huntsman spider – bushboys world

My April: Full of Flowers Birds and Insects

Published on May 2, 2017June 7, 2017 by bushboy7 Comments

April. An Autumn month where the hot days give way to warm days, a hint of rain and cool nights. Migratory birds stop off, some plants flower and the weather is great for getting into the garden.

My garden helpers. Well maybe not all the time but they can help out with the insect control. They are constantly digging somewhere.

The end of March saw floods around the region and as a result, the floodwaters that entered the ocean caused the beaches to become foamy wonders. Here is a selection of the water at Sharpes Beach near Ballina.

I love the structural shapes in cacti

Some cacti were flowering

Other flowers bloomed in their own showy way. The camellias were beautiful this year.

Other flowers were just as spectacular

The Hibiscus is one of my favourites

The deep red of the Dahlia is stunning

The bees are loving the Pentas.

The fungi were everywhere in March but now just the few last fungi are popping up here and there. This is a wonderful pink fungi.

It looks almost planetary from the top don’t you think?

On a young eucalypt I found this amazing growth which I was informed is called Witches Broom. The ants seem to enjoy scurrying over it.

I have had a visitor in my house since early this year. She has been moving from room to room but has moved into the laundry. She is the biggest Huntsman Spider I have ever seen. When she stretches her legs she has a 16cm span. How big is your hand?

One day out in the garden, I dug out some old plants and also dug out a spider. At first I thought it was a Funnel Web Spider but it was a Mouse Spider. Both species of spider are quite venomous. It was too fussed about being disturbed.

The Line Blue Butterfly stopped for a rest on the hanging pot support.

The Eastern Yellow Robins have been zooming around the garden chasing one another. The female Robin sat on the bush just outside of the window. I think she was looking in the window.

The Yellow-faced Honeyeaters have returned for the winter.

The Plumed Whistling-Ducks have also come to rest for a while. I found a large flock in Waterview Heights, a outer suburb of Grafton. They were walking up and down the edge of a dam, chatting among themselves.

The ever present Kookaburra is not far away when I am digging in the garden, either sitting in a tree or like this bloke, on a fence post.

That was a bit of Bushboys World in April. Hope you liked stopping by.

Mystery

Published on April 25, 2017May 11, 2017 by bushboy4 Comments

It’s Tuesdays Photo Challenge from Frank.

Who left their basket behind?

170425_mystery_basket

Who is hiding among the leaves?

170425_mystery_lewins honeyeater

“Hey Steve……have you seen Peter”?

170425_mystery_rainbow lorikeets

Who is lurking among the CDs?

170425_mystery_huntsman

This was my March

Published on April 7, 2017April 7, 2017 by bushboy2 Comments

March was a month of contrasts, a couple of hot days followed by a bit of rain and then Cyclone Debbie came along. I was fortunate not to be in the path of Debbie but on the edge of the system. I missed the strong winds and abundant rainfall. I still managed to have 476mls of rain for March. This rainfall ended the long dry period over Summer when usually the rains come. The total rainfall for March exceeded the total rainfall for the 6 months prior.

The few dry day did allow for some wandering about and finding some interesting stuff. The weather also bought out a good variety of fungi which have their own blog.

So onward to the stuff of March.

Isn’t this little boat the cutest?

The flood waters made the creeks run and the creek at Emerald Beach broke through the sand and flowed to the sea. The strong tannin coloured water gave the rocks an interesting hue.

Rust. As you know I love rust, the colours and textures rust gives to metal.

More rust on the fence around the riverbank park in Grafton.

In Lismore, wandering the back lanes I came across this furnace door that is still in operation at the rear of a cafe.

One of the treasures of Lismore is the street art in the back lanes. The recent flooding of Lismore didn’t damage most of the art works although some may need a bit of a clean and touch up. The following selection is from just one lane way.

The art on the door is perhaps a portend.

The fish managed to swim out the flood waters I am told.

I love this ghostly face.

How clever.

The butterflies in the rainforest.

Speaking of butterflies, I just love photographing butterflies. Of course many a while is spent chasing them around trying to get THAT capture. The Common Yellow butterfly seemed to enjoy time on the ground.

