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,
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Firebreak, looking NW |
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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kershawi feeding |
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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.
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Vanessa cardui - Painted Lady |
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 .