arriving at Cottesloe beach from the west, possibly having crossed the Indian Ocean.

Vanessa cardui - Painted Lady

The popular Xanthorrhoea spike

There's a lone halyaetus enjoying the sparser undergrowth in this burnt area. Surprisingly this proves to be the only one of the day.

Hypochrysops halyaetus

I start walking up the hill - plenty of boeticus but they're looking the worse for wear. A handsome Banksia flower. These are the predominant trees in this part of the reserve, but few are in flower at the moment.

Banksia flower

The sea breeze comes in, and the temperature suddenly drops by around five degrees. It's 12:30 now, and I return to the fire regrowth area. Dozens of Synemon, then something different catches my eye. Flying like kershawi, but it's a touch smaller and duller in colour. As I though, villida.

Junonia villida - Meadow Argus

Snap a quick picture but I won't worry too much, I've got better in my garden. I think of it as the Small Tortoisehell of Australia, an insect at its happiest and most content in and around gardens.

Something on the Xanthorrhoea spike again, this time a skipper. It's cyanophracta, again my only one for the day, but I'm not really in cyanophracta territory - they've seemed to be much more numerous near the top of the hill. Looks good on the flowers.

Mesodina cyanophracta - Blue Iris Skipper

I'm still hoping for sciron,and I spot a different skipper - reddish brown in flight, unlike the grey-blue of cyanophracta, and perhaps a touch bigger. Certainly a new species for me, but the underside doesn't look like what I'm expecting for sciron - just a single white spot. Two species of Motasingha have been reported from the reserve - it'll be one of those.

Motasingha dirphia - Western Brown Skipper

Without the upperside it's difficult to be sure, but from the examples in the book it's closer to dirphia than trimaculata. That's what it'll have to be for now. Just the singleton, but it hangs around and perches helpfully. I've got a shot that I'm happy with.

Concentrated attention in the fire regrowth area

Two new species and a couple of nice photographs, that'll be enough for today. And just as I leave, a vicious looking fly which seems to have prey firmly in its jaws. It must be lunchtime .