WINTER Vol: 3/2018 - Australian Wildlife Society
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WINTER Vol: 3/2018
Photos by Jessie Panazzolo Silvereye Purple-gaped honeyeater Spotted dove Noisy miner Rainbow lorikeet 2 Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018
Contents
features regulars
7 Into the chipper
- Brendon Carrick 5 From the President’s desk
11 Annoying insects
- Suzanne Medway 33 Book reviews
7 22
18 Australia’s little and little-known
adorable bees in the subfamily
Euryglossinae
32 UTS Scholarship
21 Australian wildlife heroes
- Jessie Panazzolo
34 Membership form
22 Timely quest for turtle
conservation - Gemma Gillette
26 Balloons
- Suzanne Medway 11 26
28 Lord Howe Island - the
woodhen
31 Platypus Alliance success
- Suzanne Medway
Suzanne Medway AM
Editor, Australian Wildlife
18 28
21 31 Sabine Borgis
Sub-Editor, Australian Wildlife
On the cover:
WINTER Vol: 3/2018
Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand National Park, Western Australia. In the past year alone, Australia welcomed around 8.8 million
international visitors who contributed $41.3 billion in spend. Of these visitors, approximately 5.5 million (about 68 percent
of international visitors) participated in some form of nature-based activity when they were in Australia. Tourism Australia says
they are actively involved in promoting the experiences that appeal to international visitors such as Australia’s world-class
natural beauty, but this does not extend to the protection and conservation of these areas as the responsibility of the sites
are with the various state and territory and federal government agencies that have responsibility for the natural environment.
The core principles of Ecotourism – apart from a nature-based focus – are: minimising environmental impacts, providing
benefits to local communities and (financially) supporting conservation projects and protected areas.
Tourism Australia advised that Australia’s world-class natural beauty is one of the key motivating reasons why international
visitors choose Australia over other destinations after ‘Safety & Security’ and ‘Value for Money’.
Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018 3
Australian Wildlife
is the official journal of the Australian Wildlife Society
(Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia Limited).
Founded in 1909, the Society is dedicated to the conservation
of our unique Australian wildlife in all its forms.
Print Post Approval No: PP243459/00117
Conserving Australia’s Wildlife ISSN 0155-266X
since 1909
Price $10 (for non-members)
Membership Contact Directors 2018
Individual Members: $55 National Office Patron
Australian Wildlife Society
Family Members: $70 His Excellency General the Honourable
(Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia Limited)
(being husband, wife and children jointly)
Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd)
Concession: $50 PO Box 42
(pensioner, student, child) BRIGHTON LE SANDS NSW 2216 President
E-mag Members: $30 Tel: (02) 9556 1537
(Australian Wildlife magazine will be distributed Suzanne Medway AM
Email: info@wpsa.org.au
via email as a pdf document - no hard copy of the
Accounts: accounts@aws.org.au Hon Secretary/Chief Executive Officer
magazine will be sent)
Editor “Australian Wildlife”: Patrick W Medway AM
Associate Members: $85
(being schools or incorporated or unincorporated suzanne@wpsa.org.au
Vice Presidents
associations with a principal object related to Website: aws.org.au
conservation, nature study or education) Stephen Grabowski and Ken Mason
Corporate Members: $125 Hon Treasurer
(being incorprated or unincorporated associations Membership Hotline:
not being associate members) Sash Denkovski
Includes postage within Australia. Mob: 0424 287 297
Directors
Add $40 for overseas postage
Trevor Evans
Three Year Wayne Greenwood
Philip Sansom
Membership Dr Clive Williams OAM
Individual Members: $150
Scientific Advisory Committee
Family Members: $190
Correspondence to: Dr Mike Augee - mammology/palaeontology
Concession: $135
E-mag Members: $81 Hon Secretary: Prof Richard Kingsford - environmental science
Associate Members: $230 Australian Wildlife Society
Geoffrey Ross - wildlife management issues
Corporate Members: $340 PO Box 42
Jennie Gilbert - marine conservation
Includes postage within Australia.
BRIGHTON LE SANDS NSW 2216
Add $100 for overseas postage Vanessa Wilson - wildlife conservation and management
Notice to our members Our Mission
The Australian Wildlife Society (Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia Limited) is managed The Australian Wildlife Society (Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia Limited) is an
and controlled by an elected board of ten volunteer directors. The Society is a registered independent, voluntary, non-profit conservation organisation, formed in 1909, and
company limited by guarantee with ASIC and is responsible for complying with all its is committed to the preservation of Australia’s precious flora and fauna. We act as
regulations. a watchdog and provide advice to government agencies and institutions regarding
environmental and conservation issues concerning all aspects of wildlife preservation.
Any member who might like to consider serving as a director of the Society is invited to Our mission is to conserve Australia’s fauna and flora through education and
contact the national office for more details. The most important qualification to serving as a involvement of the community. We are dedicated to the conservation of our unique
director is ‘a commitment to and love of Australian wildlife’. Australian wildlife in all its forms through national environmental education programs,
The Society holds regular monthly meetings on the first Wednesday of each month in political lobbying, advocacy and hands on conservation work.
Sydney.
Our Society has always known that a conservation battle is never really won until
The Editor would like to feature a member’s profile in the fortnightly email newsletter and the victory is enshrined in legislation. We have always tried to convince politicians of
occasionally in our quarterly magazine. Members are invited to consider submitting a short the necessity to include the preservation of Australia’s precious wildlife and its vital
article with a photograph for possible publication. conservation habitat in all their planning and environmental issues and discussions.
Articles and comments expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editor, Society or members. Articles contributed from outside sources are included
for the reading enjoyment of members and to encourage discussion on different points of view.
Articles may be copied or quoted with appropriate attribution.
4 Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018
From the President’s desk
Suzanne Medway AM - President
Did you know that there are over 30 million
different species of insects on the planet,
and they are just the ones that have been
identified so far?
It is also estimated that insects make recreation and tourism and 91 percent up the remarkable scenery or engaging
up the most abundant biomass on of them provide jobs. with our unique nature and wildlife
earth and, at any point in time, at least up close, visitors to Australia actively
ten quintillion insects are buzzing With its vast and varied landscapes,
seek out our natural attractions and
and crawling around the planet. Now, unique wildlife and white-sandy
participate in a variety of nature-based
that’s enough insects to bug anyone, beaches, Australia is one of the most
activities.
but which insects bug you the most? interesting continents in the world.
