Leprechaun’s Hat - Mt Rubislaw

On the March outing to Len and Frank’s property this enchanting gall was spotted attached to a struggling eucalypt on Mt Rubislaw. After checking with Rod Hobson and the Queensland Museum Enquiry Centre it seems that inside this large four-pronged gall is the female of the scale bug Apiomorpha munita. Almost beyond belief the bug has injected a cocktail of chemicals into the host eucalypt which responds by making just this particular type of gall. The female will never leave and although mature after some months could live in the gall for up to five years.

It came as a surprise to find out that the multiple red structures below were the gall homes of the males. After some months the adult males leave their home and will die after only a few days. However this allows sufficient time for the now mature female to be fertilised. Thousands of minute offspring called crawlers will later emerge from the female gall through a hole in the top. Some crawl to the edge of the foliage and are dispersed by the wind. Maybe it is easier to believe that this bewitching structure was left there by a forgetful leprechaun.   Barry Kenway

Above photo: Female scale bug gall (upper), male scale bug gall (lower)

Mengel Property at Felton, 7 February 2010

View from Mt Rubislaw
(plus Ian Mitchell & Ernie Potts)

Adapted from the TFNC newsletter report of Michael.

Despite uncertain weather after more than a week of rain, 15 Field Nats headed for the Mengel's farming property at Felton, about 30 kilometres south-west of Toowoomba, for the monthly club outing. The 153 hectare Mengel property, combining beef cattle grazing and cultivation, had benefited greatly from more than 100mm of rain, and light showers in the afternoon did not interfere with the day's planned activities.

Among the Field Nats were four members who had attended the previous day's basic grass identification workshop at Perseverance Hall, and the wide variety of seeding grasses gave them a chance to put newly-acquired skills into practice. Before setting out on the morning walk part-way up 673 metre Mt Rubislaw, we gathered near a quarry on the Mengel property. This quarry is leased to Toowoomba Regional Council, and provides gravel for road works in the Felton-Cambooya area.

View from the top

After negotiating a tightly-stranded barbwire fence onto adjoining Harrow, a historic grazing property of more than 3000 acres, we climbed rocky slopes through open timbered country to picturesque views of Cambooya farmland. Highlights of the morning walk were the brief sighting of a snake (described as black with brown features), and on the walk downhill, strolling through a grove of white cypress pine (Callitris baileyi).

After a leisurely lunch at the Mengel farmhouse overlooking part of the farm and the beautiful Felton valley beyond, most of the Nats drove, in light rain, to a grass paddock at the back of the farm. There, as well as seeing grey kangaroos, they found about a dozen Stemmacantha australis (Austral Cornflower), past flowering, but with seed pods. This native species is threatened by overgrazing, and is listed as vulnerable.

Nats on Mt Rubislaw

After the welcome rain of previous days, the Felton valley was a picture of green, yet, within view of the Mengel farmhouse is the site of a proposed large-scale mine and petrochemical plant. It is hard to believe that such a project would even be considered in this fertile farming area.

At the end of the day's energetic and informative outing, Field Nats warmly thanked Len and Frank for giving their time and energy and for increasing everyone's knowledge of natural history in the area and for giving them an insight into ‘life on the farm’. 

THE BIRDS AND THE BEES ….

….. or, in this case, wasps.

While we were wandering through Irongate Reserve on the February outing, Shirley brought to my attention a bird’s nest in a low scrubby bush. It was not complete and looked abandoned. We were checking this out when I noticed a Common Paper Wasps’ nest further along the branch. Here's one of their nests at my home.

Common Paper Wasp nest under my eaves

Unfortunately we were too busy looking to take a photograph at Irongate, but this is a particularly interesting association between birds and wasps. Honeyeaters, gerygones and finches have been known to purposefully build their nests near paper wasps nests. It appears the wasps keep predators away from the nest. Overseas research shows that it is only small birds that take advantage of this as wasps seem to attack the larger birds. One study in Costa Rica found that nesting attempts were significantly more likely to fledge young than nesting attempts without wasp nests. Lesley

BUTTERFLY LIST FOR IRONGATE & LINTHORPE RESERVES - 7 February 2010

A pair of Caper White Belenois java
(one underneath the other)

Striated Pearl White Elodina Parthia, Saltbush Blue Theclinesthes serpentata, Common Crow Euploea core, Lesser Wanderer Danaus chrysippus, Monarch Danaus plexippus, Caper White Belenois java, Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus, Grass Yellow sp., Ringed Xenica Geitoneura acanthi, Nysa Jezebel Delias nysa. 

Compiled by Trish A.

