Tag Archives: yard

Ant Hive

October 14, 2011Animalsants, insect, unknown, yardJoe Lipson

These ants have turned up at a few different places around the garden, the seem to occupy a nest for a few months and then move on. They are semi aggressive and will swarm on you if you stand on their nest or get in their path. They don’t seem to bite though.

The photos are from the 3rd location I’ve seen them, and the first time I’ve seen them swarm in such a dense cluster. There was a lot of movement going on but it seemed ordered, like they were going about a task, some of the ants were carying white sacks around. I dropped a matchstick next to them to give a bit of scale in the photos and all hell broke loose. The ants swarmed so agressively that it made a sound, like a soft crunching. The matchstick was swamped. With all the new movement I got a better look deeper into the mound and could see many more white sacks underneath.

Whatever they were doing they had finished by the next day. The nest is still there and there are still lots of ants around, but nothing like the dense arrangement in the pictures.

I’ve got no idea what was going on, or what type of ants they are. I’ve been browsing CSIRO’s Ants Down Under page to try to identify them but it’s not proving to be an easy task. I don’t know what I’m looking for and the site is so painfully slow it’s not suitable to explore or browse about.

Nothing else to do but keep looking and post an update when I find out what these are.

Ant Swarm — A bit closer. You can see the white sacks they were carrying about.

Matchstick for scale — I dropped the matchstick in to provide some scale in the photo. The moment it hit the ground it was swamped by then ants, I didn't dare pick it up again, it was gone the next day.

Coral Fern ( G. microphylla )

October 6, 2011Plantscoral fern, fern, Gleichenia, Gleichenia microphylla, Native, yardJoe Lipson

Gleichenia microphylla

“Habit and Habitat as per G. dicarpa. Uncommon” – NPOS p.314

Yet another Coral Fern! Along with the Pouched Coral Fern ( Gleichenia dicarpa ) and Gleichenia rupestris the G. microphylla compleats the entire set of coral Ferns found in Sydney, acording to NPOS anyway.

G. microphylla has features of both G. rupestris and G. dicarpa. It had very fine small fronds that are a deep green colour and convex on the top like G. dicarpa. But on the undersidethey are flat or just slightly concave like G. rupestris.

I fond this specimen growing on the side of a damp sandstone cliff at the back of the house. There was some G. dicarpa growing there too. G. microphylla is meant to be uncommon in the area so I’m happy to have found it so close by.

Gleichenia microphylla — G. microphylla Coral Fern growing on a damp sandstone cliff. I came across this when I was out the back looking after the blocked sewer main. Thanks sewer!

more info:

Brush Turkey

September 22, 2011AnimalsAlectura, Alectura lathami, bird, Brush Turkey, Native, yardJoe Lipson

Alectura lathami

Like the Swamp Wallaby the Brush Turkey is another animal that I never saw around here growing up, but has recently come back to the area. Brush Tukeys were once common around Sydney but were more or less wiped out during the depression when people found them to be an easy to catch dinner. It’s only been in the last 10 years or so that they are making a come back.

The Brush Turkey is a large black bird with a red bald head and a yellow ring around it’s neck. They can fly when they want to but they usually get around by walking.

Brush Turkey Chick in the front yard. Brush Turkey chicks hatch fully feathered and can fly within a few hours.

more info

Sweet Pittosporum

September 21, 2011Plantsedible, Native, Pittosporum, Pittosporum undulatum, sweet pittosporum, yardJoe Lipson

Pittosporum undulatum

“Originally a scattered inhabitant of shady, rainforest gullies, it is highly opportunistic and now aggressively colonises almost any moist, shady location..” – NPOS p.196

Like the Fishbone Fern the sweet Pittosporum is a native plant that is now often considered a weed in urban bushland. Although the Sweet Pittosporum is different in that it’s also naturally found in the Sydney area.

We have a few of these in the front and back yard. It’s a small tree, the leaves are vivid green, shiny and have wavy margins, which is where is scientific name undulatum comes from. It’s meant to have a strong sweet smell when in flower. I’ve had a blocked nose for the week though and have not noticed it. The seeds are edible and were ground for food by Aboriginies.

Sweet Pittosporum Flowers - check out the two small green bugs