From tropical islands to crocodiles,
Do you think that insects are nothing sharks, and kangaroos, Australia is Tourism is a major component of
more than a nuisance? Would you like travel heaven! the Australian economy. Tourism
the world to be free of these annoying Australia published an International
pests? Do you spray them, swat them, Two out of three international visitors Tourism Snapshot as at 30 September
or step on them at every opportunity? to Australia enjoy our aquatic or 2017. Australia welcomed 8.7 million
coastal environments in some way – international visitors as at the year
Before declaring war on every bug that from scuba diving to simply going to ending September 2017. These
crosses your path, why not try to learn the beach and splashing about in the visitors injected $41.2 billion into
something about their world? After surf. the Australian economy. Total
all, with a population that outnumbers international visitor spending in
humans by about 200 million to 1, you Nature-based tourism forms a
significant component of Australia’s 2017 was $41.2 billion.The Australian
can be sure that insects are here to Government estimates that by 2020,
stay! visitor economy, ranking as one
of the key motivating factors for the Australian tourism industry
On page 11 of this magazine is an international visitors to visit our should be worth up to $140 billion in
article on some of our most annoying country. Australia’s combination expenditure. This growth will mainly
insects and why they are a vital part of of a pristine natural environment be due to key emerging markets,
this planet’s ecology. inhabited by unique wildlife has including the China market, which is
always been a key feature of Australia’s estimated to be the most significant
Nature-based tourism tourism story and will continue to play economic contributor to the Australian
I love travelling and wherever possible a significant role. Whether it’s soaking tourism industry by 2020.
try to learn as much about the native
wildlife of the country we are visiting.
I always hope to be lucky enough
to spot some species in their native
habitat.
Wildlife-based tourism is growing
rapidly worldwide as the number of
tourists continues to grow and we,
as travellers, seek out new and more
enriching personal experiences with
local cultures and wildlife.
The UN World Tourism Organisation
estimates that 7 percent of world
tourism relates to wildlife tourism,
growing annually at about 3 percent,
and much higher in some places, such
as UNESCO World Heritage sites. A
recent report shows that 93 percent
of all natural heritage sites support Stokes Bay, Kangaroo Island. Photo: Tourism Australia
Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018 5
There is one young lady who is doing And now over 100 years later, our and Maritime Services and funding has
something about the impact tourism Society is again raising awareness on been announced for protective wildlife
has on native wildlife. On page 21 of the plight of koalas. fencing.
this magazine, learn about Jessie and
We were very excited to learn that The project has identified that there
what one person can do to encourage
there is a remnant population of koalas is a healthy, expanding population of
positive and sustainable practices and
living on the outskirts of Sydney in koalas in the region. The koalas north
to aid the conservation of local species
the south-west. In April 2016 the local of Picton Rd from Wilton through
and communities. Jess believes we can
council commissioned a pilot study of Appin to Campbelltown form the
discontinue supporting ventures which
koalas throughout Appin and Wilton. largest disease-free population in New
supports the mistreatment of animals
Fifty-eight sites were surveyed by two South Wales. Connected healthy
or environmental and community
wildlife ecologists, and eight koalas corridors with safe road crossings
degradation. Upon realising this,
were found in a week. A koala was are critical to the survival of this
Jess’ conservation initiative ‘Heroic
found in every 15 hectares of habitat population for generations to come.
Tourism’ was born.
surveyed, which indicates that there
Koalas and the Society could be more than 2,500 koalas in Wollondilly Council is requesting
habitats across the Wollondilly Shire. a halt to any further progress of the
The first meeting of the Wildlife Life Wilton and Greater Macarthur growth
The result of this report was the
Preservation Society of Australia areas until a comprehensive koala
foundation for the development of
Inc. (now named Australian Wildlife plan of management is put in place for
the Wollondilly Koala Conservation
Society) was held at the offices of the South Western Sydney to protect New
Project, which is a working partnership
Royal Swedish Consulate on 11 May, South Wales’ largest disease-free koala
between Wollondilly Shire Council,
1909. The koalas’ protection had been population and their habitat that link
NSW Office of Environment and
one of the primary reasons for the the Georges, Nepean, Cataract and
Heritage (OEH), University of Sydney’s
formation of the Society in 1909. It is Bargo Rivers.
Koala Health Hub, Conservation
of interest to note two of the matters
Volunteers Australia and Wollondilly
which occupied attention at this first The Australian Wildlife Society is
WIRES.
meeting. One was the necessity for holding its annual ball on Saturday
protecting the rapidly disappearing As part of the project, the partnership 7 July in the south-west region of
koala, and the other was a complaint has been monitoring koala roadkill Sydney and has adopted the theme of
as to the use of potassium cyanide for with several hotspots identified. This the plight of koalas in the Wollondilly
killing marsupials. data has been provided to the Roads Shire.
A dragonfly found in Frank Smith Park in Coromandel Valley, South Australia. Photo: Brendon Carrick
6 Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018
Into the chipper
Brendon Carrick
As we know – and as has become all extremely enjoyable. However, there cockroaches, beetles, centipedes, and up
too clear to us – our actions, behaviours are times at work that make me rather to 20 geckos. I felt a bit down, knowing
and overall existence is a threat to the disheartened and concerned. Last week how all those creatures could have met
biodiversity, survival and wellbeing of I was assigned to clear a dead eucalypt their fate, but equally happy with the fact
wildlife on this planet. from a public bike track. When we that I’d saved a bunch of them to pass
arrived, we began bringing branches on their genes and continue creating
In fact, just this year, scientists predict offspring.
