Today's flowers #22

Lomatia silaifolia Crinkle Bush
FLOWERING: November - February
HABITAT: Sandy soils, Heath and open forest

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look what I found on me!

Imagine my surprise when I looked down and found this crawling on my pj's last night. At first I thought it was a spider (it was dark!), then I realised it was a gecko. I think this is a southern leaf-tailed gecko.

Watery Wednesday #17

Summer is here and the beaches are full. If you want a break from the crowds, talk to a local.

I think these are harlequin bugs (possibly nymphs).

Harlequin bugs belong to the Jewel Bug Family (Scutelleridea). One of the distinguishing features of this family, is the large scutellum, which covers (in some species) the entire wing, giving the appearance of single dome.

The scutellum is the third division of the thorax (the middle division of an insect, between the head and abdomen) viewed from above.

Red sky

Red sky at night, sailors delight. Red sky in the morning, sailors warning. Is this old addage true?


Storm systems generally move in from the west. A red sky at night, indicates high pressure and stable air coming in from the west. The red sky is a reflection of the high concentration of dust particles. In layman's term, good weather will follow.

However, a red sunrise indicates that a storm system may be moving to the east. This is because a red sunrise is a reflection of the dust particles of a system that has just passed from the west. A deep fiery red morning sky often means there is a high concentration of water in the atmosphere, ie. rain is on its way.

Watery Wednesday #15: Another day at the office