Do you have yellow Sticky Everlasting daisies in your garden? They attract butterflies, like the Australian Painted Lady Vanessa kershawi, Yellow Admiral Vanessa itea or this Meadow Argus Junonia villida.

Photo courtesy of Canberra NatureMapr.

Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus enjoying a meal of a hoverfly in the woodland at The Fair last spring.

Photo courtesy of Canberra NatureMapr.

Autumn Bird Walk Sunday 23 March 8 am – 10 am, North Watson

Where: Bird enthusiast Peter Miller will lead a walk in the nature reserve from the gate at the end of the carpark near Ian Nicols tand Tay St, The Fair, Watson.  Wear gear for walking in rough areas and use sun protection – hats, long sleeves as well as sunscreen.

Bring: Drinking water, gold coin donation, and if you have them, binoculars, camera, bird ID book or app.

Canberra NatureMapr on your phone is a useful resource for looking up bird species.

More information and a map at https://majura.org

On Australia Day, Waltraud spotted this butterfly, a Chequered Copper Lucia limbaria feeding on a Sticky Everlasting Xerochrysum viscosum, one of the wildflowers planted in the lowest seed node.  This is a new butterfly species for Mount Majura – what great news!

Photo courtesy of Canberra NatureMapr.

Reports

FoMM Butterfly Walk on lower slopes of Mt Majura with Suzi Bond on 2 Feb 2025.

The group of walkers listening to Suzi Bond, on the far edge of the group, in a black hat and using a mike, explaining the butterflies on a Kurrajong tree. Phil Jones has the portable speaker a little further along the track.

Photo by Jenni Marsh.

Above the grass a territorial Cabbage White Pieris rapae butterfly chased another, both spiralling high into the sky until out of sight. Meadow Argus Junonia villida butterflies are also territorial, but on this day, were fluttering between dandelion flowers, sipping nectar. A few small blue butterflies appeared briefly, but preferred sheltering from the heat, deep in the grass.

Everyone was intrigued by meat ants in a green wattle tree which were crawling over and surrounding caterpillars. The ants protect them from parasites and predators. Suzi suggested we continue to observe the stages of their life cycle as larvae pupate then metamorphose into Hairstreak Jalmenus sp. butterflies. Surprisingly, ants are vitally important in the life cycle of many butterflies, as are wattles. Suzi is interested in finding out more about coconut ants Papyrius nitidus (which have a coconut odour when squashed), because they host the Small Ant-blue butterfly larvae which eat the ant larvae. If anyone photographs butterflies or coconut ants or their nests, or ants with caterpillars, she would be delighted if you could submit them to Canberra Nature Map https://canberra.naturemapr.org

We noticed neat circular holes in Kurrajong leaves which Suzi explained were cut by caterpillars of the golden-brown Bronze Flat Netrocoryne repanda butterflies. The newly hatched caterpillar cuts holes in leaves then folds and ties down the circular flap with silk for shelter while it eats the leaf. See images on Canberra Nature map https://canberra.naturemapr.org/sightings/4543295.  Spiders and green tree ants are not the only creatures which build leaf structures using silk.

Suzi mentioned that the leaves of Kurrajong, Bursaria, Wattle, and various grasses are important food sources for butterfly larvae. Daisies and flowers of Bursaria, Acacia, Eucalyptus, Mistletoe and many non-native plants, are important food sources for butterflies, and are ideal for observing them and other pollinators. Suzi noted that the National Botanic gardens is an ideal place for butterfly watching because it grows a large variety of Australian native plants which attract pollinators.

We hope Suzi will lead another butterfly walk in the future for Friends of Mt Majura.

Suzi’s butterfly book and her report on the Small Ant Blue and Coconut Ants:

Bond, Suzi, Holliday, Steve, Stein, John, 2018, Field guide to the butterflies of the Australian Capital Territory, National Parks Association of the ACT.

Bond, Suzi & Australian Capital Territory. Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate. 2019, The small ant-blue butterfly Acrodipsas myrmecophila (Waterhouse and Lyell, 1913) in the ACT. ACT Government Canberra City, Australian Capital Territory. https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/2539638/small-ant-blue-butterfly-in-the-act-2019.pdf

Cubs Helping Hands for Nature

Some twenty lively children from Majura Mountain Cubs, their leaders Acacia, Wombat and Nemo, and some parents joined FoMM volunteers on a lovely evening in February to spread mulch at the Fair. The energetic Cubs considerably reduced the size of the mulch pile, some carefully filling their buckets with trowels, others preferring to use their hands, doggy style. The Cubs spread mulch on patches of bare ground, where it will enrich the soil and create a microclimate hospitable for seedlings, insects and beneficial microorganisms. Towards the end of the evening, we took the children on a short walk, showing them different native plants growing at The Fair. Cub Scouts is for young people aged 8 to 11 years, and focuses on exploring the outdoors, discovery and learning interesting things.

