Mission Beach, QLD

[moloch]

Greetings,

My family and I are holidaying up in the wet tropics of Mission Beach, QLD, for a week. Mission Beach has long been our favourite family holiday location and it is great to have all of grown kids with us again. This trip is part of my wife’s 60th birthday surprise.

“Wet tropics” is an appropriate term for this area this year. It has rained everyday and sometimes for the entire day. Finding and photographing butterflies has been difficult so I do not have nearly as many photos to share as I had hoped. North eastern Queensland is the area in Australia with the greatest diversity and density of butterflies.

I will begin with a few habitat shots and then add butterflies and other interesting animals that I have observed on this trip.

Mission Beach
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/missionbeachhabitat2.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/missionbeachhabitat4.jpg


… view of Mission Beach and offshore islands from Bicton Hill. We climb this hill once or twice each day for exercise.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/missionbeachhabitat1.jpg


Murray Falls – about 45 minutes inland from Mission Beach
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/murrayfalls1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/murrayfalls2.jpg



Orange Bush-Brown (Mycalesis terminus) – This is the most common butterfly in the area. It also is one of our mere three species of Mycalesis[/].
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/OrangeBush-Brown2.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/OrangeBush-Brown1.jpg


Evening Brown ([I]Melanitis leda)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/EveningBrown1.jpg

[moloch]

Orange-streaked Ringlet (Hypocysta irius) – common on grassy slopes above Murray Falls. Unfortunately, I was only able to take a couple of quick snaps before the rain returned.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/ringlet1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/ringlet2.jpg


Orange Ringlet (Hypocysta adiante) – common on grassy slopes above Murray Falls.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/OrangeBush-Brown3.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/OrangeBush-Brown4.jpg


Red Lacewing (Cethosia cydippe) – These are one of my favourites but so far, I have only seen three this year. This tattered butterfly stopped briefly on lantana one morning.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/RedLacewing2.jpg


Yellow-eyed Plane (Neptis praslini) – Only one so far on this trip. It settled on a leaf about 3m above the trail. These look very much like Hamadryads (Tellervo zolius).
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Yellow-eyedAeroplane1.jpg


Common Crow (Euploea core) – Only one so far.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/CommonBrown1.jpg

[moloch]

Chocolate Argus (Junonia hedonia) – common near the cabin where we stay.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/BrownSoldier4.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/BrownSoldier3.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/BrownSoldier1.jpg


Green-banded Line-Blue (Nacaduba cyanea) – fairly common in the forest interior when sunny.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/TailedBandedBlue1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/TailedBandedBlue3.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/TailedBandedBlue4.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/TailedBandedBlue5.jpg

[moloch]

Large Green-banded Blue (Danis danis) – these are lovely blues but I have only seen one on this trip.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/LargeBandedBlue1.jpg


Small Green-banded Blue (Psychonotis caelius) – much like Large Green-banded Blue but it is tiny. I've only seen this one on this trip.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/LargeBandedBlue2.jpg


Black-spotted Flash (Hypolycaena phorbus) – Fairly common when sunny near our cabin. Unfortunately, I have not been able to get close enough for a good shot of these lovely butterflies. The male has a blue upper wing whereas that of the female is drab.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/CommonTit1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/CommonTit2.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/CommonTit4.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/CommonTit5.jpg


Banded Deamon (Notocrypta waigensis) -- common within the rainforest.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/BandedDemon2.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/BandedDemon1.jpg

[moloch]

Mission Beach is probably the easiest place in the world to see Southern Cassowary. We’ve sighted these lovely birds almost daily. Despite their size, they can disappear easily when they step off the trail.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Cassowary1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Cassowary3_400.jpghttp://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Cassowary4_400.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Cassowary2.jpg


Bush Stone-Curlew with young.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/BushThick-knee1.jpg

This Boyd’s Forest Dragon (Hypsilurus boydii) was on the same tree as one that I observed in Nov 2009. They are slow moving dragons and are easy to overlook.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/BoydsForestDragon1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/BoydsForestDragon2.jpg


Black-throated Rainbow-Skink (Carlia rostralis) – common in the same habitat as the ringlets at Murray Falls.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Carlianigro1.jpg

[moloch]

Closed-litter Rainbow-Skink (Carlia longipes) – common around our cabin in Mission Beach.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Carlialongipes1.jpg


Northern Bar-sided Skink (Eulamprus brachysoma) – I think that this lizard is this species although E. tenuis is a possibility.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/eulamprus1.jpg


Jungle Carpet Python (Morelia spilota) -- I saw two of these one wet night while night-driving for reptiles.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/JungleCarpet1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/JungleCarpet2.jpg


… some interesting spiders.

I like this one with a “mane”.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/spider1.jpg


… spider eating spider eating cricket
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/spider2.jpg


http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/spider4.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/spider5.jpg


...I will add more butterfly and other photos later today.

[Commander]

Great photos, David.

Now I know that Junonia hedonia reaches as far as your part of the world.

[moloch]

Thanks, Khew.

Here are more from yesterday. The day was mild with only a little rain.

