It’s been a bit of time between updates – mainly due to inability to walk on the hill some evenings. There have been a number of birds travelling through and eating the garden’s flowers, as well as a huge number of spiders and scorpions on the slopes.
We have unfortunately had very little rain, and this is normally the rainiest time of the year. This has meant that there are typically less creatures to see in the forest, but the ones we do see are double exciting!
This is the Golden Orb spider once it has hidden in the tree branches
This is the Orb spider crossing its web
This is possibly the most hardcore death-metal image ever. A small huntsman has pounced on an innocent and slightly larger black trap-door spider. Bad luck, buddy!
A bird is feasting on the flowers on an enormous Yukka stem
This is a hand-railing on the slopes of Mount Cootha. It had thousands of baby huntsman spiders crawling all over it. It's yet another good reason to wear gloves if you're going to touch... well... anything, really.
A lorikeet is feasting on the flowers on an enormous Yukka stem. These guys come and eat the flowers each afternoon.
A lorikeet is feasting on the flowers on an enormous Yukka stem. These guys come and eat the flowers each afternoon.
A pair of lorikeets are feasting on the flowers on an enormous Yukka stem. These guys come and eat the flowers each afternoon. They aren't necessarily friends... there is often a bit of a fight over who gets which flower.
A moth and a large ant are happily sharing a drink of sweet tree gum
A huntsman spider sits on a tree on Mount Cootha. The fangs are clearly visible and ready for action. They aren't too harmful for humans.
Insect eggs on Mount Cootha
Walk quickly when passing underneath this tree trunk! It was hanging over the pathway. It had fallen down the hillside by the following afternoon.
Scorpion crossing the pathway on Mount Cootha
A lorikeet is feasting on the flowers on an enormous Yukka stem. These guys come and eat the flowers each afternoon.
This moth resembles the tree leaves on the ground on Mount Cootha. It's pretty amazing camonflage.
Some sort of tree-dwelling black spider. If anyone knows the ID, please let me know!
This is the Tinkerbell Trail on Mount Cootha. It's steep.
This Garden Orb spider was happily building its web at face height. Its natural defence is to curl into a ball and wrap its legs around itself so it looks like a bit of tree bark.
This Garden Orb spider has a back that closely resembles tree bark.
Gday! This is a young praying mantis on Mount Cootha we found in the early evening. Note that its jaws are composed of a set of minature arms to help victimise its victims. This is seriously evil.
This is a young praying mantis jumping between branches on a tree. Note that its jaws are composed of a set of minature arms to help victimise its victims. This is seriously evil.
Gday! This is a young praying mantis on Mount Cootha we found in the early evening.
