March 2016 Outing:Goomburra State Forest

Whilst the Goomburra Outing was reported in the last Newsletter, this is a Post Script on an identification that has until now eluded us. After Lunch that day, we walked the track to the Castle Lookout, and there, several members saw, and photographed from every conceivable angle, what appeared to be a very large ant, of an indeterminate species, strutting its stuff on the timber-work. Many photos were taken by many members, who consulted many books, and sent each other many emails in an endeavour to establish just what we had seen. For those who were not there, or who may have forgotten what this insect looked like, please see the photo. As our Group Knowledge seemed to have failed us on this occasion, I sent an email to the Discovery Centre at the Queensland Museum, seeking guidance. I might mention that I have used their considerable expertise for several identifications in the past, with excellent results, and this was no exception. I quote from their reply:

The ant is in fact a female flower wasp, Family Tiphiidae, Subfamily Thynninae, but identification beyond the subfamily is not possible from a photograph and would be extremely difficult even with a specimen. The wasps in this subfamily have fully winged males and wingless females and the males usually carry the females along while they mate (phoretic copulation).

So, there we have it. It was not an ant, but a wingless wasp, the precise identification of which is unknown, but as far as I am concerned, that is unimportant in this instance. My thanks to all those who took part in the discussions and correspondence, and to the Entomologists at the Queensland Museum for their detailed description.

(Report and photo by Mike Ford) 

April 2016 Speaker Report

Alfred Russel Wallace    

Cheryl and Philip Haxen, during one of their recent travels including Darwin (appropriate place!) visited an exhibition on the life of Alfred Russel Wallace. This re-awakened in Cheryl an interest in Wallace.

Wallace was born in 1823 into a family who had become poor through unfortunate circumstances. Wallace’s education was not neglected and he would have read many of the books that Charles Darwin would have read. His formal education came to an end at 14 years and he began to work with his older brother, eventually becoming an apprentice surveyor. This lasted only six years and after a short period of unemployment, he became a teacher, leaving this position also to return to surveying, a position that gave him ample opportunities to be outdoors in the countryside. During this time he read widely, including Charles Darwin’s book on his voyage on the Beagle and Lyell’s book on geology. Inspired by these books Wallace wanted to travel and he set off for South America to collect insect and animal species in the Amazon. During the four years there he collected a large number of species. Tragically on the return journey to England the boat caught fire and his species were destroyed, though he and the crew managed to escape with their lives.

After a brief stay in England he set off in 1854 for the Malay Archipelago in order to collect specimens and spent almost eight years in this part of the world. It was during a period when he was ill with high fever that he had a moment of epiphany and saw that natural selection could be a mechanism for evolution - an insight that Charles Darwin arrived at through much thought and study of specimens. Cheryl then related the well-known story of how Wallace sent his paper on natural selection to Darwin and this paper along with Darwin’s paper were published. Darwin’s publication of the book On the Origin of Species confirmed Darwin’s reputation and over decades the association of Wallace with the same idea as Darwin’s faded.

However, in recent times Wallace’s achievements have begun to be recognised again and there has been an increasing recognition of him and his ideas since the 100^th anniversary of his death in 1913. His remarkable achievements are reflected in the fact that many butterflies are named after him and overall there are about 500 species named after him. Wallace’s Line through the Malay Archipelago is a beautiful example of the meticulous observation of nature he was known for – this line that separates the fauna of Asia and Australasia. He was also well-known for his drawings of flora and fauna. In his lifetime – he died at 90 – he had collected about 26, 000 specimens (about 5000 species). He was a prolific writer, having written 22 books, over 700 papers, and 4,500 letters. Cheryl also related the story of Wallace’s cabinet which was found to be full of specimens. This cabinet was sold to a lawyer in Washington who then discovered it contained specimens that were eventually confirmed as those collected by Wallace. Thus it is that ‘unclaimed baggage’ ends up in Washington with its treasure trove!

Cheryl’s own enthusiasm for the work and ideas of Wallace were very well conveyed in her talk to the members. She ended her talk with a quote from Wallace: “Truth is born into this world only with pangs and tribulations … every fresh truth is received unwillingly.”     

(Report by Francis Mangubhai) 

                                 

Bird list for November 2015 outing - compiled by Lesley Beaton

Brown Quail, Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Grebe, Rock Dove, Common Bronzewing, Peaceful Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Tawny Frogmouth, Eastern Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Straw-necked Ibis, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Brown Falcon, Masked Lapwing, Galah, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, Red-winged Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella, Red-rumped Parrot, Pheasant Coucal, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo, Brush Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, Superb Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, White-winged Triller, Australasian Figbird, Olive-backed Oriole, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Willie Wagtail, Australian Raven, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Apostlebird, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Tree Martin, Mistletoebird, Zebra Finch, Double-barred Finch, Plum-headed Finch.

November 2015 Outing Report: “Highwoods”, Jimbour SEQ

Our November outing was conducted on the property “Highwoods” about ten minutes’ drive from the small Darling Downs settlement of Jimbour. The outing, which included a night’s camp out was held over the week-end of the 07^th and 08^th November with most attendees opting for a day visit only on the Sunday.

