Do not look at me, I am a blemish on a tree! Red-lined looper (Crypsiphona ocultaria) – named after the red line on the underside of its wings, this is an extremely common native species (but no less beautiful for that).

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Climbing to the light!
A worker cocktail ant (possibly Crematogaster cornigera) having a little explore. They're called 'cocktail ants' because when they're alarmed they'll raise their gaster (last segment of their body) in a defensive pose.

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It's weevil time! Curculio sp. weevil, possibly C. sulfureosignatus. These are known as 'nut weevils' or 'acorn weevils', because they lay their eggs in tree nuts!

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Tiger Longicorn beetle (Aridaeus thoracicus)! Found in the summer months, the black banding is supposed to make it look like a wasp, so other animals leave it alone – nobody picks a fight with a wasp when there's easier food around!

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Eucalyptus weevil (Gonipterus sp. – I think!). A native Australian group of beetles, this genus has about a score species and, as the name suggests, eats Eucalyptus!

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Time for a native Australian ladybird beetle! This is the large-spotted ladybird (Harmonia conformis), a beautiful pest-devouring machine and garden protector!

A note on terminology: ladybird [beetle], ladybug [beetle], and lady beetle are all synonyms – the name applies to any beetle in family Coccinellidae.

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Genus Torbia katydid nymph! I honestly know nothing about these except it's purple and gorgeous and I'm really lucky to have stumbled upon it.

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Australian garden mantis (Orthodera ministralis) nymph, guarding the garden! Like other praying mantises, this is an ambush predator of invertebrates.

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Dendrobium beetle (Stethopachys formosa)! Always happy to see these little things, they're so bright and cheerful!

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This is a leafwing (Doleschallia bisaltide), so-called because, well, its wings look like leaves! This species extends from South and South East Asia all the way down to Australia.

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