The arrival of wet season rains is a time of renewal – the wetlands are replenished, the frogs breed and provide food for many other creatures. We find the sound and smell of the rain itself as well as the deafening cacophony of frog calls exciting ……. last night we had a look in the pond adjacent to our verandah.
A water spider, Pisauridae species of the genus Dolomedes, had captured a Graceful Tree-frog (Litoria gracilenta), one of many calling around the pond. According to Arachne.org.au “As Australian Pisaurids are being revised by Robert Raven at Queensland Museum, until this review is complete it will be difficult to correctly identify many Dolomedes species”
One of the laughing frogs (Litoria rothii) wasn’t indulging in such risky behaviour and had camouflaged itself quite well against our house python. (House python is made of concrete covered wire and twines up a verandah pillar)
In the car-port a white-lipped green tree-frog (Litoria infrafrenata) was hanging onto our vehicle while numerous sedge frogs (Litoria bicolour, Litoria fallax) called and jumped around the house; several had to be taken outside again after they found their way inside.
This morning we had a look for the remains of the spider’s meal; it was dragged up onto one of the rocks surrounding the pool – a somewhat gruesome sight softened by the flower petal decoration; exactly as found.
And so the circle of life continues – frog eggs (probably L. gracilenta) on the water below the frog corpse.
Allen
Barbara
Wild Wings & Swampy Things 