Some kind of arthropod head, found in the litter. Interesting asymmetric chompers look good for slicing something.,, Probably not a flying insect - no obvious ocelli, the light sensing organ that flying insects usually have. #macrophotography #insectphotography #blackeyelens #shotoniphone #bushcrewlife #hortibuglife
From the fly subfamily, Sciapodinae Found this Green Long Legged Fly in a bowl of water in our bathroom at night. Tiny yet beautiful, metallic green 💚 Released outside after a gentle drying off period. #backyardgardening #organicgardening #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #insectphotography #australianinsects #macrophotography #hortibuglife
Ceropegia woodii, Chain of Hearts, variegated These #chainofhearts propagated by #stemcutting are looking better than the ones I did at TAFE! Only one failed (removed about a month ago) It’s a plant I’ve liked/wanted for years so it’s especially delightful to successfully #propagate them 💚🌱🤍 #studyhorticulture #indoorplants #chainofheartsvariegated #propagation #propagationbycutting #hortibuglife
Pre-burn critter encounter. #prayingmantis #australianinsect #bushcrewlife #hortibuglife
A #lerp , and a #leafbeetle . A sucker of eucalyptus sap, and a chewer of acacia leaves. Neither are of great concern on mature trees but can be organically dealt with on young specimens. #pestsanddiseases #studyhorticulture #macrophotography #insectphotography #australianinsects #psyllid #beetle #blackeyelens #shotoniphone #hortibuglife
_Junonia villida_, Meadow Argus Thanks crew for pointing it out 🧡 #meadowargus #australianbutterflies #loveyourpollinators #beneficialinsects #pollinatinginsects #australianinsects #insectphotography #shotoniphone #bushcrewlife #hortibuglife
#fungifriday #streetart #hortibuglife
#hortibuglife goes bush, is my hanging basket on display at the @melbflowershow through this weekend. After a rough day yesterday where one of my precious and adorable, hand crafted #bluebandedbees appeared to be stolen but was found hours later…. Today while securing them both in more firmly against sticky fingers, I had a delightful chat with a lovely lady at the show. She wanted to know all of the species in my basket and where to get them. She was particularly enamoured with the beautiful, delicately trailing habit of the Glycine sp. It was an absolute pleasure and so satisfying to know I have inspired someone to grow these plants. For anyone else who wants to know: 🌱 From @yarraedgenursery Glycine latrobeana, in flower at the back of my basket Pelargonium rodneyanum, Magenta Storksbill Dianella caerulea, Blue Flax Lily (not currently in bloom and will probably outgrow basket) 🌱 From @vinc_nursery Leptorhynchos squamatus, Scaly Buttons Glycine tabacina, Vanilla Glycine this is the longer trailing plant at the front of my basket. 🌱 The Viola hederacea , Native Violet (not currently in bloom) should be available at either nursery. I got it for free via a community group. #indigenousplants #wildflowers #floraofmelbourne #independentnurseries #shoplocal #hangingbasket #melbourneflowershow #melbourneflowerandgardenshow #mifgs2024 #hortibuglife
Hortibuglife Goes Bush A transverse #ladybug to accessorise @hortibuglife ‘s first #hangingbasket for #mifgs Note that like the bees, the markings are all sculpted in not painted. Just a couple of dabs of varnish to shine up the eyes, for a spark of life. #sculpey #fimo #polymerclay #floraofmelbourne #beneficialinsects #transverseladybird #ladybeetle #mifgs #mifgs2024 #mifgshangingbasketcompetition #mifgshangingbasketcompetition2024 #hortibuglife #patriciadenisartist
Hortibuglife Goes Bush One of two lovingly made, polymer clay blue banded bees to accessorise @hortibuglife ‘s first #hangingbasket for #mifgs Note that the markings are all sculpted in not painted. Just a couple of dabs of varnish to shine up the eyes, for a spark of life. #sculpey #fimo #polymerclay #floraofmelbourne #beneficialinsects #bluebandedbee #mifgs #mifgs2024 #mifgshangingbasketcompetition #mifgshangingbasketcompetition2024 #hortibuglife #patriciadenisartist
Christinus marmoratus, Southern Marbled Gecko that was living in the gap between the inner and outer pots of an orchid (last pic) I was repotting last year. I moved it to a nearby bromeliad. Hopefully they liked their new home and no one else was living there! 🦎 #gecko #marbledgecko blackeyemacro #hortibuglife
Diuris orientis, Wallflower Orchid buds & Pterostylis nutans, Nodding Greenhood, Parrot’s Beak Orchid. Scientific name translated: Pterostylis winged-style, column is winged nutans, drooping, nodding Source: The Names of Plants, David Gledhill #australianorchids #indigenousorchids #macrophotography #floraofmelbourne #blackeyelens #shotoniphone #bushcrewlife #hortibuglife