BIRD LIST FOR IRONGATE & LINTHORPE RESERVES, 7 February 2010

Irongate Reserve – Australian Pelican (small flock overhead), Peaceful Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Pale-headed Rosella, Galah, Tawny Frogmouth, Laughing Kookaburra, Fairy-wren sp. – heard but unknown, Weebill, Western Gerygone, Yellow Thornbill, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Leaden Flycatcher, Willie Wagtail, Magpie-lark, Torresian Crow, Double-barred Finch, Silvereye, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Mistletoebird.

Linthorpe Reserve – Laughing Kookaburra, Dollarbird, Western Gerygone, Striated Pardalote, Lewin's Honeyeater, Golden Whistler (female), Leaden Flycatcher, Pied Currawong, Spangled Drongo, Willie Wagtail, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Olive-backed Oriole, Torresian Crow, Double-barred Finch, Silvereye, Mistletoebird.

PLANT LISTS FOR IRONGATE & LINTHORPE RESERVES, 7 February 2010

Ruby Saltbush 

Enchylaena tomentosa

Lists compiled by Trish G.

Irongate: In flower – Jasminum volubile (Jasminum simplicifolium subsp australiense), Stiff Jasmine Jasminum australe, Banana Mistletoe Lysiana subfalcata, Caltrop Tribulus terrestris (also called bulls heads, or goat heads), White Burr Daisy Calotis dentex, Yellow Burr Daisy Calotis lappulacea, Tah Vine Boerhavia dominii, Slender Bamboo Grass Austrostipa verticillata, Queensland Bluegrass Dichanthium sericium, Native Pennyroyal Mentha satureioides, Whisker Sedge Cyperus gracilis. 

In fruit – Native Cocaine Erythroxylon australe, Spiny Saltbush Raghodia spinescens (red fruits) - the commonest saltbush in the reserve, Ruby Saltbush Enchylaena tomentosa (red fruits - some unripe orange fruits). There were also two different plants which Trish G thinks are subspecies of Einadia nutans - one a low spreading shrub with bright yellow fruits, and the other a red fruited plant with a tendency to climb (rather ineffectually) on nearby vegetation.

The plants we found of interest at Linthorpe Reserve were: Flame pea Tephrosia bidwillii, Bitter Bush Adriana urticoides var urticoides (female plant in flower). 

Irongate & Linthorpe Reserves 7 February 2010

Morning tea at Irongate

Not too many people turned up at Neil Street carpark. However eight members and two visitors were willing to face the weather. Neil had the foresight to phone Sue Gordon at Gordon Country, Goomburra. She thought it was unadvisable to visit Goomburra with the heavy rain they’d had overnight and the possibility of more. Trish Gardner had the foresight to think of a different venue which was the little environmental reserves in the Mt Tyson area, Irongate and Linthorpe. So we piled into three cars and headed off.

The weather was dry and got better the further west we travelled. The countryside looked lush and green as we drove through the rolling downs of the Mt Tyson/Irongate area and we agreed we hadn’t seen it looking so good for a long time. First stop was morning tea at the picnic table at Irongate. As we munched we heard birds every-where; thornbills in the tree beside us, silvereyes in the bushes, finches in the long grass, butcherbirds calling from the high branches. Butterflies were flittering all around as well which had Trish Allen leafing through her field guide.

A botany lesson from Trish G.

It was a brilliant walk through the reserve. Trish Gardiner has an awesome wealth of knowledge on the plants of the area and she kept us well entertained with her facts and hints on the different species. It was very warm in the sun and we appreciated the cooling shade of the Belahs, Casuarina cristate and the Mountain Coolibahs, Eucalyptus orgadophila. As the path meandered through three different vegetation types there was plenty to keep us occupied. If it wasn’t the Stiff Jasmine in flower with its sweet perfume, it was identifying the Saltbush Blue butterfly Theclinesthes serpentata with its lacy underwings.

After a lovely morning rambling through this remnant Brigalow-Belah Scrub, we set off for the Linthorpe Reserve and lunch, with a slight detour to Irongate Hall to see and read about the history of the original iron gate. Linthorpe is a small reserve being a narrow strip of land between Linthorpe Road and Linthorpe Creek.

We had lunch under a massive eucalypt then went for a walk to look for the Flame Pea, Tephrosia bidwillii and Bitterbush, Adriana urticoides. Both of which we found. Part way through our walk a very light rain started to fall and we turned for the cars. It just goes to show no matter the weather Toowoomba Field Nats always have a great day out. I even got sunburnt!!

Helen, prepared for everything

Trish Gardner has a marvellous blog about native plants of the Toowoomba region. Use this link to go to the one about the Bitterbush.