Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae | Mount Gravatt Environment Group

By: Michael Fox

I’m lucky to be able to get my exercise exploring the wildlife of Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve.

Squirrel Gliders Petaurus norfolcensis are good at staying home even if they are not into social isolation. Glider families typically occupy a number of different nest boxes going out at night and sleeping during the day.

White Tangle ~ Callopistria maillardi - Fox Gully Bushcare - 24 Mar 2020

White Tangle moth caterpillar

Butterfly and moth caterpillars are typically selective feeders able to digest only a very limited range of plant species.

So I was interested to find the White Tangle moth caterpillar Callopistria maillardi which feeds on ferns like the invasive garden escapee: Fishbone Fern Nephrolepis cordifolia.

Transverse Moth - Xanthodes transversa - caterpillar 2 - 29 Mar 2020

Transverse Moth caterpillar

Moths often have to most interesting and colourful caterpillars like this Transverse Moth Xanthodes transversa caterpillar I found feeding on the Native Hibiscus Hibiscus heterophyllus planted by a National Tree Day team.

Erebus Moth

There are some impressive adult moths Erebus Moth Erebus terminitincta with its 100mm wing span and owl like eyes on the wings.

Domino Coukoo Bee

I also found a new solitary native bee to add to the species list for the Reserve. The well named Domino Coukoo Bee Thyreus lugubris means we have now identified ten species of solitary native bees in the Reserve.

Cute white furry whiskers

Paperbark Sawfly

This Paperbark Sawfly Lophyrotoma zonalis is another new species identified in the Reserve. Adult Sawflies are not often seen as they live only one to two weeks in which time they do not feed but mate and lay their eggs on leaves of Melaleuca species.

Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike

The handsome Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike Coracina novaehollandiae is another addition to the species list.

What are you doing down there?

Finally I found this cute Koala Phascolarctos cinereus watching us install a Koala Drinker on Tallowwood Eucalyptus microcorys.

A lot of walkers are getting their exercise in the Reserve at the moment. Map of walking tracks.

Bottle Brush Grass Tree

By: Michael Fox

After the long dry period it is a pleasure to see the bush come back to life. Walking the Eastern Outlook Track this morning we found a number of the uncommon Bottle Brush Grass Trees Xanthorrhoea macronema in flower or getting ready to flower.

Xanthorrhoea macronema - 9 Oct 2014 - Alan Moore low res

New flower ready to burst into life

The Bottle Brush Grass Tree is very different to the better known Grass Tree Xanthorrhoea johnsonii. The johnsonii has tall flower spike (scape) reaching up to 1.9 metres with flowers covering most of its length and over time the tree develops the characteristic fire blackened trunk. The Bottle Brush Grass Tree on the other hand has a scape reaching only 1.6 metres with a striking cream-white bottle brush shaped flower that is only about 13cm at the top of the scape and it remains just a crown of leaves at ground level never developing the characteristic fire blackened trunk of other species.

The furry bottle brush flowers are very popular with native bees both the small black Stingless Native Bees Trigona carbonaria and the solitary Blue Banded Bees Amegilla cingulata.

If you are walking keep an eye out for the new flower spikes … they will be ready in a couple of days.