Ant orchids galore in Blackbutt Creek : September 2 2024

Woke to a very windy day - like 80 kmh windy. That put paid to going out on the bike for a planned ride and walk. Spent the morning doing investing stuff and starting to work on next IM product launch from Kevin Fahey.

Was going stir crazy - got on the bike to cycle down to Blackbutt Creek. It is a bit of a roundabout route to get around the golf course. Mission - ant orchids. First up a pea flower

Plenty of common ant orchids flowering in spots seen last week. Key to ID is the calli going all the way down the diamond shaped labellum. Take note of that

The angle of the labellum is also the part of the clue - some are quite upright. This one has fewer calli that do not go to the tip

Twins make a hard photograph - the leaves are in focus

A fab sun shot opportunity - note the calli

Front on also shows the shape of the column

Long walk across a dead section close to the creek. Overflows wipe out the orchids. And garden escapee oxalis does not help

Hypericum are emerging

Persisted walking across the dead zone to check on this chiloglottis orchid. Been checking this spot weekly for 10 months since we moved - today is budding time

Close up - not quite in focus but can just see the the calli on the labellum. Do think this is different to the others

Fungus action

Sydney boronia

Mimosa flower

Dampiera flower - not sure of ID - I call them all purpurea but it could be stricta

Pollinated pixie caps orchid. Spent a bit more time this walk to get a photo vaguely in focus. Flower is tiny

Another ID challenge - epacris vs woolsii - also tiny

A combo photo - roots of the fern above and the lichen growing up from below

The other mission - this sun orchid growing in the moss on a rock - maybe two more weeks

And back to ant orchids on the other side of the track on the way back. Quite upright and fewer calli on the labellum

A toss up on ID. All the photos I have seen of the alternate have fewer calli but not by a lot - maybe chiloglottis trapeziformis

Mixed in with the sundews

You decide - same or different. What is key is the few calli version is this side of the track and not the other

Change of angles

Over the shoulder. What is consistent is there are a few calli past the centre line of the labellum

Like the 60s sideburns

Ride down was a little more than 5 minutes. 13 minutes back up the hill

Dinner: Pizza - different GF base this time - took a little longer

This report was published via Actifit app (Android | iOS). Check out the original version here on actifit.io

Cycling, Daily Activity, House Chores, Photowalking