“Highwoods” is owned by Martin and Karen Ambrose of Dalby and Martin was on site for the weekend to show people around the property and share with us his knowledge of its fauna and flora over our stay. “High-woods” was purchased by the Ambroses in November 2012 and is named after Karen’s ancestral home in East Sussex in England; an area of extensive intact oak forest says Martin. The Antipodean “Highwoods” covers 188 acres and comprises elements of Regional Ecosystems R.E.11.8.5 and 11.8.3 that, in turn form part of the Brigalow Belt Bioregion (South) of Queensland. Although R.E.11.8.5 is stated to consist primarily of Eucalyptus orgadophila open woodland this eucalypt is not present on “Highwoods”, however a discontinuous canopy of other dominant species such as Corymbia erythrophila, E. melanophloia and E. crebra are present. A well-developed shrub layer is present under these trees including softwood scrub species forming both tall and low shrub layers. These include elements of R.E.11.8.5a such as Geijera parviflora, Callitris glaucophylla, Pittosporum angustifolium, Alectryon oleifolius and Notelaea macrocarpa. The ground layer is quite dense and dominated by species such as the grasses Aristida lazaridis, A. ramosa, Borthriochloa ewartiana, Dicanthium sericium, Chrysopogon fallax, Heteropogon contortus and Themeda triandra. Herbs present include Brunon-iella australis, Evolvulus alsinoides, Galactica tenuiflora and Indigofera linnaei. 

Regional Ecosystem 11.8.3 consists of semi-evergreen vine thicket that usually has emergent Acacia harpo-phylla present. However this species is absent from “Highwoods”. Dominant species in this R.E. include Eucalyptus spp. and Casuarina cristata. A feature of “Highwoods” and one of the deciding factors in Martin and Karen’s purchasing of the property is the many and magnificent Bottle Trees Brachychiton rupestris that have been retained including one individual known appropriately and affectionately as Fattso. 

Little short-nosed bat (insectivorous) (photo by Jean Gundry)

On the Saturday Martin and I arrived about midmorning to be joined by Lesley and Ben that evening to check three harp-traps that Martin and I had set up that day to try for microbats inhabiting the property. One trap proved successful taking one each of a female Little Broad-nosed Bat Scotorepens greyii and a male Little Forest Bat Vespadelus vulturnus; both new species for Martin’s property list.

The other two harp traps proved fruitless. Other species recorded during Martin’s and my rambles about “Highwoods” on the Saturday included Red-necked Wallaby, Eastern Grey Kangaroo, European Brown Hare, Brown Quail, Rock Dove, Crested Pigeon, Peaceful Dove, Straw-necked Ibis, Nankeen Kestrel, Brown Falcon, Galah, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cockatiel, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, Red-winged Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella, Blue Bonnet, Red-rumped Parrot, Tawny Frogmouth, Southern Boobook, Pheasant Coucal, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo, Superb Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, Weebill, Yellow-rumped Thornbill (nesting), White-throated Gerygone, Noisy Miner, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, White-winged Triller, Australasian Figbird, Olive-backed Oriole, Pied Butcherbird (with nestlings), Australian Magpie, Torresian Crow, Common Myna, Silvereye, Zebra Finch and Plum-headed Finch. Most members who came for the weekend opted for the nocturnal comforts of the Bell Caravan Park whilst Martin and I spent the night under the star-spangled canopy of “Highwoods” around the campfire and in our swags. Not a mosquito to be heard/felt; a beautiful night with a Southern Boobook lullaby. 

Caper white ovipositing (Photo: Jean Gundry)

On the Sunday morning about 20 members rallied at “Highwoods” for a very good day’s natural historying. We visited several of Martin’s “special” places during the day all of which were generally short and easy ambles from our campsite. One of these included a dam that Martin has fenced to exclude stock and is now a riot of water plants and sedges including, on the day, the very attractive and profusely flowering Water Poppy Ottelia ovalifolia and Water Primrose Ludwigia montevidensis. This is a favourite spot of Martin’s and mine for Plum-headed Finch, which didn’t disappoint with all members getting good looks at these charming finches  that morning. Dragonflies and damselflies were also here in abundance including many Red and Blue Damsels Xanthagrion erythroneurum, also Common Bluetail Ischnura heterosticta, and the ubiquitous Blue Skimmer Orthetrum caledonicum and Scarlet Percher Diplacodes haematodes. Further on from the dam we entered an area of cypress where the find of the morning, and a “first” for “Highwoods” revealed itself in the guise of a male Common Nobbi Dragon Diporiphora nobbi with his show-off mauve flanks. Aside to this great little lizard others of his ilk that we recorded today were Lively Rainbow Skink Carlia vivax, Elegant Snake-eyed Skink Cryptoblepharus pulcher and Boulenger’s Snake-eyed Skink Morethia boulengeri. A veritable potpourri of species ended up on our list for these two delightful days of great sightings and good fellowship that included creatures as diverse as dung beetles, frogs and butterflies. Of these latter animals I’ve notes on two species of carcass beetles (Trogidae), a native dung beetle Onthophagus atrox, the introduced dung beetles Onthophagus gazella and Onitis viridulus as well as Cane Toad and Emerald Spotted Treefrog and the butterflies Orchard Swallowtail, Caper White and Tailed Emperor to which, no doubt, Lesley will add somewhat. 

Nobbi dragon (male) (Photo: Mike Ford)

By Sunday afternoon the weekend drew to a close and members dispersed to their respective destinations. As the shadows lengthened they heralded in a blustering, storm-driven evening in which Martin and I got trapped pulling down the harp traps; a frenzied conclusion to a weekend’s idyll but it all ended well in the long run and we both eventually headed home replete with the weekend’s adventures.

Report by Rod Hobson