The Small Green-banded Blue butterfly kept trying to hide from me.

I haven’t had such a variety of flies at my place or perhaps I haven’t really taken a close look at them. The yellow face and bottle green body look great.

The green eyes are striking. The long proboscis also lets this fly give you a very sharp sting.

This beautiful Huntsman spider lived in my house for around two months. She has now gone outside I think as I haven’t seen her for a couple of days. Her leg span from front to back or side to side is 16cm. Her body length is 5cm. How big is your hand?

The Fire-wheel trees are flowering.

I have a number of Golden Lycras that my aged neighbour loved. He gave me lots of corms and this year they flowered the best ever. They gave me lovely memories of him. The view from the top.

They looked so lovely in the morning sun.

This Hibiscus was in my parents place and the cutting has lived on at my place filled with abundant flowers this Autumn.

The miniature Hibiscus adds small red spots in the garden

One of the original Hibiscus. This one is in my besties garden. Such a delicate flower. The petals almost look transparent.

Another tiny native flower that I have found around my property. The flower is about 12mm across so imagine the size of the insect that was getting some nectar or pollen.

The Bromiliads had a good flowering this March. They gathered enough water that’s for sure.

I hadn’t seen white Crocus before. Stunning flowers aren’t they?

I have loved the colours of Coleus since I first saw them in my grandfathers garden.

The rain has revived the Lichen.

Wandering around the garden looking for snacks, the Bar-shouldered Dove and Emerald Dove shared the space.

A little Jacky Winter enjoying the morning sun.

The Brown Pigeon sat in the Poinsettia striking a lovely pose.

Not the best angle for a Blue-faced Honeyeater though.

The little Forest Kingfisher sat in the tree looking about then suddenly plunged to the ground. When he resumed his perch, he did the bash bash on the branch to tenderise his snack. It looks like he managed to find a frog in the garden.

The Forest Kingfisher has beautiful colours don’t you think?

Thanks for taking the time to have a look at my March.

A Different View – A View From The Side

Published on March 15, 2017March 15, 2017 by bushboy5 Comments

I looked at a lot of photos to get the right one for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge. Then I remembered the lovely “girl” who has been living in my house for around three weeks now. She has been moving from room to room and every morning I like to go looking for her. Today she is in the hallway and in a great spot to help me take part in the photo challenge.

Here she is

170315_side view_huntsman

Isn’t she lovely. A Huntsman who is harmless and helps keep other insects out of my house. She loves cockroaches and other insects. They catch their prey by leaping as Huntsman Spiders don’t make a web.

Here is a photo so you can have some idea of her size

170315_side view_huntsman_size

I didn’t want to get too close in case she ran away.

Wanderings in early 2016

Published on March 27, 2016March 28, 2016 by bushboy6 Comments

I have been so slack in getting things together of late. Many bits of life have been taking my time plus a bit of laziness on my behalf have put my photos way back in the order of life. The photos here are from last month and are just a quick selection of all sorts of things. Also, I have been a slack on identifying some of the insects mainly that I have come across, so if you have the skills that can help, let me know what I have found please.

One thing that I find fascinating is finding other objects in inanimate stuff that I discover. Let’s start with some tree roots that were on the side of the road at Buccarumbi which was a “lets see what’s down this road” destination on a wandering drive around the Clarence Valley.

I saw a duck…what about you?

Can you see the elephant?

This building was the General Store or Post Office many many years ago. I haven’t found out exactly But I am sure I’ll let you know one day. A blog I have been wanting to do, after I have taken more photos, is the old building around where I live…..one day, one day.

Sometimes a joey doesn’t really want to grow up. This young Red-necked Wallaby is too big to want “pouch time” but the mother was quite patient and stood there for quite some time.

Speaking of patient mothers, the Butcher Bird had come down to the bird bath to show the young one where to get a drink on a hot day. Young Butcher Birds are all “mum….mum…..mum….where are you…..mum…..mum!!! Quite incessant!!

