Category: Western Australia
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“Snow bees”
Author Gary Taylor ◦ “Try catching the bee and put it in the freezer for a bit” they say, “it slows down their metabolism and you can get some good close up pics and then set them free” they say…… Continue reading
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we experienced something that reminded me of my childhood…
Author Jean and Fred Hort ◦ As a child I spent many happy days with my brothers, sister and friends running to the top of sand hills and jumping off. Yesterday, we experienced something that reminded me very much of… Continue reading
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the males didn’t seem to care…
Author Mark Hanlon ◦ This is Julodimorpha saundersii from Kalbarri in W.A. today. I found them quite commonly flying over the heath and the females walking across the road (females cannot fly). Unfortunately many were hit by cars however the… Continue reading
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The wing venation thing again and why I suspect it’s Lasioglossum
Author Gary Taylor ◦ Still some more from our last cloudy, rainy day out… The one in the first 4 pics I reckon is a male Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes). Male ‘cos even without counting the antennae segments (including the scape and… Continue reading
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Size and shape of the stigma and curve of the basal vein
Author Gary Taylor ◦ From last week’s bush run… Not sure on this one, but the size and shape of the stigma and curve of the basal vein has me thinking Halictid, so I reckon it’s highly likely there’s a… Continue reading
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But it’s good to see them again
Author Gary Taylor ◦ These gorgeous little unknown (by me, that is😄) Leioproctus are late this year, they’re usually one of the first native bees to emerge in the second week of July. But then, their favourite flowers, the Hakea… Continue reading
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Lehmannianus and Lemannianus
Author Terry Dunham ◦ Hakea lehmanniana (Blue Hakea) and Banksia lemanniana (Yellow Lantern Banksia). Note the two different species spelling, that sometimes get confused when naming them >> H. Lehmanniana is named in honour of German botanist Johann Georg Christian… Continue reading
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my mystery Hylaeine…
Author Gary Taylor ◦ Still on my mystery Hylaeine… One suggestion was it looked like Hylaeus (Hylaeteron) douglasi. So for comparison, in the 1st pic is the female douglasi, the following 2nd pic is the male. The 3rd pic is… Continue reading
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More of the Banksia bees…
Author Gary Taylor ◦ More of the Banksia bees… Some of the smaller but I reckon still absolutely gorgeous little ones… Again all Hylaeinae, most likely Hylaeus and possibly all Prosopisteron species but apart from the 3rd and 4th pics,… Continue reading
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Lord of the Bees…
Author Gary Taylor ◦ Banksia bees, part 1 (there’s just too much going on for one post)… Ok, so last week I mentioned just starting to see the usual “Autumn” bees, albeit a month and a half later than usual,… Continue reading
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just regular peak hour traffic
Author Gary Taylor ◦ Like little jewels coming out of the ground… From the very brief vid you’d reckon I was in some kind of tiny native stingless bee swarm, and you’d be half right… they are native bees and… Continue reading
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“The indestructible insect”
Author Gary Taylor ◦ Velvet ants, one of my all time favourite little critters. In the family Mutillidae they are related to the Thynnid wasps and are a wingless wasp (females only) but oh so much more capable. The females… Continue reading