The Backyard
Arrived home from a hectic, annoying day of phone calls and crazy inquiries.. and the first thing I wanted to do was take some photos.
Mum told me that there was a little league of hatched insects on the mailbox.. this had to be worth a look.
I have no idea what they were.. they look like stink beetles or something.. all I know is they seemed fresh out of the pod, had little interest in me or any potential threat - and the local Ants seemed VERY interested in their existence.
Heading down the driveway I noticed another of those amazing coloured flies. Neon body and some seriously amazing opalescent effect as they turn around.. quick little buggers, but once they are still, they don’t move, so its quite easy to grab a shot!
Yet another from the Land of the Flies. Again, this was a new one to my spotting in the backyard. It was a huge thing, probably ~15mm long in the body, a bright yellow head and white spots all over its rounded, black body. Seemed to take a liking to the shadecloth in the yard.
A Kookaburra watched on.. smirk on its face at my antics as I ducked and weaved around the backyard looking for my next subject(s)..
And eventually I found them.. a small colony of Spitfire larvae.. busy (VERY busy) ingesting the gum leaves of a native Gum Tree.. at first glance, you’ll see only 4 of the little grubs.. but on closer inspection, you can clearly see the heads of some 30 grubs, systematically chewing away the leaf in a perfect dance of machine-like coordination. Took them all of a couple minutes to perform a vanishing act on the leaf..
I’ve decided I’m going to find out what some of these things are.. especially those flies. Half of them I’ve never seen before! Who knows, maybe I’ll discover a new insect and get to name it or something :p hehe..
Katie said,
January 23, 2008 @ 10:51 am
They were the cutest little bugs on your mailbox. I wonder what they will be? They look like they will become ugly bugs that I won’t think so cute when they are bigger than a pea! Still good photo op for you eh. I like the spitfires. Hungry little buggers
Would it be a good time to go to Glenrock with lots of bugs around everywhere??? Good for you anyway…Not so good for me.
becca3003 said,
January 23, 2008 @ 10:53 pm
Great photos as usual hun!
Not so keen on those bugs in the first pic! They remind me of spiders! And ewww those grub thingys look well erm grubby! 
Very cool how you managed to get the 4 on the front and all the others heads in it! Weird what you can find in your backyard! 
If you did get to name a bug/fly, what would you call it?
The Scott Bug? 
Actaully that sounds like some kind of cold! 
Katie said,
January 24, 2008 @ 9:47 am
No no, I think it should be ScottyBombus terrestris! It will be a relative of Bumble Bees only will be known for its unique features including the odd shaped raised mark on it’s chest that looks a little like a canon EOS 400D and it’s distinct ability to make excessive noises that resemble quotes from random movies…
becca3003 said,
January 24, 2008 @ 5:50 pm
PMSL!!
Sounds perfect!! 
There you go Scotty, Kate’s come up with a great name for your fly/bug thing!
Would suit it well me thinks! 
ScottyB said,
January 24, 2008 @ 9:41 pm
PMSL @ you two
Righto.. think we’ve all agreed on the name!