Wild BNE

A fish survey I conducted in the North Pine River last weekend was productive, with seven different species being found in a quiet stretch of water alongside Mungarra Reserve. Common silverbiddy,  Lawnton. Most numerous were estuary glassfish (Ambassis marianus) , a native species which studies suggest is  just as good at controlling mosquito larvae as the introduced eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki), also present. Another mosquito predator occurring in smaller numbers was the  Pacific blue-eye  (Pseudomugil signifer) ; between these fish species and recent aerial spraying, not a single mosquito bothered me all afternoon.

Planthoppers, Eagle Heights. Last week, I was contacted by Jerome Constant, an entomologist with the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, in regards to a photo I had shared on Facebook.

Once a month, I pick a particular group of animals or plants and then a South-east Queensland location to survey them in. I find it really increases my knowledge of not only that particular animal/plant grouping, but also of what can be seen where. In 2015, I especially loved undertaking both of the plant surveys, the invertebrate sweep-net survey on the Gold Coast, the fish survey in Burleigh Lake, and the marine mollusc survey in the Pumicestone Passage.