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Sunday 5 November 2017

An Odd Beetle

This peculiar beetle showed up near the light sheet the other night.
 Byrsax sp: Tenebrionidae
 Byrsax sp: Tenebrionidae, integument up close

Geoff Monteith notes that this beetle is one of three species known from Australia. Males have the horns. The beetles live in large bracket fungi. He says they have one of the most powerful smells of any tenebrionid beetle. Strangely, I did not notice it. (Might be saying something about me!)

Spring Katydids

Even though we have had a very dry winter, insects have been developing. All of these katydids hatched from eggs during winter and are now adult. We have a nice variety in the rainforest in Kuranda.

Caedicia kuranda Rentz, Su, Ueshima
 Phricta spinosa Redtenbacher, spiny thorax bearing a mite
  Phricta spinosa Redtenbacher, young nymph
 Acauloplacella queenslandica Rentz, Su, Ueshima male
 Acauloplacella queenslandica Rentz, Su, Ueshima male head pronotum and stridulatory area
  Acauloplacella queenslandica Rentz, Su, Ueshima male nymph
 Caedicia webberi Rentz, Su, Ueshima
  Caedicia webberi Rentz, Su, Ueshima
Zaprochilus mongabarra Rentz, female at rest
 Zaprochilus mongabarra Rentz female, head and pronotum
 Currimundria delicata Rentz, Su, Ueshima female
 Currimundria delicata Rentz, Su, Ueshima female head pronotum
 Ozphyllum kuranda Rentz, Su, Ueshima male


  Ozphyllum kuranda Rentz, Su, Ueshima male, head pronotum

Chloracantha lampra Rehn male

Cassowary Update

The three chicks are developing nicely but oddly two of them seem to be continually fighting with one another. This started some weeks ago and continues to this day.

Both male and female cassowaries visit together and the chicks interact with both parents but the male gives way and is extremely cautious around the female.