that nearly 60,000 species worldwide and previously cut tree trunks over to
have already gone extinct. That’s an the chipper. Because I’m extremely
The species seen here could be one
average of 150−200 species of plant, curious and have always been one to
of three. It’s either a marbled gecko
insect, bird and mammal becoming pull back the dead bark from a tree, I
(Christinus marmoratus), a variegated
extinct every 24 hours. Although did so instinctively before chucking the
dtella (Gehyra variegata) or an eastern
extinction is a normal and fundamental first log into the chipper. When I did,
tree dtella (Gehyra versicolor). These
part of life, human influence has now a host of small creatures scurried away;
three species are extremely variable in
sped up this process 1,000 - 10,000 beetles, centipedes, a jumping spider
colour and patterning and are often
times what this rate was previously. and two large geckos (like the one seen
unable to be differentiated from one
Unfortunately, here in Australia, the here). Shocked, I quickly removed all another based on appearance alone. The
rates are even worse than that of the the animals I could and transferred them University of Adelaide published a paper
global average. to a safe location. Genuinely rattled by in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics
the prospect of grinding up wildlife, the and Evolution in 2013 which concluded
Australia’s extinction rate is higher than
rest of my day consisted of scanning that these geckos (the latter two of the
that of any other country. Thirty native
over each branch, trunk and every piece three) are two distinct types, as they were
mammals have become extinct since
of bark I could rip off, to ensure no originally thought to be a single species.
the settlement of the Europeans. In a
creatures would be turned into garden The two are, however, so genetically
global context, one out of three mammal
mulch – even going as far as to stop distinct, that visual analysis of their
extinctions in the last 400 years have
my co-worker before he threw a huge chromosomes alone is enough to reveal
occurred in Australia. Birds are also in
log into the chipper. At the end of the which species is which. All three geckos
danger, with 29 species going extinct
since settlement and over 100 becoming day my tally of macro-sized creatures are known to inhabit Queensland, the
endangered. Reptiles, amphibians, included two adult female huntsman Northern Territory, New South Wales,
insects, spiders and other invertebrate spiders, countless Salticidae spiders, Victoria and South Australia, where I
species are also disappearing at alarming a trapdoor spider, a slater eater, native found this guy.
rates.
Something significant needs to happen,
and it needs to happen now if we wish
our grandkids to be able to see the
world as we see it, and not one devoid
of animal and plant life. Although an
abstract concept, if this trend continues,
we and the wildlife on this planet will
all become extinct. Let us rejoice in the
time we have left with these creatures
and look into some of their stories.
This beautiful little fella (identified
as a male by his Hemipenal bulges),
along with his countless relatives,
were at the risk of being thrown into
an industrial wood chipper last week.
Sadly, many more met their fate that
day and will continue to. I currently
work for a company that specialises in
landscaping, gardening, public-space
cleaning, weeding and tree clearing. For
a nature lover like myself, I find working
outdoors in the bush around wildlife
Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018 7
The Servaea incana jumping spider
takes advantage of the loose bark,
not only for protection from predators
and the harsh elements but as a nursery
for its young. When her offspring
emerge from their eggs, they too inhabit
the same tree as their ancestors, as will
their descendants for generations to
come. Like the jumping spider, the
huntsman will also utilise the bark, in
a way that ensures its colours have not
gone to waste. By camouflaging into his
surroundings, it becomes a fierce hunter.
Coupled with its flat body and very
quick demeanour, the huntsman is the
epitome of the perfect predator.
This ferocious, fearsome and from bushland to desert shrublands, and
frightening-looking beast is known as is the most widely dispersed Missulena
the red-headed mouse spider (Missulena species as the spiderlings are wind
occatoria). Imagine walking through dispersed. Currently it’s thought that
the bush minding your own business of 17 species existing within the genus
and having this fella spring out in front Missulena, all but one are native to
of you bearing those massive fangs and Australia. They usually prey on insects
striking redhead. and other spiders but have also been
known to eat vertebrates such as small
This was a reality for my friend Kat, who snakes, lizards and frogs. They also This is ‘Seven’, the seven-legged
found him during a group rubbish clean- have their own predators: centipedes, huntsman. My girlfriend, Kelly, found
up in Watiparinga Gorge. Our spider scorpions, parasitic wasps and her on a tree in our backyard. At this
friend was noticeably displeased with all bandicoots. You might be curious as to time, we had recently found a male of
the unwanted attention he was receiving, why they’re called ‘mouse’ spiders. Well, what looked to be of the same species
arching up and exposing his fangs as it’s not clear, but as well as being alleged and made a nice terrarium for him. We’d
if to tell us he wasn’t messing around. eaters of mice and resembling mice in been feeding him earwigs, flies, roaches
Male spiders of this species, however, size, it’s thought that in lieu of digging and slaters and he was living the life of a
are less harmful than their female their own burrows, they’ll chase mice out happy bachelor. We called him Gonzales
counterparts, who are known to produce of burrows to save the time and effort. I because he was speedy and didn’t
abundant amounts of an extremely toxic know I wouldn’t stay and fight this guy hesitate to pounce when there was food
venom – potentially rivalling that of the or his massive girlfriend if I was a little to be eaten. We decided to let Seven and
deadly funnel-web spider. Despite this, mouse! Gonzales meet, but this blind date was
only a small number of cases of serious less than ideal for these lovebirds. We
envenomation have been reported. Many species cohabit within the same awoke the following morning to find
Female spiders are also much larger than niche. This means they share the same Gonzales no longer with us, rolled up
the males with a very high level of sexual food, space and nesting sites. Even into a tidy little ball. Seven was looking
dimorphism exhibited. Females are also species known to predate on each plump and proud of herself and what
all black as opposed to varying colours in other – such as this huntsman and can only be assumed to be full of our old
males. It was thought initially that the jumping spider – can be found living friend, Gonzales. We let her free, back
two sexes were a different species until harmoniously in the right conditions. out into the wild (our backyard) and
they were seen many years later, mating These two were both taking refuge under come out five minutes later to discover
together. The species seen here is found a piece of eucalypt bark in Laratinga she was on her second course – a sweet
throughout South Australia, ranging Wetlands, Mount Barker. dessert of European honey bee.
