This post begins with more mantis pictures.

A search of the callistemon found the female in the previous post, coupled with a smaller male.

Male and female Black-faced Perchers are still very numerous and approachable.

 

Wandering Ringtails, Austrolestes leda have appeared and are happy to pose.

Male.

Female.

The St. Andrew’s Cross Spider pair featured just twelve months ago were successful parents, with several of their progeny decorating the shrubs.

And on the Brittle Gums, Two-tailed Spiders, Tamopsis species are lurking in dimples.

Tiny grasshoppers are plentiful,

and this female Meadow Katydid was spotted on the brick wall.

The Baeckea virgata is coming into flower and starting to attract insects. A very small black robber fly secured its lunch there, and a lucky find was an attractive banded beefly.

Click to enlarge.

 

 

More invertebrate life from the garden.

Native bees are visiting two of their favourite plants, the Bulbine and Vanilla Lilies to collect pollen to provision their breeding burrows.

The Blue-banded Bee is a buzz pollinator that often pauses for just a split second, this was a lucky shot that froze that split second on the Derwent Speedwell.

Golden Drone Flies are handsome insects that appear in the garden at this time of year.

As do the Black-faced Perchers, Diplacodes melanopsis.

Male.

Female.

The Golden Green Stag Beetle, Lamprima aurata is always a delight to see, two were found a few days apart, the second taking advantage of the cool tiles on a 38 degree day.

Robber Flies are showing up. This was a very large impressive species, for comparison, the brick joint is 12 mm.

Mantis egg cases are found occasionally in the garden shrubs. The smaller green species are common insects, less so this large species found enjoying a butterfly meal in the pink-flowered Callistemon sieberi.

Down on the ground the sand wasps are busy excavating nest tunnels, this one was just beginning.

Click to enlarge.