We spent a weekend at the Ballina Beach Resort which was just a mini holiday away from all the life that surrounded us at the time. Just outside of our room was this little Water Dragon. One day it will grow into its tail.

The little one certainly kept an eye on me.

The thing about living in an organic house is getting used to whoever decides to pop in for a while. Sometimes they even like a bit of screen time.

Once outside there are always butterflies flitting around the garden, either mine or my besties. This Common Pencilled Blue butterfly was at her place. Thanks to @joylibbylib for letting me know 🙂

There are aways Common Ringlets in the garden somewhere. They sit still long enough to be photographed.

The bees have been busy as the late Summer and Autumn flowers are bursting forth adding brilliant colour to the gardens.

The dragonflies are quite content to zoom around the garden, occasionally stopping for a bit to survey the scene or catch their breath. I am never sure which!

Ever wondered what Dragonflies do when it rains?

We went to Emerald Beach for another mini holiday. Walking to the headland I spied a small spot of purple. There it was a Purple Fringed Lily. So small but so perfect.

Thanks for taking the time to have a look at some of my discoveries in February. Now to start on March.

Birds, Bugs and Flowers

Published on January 12, 2016January 12, 2016 by bushboy3 Comments

I have been meaning to do the last lot of photos for December. Being on holidays makes it hard to sit and do useful things. I haven’t really gone anywhere. Just doing the usual day trips around the north coast of NSW, trying to avoid the places where the tourists are massed and clogging the roads. Managed to get caught in a 7km traffic jam because I didn’t check Live traffic before I left home. A useful website when driving around here in the school holidays.

The title doesn’t really tell you everything that is in this blog but there are birds, bugs and flowers. I suppose I should warn some of my more squeamish readers that this blog may contain spiders and moths. Yes someone doesn’t enjoy my moth photos.

The Ibis is the garbage scavenger quickly replacing the Seagull. I looked up one fine day and there, high above me, wheeling around on the air currents were some Ibis. They looked so graceful.

It was a hot day and the young Magpie Lark or Pee Wee as we called them as kids, was in the trees occasionally squawking but mainly panting – that’s if birds pant.

The heat of the day also brings some visitors to the verandah into the cool. The hanging plants make a good resting place for this King Parrot. King Parrots are regular visitors.

Walking around Lismore Heights, we stopped at the lookout where there were heaps of Copperheaded Skinks. Mostly small ones that were quite fast who ran away when I got too close.

I love coming across caterpillars. I have no idea what this one is and am feeling too lazy to get the books out. They are always ready to have their photo taken.

There has been a hatching of Cabbage White butterflies. There were quite a few flitting about the garden. I am not sure of the name of the flower this butterfly was enjoying.

Bugs. I really need a bug book as there are so many in the gardens and places I go to. I just call these types of insects shield bugs. It was quite intent on sucking on the stem of the plant and didn’t mind me taking a few photos.

Whereas this bloke was quite busy trotting about the vege garden. As you can see it wasn’t a very big bug.

The tiny moth just settled on the door frame, keeping dry from a passing shower. I love how hairy some moths can be. This one looks like it even has feathers on its back.

Bees. I love trying to get good photos of bees as you would know. I wonder how many bee photos I have?

As I was doing a bit of a tidy up in the garden, I came to the Crinum and was removing some of the debris that had gathered in the leaf stalks. I was also looking for spiders as well because they love to make a home in there. This time it wasn’t a spider I found but a cricket. It tried to wiggle its way deeper into the stem. This was the first photo before it made itself smaller.

One evening I got into the shower and this girl was in there as well. I gently moved her out of the shower as I don’t think she would find hot water beneficial. She decided that the mirror was a good place to sit. Maybe she was reflecting on her day.

I have developed an obsession in photographing Dragonflies. I didn’t realise there were so many different colours in dragonflies. This one almost looks like the stick it is sitting on.

Some dragonflies are quite orange. They seem to hold their wings out to the side when they are resting.

And then there are the red dragonflies that I have been trying to get a photo of for quite a while. The red is almost fluorescent. The red dragonflies hold their wings to the front.

Dragonflies can also be a bit hairy.