8 Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018
With the common theme of large
females and tiny males throughout
this article, male readers might rejoice
in the fact that the males of this species
are the bigger ones. This is known as
This rather large spider is an fire. The species name edulis literally
the bronze hopper (or the bronze Aussie
Australian golden orb weaver translates to ‘edible’. The sheer size and
hopper, if you want to get all patriotic
(Nephila edulis). This species belongs visibility of these spiders makes the
about it). Formally referred to as Helpis
to the Araneidae family and has a fact they were the second Australian
minitabunda, it is an exceptionally rare
remarkably charming attribute. To spider to be documented by a European
case in the world of spiders, where the
attract flies and other insects into her naturalist more reasonable. Like the
females are usually the larger ones.
reach, she incorporates the smelly and red-headed mouse spider, this species
Maybe this is because in this species
decaying remains of her past prey items shows sexual dimorphism, the males
the males protect the nest during and
into her web. Once a prey item has been of this species being almost invisibly
after the female lays her eggs. For
entangled, subdued and killed by the small in comparison to the females.
reproduction to happen in the Salticidae
spider, it becomes the same thing that It’s for this reason that the male must
play it smart when attempting to mate, world, the males must impress the
it was attracted to in the first place – females with their often very complex
an odorous corpse whose purpose it is having to wait for the female to be eating
and distracted in order not to be eaten and elaborate visual displays. Not only
to seduce other insects to their death. are the males often the glamorous ones
What may be a dark concept to us is himself. In fact, the courtship between
males and females of this species is of the two (in this species the male
just everyday life for the golden orb possesses a set of elongated front legs
weaver. Because of the leftovers in the almost exclusively initiated by an insect
being trapped in the web. Talk about a and vibrant head colours), but they
web, smaller species of spider will also must also seduce the females with their
inhabit it. Known as kleptoparasites, strange aphrodisiac! After mating and
pregnancy are over, the female will lay an sexy moves. They create vibrations,
these spiders have no adverse effects zigzagging dances and move their
egg sack with, on average, 383 spiderlings
on the golden orb and are only there to limbs about in an orchestrated, often
inside. The female only has to mate once
eat what’s left over. What’s even more seemingly choreographed fashion. The
to produce multiple fertilised egg sacks
shocking is that due to the very strong males of this species are of no match,
throughout her lifetime.
silk fibres of their web, the golden orb looks-wise, to the peacock jumping
weaver spiders are sometime able to This genus has been around for a long spiders found in Western Australia.
catch small snakes, other reptiles and time, with the largest spider fossil Their visual beauty and large range
even small birds and bats. Species in ever found thought to be a member, of colours and complex courtship
the genus Nephila sure have an appetite, excavated in China in 2011, dating back behaviours have led scientists and
as do the indigenous people of New to 165 million years ago. The scientists entomologists to believe that jumping
Guinea, who will regularly eat these who discovered her named the species spiders have colour vision and eyesight
large spiders after roasting them over a Nephila jurassica. comparable to our own.
Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018 9
This dragonfly is known as the Australian duskhawker (Austrogynacantha heterogena). He was found in the Mount Lofty Botanical Gardens and demonstrated the fact that dragonflies are very territorial. This is an attribute which makes a photographer’s job that much easier, as they will often land in the same place again and again. The male dragonflies are territorial because the females prefer a male who offers territory that will ensure the survival and safe maturation of her offspring. Things that make for a good piece of dragonfly real estate include clean, open water, certain types of aquatic plants and areas that get direct sunlight. This is because dragonflies, like all insects, are cold-blooded and require warmth from sunlight before they can become active. Once the baby dragonflies (nymphs) have hatched, some species can remain in the water for over a year, using gills to breathe and feeding on other aquatic invertebrates, small fish and even tadpoles. After emerging from the water, they exist for another month, spending most of the time looking for a mate. When a male dragonfly possesses a space that another male desires, it is not a fight to the death but an aerodynamic, nimble and non-physical altercation where the fastest and fittest individual will come out supreme. This beautiful common huntsman lady was found, like a few of the other creatures seen here in Watiparinga gorge, in Adelaide. She was resting on a piece of eucalypt bark looking as though she’d been combined with a kiwi fruit. Because the number of species native to Australia is vast, often it can be quite difficult to pinpoint the exact species, due to the lack of accurate documentation of these spiders. Huntsmen have relatively long lifespans in comparison to other spiders, with some living for over two years. During this time, they can have multiple sets of offspring − often up to 200 spiderlings at a time. Male spiders of the species Heteropoda venatoria have recently been discovered to make a sound when they become aware of a female’s pheromones. These sounds are called ‘stridulations’ and are the act of creating sound by satisfying it is to the female, the higher With every one of these creature’s rubbing together certain body parts. the likelihood of copulation. Even if she populations declining since the Among spiders of the genus Isopoda, is uninterested, huntsman males are very colonisation of Australia, I will leave you the courtship is very long and involves rarely attacked by the females, which with a quote from Jane Goodall: “Only if the male drumming his palps on the tree happens to be a very common behaviour we understand can we care. Only if we trunk as a way of seducing the female. seen in spiders. In fact, some species of care will we help. Only if we help shall The more complicated and rhythmically huntsman live in large colonies. all be saved.” 10 Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018
Blowfly
Annoying insects?
Suzanne Medway
I detest household bugs. Loathe climate, the majority of insects are plants. Gardeners love the big-eyed
them. There isn’t a word strong located in the warm and moist tropics. bug and praying mantis because
enough to describe how I feel about Insects have adapted to a broad range they control the size of certain insect
bugs in my home. That hatred of habitats, successfully finding their populations, such as aphids and
provokes guilt because I fancy myself niche, because they will eat almost any caterpillars, which feed on new plant
an environmentalist. As such, I’m substance that has nutritional value. growth. Finally, all insects fertilise
supposed to feel a kinship with all the soil with the nutrients from their
creatures. Insects are crucial components of droppings.
many ecosystems, where they perform
Many insects are considered to be pests many important functions. They Economic Importance
by humans. However, insects are also aerate the soil, pollinate blossoms,
very important for numerous reasons. and control insect and plant pests. Insects have tremendous economic
A brief look at just a few of the reasons Many insects, especially beetles, are importance. Some insects produce
these amazing creatures are essential scavengers, feeding on dead animals useful substances, such as honey, wax,
to life on Earth might well convince and fallen trees, thereby recycling lacquer, and silk. Humans have raised
you (and me) that insects deserve our nutrients back into the soil. As honeybees for thousands of years for
respect. decomposers, insects help create honey. The silkworm significantly
topsoil, the nutrient rich layer of soil affected human history. When the
Ecological Importance that helps plants grow. Burrowing Chinese used worms to develop silk,
bugs, such as ants and beetles, dig the silk trade connected China to the
Insects can be found in every tunnels that provide channels for rest of the world. Adult insects, such
environment on Earth. While a select water, benefiting plants. Bees, wasps, as crickets, as well as insect larvae, are
few insects live in the harsh Arctic butterflies and ants pollinate flowering also commonly used as fishing bait.
Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018 11Insects as Food tiny bits. love for that particular insect.
Insects, of course, are sometimes eaten Some insects can perceive ultraviolet Who hasn’t had an encounter with
by people, but they are the sole food light, which is invisible to humans. a mosquito? From the backwoods
source for many amphibians, reptiles, Thus, what looks to us like a dull to our backyards, mosquitoes seem
birds and mammals, making their white butterfly is anything but dull determined to make us miserable.
roles in food chains and food webs to the male butterfly. Indeed, when Besides disliking their painful bites,
extremely important. It is possible seen in ultraviolet light, the female mosquitoes concern us as vectors
that food webs could collapse if insect has attractive patterns that are ideal of diseases, from West Nile virus to
populations decline. for grabbing the attention of courting malaria.
males and also helps them see some
In some parts of the world, insects are patterns on flowers invisible to the It’s easy to recognise a mosquito when
used for food by humans. Insects are human eye. it lands on your arm and bites you.
a rich source of protein, vitamins and Most people don’t take a close look at
minerals, and are prized as delicacies The eyes of many insects serve as a this insect, tending instead to slap it
in many Third-World countries. In compass. Bees and wasps, for instance, the moment it bites.
fact, it is difficult to find an insect that can detect the plane of polarised
is not eaten in one form or another Mosquitoes belong to the order
light, enabling them to locate the
by people. Among the most popular Diptera, suborder Nematocera – true
sun’s position in the sky – even when
are cicadas, locusts, mantises, grubs, flies with long antennae. Mosquito
clouds hide it. Thanks to this ability,
caterpillars, crickets, ants, and wasps. antennae have six or more segments.
these insects can forage far from their
Many people support this idea to The male’s antennae are quite
nests and still find their way home
provide a source of protein in human plumose, providing lots of surface area
unerringly.
nutrition. From South America to for detecting female mates. Female
Japan, people eat roasted insects, such On the other hand, there are also antennae are short-haired. Mosquito
as grasshoppers or beetles. some insect species that are incredibly wings have scales along the veins and
annoying, destroying our food, causing the margins. The mouthparts – a long
Insects in medicine painful stings, transmitting diseases, or proboscis – allow the adult mosquito
making unbearable noises. to drink nectar, and in the case of the
Insects have also been used in female, blood.
medicine. In the past, fly larvae Mosquitoes
(maggots) were used to treat wounds If mosquitoes disappeared from Earth,
to prevent or stop gangrene. Infection fish, frogs, lizards, spiders and other
of dead flesh causes gangrene. animals that eat mosquito larvae or
Maggots only eat dead flesh, so when adult mosquitoes would lose a food
they are placed on the dead flesh of source. Mosquitoes make up a small
humans, they clean the wound and can part of the diet of some, but others,
prevent infection. Some hospitals still like the mosquito fish or gambusia,
use this type of treatment. which specialises in eating the
larvae, might become extinct. But
Masters of flight, marvels of most animals already eat enough of
sight something else or could change their
Many insects are masters of flight. diet so that they wouldn’t go hungry
Consider some examples. Mosquitoes without mosquitoes.
can fly upside down. Some can even Mosquito larvae consume a lot of
fly through the rain without getting organic matter in wetlands, helping
wet – yes, actually dodging the recycle nutrients back into the
raindrops! Some tropical wasps and ecosystem, but other larvae and water-
bees buzz around at speeds of up to 72 Mosquito
dwelling creatures also do the same
km per hour. One monarch butterfly and could take over that job.
Mosquitoes seem to serve no purpose
of North America logged 3,010 km on
other than to annoy us. But from
its migration flight. Hoverflies can Adult mosquitoes feed on nectar as
the mosquitoes’ point of view, their
beat their wings more than a thousand well as blood – in fact, nectar is all the
purpose is to make more mosquitoes.
times per second – much faster than adult males eat – so some plants might
hummingbirds. Dragonflies can fly But does the world need mosquitoes? suffer due to lack of pollinators if
backwards, a fact that has stimulated mosquitoes stopped visiting. Though
the curiosity – and close study – of For birds, fishes, frogs and other this might alter things somewhat, the
researchers. animals that eat them, their purpose is plants aren’t necessarily crucial to the
to provide a source of food. ecosystem.
If you have ever tried to swat a fly,
you know that these insects have Even the most avid insect-lover will The most significant effect is that
exceptionally keen eyesight, which is slap a mosquito without thinking fewer people would die of mosquito-
coupled with a reflex that is ten times twice. Sure, they all have a place in spread diseases, so there would be
quicker than ours. Interestingly, the the bigger scheme of things, but some more humans on the Earth, especially
fly has a compound eye, containing insects can be annoying. If it buzzes in in countries that are already having
thousands of six-sided lenses, each of your ears incessantly, persists in biting trouble supporting their populations.
which works independently. Likely, you, or takes up residence in your But humans would be healthier, more
then, the fly’s view is broken up into home, you’re probably not feeling the productive, and not have to spend so
12 Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018much time and effort caring for those their animal host, meaning if your dog are tiny enough to pass through the
who are sick. or cat has adult fleas living in its fur, apertures in typical window screens.
those adult fleas are doing their best to
So even though mosquitoes don’t seem keep him infested with their offspring. Sandflies, like other blood-feeding
to have a purpose other than to cause insects, are an essential part of the
us annoyance and misery, we can’t Flea eggs, however, aren’t particularly environment. They’re food for a lot of
just get rid of them right now without sticky or well-suited for staying put, so animals, and they help regulate animal
doing more harm to other species that they mostly roll off your pet and land populations.
are more useful. in a dog bed or on the carpet.
