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I am a Macronerd, curious as a child, one with nature, discovering worlds within worlds...I am obsessed with the macro world and all of its inhabitants! 📷 Olympus OM-D E-M5 MKIII + M.Zuiko 60mm f2.8 Macro Lens + Raynox DCR250

I always find it challenging taking photos of Green Lacewings (Tribe Chrysopini) as they are so small, usually hiding on...
15/07/2026

I always find it challenging taking photos of Green Lacewings (Tribe Chrysopini) as they are so small, usually hiding on strands of grass, and will fly away readily if feeling threatened. Of course, I never do threaten them, but I guess my big camera and diffuser can be intimidating 😅. These littles ones I usually see emerge in winter, when there isn't too much other insect activity happening, and when they come out, they come out in numbers. You don't even know they are there until you start walking through long grass, and that's when they reveal themselves. You'd miss them otherwise! They are considered a very beneficial insect, as their larvae eat garden pests and can eat up to 100 to 200 aphids in a single week! They also consume caterpillars, moth eggs, spider mites and other small and soft insects. The larvae get called "aphid lions" but also "trash carriers", as they pile dead prey and debris on their backs to protect themselves from predators. Adults apparently feed on nectar and pollen. Not sure where they're getting that this time of year, but then, nature does have a neat knack of providing for everyone in the biosphere 🥰. This one seen on 27th May, 2025 in Ewingar NSW.

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📷 Olympus OM-D EM5 Mark III
🔎 Olympus 60mm f2.8 Macro Lens + Raynox DCR250
⚡️Godox V350O
☂️ Cygnustech Diffuser
🎞 Handheld Single Shots
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15/07/2026

I had such a special encounter with a Burton's Legless Lizard today. It had been accidentally disturbed from its winter slumber and was a really gorgeous sleepy head 😍. I hope it finds a comfortable new home for the rest of winter 🥰. No macro camera available so I had to settle for my old phone. Seen in Ewingar NSW.

A cheeky little Praying Mantis from the Tenodera Genus, most likely the Purple-winged Mantis (Tenodera australasiae). Th...
13/07/2026

A cheeky little Praying Mantis from the Tenodera Genus, most likely the Purple-winged Mantis (Tenodera australasiae). These mantids are found across Australia and are probably the most commonly seen Praying Mantis in urban gardens. They usually hunt on flowers and plants, using their powerful, grasping forelegs armed with spines to pierce their prey - usually feeding on bees and flies. It's amazing how different they look from different angles, and those eyes managing to always stay on you. No wonder they are such good hunters! This one was scoping out my kitchen windowsill early evening on 22nd May, 2025 in Ewingar, Northern NSW.

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📷 Olympus OM-D EM5 Mark III
🔎 Olympus 60mm f2.8 Macro Lens + Raynox DCR250
⚡️Godox V350O
☂️ Cygnustech Diffuser
🎞 Handheld Single Shots
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Ever heard of a Northern Sharkfinned Dolly Ant (Dolichoderus scrobiculatus)? What a name! The "Northern" part is a bit m...
10/07/2026

Ever heard of a Northern Sharkfinned Dolly Ant (Dolichoderus scrobiculatus)? What a name! The "Northern" part is a bit more obvious, pointing to their being native to Northern parts of Eastern Australia, although they have been spotted as far south into NSW as Newcastle. The 'Sharkfin' refers to their highly arched, deeply concave rear thorax segment (the propodeum), when viewed from the side. This structure creates an exaggerated, upward-pointing crest that closely resembles a shark's dorsal fin rising up from the body. You can kind of see this in picture 3. I was wondering about the 'Dolly' bit, and it turns out it is the Australianised nickname for "Dolichoderus". OK, now it makes sense! These little ants are around 4-5mm long, and I've often seen them tending to Treehoppers (Superfamily Membracoidea) as they have a symbiotic relationship whereby the Treehopper excretes delicious honeydew as a bi-product of their digestive system, and the ants can't resist the sweet treat. Being surrounded by ants, the Treehopper has protection from predators, thus making the ants an "employee" of the Treehopper, as body guards. They have similar relationships with caterpillars, aphids and scale insects that secrete sugary fluids. Described as highly efficient "team players", they work together when foraging for food. Although they are timid and rarely bite humans, they can be somewhat aggressive when protecting their syrup-secreting mates from predators. They will also release a highly pungent fluid to deter lizards and birds from predating their colony.