Hamadryad (Tellervo zoilus)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/hamadryadTellervozoilus1.jpg


… wings of a Ulysses Swallowtail (Papilio Ulysses) – I think that it had been captured by a bird. These swallowtails are common but they remain in the canopy most of the time. I rarely see them at flowers.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/ulysses1.jpg


Fuscous Swallowtail (Papiliofuscous)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Papiliofuscous1.jpg



Northern Sword-Grass Brown (Tisiphone helena) – these are common but in one area only where there are many Pandanus thickets.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Tisiphonehelena2.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Tisiphonehelena1.jpg



Cycad Blue (Theclinesthes onycha) – I think this is a Cycad Blue although the similar Wattle Blue (T. miskin) is also found in this part of Australia.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Theclinesthesonycha1.jpg


Broad-banded Awl (Hasora hurama)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/skipperHasorahurama9.jpg


Purple Crow (Euploea tulliolus)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Euploeatulliolus1.jpg

[moloch]

Australian Rustic (Cupha prosope)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Cuphaprosope1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Cuphaprosope2.jpg


Common Eggfly (Hypolimnus bolina)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/commoneggfly1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/commoneggfly2.jpg


Cairns Birdwing (Ornithoptera euphorion) – female. I have seen a number of males but most have been floating along at canopy level.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/birdwingOrnithopteraeuphorion1.jpg


Shining Oakblue (Arphopala micale)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Arphopalamicale1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Arphopalamicale2.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Arphopalamicale3.jpg

[moloch]

… more Green-banded Line-Blue (Nacaduba cyanea)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/TailedBandedBlue6.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/TailedBandedBlue7.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/TailedBandedBlue8.jpg


Red-throated Rainbow-Skink (Carlia rubrigularis) – these are the most abundant skink and possibly most abundant reptile here in the wet tropics.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Carliarubrigularis1.jpg


My son and I went night driving for reptiles last night. We found another large Jungle Carpet Python that had just eaten. By the size, I would imagine that it had captured one of the many bandicoots of the area.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/JungleCarpet3.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/JungleCarpet4.jpg


Scrub Python (Morelia kinghorni) – This is our largest snake that grows to 8.5m in length.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/ScrubPython2.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/ScrubPython1.jpg

[moloch]

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/weevil1.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/scarab1.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/cerambycid1.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/beetle1.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/beetle2.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/buprestid1.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/spider14.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/spider9.jpg

[moloch]

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/spider3.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/spider11.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/spider10.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/spider6.jpg


http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/hemipteran1.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/katydid1.jpg

Snake-headed Gudgeon – These are one of the common freshwater fish of the area. These are males in breeding colours.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/gudgeon1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/gudgeon2.jpg

[Great Mormon]

Thanks David for sharing with us all the photos, especially the butterfly ones. I must say that the Large Green-banded Blue is a very pretty butterfly indeed. And looks like the Leea indica seems very popular with the butterflies, just curious, is it the same shrub in all the photos? :cheers:

[bluefin]

A great variety of pics with butts which we do not encounter @ this part of the world.

Thanks for sharing David. :cheers:

[moloch]

Thanks, Anthony and Nelson.

I had to look up Leea indica on the net. I found that it is called "Bandicoot Berry" over here. There are a number of these trees near our cabin and they seem to be attractive to the butterflies. Better still is the pest, Lantana. There used to be some great places for this weed but the council has been working to eliminate it. That was a good thing for the rainforest but it made it harder to find places where there was a good variety of feeding butterflies.

[Peacock Royal]

Wow, all sort of beautiful fauna species - very well captured.
Lovely butterfly shots.:thumbsup:

[Great Mormon]

Thanks, Anthony and Nelson.

I had to look up Leea indica on the net. I found that it is called "Bandicoot Berry" over here. There are a number of these trees near our cabin and they seem to be attractive to the butterflies. Better still is the pest, Lantana. There used to be some great places for this weed but the council has been working to eliminate it. That was a good thing for the rainforest but it made it harder to find places where there was a good variety of feeding butterflies.

Thats a pity that they are clearing up the Lantana down there, and we are trying to plant more of it here to attract butterflies in our parks and gardens!

[moloch]

Thanks, Federick.

Anthony,
Lantana is great for butterflies but unfortunately it can be a real pest here in Australis. I live in Wollongong and much of the rainforest and wet eucalyptus woodland near the city has been overgrown with this plant. I suppose up here in the wet tropics, they are trying hard to keep it from becoming such a problem. I knew of a great spot with lots of lantana here at Mission Beach and visited it often in previous years. Ulysses Swallowtails and Cairns Birdwings were regulars as well as many other species.


The weather today was reasonable with early morning rain and then rain again in the late afternoon. I went out a few times. Butterfly activity was not great but I found a few that I could photograph.