Chauliognathus lugubris, Plague Soldier Beetles doing what they do best… So many both mating in the grevillea and flying at noon. Surprisingly these are a #beneficialinsect preying on Paropsis spp., Paropsisterna spp., Eucalyptus leaf eating beetles and their larvae (last 3 images, location Eltham North). 🪲🍃 So why the common name? During the mating season they may gather in what might seem like a plague like number, occasionally causing damage to plants through their collective weight. Not actually a plague! Source: Garden Pests, Diseases & Good Bugs by @denis_crawford #plaguesoldierbeetle #soldierbeetle #eucalyptusleafbeetle #naturalpestcontrol #organicpestcontrol #bugsforbugs #macrophotography #insectphotography #blackeyemacro #shotoniphone #studyhorticulture #hortibuglife
Kalmia sp., Mountain Laurel Looks like sweet, piped icing 🤤 From our class field trip to the Dandenong Botanical Gardens late last year. #mountainlaurel #studyhorticulture #dandenongbotanicalgardens #botanicalgardens #hortibuglife
Not shot in macro! Rain moth spotted by a coworker at a work site. Huge, gorgeous creature. Body over 5cm long, quite plump and slightly damp looking. Might be freshly emerged and drying off or maybe that’s how they always look? No recent rain… #insectphotography #australianmoths #australianinsects #rainmoth #lepidoptera #shotoniphone #bushcrewlife #hortibuglife
Delicate and lace like #lerp on gum leaf in my garden. ⚪️A lerp is the sweet and waxy house the sap sucking psyllid builds to protect itself. Some native birds will eat them. Most of the time this #sapsucker is of no great concern: the tree is healthy, big enough to tolerate some pest damage and the infestation is minor. If it was a smaller tree and there were more I might consider picking them off. ⚪️This particular tree is supporting a range of arthropods at the moment. I haven’t yet identified the species of gum. It could be a Eucalyptus but it could also be a Corymbia. It self seeded in our nature strip metres from a Corymbia. This is a relatively new plant genus that some Eucalyptus have been reclassified as, eg Corymbia citriodora, Lemon scented gum. 🌳 #gumtree #psyllid #backyardbugs #backyardgardening #organicgardening #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #insectphotography #macrophotography #hortibuglife
#itsalive It’s ALIIIVE! #propagation #floraofmelbourne #rubysaltbush #bushtucker #hortibuglife
A looper caterpillar with what looks like some kind of parasites on it. @denis_crawford my teacher @fosteryourgarden suggested sharing this here and tagging you so we can find out what is going on. 🐛 #caterpillar #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #insectphotography #macrophotography #hortibuglife
#jumpingspider eating a #hoverfly in the rose garden at TAFE. 🕷️ #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #insectphotography #macrophotography #hortibuglife
Is it a dish sponge? No it’s a #slimemould possibly the #dogsvomitslimemold a very common one. It’s usually found in woody mulch in after rain. The outside has a dry appearance which matures from yellow to pale orange. If you poke or squish it, it’s like a slimy custard inside. DO NOT EAT. 🤓 #fungi #slimemold #macrophotography #blackeyelens #shotoniphone #bushcrewlife #hortibuglife
This #liverwort is ready for its close up. Later, more #liverwortlove 😊🙂 #happyliverwort #macrophotography #blackeyelens #shotoniphone #hortibuglife
Stunning, tiny (about 4mm long) metallic teal jewel of a bug. If they aren’t the same species they are definitely the same genus, Arsipoda. 🪲 First #beetle in a Grassy Woodland in Greenvale, second beetle adjacent to a Grassland in Sunbury. 🪲💕 #bugsarecool #arsipoda #metallicbug #macrophotography #insectphotography #blackeyelens #shotoniphone #bushcrewlife #hortibuglife
The roundest #fungi I’ve ever seen. At first I thought it was a bit of eggshell then I saw there were more. I kept looking and found what they mature into. Swipe through to see a slow motion spore puff. Appropriately named these are Puffball Mushrooms are less than two centres in diameter. They are rubbery and dry to the touch, with the stumpiest stem connecting it to its underground network. You can’t really see the stem without pulling back cap a bit. As with all fine biomass, avoid breathing in the spores! 🍄 #puffball #puffballmushroom #wildmushroom #fungilove #macrophotography #blackeyelens #shotoniphone #bushcrewlife #hortibuglife
Settling into position, a #tinyspider that resembles a bird dropping aka #birddroppingspider with green lacewing larvae nearby (last pic). 🕷️ #spider #backyardgardening #organicgardening #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #macrophotography #bugsinthegrevillea #hortibuglife
“‘Allo….” “…Did you say ‘hello’?” “No I said ‘’allo’ but that’s close enough.”* 🍏🌱🐛 #paintedapplemothcaterpillar on young eucalyptus tree. I haven’t been back to this site since, so I don’t know how well this tree is doing. There were quite a few. In spite of their common name these are natives and obviously apple trees are not their first choice of food plant. 🍃🐛 #paintedapplemoth #caterpillar #fluffycaterpillar #bushcrewlife #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #macrophotography #insectphotography #australianinsects #hortibuglife * #labyrinthquotes
