danval Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 Possibly.. I do remember there being another species of ant, possibly another native that was twice the size of these and a lot more bulky and more sluggish. They had the same yellow pupae but there was usually less of them in a nest to the ones you have pictured. Both these species I used to find regularly nesting under or within rotting logs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted March 14, 2011 Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 crack one open and see if it fries, I mean flies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted November 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 about 5mm, found under dry bit of driftwood ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted January 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 found some bumblebees having a jolly old time under the dog kennel. was all fun and games until i got stung 3 times :facepalm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 That is a very good sized nest. They don't like their nest being disturbed do they? :nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted January 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 They were fine for about 20minutes, other than buzzing everywhere within a few meters of the hive, while i picked up parts of the nest. it's almost half a meter square, 15-20cm high. first bumblebee hive i have seen. had moved the whole lot and was just picking up little bits from the lawn and bam, one on finger through glove, then a big one on my neck and one on forearm all within seconds. here i was thinking i had them tamed :rotf: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice222 Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 They were fine for about 20minutes, other than buzzing everywhere within a few meters of the hive, while i picked up parts of the nest. it's almost half a meter square, 15-20cm high. first bumblebee hive i have seen. had moved the whole lot and was just picking up little bits from the lawn and bam, one on finger through glove, then a big one on my neck and one on forearm all within seconds. here i was thinking i had them tamed :rotf: Bumblebees are pretty docile as long as you don't touch the nest, how come you were picking pieces up? I used to sit next to honeybee nests just watching them come and go with no probs, and they are generally more agressive than the bumblebees, but as soon as you spook one of them enough for them to attack you, then others will come too. They somehow sense the troubled bee and join in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antwan Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Just guessing but they probably release a pheromone when they sting that tells the rest of them that danger is nearby. That's a cool picture, my girlfriend has a bumblebee nest in her bedroom wall/roof (sleepout). They get in through a crack caused by the earthquakes. :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted January 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 moved the kennel, and sort of dragged half the hive away from the rest in the process. opps so thought id try reconstruct it + they where sort of just on the lawn now kennel is moved.. have put the hive in a vacant kennel, they seem no worse for wear. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#!CrunchBang Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Just guessing but they probably release a pheromone when they sting that tells the rest of them that danger is nearby. Yep, exactly what happens. The venom and pheromone are produced in the same gland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice222 Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Found this stunning moth while out on a walk with my pup half an hour ago. Poor thing doesn't seem to be able to fly, not sure what's wrong since I can't see any real wounds, only part may be where the body (thorax?) joins the abdomen. It is the biggest moth I've ever seen. I've put it in a paper bag in a dark cupboard for now, just hoping that'll help it calm down and rest, might put a little dish with a soaked paper towel to see if that might help it? Let me know if you have any ideas, all i know about moths is that they often fly at/around lights . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Gum Emperor Moth - I think once they pupate they mate, lay eggs if female, then kark it, not a particularly long life span. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Looks like it could feed a few fish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Probably not, all fluff and no substance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice222 Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Gum Emperor Moth - I think once they pupate they mate, lay eggs if female, then kark it, not a particularly long life span. Just read the wiki of it (yes i know wiki is down, but you can cheat it by stopping the page before it loads the black screen) this one should be a female since it has thin antennas. I guess it's just on it's way out, I'll give it a nice quite place to die peacefully then. What a shame, such a beautiful moth . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Another strain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted January 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 i have found a few big moths, put in container thinking they were dead. only to wake to a container full of eggs the next day. sometimes disturbing them wakes them too guess they nocturnal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Just read the wiki of it (yes i know wiki is down, but you can cheat it by stopping the page before it loads the black screen) by pressing the {ESC} key as the page loads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice222 Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 by pressing the {ESC} key as the page loads ESC didn't work for me, maybe cause I'm using chrome to browse? The stop button that looks a 'x' by the address bar works for me tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 :slfg: they're failing at "blacking out" their website. This SOPA and PIPA doesn't affect us (non website owning) people does it? :smot: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 ESC didn't work for me, maybe cause I'm using chrome to browse? The stop button that looks a 'x' by the address bar works for me tho. I tested it on Chrome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Right click, view page source. file > save page as... save to desktop and open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice222 Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 I tested it on Chrome Weird, it's working now, guess i must have pressed it at the wrong time before :dunno:. Anyway SOPA does affect us, since even if we don't own a website, we still use a lot of the sites eg wiki. Anyway back on topic: mothy's still alive. I could hear it flapping around a few minutes back. I hope it does lays some eggs. Would love to see those caterpillars irl and I think these moths are awesome even though their exisitance seem kinda pointless how they just stop eating and die when the become adults :facepalm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 :slfg: they're failing at "blacking out" their website. This SOPA and PIPA doesn't affect us (non website owning) people does it? :smot: They tell you how to stop the blackout page from loading SOPA and PIPA will affect all users of the internet, well anyone that uses websites that are hosted in the US, and that is lots and lots, even many .co.nz sites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 Must be the season for it. On page 2 of the Wgton CityLife (Jan 18). there's a story of someone who saw one of these Australian moths opodiphthera eucalypti ( beating against his bathroom window ) on Christmas Eve. This one had a wingspan of 12 cm. Says that they only live for 2 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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