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Post by jshuey on May 25, 2012 4:26:45 GMT -8
I think you realize how lucky you are to live in such a special place. Although my job gets me out to interesting places on a regular basis, I live in the middle of the US corn belt, with a limited temperate fauna. The thrill of discovery is long gone for me (in part because I limit myself to butterflies) and I have to travel to make it worth swinging a net now-days.
Given your interests and the rain forest that surrounds you, that thrill should always be there for you.
Shuey
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Post by jackblack on May 27, 2012 1:05:43 GMT -8
Hi Shuey, Thanks for your interest. Yes always a chance of discovering something new on our farm  , but alas like you and everyone else , one has to devote so much time to making a living , so never enough time to hunt in the forest  .But I`m not complaing. Nobody pays you to do research unless one works for the museum. We have found many new species of insects here and yes still many to still discover , not just here , but all over nth Queensland. I`ll post some more pics soon , but a heap of work to contend with at the moment. Cheers |
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Post by downundermoths on May 28, 2012 2:48:26 GMT -8
Good stuff, Jack...Really worth waiting for... Barry |
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anaea
New Member
Posts: 11
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Post by anaea on May 28, 2012 13:13:08 GMT -8
Great stuff This is what makes a real difference in conserving insects. |
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Post by jackblack on May 29, 2012 3:31:49 GMT -8
one problem living in such an environment and rearing, breeding and collecting insects is you can have too many favorite specimens, like this stunning lichen form of Extatosoma tiaratum Phasmidae. Attachments:
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Post by jackblack on May 29, 2012 3:38:25 GMT -8
another favorite Serrognathus whickami , unfortunately few come to light here , but not everything is attracted equaly to lights. Attachments:
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Post by jackblack on May 29, 2012 3:46:20 GMT -8
My light next morning , already half the insects have flown away. I use a 500wat white Mercury vapour spotlight , they use these on the prawn trwlers out at sea , very strong and pretty weather resistant and last for year , also two black lights actic blue tubes , type they use in bug zappers. Attachments:
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Post by hymenoptera117 on May 29, 2012 3:59:22 GMT -8
Wow! I hope for a day when I can have results like that to a light.
Great pics, looks like you have a lot of interesting specimens in your range
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Post by jackblack on May 30, 2012 0:00:46 GMT -8
Hi Hymenoptera , You aint seen nothin yet . That was actually on a quiet night . I`ll take some pics next season when things are really on and post.Now unfortunately my collecting season is over. Our patch of lowland rainforest is a biodiversity hot spot , as I talk to other Aussie Ento`s and they get nothing like we get at our light here. A couple of guys I know live one hours drive north of here at Kuranda on the tablelands at 500mtrs and it was always considered a hot spot for insects , I did live there also for a couple of years some years ago and I know different .I haven`t forgotten your request of species you want to see and will get to some of my favorite spms from my coll in time. Cheers |
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Post by jackblack on May 30, 2012 0:10:30 GMT -8
This was a carab night recently at my light . Attachments:
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Post by papilio28570 on May 30, 2012 21:01:26 GMT -8
Very awesome. Thanks for sharing.
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Post by Dany on May 30, 2012 22:05:49 GMT -8
jackblack....  |
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Post by jackblack on May 31, 2012 3:22:14 GMT -8
Hi Dany,
On a good insect night , my sheet approx 3mtrs x 2mtrs is covered both sides , on an exceptional moth night the moths can be two deep on top of each other .
On a good bettle night they can cover both sides of the sheet with only a centimer between insects.
I`ll take a few pics next season and of my trips west to the 100 square mile cattle station I collect at , but its a different eco system of open Eucalypt woodland and savana scrub out there and many different insects of course.
I did take a couple of pics there this season , but it was quiet this year , but I`ll post them soon give you an idea.
Cheers
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Post by aussieexplorer1 on May 31, 2012 10:59:31 GMT -8
Hi Dany, On a good insect night , my sheet approx 3mtrs x 2mtrs is covered both sides , on an exceptional moth night the moths can be two deep on top of each other . On a good bettle night they can cover both sides of the sheet with only a centimer between insects. I`ll take a few pics next season and of my trips west to the 100 square mile cattle station I collect at , but its a different eco system of open Eucalypt woodland and savana scrub out there and many different insects of course. I did take a couple of pics there this season , but it was quiet this year , but I`ll post them soon give you an idea. Cheers Amazing photos Jackblack! Love the anaplognathus and the carabs. You wouldn't have a close-up of the carabs? Living down in Sydney is good, but it has always been my dream to head up to North QLD for collecting. These photos have just heightened that desire even further ;D Looking forward to some more photos from you! |
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Post by jackblack on Jun 1, 2012 0:38:56 GMT -8
You wouldn`t want to see a close up of these little crabs , small black , ho hum ,  , and they stink , amazing thing just before dark as they all lifted up from the grass to fly a lot of birds were swooping in and eating them  , they must taste terrible. |
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, but alas like you and everyone else , one has to devote so much time to making a living , so never enough time to hunt in the forest 
.But I`m not complaing.
, and they stink , amazing thing just before dark as they all lifted up from the grass to fly a lot of birds were swooping in and eating them 
, they must taste terrible.