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📷 Olympus OM-D EM5 Mark III
🔎 Olympus 60mm f2.8 Macro Lens + Raynox DCR250
⚡️Godox V350O
☂️ Cygnustech Diffuser
🎞 Handheld Single Shots
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This little Boatman Fly (Pogonortalis doclea) turned up on my external laptop monitor on 22nd May 2025 at my home at Ewi...
09/07/2026

This little Boatman Fly (Pogonortalis doclea) turned up on my external laptop monitor on 22nd May 2025 at my home at Ewingar NSW. I guess it wanted its photo taken! This is a species of Signal Fly (family Platystomatidae) who, when not flying, tends to wave their wings like rowing oars, which is how they get their common name "boatman". These little guys are about 10mm long, have funky red eyes with a gold stripe across them, golden thorax and a fluffy black butt (abdomen). The somewhat smaller males enjoy partaking in face-to-face pushing contests to win the prized female...or food...they wish to devour. The males have side beards, like lamb-chops-come-goatees, and they use them in their funny little face battles. I don't know about you, but I think that's adorable! I'm sure its a bit more serious for those in the battles though.

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📷 Olympus OM-D EM5 Mark III
🔎 Olympus 60mm f2.8 Macro Lens + Raynox DCR250
⚡️Godox V350O
☂️ Cygnustech Diffuser
🎞 Handheld Single Shots
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Archegleis kingi is a lesser observed Lady Beetle or Lady Bug (Family Coccinellidae), with only 42 total observations ac...
08/07/2026

Archegleis kingi is a lesser observed Lady Beetle or Lady Bug (Family Coccinellidae), with only 42 total observations across Australia recorded on iNaturalist (8 of which I've recorded for Ewingar NSW). These littles ones have so far only been spotted on Australia's East Coast from Sydney NSW up to Mareeba QLD. They have unusual colouring, which probably makes them harder to spot, and all mine have been observed feeding or resting on Acacia leaves (wattle), except for this one, which was on a grass stem on 22nd May, 2025.

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📷 Olympus OM-D EM5 Mark III
🔎 Olympus 60mm f2.8 Macro Lens + Raynox DCR250
⚡️Godox V350O
☂️ Cygnustech Diffuser
🎞 Handheld Single Shots
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A beautiful little Braunsapis, a Genus of bees in the family Apidae, commonly known as Black Reed Bees. They are a sub s...
08/07/2026

A beautiful little Braunsapis, a Genus of bees in the family Apidae, commonly known as Black Reed Bees. They are a sub social species of native bee that typically nests in plant stems, including reeds, grass trees and lantana stems, and are important pollinators. These bees also blow nectar bubbles, which I have observed in the past. Females have a sting, but they are not aggressive and will only sting if handled. This one pollinating my Cuphea flowers on 20th May, 2025.

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📷 Olympus OM-D EM5 Mark III
🔎 Olympus 60mm f2.8 Macro Lens + Raynox DCR250
⚡️Godox V350O
☂️ Cygnustech Diffuser
🎞 Handheld Single Shots
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07/07/2026

A little native bee Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) seen in Ewingar NSW in May last year.

How gorgeous is this little one, identified as native be Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes), seen on my purple Cuphea flowers ...
07/07/2026

How gorgeous is this little one, identified as native be Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes), seen on my purple Cuphea flowers on 20th May, 2025 in Ewingar, Northern NSW. These bees are commonly referred to as furrow bees, and have bright red-orange coloration on their abdomen. Their nests are built in hard soil, and they enjoy foraging on native flowers, such as tea trees, gum trees and banksias. I've also seen them collecting pollen and nectar from "Farmer's Friends" flowers, and of course, my Cupheas. These pretties belong to the "sweat bee" family (Halictidae), and measure roughly 3-12 mm in length. Apparently females do have a stinger, although they are generally peaceful bees and will only sting if really pushed to.

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📷 Olympus OM-D EM5 Mark III
🔎 Olympus 60mm f2.8 Macro Lens + Raynox DCR250
⚡️Godox V350O
☂️ Cygnustech Diffuser
🎞 Handheld Single Shots
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