Wendy had organised a get together of friends. The plan was to meet at the Royal Hotel at Springwood for dinner, then walk down into Birdwood Gully to look for Fireflies and Glow-worms.
At the dinner were Wendy, Enmoore, Don and his daughter Elata, and Pete and Steph, as well as myself. After a good dinner, Wendy, Enmoore, Don, Elata and myself made out way down the Birdwood Gully track. It was raining lightly which may have stopped to fireflies from coming out, as we didn’t see any. Wendy and Steph had seen plenty a few days before, and told us about them, so that was one of the reasons we had made the visit. But we did see some nice Glow-worms.
Glow-worms as a larval stage of an insect. They are bio-luminescent – emitting light produced by chemical reactions. They set up strings of tiny filaments and insects attracted by the light are stuck to the filaments and then eaten.
We then headed back to Wendy’s place. The next morning, with more rain forecast, we considered options and decide a walk would be nice. Our plan was to head to the end of Clear View Parade at Hazelbrook and then go along the Transit of Venus Walk and later do a circuit along some of the fire roads near Woodford Dam.
Not far from the star too the walk, we spotted some nice orchids. First some Small Tongue Orchids – Cryptostylis leptochila –
There were also plenty of Trigger Plants in flower –
Near Hazel Falls we found a group of Sawfly Larvae.
These adult form of these insects are the pollinators of Flying Duck Orchids.
Our first waterfall was Hazel Falls –
Continuing along the track we were surprised to see this Crayfish. It was rather a long way from the creek.
Orchid number 2 was a Bonnet Orchid, Cryptostylis erecta –
We found quite a few of these orchids all along our walk.
Orchid number 3 was this Hyacinth Orchid – Dipodium roseum –
Then to the second waterfall, Edith Falls –
And it was not far from there to Mabel Falls –
Walking back along the fire road, we saw a number of Christmas Bells out –
One small bush had this weevil –
And these small bugs. Perhaps a type of aphid?
O wonder if the ants were collecting honeydew from them?
Our next orchid was a Large Tongue Orchid, Cryptostyls subulata –
And some Dog’s Vomit Slime Mould – Fuligo septica –
We then walked down the fire road towards Woodford Dam.
We made a visit to Gemini Falls. We had lunch at the top of the falls on a nice rock shelf.
There was water flowing over the top of Woodford Dam –
From the dam, we followed a fire road up onto a ridge that led to Winbourne Road at Hazelbrook.
Here is some Christmas Bush in flower –
At one spot we found a lot of Large Flying Duck Orchids – Caleana major mostly still in flower.
This was a very nice day in the bush. Thanks to Wendy for organising the activities.