We like to bring you the occasional large invertebrate on this blog. And even a huge vertebrate now and then. But here’s a big insect with a story to tell. And it’s a story that hasn’t – quite – ended yet. The Lord Howe Island Stick Insect, or Tree Lobster, Dryococelus australis, is one of the largest insect species in […]
Tag archives: australia
This spider is pretending to be a beetle
Jumping spiders are known to imitate ants – and some of these clever mimics can be found in the UK. But this is the first time I’ve ever seen a beetle-mimic. The species is Coccorchestes ferreus which is mostly found in New Guinea, and very rarely on mainland Australia.
Smearing toads with haemorrhoid cream… humanely
Regular readers will remember the anguish with which celebrities and commoners alike rallied round the cause of poor old introduced hedgehogs in Scotland, hard-pressed by conservationists bent on their eradication. Now an Australian comparison has arisen. Let’s see if Sir Paul McCartney steps forward once more, in defence of the cane toad! Yes, this […]
‘I like trees but…’ Yes, of course you do
Those crazy Australians are poisoning trees to open up sea views! The Ranger is amazed that this story needed to come from as far afield as Sydney. In his experience, this sort of thing is going on all the time. And he should know – working on the Isle of Wight where sea views are […]