Flies
Fleas Fleas lay a lot of eggs. Without
intervention, a few fleas on your cat or
Fleas have (literally) plagued
dog can quickly become a maddening
humankind for centuries, but how
flea infestation that feels impossible to
much do you know about these
defeat. That’s because fleas, like bed
common insects?
bugs and other bloodsucking pests,
In a broad sense, fleas, like all species, will multiply quickly once they’ve
simply fulfilled an available ecological found a suitable host animal. A single
niche. It’s believed fleas were once adult flea can lay 50 eggs per day if it’s
free-living, flying insects. Then they well fed on an animal’s blood, and in
started living in the dens of small its short lifespan can produce 2,000 Eye of a fly
mammals, feeding on the debris eggs.
there. Eventually, they started feeding Flies (order Diptera) form one of
directly on the animal. They lost their Fleas prefer humid environments, so the five most diverse insect orders,
wings as they were no longer necessary. anything you can do to dry out the air including about 150,000 described
in your home will help you win the species in 150 families. It’s estimated
All organisms, including fleas, are part battle against these bloodthirsty pests. that there are 30,000 species of fly in
of the food chain. Whether animals, Australia, of which only 6,400 have
micro-organisms or fungi consume Biting midges
been described.
them, they help keep nutrients flowing Ceratopogonidae, or biting midges, are
through the system of life. Flies can be distinguished from other
a family of small flies about the size of
insects because they have only one pair
Blood-sucking parasites are vectors a pinhead. They are well-known for
of functional wings. Almost all flies
for pathogens. They may help spread the severe reaction that some people
have mouthparts that are adapted for
disease to re-balance populations that have to their bites. Often they are
lapping or piercing and sucking. A
are out of control. incorrectly referred to as sandflies.
significant component of the world’s
More than 200 species of biting midges
Fleas are infamous for their role in fly fauna is unique to Australia. Flies
are found across Australia, but only a
transmitting the Black Death. During are found everywhere and often
few cause a severe nuisance to humans.
the Middle Ages, tens of millions of abundantly in Australian terrestrial
Biting midges may attack exposed
people died of the plague, or Black ecosystems.
skin in large numbers, and their bites
Death, as it spread across Asia and can be irritating and painful. Only They perform important ecological
Europe. Cities were particularly hard the females bite, using the blood they functions such as nutrient recycling,
hit. London lost 20 percent of its obtain as a protein source to develop predation and pollination, and their
population to the plague in just two their eggs. larvae are often parasitoids of other
years during the mid-1600s. insects.
These annoying insects are found in
It wasn’t until the dawn of the 20th almost any aquatic or semiaquatic Many species of fly are regarded as
century, however, that we identified habitat throughout the world, as well a nuisance, including the bush fly,
the cause of the plague – a bacterium as in mountain areas. Females of most mosquitoes, sandflies and blackflies.
called Yersinia pestis. What does species are adapted to suck blood from
this have to do with fleas? Fleas carry some host animal for reproduction.
the plague bacteria and transmit
them to humans. An outbreak of the The bite of midges in the genus
plague often kills a large number of Culicoides causes an allergic
rodents, particularly rats, and those response. In humans, their bites can
bloodthirsty, plague-infected fleas cause intensely itchy, red welts that
are forced to find a new food source – can persist for more than a week.
humans. And the plague isn’t a disease Biting midges use highly specialised
of the past, either. We’re fortunate mouthparts to grasp your skin,
to live in an age when antibiotics and puncture a hole in you, spit some
good sanitation practices keep plague saliva into the wound, and feed on
deaths to a minimum. your blood. The discomfort arises
from a localised allergic reaction to
Fleas lay their eggs on other animals, the proteins in their saliva, which can
not in your carpet. A common be somewhat alleviated by topical
misunderstanding about fleas is that antihistamines.
they lay their eggs in your carpeting
and furniture. Fleas lay their eggs on The smaller members of the family Sandfly
Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018 13Biting flies include horse flies, deer
flies, and other members of the
Tabanidae family. Biting flies feed
on mammal blood, usually during
the daylight hours, which is precisely
when you are likely to be outdoors
enjoying yourself. Repellents do little
or nothing to stop their feasting since
flies primarily use visual clues to find
their targets.
Flies are responsible for the
transmission of a wide variety of
disease-causing micro-organisms in
humans and animals. Most of these
diseases are absent from Australia,
with exceptions such as dengue fever
and some types of encephalitis.
House flies are one of the most
common insects on the planet. They
breed and feed in filth, including
garbage, faeces, and rotting or spoiled
food. Poor sanitation and ripped
screens and unsealed cracks in
windows and doors can lead to house
fly infestations.
Ants
Ask any insect enthusiast how they
became so interested in bugs, and
they’ll probably mention childhood
hours spent watching ants. There’s
something fascinating about social
insects, especially ones as diverse and
evolved as ants, the family Formicidae
(order Hymenoptera).
Ants thrive throughout the world,
living everywhere except Antarctica,
Greenland, Iceland, and a few isolated
islands. Most ants live underground or
in dead or decaying wood. Scientists
have described nearly 9,000 species of
formicids.
Fire ant
Ants play an important role in the
environment. Ants turn and aerate and male reproductives, called also feed on nectar or honeydew, the
the soil, allowing water and oxygen alates. Winged queens and males sweet substance exuded by aphids, and
to reach plant roots. Ants take fly in swarms to mate. Once mated, they often tend aphid colonies. Some
seeds down into their nest to eat the queens lose their wings and establish ants garden, using gathered leaf bits to
nutritious elaiosomes that are part of a new nest site; males die. Workers grow fungus in their nests.
the seed. These seeds often sprout and tend to the colony’s offspring, even
grow new plants (seed dispersal). rescuing the pupae should the nest be The complete metamorphosis of an
disturbed. The all female workforce ant may take from six weeks to two
It’s easy to recognise ants, with narrow months.
also gathers food, constructs the nest,
waists, bulbous abdomens, and
and keeps the colony clean.
elbowed antennae. In most cases, There are 1,300 ant species known in
when you observe ants, you are only Ants perform important tasks in the Australia, but there are relatively few
seeing the workers, all of which are ecosystems where they live. Formicids that we commonly see as pests. These
female. turn and aerate the soil, disperse include the Argentine ant, black house
Ants live underground, in dead wood, seeds, and aid in pollination. Some ant, bull ant, carpenter ant, coastal
or sometimes in plant cavities. Most ants defend their plant partners from brown ant, flying ant, fire ant, garden
ants are black, brown, tan, or red. attacks by herbivores. ant and ghost ant. Some people can
become allergic to Jack jumper ant
All ants are social insects. With few Feeding habits vary in the ant family. stings, and this has become the subject
exceptions, ant colonies divide labour Most ants prey on small insects or of medical research in Tasmania to
between sterile workers, queens, scavenge bits of dead organisms. Many develop a desensitisation program.