Exocarpos cupressiformis, Cherry Ballart, Native Cherry, Cyprus Cherry. Eltham North This hemi-parasite plant taps into a host (usually Acacia, wattle or Eucalyptus, gum) tree’s root system, but grows its own leaves and photosynthesises. The delicious fruit are known as #fairycherries because they are so small and whimsical with their external seed. They are not easily cultivated due to germination challenges. It would usually rely on passage through the gut of a vertebrate such as a bird. I’m going to try running a few seeds through my worm farm. I’ve used the plastic mesh from teabags, in three different ways. 🍒🧚🏽♂️ Edit: 27/4/24 Scientific name explained: Exo, outside. carpos, body. In reference to the seed being outside of the fruit. cupressi, cyprus. formis, like. The foliage and habit is like a cypress. Source: @alistairkirkpatrick ‘s class at TAFE 🧚🏽♂️🍒 #bushtucker #indigenousplant #hemiparasitic #macrophotography #blackeyelens #shotoniphone #bushcrewlife #horticulturalexperiment #hortibuglife
Not one but two species of #ladybug in this grevillea in our garden! Coccinella transversalis, Small Transverse Ladybird Beetle Hippodamia variegata, Adonis Ladybird, also known as the Variegated Ladybug 🐞🥰💕 #backyardgardening #backyardecosystem #organicgardening #gardensforwildlife #loveyourpollinators #beneficialinsects #pollinatinginsects #australianinsects #backyardpollinators #insectphotography #macrophotography #blackeyelens #shotoniphone #integratedpestmanagement #hortibugs #bugsforbugs #bugsinthegrevillea #hortibuglife
Correa decumbens, Spreading Correa Bought from a Melbourne #friendsrbgmelbourne sale earlier in the year along with Correa baeuerlenii, Chef’s Hat Corea. The buds look like little green flying saucers! 🛸💚 Leptospermum petersonii, Lemon scented tea tree. A good backyard option when you don’t have space for Corymbia citrodora, lemon scented gum but love the fragrance. Fell in love with it at Cranbourne Botanical Gardens. Midyim berry bush, another Cranbourne sensory revelation in taste form. #bushtucker , recently flowered but no fruit yet. 🌿 #correas #teatrees #midyimberry #midgenberry #nativeplantsaustralia #australiannativeplants #cranbournebotanicgardens #royalbotanicgardensvic #rbgmelbourne #backyardgardening #organicgardening #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #macrophotography #hortibuglife
Ellipsidion australe, Eastern Ellipsidion, or Bush Cockroach. Harmless Australian #nativecockroach NOT A PEST! I love the leaflike venation of the adult’s wings and the delicate patterns on the nymph’s body. 🤎🪳🖤 Adult seen with others in Greenvale on eucalyptus tree in an offset, public conservation site for neighbouring housing developments. Herbicides are used with care but regularly. Area is regularly disturbed by public access. Nymph or instar (no wings) seen in Eltham North in leaf litter at a fenced, chemical free, conservation site. #ellipsidion #bushcrewlife #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #macrophotography #insectphotography #australianinsects #hortibuglife
#prettyfeather not sure which bird it is from. Could be a duck (pacific black duck, and the more likely wood duck) there were some at this site. Now added to the hat I made for @penfoldtheguineapig #brownfeather #shotoniphone #bushcrewlife #hortibuglife
Indigofera australis , Australian Indigo This was the first time this #indigenousplant in my backyard flowered. There were months of anticipation as the buds formed. There are more buds on it now. I planted it last year as tube stock (small pot, about toilet roll sized pot) and it grew quickly to about 2 metres tall. I plan to prune it after it flowers to encourage a more bushy habit. I planted three more in autumn this year. Most of the plants (90-95%?) we have put into our garden were tube stock. Tube stock is an affordable way to plant a large variety and quantity of plants. They also tend to have a higher success rate because the young plant is more adaptable to its new environment than a mature plant. Revegetation projects are usually planted with tube stock. I have collected some of my plant’s seeds to see if I can propagate them. #backyardgardening #organicgardening #seedsaving #macrophotography #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #hortibuglife