Of course any blog of mine would be complete without a fungi appearing somewhere.

It looks like we are up to the flowers. I have had a fascination with photographing flowers since I got my first SLR camera. The small geranium flowers all seem quite different if you look carefully.

The ball of flowers that make up the Pentas flowers looks so striking even when you get right into the flower and see the individuals that make up the whole ball.

Flowers grow in all sorts of shapes and patterns. I didn’t notice the structure of this flower until I looked from directly above. What a lovely circle of flowers.

These marigolds have so many subtle shades of orange that changes when viewed in sunlight. In the shade they seem to darken with lighter highlights.

What would summer be without the scent of a Frangipani? I can almost smell them when I see the photos, can’t you?

Buddha has a nice shady spot to sit. I like to visit him often for a chat.

Well that is the last of the 2015 photos. I hope you have enjoyed being with me as I made some lovely discoveries over the 2015. Here is the year in review that WordPress build – http://bushboy54.com/2015/12/31/2015-in-review/

Thanks for the positive comments and support and I hope I can let you see what will be in my world in 2016.

Stuff I saw last weekend

Published on September 25, 2014 by bushboyLeave a comment

So much happened last weekend. Most of the things I found were during a drive to Murwillumbah plus bits and pieces around my besties place. There were things made of plastic, flowers, big things, small things and of course some birds.

Lets begin with the first thing we saw on the road to Murwillumbah. Cruising through Mooball we just had to stop at the Moo Moo Cafe as the biggest motorbike I have ever seen was “parked” outside. As a bloke who loves his MotoGP and road racing since the days of the Yamaha TZ750’s, this one was worth a quick stop.

Of course, the first stop was for coffee. This time we went to a cafe I hadn’t been to before. The inside was rather funky and we sat up the back so we could people watch and take in the feel of the place. I liked the lights.

One wall had some wacky art works and the biggest paella pan I have ever seen.

Of course the Op-shops had to be explored. I found one of my favourites, an elephant. It was made of plastic but at $45 it stayed in the shop.

So did the rocker. I think it was a deer?

The Garden around the Civic Centre was bursting with flowers. The Lilli Pillis were lovely.

I think this is a Lilli Pilli too but not sure.

Hanging around the garden was this little Water Dragon. He just ran every time I came near but stopped for a minute for me to get this shot before scurrying off again.

On the way to the Art Gallery is a Kapok tree whose seed pods were bursting open.

The Tweed Art Gallery is always a stop off when there are new exhibits. Only one really took my imagination. The art of Philip Wolfhagen was the best and well worth a visit. I just love the Margaret Olley Art Centre as I always find something that I hadn’t seen before. This time I found a chook. Okay, it may not be a chook but I want to think it is.

Looking out of the window we saw a storm heading over the range and over Mt Warning. They are always spectacular and dramatic looking.

That night the Huntsman came out from behind the cupboard to check out what we were doing.

The next day the overnight rain had refreshed the garden and it seemed that there were flowers everywhere. The scent in the air was from the Jasmin growing on the old fence around the garden.

And from the Wisteria growing on the arbour.

A splash of yellow caught my eye. It was a Day Lily all by itself standing tall.

The Azalias were full of blossoms.

The red of these tiny flowers provided a contrast in the garden.

There are Pansy’s everywhere, but these small ones looked a treat as they spilled over the edge of the garden.

I disturbed a small spider who had folded the petals of a Gazania. He was gone in a flash, probably in case I thought he was a snack.

High in the sky a couple of Kites wheeled about.

They didn’t come down very close unfortunately.

Walking around not caring about much, an Emerald Dove just walked down the track.

While a Galah sat on the powerline looking rather fluffy.

Among the bushes, a Brush Wattlebird was calling.

The Wonga Pigeon didn’t seem to mind the rasping call and sat around watching what was going on.

Late in the afternoon, it looked as if the wattlebird had its pants on fire.

The next morning back at home, the Satin Bowerbird was getting into the Honey Gem before the Blue-faced Honeyeaters or Friarbirds were awake. This bloke did look rather serious didn’t he?

Well, like the Brush Turkey, I’d better run.

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