14 Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018Bed bugs its way into your home. brown. Australian cockroaches are
larger and brown overall. American
Adult bed bugs live about ten months, cockroaches are large and black.
though some may live substantially
longer. The mere mention of cockroaches
brings about a strong reaction in many
Bed bugs locate their warm-blooded people. However, the fast-moving,
hosts by detecting exhaled carbon shiny, black or brown cockroaches
dioxide. The hungry pests can also commonly encountered by people
sense warmth and moisture from the in their homes are almost never
bodies of potential victims. Once the native Australian cockroaches, but
bed bug pierces the skin of a human introduced pests.
or another host, it injects salivary
Bed bug
fluid to prevent blood from clotting The reality in Australia is that none
A pest of the past? Not anymore. Bed as it drinks. This fluid may cause an of the 400 or so native species is a
bugs are making a comeback. People itchy, allergic reaction on the skin of serious pest. Native cockroaches are
associate this biting pest with filthy the victim. Bed bugs have a habit of an important part of the food web in
living conditions, but bed bugs are just leaving several bites in a line along many natural habitats, being eaten
as likely to live in clean, uncluttered their host. by invertebrates as well as mammals,
homes. frogs and reptiles. To repel predators,
Bed bugs hide in the folds, crevices, some species produce a pungent smell.
Increasing numbers of bed bug and seams of upholstered furniture Some of the wood-eating cockroaches
infestations have been reported in and mattresses. also play an important role as
Australia, often in accommodation decomposers.
venues such as backpackers’ hostels They depend on humans, pets, or other
and motels. Bed bugs can be animals for their food, so a suitable
Because cockroaches eat a wide range
transported long distances in the host must be available for regular
of food, including rotting garbage,
seams of clothing, luggage, bedding blood meals. Once these pests find a
it is believed that they spread some
and furniture. Adult bugs can survive meal ticket, they move in for good.
diseases to humans including
more than a year without a blood meal. But why do we need bed bugs? Some salmonella and gastroenteritis. The
species of ants feed on bed bugs, as cockroach can also harbour viruses
The adult bed bug is oval, flat and such as the poliovirus. Recent studies
do a few spiders. Some entomologists
only about 6 mm long. Bed bugs have indicated cockroaches can also
agree that, if they could, they would
lack wings, so you won’t see them cause allergies.
wave a magic wand and eliminate bed
flying around your bedroom. They
bugs.
use a proboscis to penetrate the skin Like the household fly, the cockroach
of their host. Adults are brown, but Cockroaches will eat virtually anything ranging
appear reddish-brown when engorged from food spills on a kitchen floor to
with blood. Young bed bugs look like faecal matter. Ingested bacteria can
smaller versions of their parents. First survive in the cockroach’s digestive
stage nymphs are colourless; with each system, sometimes for months or even
moult, the nymph darkens. White years, and are passed in its droppings.
eggs measure less than 1 mm in length Cockroaches will vomit and defecate
and may be laid singly or in clusters of on food, and it is thought that disease
up to 50 eggs. may be transmitted to humans when
Cockroach humans eat food contaminated by
Although you won’t usually see bed cockroaches.
bug activity during daylight hours, you Cockroaches are an ancient group,
may see other signs of bed bugs. As having remained relatively unchanged Recent research suggests that the
nymphs moult, they leave behind their for hundreds of millions of years. cockroach may also be associated with
shedding skin, which accumulates They have a flattened body, long human allergies.
as the population rises. Bed bug antennae and bristly legs. They have
excrement appears as dark spots, and specialised sensors called ‘cerci’ (which A cockroach infestation can be treated
crushed bed bugs will leave bloody are like rear-mounted antennae) that with a combination of good hygiene
marks on bed linens. make them acutely aware of their practices and insecticide.
surroundings. Any sign of danger A female cockroach lays between 10
Bed bugs feed on the blood of warm- sends them scuttling away.
blooded animals. They usually feed and 40 eggs at a time. On average,
at night, often on people asleep in There are around 4,000 species of the female can lay around 30 batches
bed and unaware of the insects biting cockroach worldwide and about 450 of eggs in her lifetime. The hatched
them. species in Australia, but very few young look the same as adult
are pests. The three main types of cockroaches, but smaller and without
A few bed bugs can become a massive cockroaches commonly found in wings. Depending on the conditions
infestation quickly. One female homes and businesses in Australia and species, a cockroach can live for
bed bug may produce up to 500 include the German cockroach, up to 12 months. These insects thrive
offspring during its lifetime, and three Australian cockroach and American in warm, humid conditions. This is
generations can live per year. Imagine cockroach. why buildings in the northern parts
how many bed bugs you’d have in a of Australia are particularly prone to
year if just one reproductive pair finds German cockroaches are small and infestations.
Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018 15Cockroaches prefer to live in kitchens on the host, ticks crawl upward on
and other food preparation areas so the host’s body looking for a place to
they can feed off food spills and have attack.
access to water. Hiding spots for the
household cockroach include cracks Ticks have four distinct stages of
in walls; confined spaces, such as development: egg – larva – nymph
behind the refrigerator; in a pantry – adult. Larvae, nymphs and adult
or underneath a stack of magazines, females must have a blood meal from a
newspapers or cardboard boxes; any host. After the blood meal, larvae and
furniture items that are generally left nymphs drop off the host and rest in
undisturbed; kitchen cupboards; below the environment as they develop into
sinks; around water heaters; in drains the next stage; adult females drop off
and grease traps, and in gardens. the host and lay eggs. The whole cycle
usually takes about a year. Mud-nest wasp
Ticks
Though it might be hard to see from Ten of the species, the social native
our perspective as a blood host, ticks bees of the genera Tetragonula and
do serve an important role in the Austroplebeia, have no sting. Of the
ecological system. Every organism remainder, which live solitary lives,
serves a purpose, and the lowly tick is none are aggressive, and most cannot
no exception. use their sting on humans because
So, why do we need ticks? First, they are too small to do so. Larger
and perhaps most apparent, ticks examples of Australian native bee
are food for other animals. Reptiles, are capable of stinging if handled or
amphibians and birds all consume squashed.
ticks in quantity. They are an essential The stings of most Australian native
food source for animals that forage species of bee will cause relatively
Tick
for sustenance in the places where minor discomfort to most people – and
ticks live (which is almost everywhere, last only a few minutes. However, they
Ticks are actually not in the class
really). may sting more than once and can
Insecta but Arachnida, subclass Acari
(mites and ticks), so they are more cause an allergic reaction – increasing
Second – and this may not help
closely related to spiders. effect associated with repeated
ticks gain your support – ticks host a
exposure to the antigen.