Photos reporting on FoMM’s Projects

Another photo from the lower seed node. Pollinator beetles feeding on Button Wrinklewort Rutidosis leptorhynchoides an endangered plant in the ACT, and one of the wildflower species planted by FoMM in the node. Plants like this native daisy grow between the grass tussocks in endangered box-gum grassy woodland areas, which once covered much of the urban and suburban areas of Canberra.

Photo by Waltraud, courtesy of Canberra NatureMapr.

Margy tries digging holes with the Hamilton planter in a gully which leads to the little dam at The Fair. In the foreground is a Tall Sedge Carex appressa seedling, a native plant which grows into very large tussocks particularly in damp areas.  While Margy succeeded in digging a few holes here in silty soil, the Hamilton planter was not a success in harder, drier soils; plan B is to rely on the rangers to auger holes for the sedges, which will provide habitat and limit the spread of weedy species.

Photo by Barb Read.

Virginia Creeper or Five-leaved Ivy Parthenocissus quinquefolia found by Max with the Monday at The Fair group, working to remove herbaceous weeds growing under the native Cherry Ballart trees near Clancy’s track and the Antill St roundabout park entrance. This is the first time this garden escapee has been found in the Mount Majura reserve. It was thought to be too frost sensitive to survive here in the wild but, with a warming climate and the protection of the Cherry Ballart, it has become another exotic invasive species in our endangered woodlands. Max took photos and carefully removed this creeper.

Photo courtesy of Canberra NatureMapr.

Also seen recently near Clancy’s track, the lovely wildflower Small St Johns Wort Hypericum gramineum.  There are genetic variants of this species: a dwarf one with tiny but otherwise similar flowers, and one with a paler yellow flower. Native Hypericum species make it very unlikely that biological control of the invasive weed St John’s Wort Hypericum perforatum will ever be possible.

This photo is by sbittinger courtesy Canberra NatureMapr.

Other Coming Events

Growing Friends Autumn native plant sale at the Botanic Gardens Saturday 8 March

Starts 9 am and typically sells out before 10 am.

Hundreds of plants, including ground covers, grasses and shrubs, will be on sale from the car park between the Banksia Centre and the Crosbie Morrison Building.

Sales are by card only, and pots are all $6. Choose the right plant for your garden, courtyard or balcony from the list available on the website 1-2 weeks prior to the sale. Plants are propagated by the Growing Friends group from cuttings or seeds sourced from within the Gardens, and all proceeds help support the Gardens. Only 14 of the plants listed are ACT species.

Forest Art Auction Saturday 15 March 4:30pm – 9pm

To raise funds to support campaigns to protect our beautiful native forests – those surrounding ACT, those in Southcoast NSW forests and also the endangered ecosystems in the ACT. All proceeds will go to the Conservation Council ACT Region.

See a preview of the great variety of donated artworks to be auctioned here.  For a description of the event and to get tickets go here.

UMCN Meeting and Event on Wednesday 19 March – In Person or Online

The Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment Network (FoMM is a member) will be meeting at the Jerrabomberra Community Centre, 31 Jerrabomberra Parkway, Queanbeyan. Meeting to run 9:30 – 10:30.

The first event for the year will be held following the Member Meeting, at about 10:30. Catchment Conversations: Speaker/EventSeries will feature two presentations (with time for questions).

Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade

Delivering a robust, reliable and sustainable sewage treatment plant that protects public health and the environment for future generations.

Speaker is Simon Boulton, QSTP Project Manager, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council.

Tracking Latham’s Snipe

Delving deep into the migration and movement of Latham’s Snipe, a migratory wader bird we share with Japan and Russia and implications for habitat management.

Speaker is Lori Gould, Australian National University.

There is an unexpected connection between these two topics – go along and discover for yourself!

To REGISTER, please click here:   [attending in person]  or [attending online]

World Water Day Saturday 22 March 10:30am – 12:30pm

At Narrabundah Wetlands, Matina Street, Narrabundah for the release of FrogWatch and Upper Murrumbidgee WaterWatch annual reports.

