Wildlife Autumn 2007 (spring wildlife Down Under)

[Anthony Darby]

I knew there was a flaw in my argument. Just like the one where they say you are more likely to be hit by a meteorite than win the lottery. Well, I know that dozens of people have won the lottery, so where are all these people that have been hit by meteorites?

[Rafa]

Hello,

a Mantis sp# putting the eggs in deer's horns

[ranunculus]

A surreal incident Rafa...lovingly captured. Thanks.

[Rafa]

Many thanks Cliff, this is a clear example that dead means life to other animals.

[Maggi Young]

What extraordinary pictures and how clear.  Amazing how in a photo that seems at first glance to be rather plain, without colour, there is suddenly so much detail.... every tiny piece of Madame Mantis ( and I admit those beasts with  long legs and  such eyes are not my favourites ) and the wonderful hues and patterns of the lichen on the stone. Riveting! Thank you.

[Anthony Darby]

Your mantis (Iris oratoria) hides a secret Rafa. Unlike the common praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) her hind wings are brightly coloured.

[jomowi]

I got stung once by a hornet when I lived in Adelaide.  Near the eye if I remember, it hurt when it first happened but soon wore off.  I wonder what would happen if I got stung again.  Not that I normally react badly to stings.

Brian Wilson Aberdeen

[Anthony Darby]

Ausralian 'Hornets' are really big hunting wasps of the genus Exeirus. Their sting is painful. It is the Japanese Giant Hornet Vespa mandarinia japonica that is the most dangerous with about 70 deaths per year. The Asian subspecies is "known colloquially as the Yak Killer Hornet". It is huge at 2" long! See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespa_mandarinia_japonica

[Maggi Young]

Hang on, I thought Anthony was trying to convince usthat hornets were relatively harmless? And now we find these Asian giants account for around 70 people a year... that sounds pretty dangerous to me, even if their cousins are less toxic. Yikes!

[Anthony Darby]

These hornets have an extra sting in the tail: a neurotoxin, called mandaratoxin. It is interesting that the native bees (Apis cerana japonica) which are the prey of these hornets, have evolved a neat way of killing the 'scouts' that discover the nest. They entice a hornet into the hive and then ambush it, completely covering it. They then vibrate their wings and 'bake' the hornet at 47^oC, a temperature which the bees can just tolerate but which is lethal to Giant Hornets. The introduced European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) has no such defence. (Arrg someone's switched the overwrite on again!!!! )

[Maggi Young]

They can't take the heat, Eh? well ,well, the first recorded case of a hot flush being potentially useful !

[Anthony Darby]

Aye, these bees are all female too.

[Anthony Darby]

I would mind seeing a preserved specimen of a queen Giant Hornet. They can be 7cm long.

[Maggi Young]

(I'm a lot bigger than that, though pretty well preserved.)
 I'll bear your wishes in mind, Anthony, if I ever find myself in possession of said preserved critter. I'm sure you will be most welcome to her! All I know is that when something the size of a samall bird is zubbing around you, the last thought on your mind is that it is probably not vey dangerous..... anything with a zzzzubb likethat MUST pose a risk, if only of deafening you at close quarters... oh, we're back to me again

[Anthony Darby]

I've caught hornets in my butterfly net on holiday (both Vespa crabro and V. orientalis). Certainly gave me a buzz. I've now got a large sweep net (this one really is the dog's nuts) for Trinidad, so who knows what I'll catch there?