An Odd Beetle

This peculiar beetle showed up near the light sheet the other night.

 Byrsax sp: Tenebrionidae

 Byrsax sp: Tenebrionidae, integument up close

Geoff Monteith notes that this beetle is one of three species known from Australia. Males have the horns. The beetles live in large bracket fungi. He says they have one of the most powerful smells of any tenebrionid beetle. Strangely, I did not notice it. (Might be saying something about me!)

Geoff suggests additional reading: http://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/1492/2731

Spring Katydids

Even though we have had a very dry winter, insects have been developing. All of these katydids hatched from eggs during winter and are now adult. We have a nice variety in the rainforest in Kuranda.

Caedicia kuranda Rentz, Su, Ueshima

 Phricta spinosa Redtenbacher, spiny thorax bearing a mite

  Phricta spinosa Redtenbacher, young nymph

 Acauloplacella queenslandica Rentz, Su, Ueshima male

 Acauloplacella queenslandica Rentz, Su, Ueshima male head pronotum and stridulatory area

  Acauloplacella queenslandica Rentz, Su, Ueshima male nymph

 Caedicia webberi Rentz, Su, Ueshima

  Caedicia webberi Rentz, Su, Ueshima

Zaprochilus mongabarra Rentz, female at rest

 Zaprochilus mongabarra Rentz female, head and pronotum

 Currimundria delicata Rentz, Su, Ueshima female

 Currimundria delicata Rentz, Su, Ueshima female head pronotum

 Ozphyllum kuranda Rentz, Su, Ueshima male

  Ozphyllum kuranda Rentz, Su, Ueshima male, head pronotum

Chloracantha lampra Rehn male

Cassowary Update

The three chicks are developing nicely but oddly two of them seem to be continually fighting with one another. This started some weeks ago and continues to this day.

Both male and female cassowaries visit together and the chicks interact with both parents but the male gives way and is extremely cautious around the female.