Kookaburra welcoming committee
By: Michael Fox
Everyone loves to welcome the Griffith Mates Bushcare team to Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve. Even the Kookaburras were ready to welcome our visitors.
Common Spotted Ladybird life stages – larva, adult, pupa
While we waited for the Team I explored the Fairy Fan Flower Scaevola aemula and found three life stages of the Common Spotted Ladybird Harmonia conformis. The larva stage looks nothing like the adult however they still perform valuable pest control services for your garden, feeding on sap-sucking aphids. The pupa stage (right) looks more like the adult Ladybird beetle. The best known adult stage (middle) also feeds on aphids.
Meeting the locals
Most of our Griffith Mates visitors had not seen Lady beetles before and they were eager to meet these miniature Australians.
Cotton Harlequin Bugs nymphs
On the back of Macaranga leaves we found pretty Cotton Harlequin Bug Tectocoris diophthalmus nymphs
Walking from Mt Gravatt Campus to the Bushcare work site along Acacia Way we could hear the Pardalotes chip-chipping in the trees and Australian King-Parrots Alisterus scapularis whistling in the distance.
Going bush
Equipment collected, we headed off track to the day’s work site.
Great work Team – weeds bagged for removal
The target for the day is the invasive weed Fishbone Fern Nephrolepis cordifolia. Once the Team is briefed on the difference between Fishbone Fern and the local Basket Fern Drynaria rigidula they dived removing and bagging huge clumps of roots for removal off site.
Thanks to Griffith Mates Bushcare Team
17 Team members and 51 hours of restoration work. A great morning’s work.
Leading the Team to Mt Gravatt Lookout to meet their taxi we discovered the Fairy Home made by one of our Gully neighbours.
Open the door to discover a special climate change message from the Fairies.
Mount Gravatt Environment Group 