Big Greasy steps out

This is how the Big Greasy, Cressida cressida, pupa looked for most of its time.
Then one evening I saw the colour had changed. Over a few hours the pupa darkened dramatically. I expected that it would emerge in the morning.In the morning it looked like this.When I came home at lunch time the butterfly was already well on its was to spreading its wings.

It was still the next morning before the Big Greasy flew. I wonder if it had been a warm sunny day, would it have taken so long. The conditions were cool with light rain.

Faunal Feast on Fungal Phallus

Stink-horn Fungi

This fungus is also known as the bridal veil fungus because of the lacy fringe.

Other species can be red or orange. Size varies from 10 to 20 centimetres. They are usually associated with rotting wood and wood chips in moist gardens are a haven for them. The white one was photographed in Cairns at the Centenary Lakes, while the orange one is breaking down the wood chips in my vegetable garden. These of course are the fruiting bodies. Most of the fungus is out of sight.
Did you notice all the flies? The flies are attracted by the sour sweet smell of the fungus. While feeding on the provided fluids the flies are picking up spores which they can then spread around to other potential fungus growing sites.
The availability of free flies attracts predators. In my garden dragonflies make a happy hunting ground of the fungal bounty. In Cairns the Green Ants make good use of the supply.
This one has itself a meal. But then the competition moves in!
I did not stay around to watch what happened in this tug of war. Sometimes when conditions are good, the fungus produces a mass fruiting. Before they erupt they look like puff ball fungi.

The Curtain Figtree, Yungaburra

Famous FigtreeWhen overseas I can often let people know where I am from, by reference to this tree.
Most people who visit the Atherton Tablelands call in to see this strangler fig. Bring your fish-eye lense if you have one!

The fig fell over after it had killed its host but before it was strong enough to support itself. The result of its being caught by another tree and continuing to produce these aerial roots is the famous curtain. The roots are still growing and more are being added each year. The red tips indicate that this is new growth which has been prompted by recent good rains.


Ficus virens is a deciduous tree which grows from northern New South Wales to Asia. The leafless period is brief and below you can see that new leaves are starting to show in the dawn light. SunriseThe new leaves of figs are wrapped in sheathing stipules which in most species drop to the forest floor as the leaf opens. As the new growth is rapid, a shower of these pink stipules falls onto the path below as in this picture. In a few days the fig is approaching its former glory.

Tilapia Terrorises the Tropics

Tilapia Terrorises the Tropics

In north Queensland we have two introduced Tilapia species. This one, Oreochromis mossambicus, Mozambique tilapia, was photographed yesterday in the Freshwater Lake at Centenary Lakes, Flecker Botanic Gardens, Cairns.

It, along with many other males have established breeding areas which they have cleaned. they have adopted their colourful breeding condition to impress the females. See the red margins to the dorsal and caudal fins, the bright red pectoral fins and the pale yellow cheek patch on the gill covers. the females are smaller, more grey and with less prominent lips. Young are pale grey with a spot on the posterior margin of the dorsal fin.

Tilapia eat detritus, live plants and prey on the eggs and fry of other fish. They can live in a wide range of habitats and reach incredible densities. They are tough fish being able to withstand unusual pH levels and low oxygen as well as high salinity and fresh water conditions. When those in the water features of a golf course in Port Douglas were killed using a fish poison something like thirteen tonnes of fish bodies had to be disposed of. These fish pose a threat to prawn and barramundi stocks and hence people's livelihoods. The beautiful endangered Oxleyan Pygmy Perch, Nannoperca oxleyana, and the vulnerable Honey Blue-eye, Pseudomugil mellis, are under threat from the expansion of this species range.

The dumping of exotic fish in our streams and lakes has made Australia one of the world's hot spots for fish invasions. Native fish and crustacea are also being spread into areas where they did not occur with the loss of local species being the result. Lake Eacham no longer has Lake Eacham Rainbow Fish. There used to be millions. When I first moved to the Atherton Tablelands I would sit on a log in the Lake and these little fish would suck on the hairs of my legs until the tickling got too much for me. Some of these introductions are by misguided people releasing aquarium specimens but others are done by people who want to fish for the species they are introducing. It is a shame that such environmental vandalism is still occurring; Tilapia have been found recently in the Walsh River Catchment and near Cooktown.

Changing of the Guard

Photo copyright Eric Preston

Lots of disruption happening with the Tree-kangaroos at my site recently but one thing sneaked under my guard. This male Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo is superficially similar to Joan, a three and a half year old female who remained with her mother, Jill. At some stage I have started calling him "Joan" and not realised my mistake. When a strange female turned up, first near Jill's territory and then in it I wondered what was going on. That "Joan" was spending a lot of time near the new animal seemed really strange to me. Why would either of them tolerate the other if they were not closely related.

Now it makes sense that the new dominant male should let the new female know that she was welcome but he was 'the man'.

One possible cause of the disruption is the work being done by National Parks to control some of the nasty weeds which have invaded the forest. Turbina corymbosa and Aristolochia elegans are two of the culprits. Turbina is eaten by all three species of arboreal foliovores but still overgrows trees, causing their death. After the cyclone it responded to the increase in light levels by germinating throughout much of the forest. It, along with other vines, proved an important food source as the trees had lost most of their leaves. Fallen vines continued to grow, feeding the animals. A strip of land to the west of the track we use is to be re vegetated this wet season which is great. I do wonder though how much the possums, pademelons and tree-roos will allow the small trees to grow.

Below is the best picture I have so far of the new female. She has a joey in the pouch which we have seen out on three occasions. She is not yet habituated on us but is more relaxed than when she first turned up and would woof at us at the least excuse. Tree-kangaroos have this breathy but voiced woofing alarm call. It may be a threat call but I have not observed enough behaviour between animals in the wild to tell. When heard the animals were usually moving away from me but they were directing their attention in my direction.

Beetles Bite, Bugs Sux

Beetles bite but bugs suck.

If you are not sure have a look at the jaws on this curl grub, the larva of a rhinoceros beetle. The black bug below is sucking the life out of a beetle

Beetle larvae come in a variety of forms from slug like creatures to the curl grub illustrated above. The adults have two pairs of wings with the first pair hardened to form elytra which cover the flight producing and delicate hind wings. Beetles are the most common of animals, almost a third of all known species are beetles. You can see the destructive eating habits of the little glossy beetles shown below. This is the same species which lost one of its young to the tiny bug above. Like the adults in this species the larvae eat leaves and are quite active. While most beetle larvae eat leaves, some like those of fire flies feed on snails. Some beetle larvae are slow moving but the little fellow below is off looking for more food.
When I got the camera too close he climbed on board.

Big Greasy bites the dust

I am not certain that this is the Big Greasy which has been patrolling my Aristolochia vines but the circumstantial evidence is strong. Posed this dead butterfly to give you an idea of what he was like in life. Though to be honest I never saw him visit these flowers.