Tag Archives: Native

Saunder’s Case Moth Cocoon

March 8, 2014Animalscaterpillar, lane cove national park, Metura elongatus, moth, Native, saunders case mothJoe Lipson

This cocoon was on a post at the start of the Little Blue Gum Creek walk. It’s large, about 15cm long, with sticks woven into the sides. I remember seeing many like this when I was growing up but had never known what animal made them.

Saunder’s Case Moth Cocoon at the start of the Little Blue Gum Creek boardwalk.

A quick search pointed to it being a Saunder’s Case Moth cocoon. During their caterpillar phase case moths make their cocoons out of silk, most species attach sticks, leaves or other debree as camouflage. Each species had a distinct type of cocoon, but they are also constrained by available materials so even within a single species cases can vary in materials and appearance.

Cocoon close up, I wonder how they break up the sticks.

Case moths don’t just use the cocoon to metamorphose, they live there throughout their Caterpillar phase which lasts 1 – 2 years. Even after changing to a moth the females continue to use it as a home.

Sources and more info:

Museum Victoria

Atlas of Living Australia

Wikipedia

Samphire

January 30, 2014Plantsedible, garigal national park, NativeJoe Lipson

Sarcocornia quinqueflora

“A small, erect, leafless herb with succulent stems” NPOS p. 396

I came across this field of samphire in the salt flats of Moores Creek. I was there looking for remains of a footbridge from an old photo that was supposedly built during WWI as part of a military training exercise. There was no evidence of a bridge, and the creek looked different enough from the photo that it made me doubt I was in the right place.

Samphire. A small succulent edible herb that grown in salt marshes

While poking about among the mangroves the Samphire stood out as another plant I was unfamiliar with. Samphire is a small, growing to 30cm, leafless succulent herb that grows in dense colonies on salt marshes. I can’t recall seeing it before, I’ll probably notice it everywhere now.

A field of samphire on the salt flats of Moores Creek in Garigal National Park

I’ve since learnt that it’s edible too, I must go back to try some!

Male Eastern Spinebill

December 2, 2013Animalsbird, eastern spinebill, male, Native, yardJoe Lipson

I’ve done a previous post on the Eastern Spinebill , I just wanted to share a new photo, this time of a male. As often seems to be the case in nature the male is more striking than the female, I guess they need to impress, and it’s not like they can buy a fancy car.

Male Eastern Spinebill – what a hansom devil

King Parrot

December 1, 2013Animals"Alisterus scapularis", "king parrot", bird, NativeJoe Lipson

Alisterus scapularis

The King Parrot is another common bird in the the area that I was oblivious to until recently. It was my next door neighbor that pointed them out to me. I reckon the name suits, they are a medium to large bird, 43cm in length, males have a striking red colouring over their head, breast and underside and have deep green wings. Females are the same size with similar colouring but with green heads.

King Parrots are frequent visitors to our yard, I had one land on my hand to eat some birdseed last week.

In Garigal

Observations in Garigal National Park