… another Hamadryad. These usually perch beneath leaves unless they are feeding. They are rainforest butterflies and are active even late in the day when it is quite dark in the forest.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Tellervozoilus2.jpg


Pale Triangle (Graphium eurpylus ) – I have only seen two of this species on this trip.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Graphiumeurpylus1.jpg


Pale Ciliate-Blue (Anthene lycaenoides) – I watched this butterfly lay eggs on a vine near a Green Tree Ant nest. These ants are abundant in north.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Anthenelycaenoides1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Anthenelycaenoides2.jpg


… green tree ant nest:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/greentreeants1.jpg


… another Common Eggfly. I saw a pristine Red Lacewing in the same area but it never dropped low enough for a photo.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/CommonEggfly3.jpg


… a cryptic phasmid:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/phasmid1.jpg


… another Black-spotted Flash:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/CommonTit6.jpg

[moloch]

death of a pretty scarab:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/spider15.jpg


Red-throated Rainbow Skink:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Carliarubrigularis2.jpg


Gould’s Monitor (Varanus gouldii) – I saw a couple of these today as well as a single Lace Monitor (V. varius).
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/Varanusgouldii1.jpg


The weather was better today. Here are a few shots of the Mission Beach area from Bicton Hill:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/missionbeachhabitat7.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/missionbeachhabitat5.jpg


Dunk Island and the Family Group of islands:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/missionbeachhabitat6.jpg


view of the South Mission Beach area:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/missionbeachhabitat8.jpg

[Commander]

David, are you using your newly-acquired T180 for these macro shots?

[moloch]

David, are you using your newly-acquired T180 for these macro shots?


Most of the butterfly shots were with the T180. A few were with my 18x250 Tamron zoom. I used the latter when the weather looked particularly threatening since it was quicker to pack when a downpour commenced. The locals say that this has been the wettest November that they can remember.

I have a big learning curve ahead of me with the T180. It certainly is a good lens but it is hard to use. I find it difficult to hold it steady especially when the butterfly is not close. Most of the time, I tried to use Sunny's recommendations of F8, aperature priority and then adjusted ISO so that the speed was at least 1/100th of a second ... I can't hold it still for slower speeds.

Most of the butterfly shots were cropped images of butterflies that were a 1-3m or more from me. It was very hard to get close for good photos. The locals were definitely not as "friendly" as those that I photographed at Taman Negara.

[moloch]

Skippers are the abundant butterflies here at Mission Beach. As usual, most are hard for me to identify. Here a few that match the characteristics in my guide. I can't be 100% certain about these identifications but I think that they are close.


Telicota ohara
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/skipper8.jpg



Ocybadistes ardea
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/skipperOcybadistesardea11.jpg


Sabera dobboe
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/skipperSaberadobboe9.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/skipper1.jpg


Pelopidas lyelli
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/skipper14.jpg


I have photos of several other species but I am still attempting to identify these.

[Great Mormon]

Most of the butterfly shots were with the T180. A few were with my 18x250 Tamron zoom. I used the latter when the weather looked particularly threatening since it was quicker to pack when a downpour commenced. The locals say that this has been the wettest November that they can remember.

I have a big learning curve ahead of me with the T180. It certainly is a good lens but it is hard to use. I find it difficult to hold it steady especially when the butterfly is not close. Most of the time, I tried to use Sunny's recommendations of F8, aperature priority and then adjusted ISO so that the speed was at least 1/100th of a second ... I can't hold it still for slower speeds.

Most of the butterfly shots were cropped images of butterflies that were a 1-3m or more from me. It was very hard to get close for good photos. The locals were definitely not as "friendly" as those that I photographed at Taman Negara.

I do experience some problems when hand holding the t180 at times too, especially when i dont have enough shutter speeds. Just to be absolutely sure that i manage to nail a good shot, I will try to snap a few shots, and hope that one of them will be good. If the subject is cooperative, perhaps i will review the shots, before deciding on another burst of photos.

[moloch]

Thanks, Anthony. I will keep practicing and hopefully in time, I will produce photos more like the calibre of yours and others that I see here on the forum.



No visit to northern Queensland is complete without a trip to the Great Barrier Reef. My kids and I have done this many times but this was the first year where we were all together since 1998. It was like old times again. Here are a few shots from the boat as we left Mission Beach.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/missionbeachhabitat9.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/missionbeachhabitat11.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/missionbeachhabitat12.jpg


... and Eddy Reef, about 1.5 hours east of Dunk Island/Mission Beach. I saw many "butterflies" here.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/missionbeachhabitat14.jpg

The Great Barrier Reef has an excellent diversity of butterflyfish. On this visit we observed 13 species including two "lifers":

*Lined Butterflyfish – several seen well. Lifer.
Pacific Double-saddle Butterflyfish – common. Grey bars conspicuous
Black-backed Butterflyfish – a few
Vagabond Butterflyfish – a few
Threadfin Butterflyfish – a few
Bluespot Butterflyfish – common
Latticed Butterflyfish – a few
Eastern Triangle Butterflyfish – common
Redfin Butterflyfish – common
Chevroned Butterflyfish – common
Rainford’s Butterflyfish – a few
Golden-striped Butterflyfish – common
*Humphead Bannerfish – a few. Lifer.


My kids. My wife becomes seasick easily so she never goes on these trips.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/mission%20beach/nov2010/kidsReef4.jpg