I've just returned from a two-night trip to Kosciuszko National Park. I visited the area to try and find a few of the alpine reptiles and butterflies that I had not yet seen. Most of my time was spent in the Charlotte Pass area along the summit walk to Mt. Kosciuszko. The weather was mostly sunny and warm with highs in the upper teens/low 20s.
Mt. Kosciuszko: I did not take the time to climb it but spent several hours along the summit walk. I was fortunate to have excellent weather on both days of my visit. Our highest mountain is really just a hill by world standards!
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Habitat near Charlotte Pass:
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Snow Gums (Eucalyptus pauciflora): These were the most beautiful at dusk. The low sun angles really seemed to accentuate the colours of the bark.
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... Many Snow Gums had bulbous trunks like this:
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Gang Gang Cockatoo. I saw a few including a small group that was feeding on the roadside one morning.
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Southern Grass Skink (Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii)?: Not certain but I think that the following are this species.
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... transparent eyelid:
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Pseudemoia sp.: I saw several of these tiny skinks at dusk in a boggy area. They always reacted to the pre-flash. Any ideas as to the species?
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Guthega Skink (Liopholis guthega): These were fairly common in the Charlotte Pass area.
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... juveniles
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Water Skink (Eulamprus tympanum): These were fairly common in rocky areas near water. Most were dark and almost appeared black in the morning.
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... some had a greenish tint to their scales:
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... habitat:
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Highland Copperhead (Austrelaps ramsayi): This species was common the area and I encountered four. The first one below expressed its displeasure when it saw me in the grass in front of it.
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... I had a close encounter with this copperhead. I was concentrating on the approach to a Heteronympha butterfly and suddenly realized that I was standing right next to this snake. It had flattened its neck but otherwise remained motionless. The snake was fortunately well behaved.
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White-lipped Snake (Drysdalia coronoides): I saw this small snake as it crossed the summit walk one morning.
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A few plants were flowering. Composites were attractive to the Xenica butterflies.
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Orange Alpine Xenica (Oreixenica correae): This and the following were species that I really hoped to see. They are only active from mid-summer to early autumn in the high country of the Snowies.
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... habitat of Orange Alpine Xenica:
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Spotted Alpine Xenica (Oreixenica orichora): I think that the following are all Spotted Alpine Xencia. These and Orange Alpine Xenica are quite similar in pattern. I found these mostly above treeline in alpine areas with flowering composites.
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... habitat of Spotted Alpine Xenica:
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Bright-eyed Bob (Heteronympha cordace): This was a tiny species of Heteronympha and not much bigger than the Xenicas. I only saw a few, mostly near Guthega. They had a habit of folding their wings and dropping into clumps of grass where they were hard to photograph.
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Australian Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi)
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Alpine Sedge-Skipper (Oreisplanus munionga): These were attractively marked skippers. I found several in a wet area on the outskirts of Guthega.
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... sedge-skipper habitat:
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Photos of various insects.
1,2: Mountain Katydids were numerous, especially at dusk. Females (as pictured) are flightless and display these warning colours when disturbed. Males were winged and I saw many in the evening as they flew across the road.
3: A huge coccinellid.
4: These blue-green coloured grasshoppers were common in Epacris shrubs.
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Mt. Kosciuszko: I did not take the time to climb it but spent several hours along the summit walk. I was fortunate to have excellent weather on both days of my visit. Our highest mountain is really just a hill by world standards!
Habitat near Charlotte Pass:
Snow Gums (Eucalyptus pauciflora): These were the most beautiful at dusk. The low sun angles really seemed to accentuate the colours of the bark.
... Many Snow Gums had bulbous trunks like this:
Gang Gang Cockatoo. I saw a few including a small group that was feeding on the roadside one morning.
Southern Grass Skink (Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii)?: Not certain but I think that the following are this species.
... transparent eyelid:
Pseudemoia sp.: I saw several of these tiny skinks at dusk in a boggy area. They always reacted to the pre-flash. Any ideas as to the species?
Guthega Skink (Liopholis guthega): These were fairly common in the Charlotte Pass area.
... juveniles
Water Skink (Eulamprus tympanum): These were fairly common in rocky areas near water. Most were dark and almost appeared black in the morning.
... some had a greenish tint to their scales:
... habitat:
Highland Copperhead (Austrelaps ramsayi): This species was common the area and I encountered four. The first one below expressed its displeasure when it saw me in the grass in front of it.
... I had a close encounter with this copperhead. I was concentrating on the approach to a Heteronympha butterfly and suddenly realized that I was standing right next to this snake. It had flattened its neck but otherwise remained motionless. The snake was fortunately well behaved.
White-lipped Snake (Drysdalia coronoides): I saw this small snake as it crossed the summit walk one morning.
A few plants were flowering. Composites were attractive to the Xenica butterflies.
Orange Alpine Xenica (Oreixenica correae): This and the following were species that I really hoped to see. They are only active from mid-summer to early autumn in the high country of the Snowies.
... habitat of Orange Alpine Xenica:
Spotted Alpine Xenica (Oreixenica orichora): I think that the following are all Spotted Alpine Xencia. These and Orange Alpine Xenica are quite similar in pattern. I found these mostly above treeline in alpine areas with flowering composites.
... habitat of Spotted Alpine Xenica:
Bright-eyed Bob (Heteronympha cordace): This was a tiny species of Heteronympha and not much bigger than the Xenicas. I only saw a few, mostly near Guthega. They had a habit of folding their wings and dropping into clumps of grass where they were hard to photograph.
Australian Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi)
Alpine Sedge-Skipper (Oreisplanus munionga): These were attractively marked skippers. I found several in a wet area on the outskirts of Guthega.
... sedge-skipper habitat:
Photos of various insects.
1,2: Mountain Katydids were numerous, especially at dusk. Females (as pictured) are flightless and display these warning colours when disturbed. Males were winged and I saw many in the evening as they flew across the road.
3: A huge coccinellid.
4: These blue-green coloured grasshoppers were common in Epacris shrubs.
