One of my favourite songs growing up is What a Wonderful World, as sung by Louis Armstrong… the words resonating in my working day and through my life…
I see trees of green, red roses too… ok this one is a gorgeous pink
Spur-throated Locust (Austracris guttulosa), Alice Springs NT
Indeed, I count myself blessed to be the care-taker of a gorgeous accommodation property in Alice Springs known as Vatu Sanctuary. It has provided me with ample oppertunity to open my eyes and experience the life around me.
For those into “Entomology”… Vatu Sanctuary is a paradise for observing the living world around us… Entomology is the study of insects and their relationship to humans, the environment, and other organisms.
My first introduction to this world around us, was to observe the Golden-browed Resin Bee, also known as Megachile aurifrons. It was a special moment, when having seen the resin bee, preparing it’s nesting cells, flying back and forth with loads of pollen, I managed to snap this photo of the Megachile aurifrons with pollen on its face, peering through the “heart shape” nest cell opening.
Golden-browed Resin Bee (Megachile aurifrons), Alice Springs, NT
This was my introduction to being more observant about the natural world around us. Over many months of caring for the grounds, I would quitely observe the coming and goings of this native bee, as it prepared the nest with food, lay the egg and then capped the nest cell.
Golden-browed Resin Bee (Megachile aurifrons) capping the nest, Alice Springs NT
Of course, I learnt that these bees are opportunistic, in that they look for suitable nesting cells, such as the vacated mud nests of newly hatched Mud Wasp (Eumenes latreilli). I would say that they are great recyclers… why build a home from scratch.
Female potter wasp (Delta latreillei) finishing off another part of the mud nest, Alice Springs NT
The resin bees were not the only ones to reuse the vacated nest cells of the potter wasp, this tiny Paralastor sp wasp was also a keen tenant. It would create a tiny funnel for the entrance.
Paralastor sp (subfamily Eumeninae) – small potter wasp, Alice Springs NT
Funnel of the mud nest by the small potter wasp Paralastor sp, Alice Springs NT
In the following photo are two different species Abispa ephippium (Mud-nest Wasp) and Delta latreillei (Orange Potter Wasp) resting on a really hot day in the shade of the lemon tree, protected by the property fence and views of the sparkling pool.
Abispa ephippium (Mud-nest Wasp) and Delta latreillei (Orange Potter Wasp), Alice Springs NT
In the garden section of the apply named Pond Apartment, another type of beautiful wasp… the Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp (Radumeris radula) on the lemon blossom with black ants, enjoying the nectar.
Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp (Radumeris radula) with black ants on lemon blossoms, Alice Springs NT
and at the Buddha Pond, another Hairy Flower Wasp (Austroscolia nitida)…
Blue Hairy Flower Wasp (Austroscolia nitida, family Scoliidae), Alice Springs NT
Still at the Buddha Pond was this Bush Bee (Austroplebeia australis) that I rescued from the nectar of the lotus flowers, as it was having trouble extracting itself.
Bush Bee (Austroplebeia australis), Alice Springs NT
Another native bee enjoying the pond, is the Lasioglossum (Homalictus) urbanum in the lotus flower.
Genus Lasioglossum, most likely Species Lasioglossum (Homalictus) urbanum, Alice Springs, NT
Elsewhere around the property and in the garden…
Apis mellifera on Convolvulus cneorum, Alice Springs NT
Juvenile Squathopper (Family Eurybrachidae), Alice Springs NT
Orange Spider Wasp (Cryptocheilus bicolor), Alice Springs NT
Sarcophaga aurifrons (Grey-striped Fly), Alice Springs, NT
Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides (Potter Wasp), Alice Springs, NT
Paralastor sp, Alice Springs NT
Meanwhile, there were many a rescue from the swimming pool…
Agriomyia maculata (Flower Wasp), Alice Springs NT
Wingless female Velvet Ant Family (tribe Dasymutillini, genus Dasymutilla), Alice Springs NT
Odontomyia (Soldier Fly), Alice Springs NT
Agapophytus yeatesi (Stiletto Fly), Alice Springs NT
Bethylidae (Flat Wasp), Alice Springs NT
Female Thynnid Wasp, Alice Springs NT
Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens), Alice Springs NT
Yellow-shouldered Hover Fly (Ischiodon scutellaris), Alice Springs NT
Balaana Beefly (Balaana abscondita), Alice Springs, NT
Meadow Argus Butterfly (Junonia villida), Alice Springs NT
Male Golden Native Drone Fly (Eristalinus punctulatus), Alice Springs NT
Mydas Fly (genus Miltinus), Alice Springs NT
Orange-tailed Potter Wasp (Delta latreillei), Alice Springs NT
Of course there are also the bees, having saved many from the swimming pool, including the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) and different native bees… Often, once rescued from the clutches of the surface water tension of the pool, they would slowly revive then fly off…
Desert Reed Bee (Exoneurella eremophila), Alice Springs NT
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) eremaean, Alice Springs NT
Reed Bee (Braunsapis sp), Alice Springs NT
Genus Lipotriches – native bee, Alice Springs NT
Superfamily Euryglossinae, genus Xanthesma (Xenohesma) female, Alice Springs NT
family Stenotritidae, genus Stenotritus, Alice Springs NT
Lasioglossum (Homalictus) dotatum, Alice Springs NT
and some butterflies and moths around the property…
Meadow Argus Butterfly (Junonia villida calybe), Alice Springs NT
Eudesmeola lawsoni (Lawson’s Night Moth), Alice Springs NT
Australian Striped Hawk Moth (Hyles livornicoides), Alice Springs NT
Caper White Butterfly (Belenois java), Alice Springs, NT
Dasypodia selenophora (Southern Old Lady Moth), Alice Springs NT
Gelechioid Moth (superfamily Gelechioidea), Alice Springs NT
Agrotis munda (Brown Cutworm Moth), Alice Springs NT
Convolvulus Hawk-moth (Agrius convolvuli), Alice Springs NT
Agrius godarti (Godart’s Hawkmoth), Alice Springs NT
White-spotted Owl-Moth (Donuca spectabilis), Alice Springs NT
Dragonflies have a special allure at Vatu Sanctuary, as they flit over the pool and perch on the plants…
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Male Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Male Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Female Orthetrum caledonicum, Alice Springs, NT
Tau Emerald Dragonfly (Hemicordulia tau), Alice Springs NT
Over the years, the vareity of beetles sighted at Vatu Sanctuary has never ceased to amaze me…
Soft-winged Flower Beetle (genus Carphurus), Alice Springs NT