Re the discussion of foxes, christmas beetles and parasitic
wasps I was surprised today to find over 30 large rather
beautiful black insects with blue wings circling very low over
the mulch around children's play equipment in a Hampton reserve
(WL Simpson Reserve).
They may well have been the blue flower wasp (Scolia soror)
which parasitises scarab beetles, including christmas beetles.
Since the wasps are 28mm long I can understand how they can get
at larvae feeding just under the grass. But there was no
understorey nearby ! Perhaps they came with the mulch.
I also found Little Lorikeets at 3 locations today so it is one
of those years when they are relatively abundant here. They've
been at Dendy Park and the David St. reserve for over a week but
it was the first time I've seen them at the Triangle Gardens
this year.
Collared Sparrowhawk still at Cheltenham Park (despite vandals
lighting 20! fires) and Common Sandpiper at the Beaumaris cliffs
- watched by a fox as well as me !
Michael Norris
Bayside Friends of Native Wildlife
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message
"unsubscribe birding-aus" (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