A tiny #photobomber in Eltham North. This #froghopper on #wallabygrass is so named because it looks like a tiny frog from some angles, and it hops. It’s more like a ping because: ping! It’s gone. Hopped off somewhere you can’t see. The nymphs of #froghoppers are also known as #spittlebugs because they live in a frothy, wet mass often known as cuckoo spit. If you see a mass of spit like substance on a plant in springtime, it will have a bug of some sort - other bug nymphs do this too - safely inside, sucking sap. They aren’t usually found in large enough numbers to do noticeable damage. You can hose them off a plant if they are a problem. 🌿 🐸 only not… 🌿 #bushcrewlife #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #macrophotography #insectphotography #hortibuglife
The cutest little mushroom I’ve ever seen. Note: The one I’m holding in last pic was no longer connected to the soil. I did not pick it. #earthstars #fungi #bushcrewlife #macrophotography #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #hortibuglife
More #themedatriandra because it’s gorgeous and in flower right now. At this chemical spray free #conservationsite, a #spider and a #caterpillar #photobomb my intended pics! The colours of the #inflorescence are all natural, #nofilterneeded 🎀🐛 The complementary blurred pink line in the background is not an image effect but a string line. It is used to delineate hand weeding areas to ensure nothing is missed. It also means team leaders can see if anything has been missed and assist/refresher train with weed ID. Only one council I know of uses this method. It takes an extra bit of time to set up/take down but the results are excellent! 🕷️🎀 #grassywoodland #kangaroograss #bushcrewlife #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #macrophotography #insectphotography #hortibuglife
Themeda triandra, Kangaroo Grass seed. #indigenousgrasses #macrophotography #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #bushcrewlife #hortibuglife
Genus Didymium, fungi No more than 2mm high on a blade of dead grass. These are the tiniest mushrooms I’ve ever seen. Seems only appropriate after the biggest ones last week! #didymium #fungi #fungiphotography #bushcrewlife #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #macrophotography #hortibuglife
Wahlenbergia communis, Tufted Bluebell In my thrifty, gently terraced, Grassy Woodland, Western Volcanic Plains inspired garden. [takes a breath!] 💜 This is the first time it has flowered! First image is a fresh bloom, second is after pollination, third is a mature seed pod (side view). 🌿 You may have noticed that until recently I haven’t been posting as regularly. I have changed careers! After over 20 years in Retail Customer Service and Visual Merchandising, finishing in Myer Bourke Street, I’d taken it as far as I wanted to go. In late May I started work as part of a bush crew that has contracts across various local councils. It’s hard work but I love doing it. It is very gratifying to be hands on in making the world a better place. 🌿 I recently finished my first semester of Certificate 3 in Horticulture with the final semester next year. 🌿 You can see more like this at my new Instagram account @hortibuglife I’ll still be active here of course! 🌿🐞🌾🪶🪴🐝🌳🐛 #grassywoodland #grasslandplant #wildflowersofvictoria #floraofmelbourne #floraofnaarm #purpleflowers #indigenousplants #westernvolcanicplains #plantindigenous #backyardgardening #organicgardening #lowmaintenancegarden #loveyourpollinators #beneficialinsects #macrophotography #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #hortibuglife
Wahlenbergia communis, Tufted Bluebell In my thrifty, gently terraced, Grassy Woodland, Western Volcanic Plains inspired garden. [takes a breath!] 💜 This the first time it has flowered! First image is a fresh bloom, second is after pollination, third is a mature seed pod (side view). #grassywoodland #grasslandplant #wildflowersofvictoria #floraofmelbourne #floraofnaarm #purpleflowers #indigenousplants #westernvolcanicplains #plantindigenous #backyardgardening #organicgardening #lowmaintenancegarden #loveyourpollinators #beneficialinsects #macrophotography #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #hortibuglife
#pleatedinkcap #fungi #fungiphotography #bushcrewlife #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #macrophotography #hortibuglife
Lythrum salicaria, Purple Loosestrife Lycopus australis, Australian Gypsywort Both are #floraofmelbourne #indigenousplants to damp habitats aka Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVC). In this case on the edge of Spavin Lake. There is a website called Nature Kit which outlines all of our local EVCs. This information is used to determine what flora is truly indigenous to an area, in order to correctly revegetate it. #bushcrewlife #wetlandconservation #hortibuglife
Jumping spider in the garden at TAFE. 🕷️💚🌿 #jumpingspider #spider #cutespider #macrophotography #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #hortibuglife
Green lacewing, a beneficial insect to have in my garden. The larvae gobble up small, pest insects. 💚 #greenlacewing #lacewing #beneficialinsects #pollinatinginsects #australianinsects #macrophotography #shotoniphone #blackeyelens #hortibuglife