Ticks are bloodsucking parasites. remarkable variety of other organisms,
There are at least 74 species of ticks namely micro-parasites. Ticks carry Australian native bees do produce
in Australia, but only a handful of viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and other honey, but not much as they are
these are known to bite people. In microscopic life wherever they go. relatively primitive bee species. In
the humid coastal region of eastern While we’d prefer that they didn’t, cool-climate areas of Australia, all the
Australia, almost all tick bites on since many of these stowaways are the honey the bees produce is needed by
people are from the Australian very source of our tick-borne illnesses, the swarm to live through winter.
paralysis tick, which is considered in the grand, ecological scheme of
the most medically important. It things these micro-organisms are part Collecting honey from Australian
can cause paralysis by injecting of the diversity of life on Earth. native bee nests can cause many of
neurotoxins into its host. It is usually the bees to drown in spilt honey. The
And third, by virtue of their blood- honey is tangy in comparison with
found in a 20-kilometre wide band draining and disease-causing ways,
following the eastern coastline of commercial honey taken from the
ticks help control the populations of European honey bee. The bees store
Australia. Within this range, the tick their larger hosts. We understand
is most frequently encountered by their honey in small resinous pots
concepts like carrying capacity and which look like bunches of grapes.
humans and their pets. As this area population control when we study
also contains the majority of Australia’s predator−prey relationships, but we are The different species of Australian
most densely populated regions, less sympathetic to the tiny parasites native bee have different habits and
incidents of bites on people, pets that serve the same purpose. preferences in gathering pollen, so
and livestock are relatively common. some species are better pollinators of a
Paralysis ticks are found in many Don’t hate the ticks; they’re just doing given plant than other species.
types of habitat, particularly in areas what they’ve been doing for tens of
of high rainfall. The natural hosts millions of years. If you don’t want Bees perform a task that is vital to the
for the paralysis tick include koalas, them feeding on you, be sure to take survival of agriculture: pollination.
bandicoots, possums, kangaroos and precautions to avoid tick bites. In fact, one-third of our global food
reptiles. supply is pollinated by bees. Simply
Bees and Wasps put, bees keep plants and crops alive.
Ticks occur in moist, bushy areas. We need good, clean food, and so do
Eggs are typically laid in leaf litter or Australia has over 1,500 species of our pollinators.
mulch. Ticks are not very mobile; native bee. Bees collect pollen from
larvae, nymphs and adults climb onto flowers to feed their young. Wasps and Australia’s early European settlers
the grass and the foliage of low bushes flies do not do this, although they may introduced European honey bees
where they wait for passing hosts be seen eating pollen, so identification to ensure a good supply of honey.
(animals or people) to feed on. Once is not always easy. Naturally a few escaped and they
16 Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018Blue banded bee
are now wild throughout most of many black, yellow and orange In early summer wasps, like bees,
Australia’s southern states. Honey combinations to give a warning that pollinate plants and flowers as they
bees play an important role as it possesses a potent sting and you feed on nectar. If we were to eradicate
pollinators of crops and wildflowers. should avoid it. Interestingly, only all wasps, it would cause more
But some wildflowers have suffered the females have a sting, and the problems than it would solve. So,
from the presence of honey bees as wasps have no branched or plumose wasps do serve a purpose, and despite
native bees can only pollinate these hairs on any part of their body. The being a problem at certain times of the
flowers. Some native bees use a unique family Vespidae contains 324 species year, they are a beneficial insect.
pollination technique required by of mostly social wasps and is the
certain flowers called buzz pollination. best-known group as it includes most But European wasps, for example,
Honey bees do not use this technique major stinging pest species. Wasps are threatening the survival of the
and remove pollen without pollinating live in large colonies underground or endangered ptunarra brown butterfly,
the flowers. cavities in trees and buildings. Nests endemic to Tasmania and restricted
consist of a paper comb and envelope to subalpine tussock grasslands. The
Honey bees defend their nest built inside a subsoil chamber. Each wasp populations have exploded due
aggressively. If a bee is driven to sting, nest can have one to many hundreds of to milder winters and they are basically
the action is fatal as it rips out the individual wasps. The nest structure picking off the butterflies as they
bee’s lower abdomen. The sting, with varies by species but usually consists of emerge.
venom gland pumping, is left in the layers or combs which are sometimes So, have I changed your mind about
victim. spiralling. It can be covered by a layer annoying insects?
of paper-like material to help protect
The Australian hornet (superfamily The presence of annoying insects,
larval cells from weather exposure.
Vespoidea) is a solitary insect, forming combined with the negativity fostered
The nest will have one fertilised queen
small nests against buildings and other in our culture through the media has
and a population of workers (many of
structures. The adult wasp feeds off alienated us from having experiences
these suppressed queens). Adults feed
flower nectar, while the larvae are fed with the 98 percent of insects and bugs
on nectar but hunt caterpillars to feed
caterpillars captured by the female. that are not a bother. Of course if you
larvae. Food is masticated and fed
The superfamily Vespoidea is one of progressively to larvae in the nest. are a gardener, aphids, plant hoppers,
the largest in Australia with over 5,000 stink bugs, pear and cherry slugs
species ranging in size from 1 to 40 They give a very painful sting when (sawfly larvae), and cabbage white
mm. defending the nest and recruit other caterpillars can be quite bothersome.
nestmates to join the attack via But we can encourage some of the
Its colours are usually bright with pheromone secretions. beneficial insects that eat them.
Australian Wildlife Vol 3 - Winter 2018 17You can also read