For more information email Anke Maria Hoefer, the ACT & Region FrogWatch Coordinator at frogwatch@ginninderralandcare.org.au and get the latest FrogWatch newsletter.

Riparian Tree Planting Volunteering – Captain’s Flat, NSW in the Upper Molonglo

Saturday 29 March 9?am – 4 pm
Sunday 30 March 9 am – 4?pm

For the Mulloon Institute project to restore the upper Molonglo floodplain which is the last known habitat in the NSW Southern Tablelands for the nationally endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog (GGBF).

More info here.

They also have several positions left on their aquatic planting team for Tuesday 11 March and Wednesday 12 March. They are recruiting a team of volunteers to assist Mulloon team members to transplant aquatic vegetation in and around the waterway in the Molonglo River catchment (our catchment). The requirements for this role will be:

• Safe and confident working in waterways and planting in and near water.
• Experience working in waders preferred but not required.
• BYO sturdy footwear, long sleeves and pants, waders and/or gumboots, drinking water, snacks and lunch, a change of clothes, sun protection, and a raincoat if necessary.
• Starting at 9am and ending at 4pm (or earlier). Arriving by 8.30am for parking and transport to the site.

You can email pennycooper@mullooninstitute.org if you would like to participate in this free event.

FrogWatch Events – March & April

FrogWatch is running Create a Croaking Wonderland – Frog Pond Workshops at various locations. There will also be one at Ainslie, most likely in May or June, so more on that anon.

Conservation Challenges

ACT Nature Conservation Strategy (NCS)

The current strategy is up for review. To see what it includes and reports on progress made during its term from 2013 to 2023 see this website.  The team from the Office of Nature Conservation are keen to get feedback on their suggestions for an updated strategy, and indeed, on any conservation issues you feel need addressing.  There is certainly room for improvement in the way nature is treated in Canberra!

If you would like more information or to make a submission, email to natureconservationpolicy@act.gov.au with the subject line “NCS feedback Stage 2”.

The team will collate responses into a draft strategy document during March, and this will be open for comment on Your Say after June, with the aim of having the strategy in place by the end of the year.

Burrowing Animals and Urban Development

See new ACT legislation from Bren Burkevics, the Conservator of Floraand Fauna here.  The guidelines have lots of fascinating facts about our native burrowing fauna and photos – it’s not just legalese!

Rewilding – next episode

What is biodiversity leak? See here.

COP 16 – continues

Another summary, from Cambridge Conservation Initiative, of the meeting last October-November in Cali, Colombia.

Resumed Sessions in Rome 25-27 February 2025 at Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) can be followed on Facebook here.

Ecological Morality

A quote from theologian Elizabeth A. Johnson, under the heading To Love the Earth:

“One stringent criterion must now measure the morality of our actions; whether or not these contribute to a sustainable life community on Earth.”

Promoting care, protection and healing of the natural world should be a priority in everything we do, not just in the tiny patch of land called Mt Majura, but, through our representatives in the political spheres, for this country, and for the wider world and cosmos.

If you are curious about what a theologian has to say about ecology for people of all faiths or none, see here.

Ecological Philanthropy

Feeling philanthropic and wanting to do more for nature?  Look at this organisation. You don’t have to be a millionaire or a corporate trust to become a member, but membership is not free, like it is for FoMM!

Good News Stories

On Bluetts Block/Ngununggula – good, but could be better – see here or here or Bluetts Facebook and the official announcement here.

On Gippsland Lakes restoration – see this video (At about the 2 minute mark, hear the frogs!)

Latest info from the Biodiversity Council here – some good news and some not so good

On cane toads from the ABC – see here.

On the Canberra Earless Dragon – good or bad? Undetermined as of now… see the article in Riotact

The Canberra Earless Dragon

You’ve probably never seen a Tympanocryptis lineata, since they are small and so rare – so look here for photos and a video. Or look at the slideshow in this profile.

One of the Native Burrowing Animals

A Common Wombat Vombatus ursinus photographed on Mt Ainslie early one morning last spring. Wombats or signs of them (large burrows and squarish droppings) have also been seen on Mount Majura, mostly on the eastern side, but there was a burrow seen last spring in woodland on the western side, east of The Fair.

Photo from Don Fletcher, courtesy of Canberra NatureMapr